Chamber and committees

The diverse nature of the third sector means that the impacts of the increase to employers National Insurance contributions will vary by size and industry sector. However, SCVO has estimated that the cost to voluntary sector employers in Scotland is in the region of £75 million per year, plus inflation.

We will continue to work with His Majesty’s Treasury, portfolios and the sector to support an evidence-based approach and will update Parliament when new information is available.

Scottish Ministers continue to amplify the concerns of the third sector to the UK Government regarding the change to Employer National Insurance Contributions.

Social Security Scotland routinely publishes information on Scottish Child Payment applications, payments and the number of children actively in receipt of the payment by local authority area.

While the latest statistics do not currently include information on the total number of children who have benefitted from Scottish Child Payment, they show that for Scotland, as of 30 September 2024, 325,790 children aged 0-15 years were actively benefitting from Scottish Child Payment. Of those children, 10,335 resided in Aberdeen City.

The next Scottish Child Payment publication, covering the period to the end of December 2024, will be published on 25 February 2025.

We are committed to giving every child in Scotland the best start in life. Women affected by substance use should be able to get the help they need, free from judgement and stigma, throughout the perinatal period.

All Health Boards have guidance for health professionals to ensure pregnant women with substance use issues receive the support they need to reduce the risk of adverse effects on their child and we have also asked Health Boards to prioritise continuity of midwifery care for women affected by substance use.

In March 2024, we brought together an expert working group who are developing a good practice guide to support local areas to do more to meet the needs of women affected by substance use and their infants during pregnancy and the first postnatal year.

The third sector plays a key role for families in providing access to perinatal mental health support, and the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund offers funding to third sector organisations who provide support services to women, including those affected by substance use, during this period. Many of these services provide emotional and practical support to families throughout pregnancy and create a trauma informed environment where parents are supported to give their babies the best possible start in life. We are investing a further £1.5 million over 18 months through this fund, which will continue until March 2026.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Scotland’s international connectivity and we want to see it grow at all Scotland’s airports.

Our Aviation Statement commits to working with Scotland’s airports and airlines to help grow connectivity to the international markets that are important for inbound tourism, business connectivity and the economy as a whole. Scotland's International Strategy specifically mentions improving connectivity to North America.

We take a national approach to route development and our work with airlines is carried out strictly on an “airport-neutral” basis, leaving airlines to decide which Scottish airport to use.

In line with Ministerial priorities in the current challenging fiscal context, officials are always considering options and opportunities for Scottish Government's estate that make the best possible use of our existing assets and deliver value for money. The Scottish Minister’s leasehold interest at 5 Atlantic Quay, Glasgow is being considered as part of that strategic estate work. We cannot comment further at this time due to the commercial sensitivities involved.

Social Security Scotland routinely releases information on Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods applications and payments.

Since the introduction of the School Age Payment in June 2019, 123,140 payments with a combined value of £34,086,106 were paid to eligible clients throughout Scotland by 30 September 2024.

Whilst the latest statistics do not contain the number of payments issued broken down by local authority area, the total value of payments issued to clients in Aberdeen City was £1,065,673 over the same period.

The next Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods publication, covering the period to the end of December 2024, will be published on 25 February 2025.

Since the introduction of Best Start Foods, 107,428 Best Start Foods cards have been issued across Scotland. Of these cards, 3,545 have been issued to clients in Aberdeen City area.

These figures include each new card from August 2019 to the 10 January 2025 and include all cards issued. These include re-issues to the same client if required due to lost, damaged, or expired cards.

Best Start Food card volumes are not featured in our regular Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods publication. These figures have been compiled in response to this request and include dates not yet covered in our latest statistics.

The next Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods publication, covering the period to 31 December 2024, will be published on 25 February 2025.

The supply of medicines is currently a reserved matter for the UK Government. We continue to engage with the UK Government’s Department of Health and Social Care on all medicines supply issues. The NHS in Scotland has robust processes in place to manage supply issues when they do arise and normally there are alternative products which can be prescribed and dispensed. 

The Scottish Government is aware that, since April 2024, there has been ongoing supply issues with the availability of naloxegol (Moventig®) tablets. Initially both strengths (12.5mg and 25mg) were impacted by this supply issue. The latest information provided by the Department of Health and Social Care indicates that supplies of naloxegol (Moventig®) 25mg strength are back in stock however supply issues remain for the 12.5mg strength and that this supply issue is expected to continue until May 2025. The Scottish Government issued advice to NHS Scotland in April 2024 on this supply issue and available alternatives. 

The evidence review undertaken by Public Health Scotland (PHS) will focus solely on existing literature, studies and research in order to set out potential areas of action on alcohol marketing and advertising. The commission is not seeking to develop or deliver new studies or research.

PHS will have independence in developing its review structure, resources and methods upon identifying its requirements for delivering this strand of work, ensuring that quality, integrity and transparency are achieved.

The Scottish Government is expecting findings from the independent Public Health Scotland evidence review of the existing literature, studies and research on alcohol marketing and advertising to be available in Spring 2025.