Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the experience of those living with long term conditions in Scotland. That is why we have committed to continue working with people with lived experience, the third sector and clinicians to develop our way forward for long term conditions.

This will build on the work undertaken by the Long Term Conditions Advisory Groups established under the previous government. We are now carefully considering the recommendations shared by various Advisory Groups, made up of key stakeholders from NHS Scotland and the third sector, to inform the best way forward. Our Programme for Government for 2026-27 will be put to the Parliament in due course.

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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00342 on 5 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.

Police Scotland has stated that it investigated reports of suspicious behaviour and found no evidence of criminality. The safety and wellbeing of pupils in school and in the community is of the utmost importance. Responsibility for the safe operation of schools rest with local authorities, who work closely with Police Scotland to assess and respond to any risks, provide reassurance to pupils and communities, and ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place.

The installation of an additional 1,000 to 1,250 defibrillators will be led by Save a Life for Scotland (SALFS), which received £1 million in 2025-26 to begin purchasing the first tranche of devices.

Installation will be coordinated alongside the rollout of Cardiac Arrest Rescue (CARe) Zones over the next three years, supported by a further £500,000 in each financial year.

SALFS will work with partners to ensure devices are placed based on evidence and in areas of greatest need.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00342 on 5 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.

The Scottish Government is working with Motability Operations to understand how any changes stemming from UK Government tax changes in its November 2025 Budget might affect its customers in Scotland who use the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme.

We are aware of the upcoming changes announced by Motability to new and renewing lease customers elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Motability will separately set out in due course how any changes will apply to its future provision in Scotland under the AVE Scheme.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the AVE Scheme and ensuring that eligible clients get the right vehicle to meet their needs and to allow them to remain independent.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that the replacement of University Hospital Monklands, Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, Belford Hospital, and Barra and Vatersay Community Campus are strategic priorities. The 2026-27 Budget provides the necessary funding to allow the development of the business cases.

It is usual for the business case process, construction and commissioning to take a number of years and there will be greater clarity on timeline once the business case process is complete.

Our planning assumption is that the projects will take 5-7 years to complete.

This work is well underway, however it is complex and officials are working with Environmental Standards Scotland to take forward a full scope of work that is practical in advance of a full understanding of the emerging recast EU Urban Wastewater Directive As previously noted in the answers to S6W-40574 on 30 September 2025, S6W-38373 on 17 June 2025 and S6W-42837 on 16 January 2026, I will provide an update to Parliament once this work has reached an appropriate stage.

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.

Through targeted investment and service renewal, we will ensure no patient waits longer than 26 weeks for treatment by the end of this parliamentary term.

This follows a substantive and sustained period of improvement over the last year which saw waits over 52 weeks for New Outpatient decrease for 11 consecutive months and for Inpatient / Day-case by 15 months. We’re also seeing real progress in diagnostics, with activity in the latest quarter at its highest since reporting began in April 2024.

This progress was backed by more than £150 million additional funding in 2025-26, allocated to health boards to target the longest waits for planned care, and deliver on our Operational Improvement Plan commitment to provide an additional 150,000 appointments and procedures. The latest data show this target was surpassed with more than 168,000 additional appointments and procedures delivered.

We have already invested an additional £100 million this year to build on the progress made in the 2025-26 Operational Improvement Plan. We will build on this by creating additional capacity and deliver further reductions in waiting times, with a particular focus on those waiting the longest.