Chamber and committees

I have committed to expanding the walk-in service programme and will set out how I intend to do that over the next 100 days.

It remains an unwelcome reality that communities across Scotland experience health, quality of life and even life expectancy differently depending on their circumstances.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00484 on 8 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) are licensed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Assessment of bathing water quality and the environmental impacts of CSOs are matters for SEPA.

SEPA monitors the quality of designated bathing water sites for the purpose of protecting human health during the bathing water season. When poor water quality is predicted or a pollution incident is detected, SEPA issues warnings against bathing, enabling beach users to make an informed choice about using the water or choosing shore-based activities.

Scottish Water has advised that it has found no evidence of operational issues affecting the four Portobello (Central) CSOs within the past three months. Discharges related to normal operations are highly diluted and do not necessarily result in pollution incidents. Any suspected Environmental Pollution Incidents should be reported to the SEPA.

The Scottish Government does not intend to further delay the introduction of the muirburn licensing scheme. The postponement last year of the scheme introduction has allowed for further consideration of stakeholder concerns and amendments to the muirburn licensing scheme through the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026.

Our position is that muirburn policy must balance strategic wildfire prevention, including firebreaks, targeted fuel-load reduction, and a landscape-scale, risk-based approach, with the need to protect and restore Scotland’s peatlands. The licensing scheme is intended to do this by ensuring muirburn is carried out by trained people, in line with the Muirburn Code, and only where it is safe, justified and environmentally responsible.

Recent advice from NatureScot’s Scientific Advisory Committee sets out that licensing and strict compliance with the Code are the best way to reduce risks, including wildfire escapes and damage to carbon-rich peatland soils.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00657 on 8 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00480 on 3 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Social Security Scotland regularly publishes statistics relating to its staffing, although it does not routinely publish a breakdown of its staff by corporate function.

The most recent workforce statistics, published on 19 March 2026, show overall staffing levels of 4,140 full-time equivalent staff in December 2025 but do not include a breakdown by corporate function.

Staff work flexibly across all benefits and are deployed to meet demand.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31539 on 6 December 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

In November 2024 the Scottish Government published the GP Recruitment and Retention Plan 2024–26, outlining a suite of 20 actions to support the GP workforce. We then published an update to this plan in March 2026, summarising our progress.

We will set out plans to establish a comprehensive GP workforce plan in due course.