Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government recognises the need to improve information sharing in cases of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), including where risks or allegations cross local authority boundaries. The Independent National Review highlighted the challenges partners face in sharing information, however it also recognised strong practice through inter-agency referral discussions (IRDs) where agencies share information about child protection concerns and plan joint action to protect children and young people.

Recognising the central role of IRDs in the child protection process, the Scottish Government has provided £468,000 this financial year to support the continued delivery of IRD training for professionals with child protection responsibilities in 2026-27.

In addition, the Scottish Government has launched a CivTech challenge entitled "How can technology support multi-agency processes for the protection of children in Scotland?" The project aims to develop technical solutions for a national platform to support practitioners undertaking child protection processes, including IRDs, with the overarching goal of improving information sharing and ultimately outcomes for children. Further information is available here.

Alongside this, work to improve CSAE data is being taken forward through the National CSAE Strategic Group Data Subgroup. The subgroup’s workplan includes analysing available CSAE data, improving the use of data to support prevention and early intervention, and strengthening CSAE data capture and quality.

To further strengthen information sharing and the use of data across agencies, a Common Data Platform for Scotland is being developed through the Scottish Prevention Hub, a partnership between Public Health Scotland, Police Scotland and the Edinburgh Futures Institute. The platform aims to safely bring together data from key public services to support earlier intervention and more informed decision-making. CSAE has been identified as a core use case for the Proof of Concept phase.

The Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) (OPG), forms part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS). The SCTS operates entirely independently of the Scottish Government, and all operational decisions are the responsibility of the SCTS Board under the leadership of the Lord President.

While the Scottish Government does not have a role in operational decision making, it continues to support SCTS through funding. The 2026–2027 Budget includes increased resource funding to help ease system pressures and support ongoing service improvement and modernisation. Decisions on any further funding, including for the continued development of systems and services such as those provided by the OPG, will fall to Parliament as part of any future spending considerations.

The OPG has increased its processing capacity through additional staff, overtime and digital modernisation. The latest case-management enhancement went live on 16 September 2026, addressing significant issues affecting changes of circumstances for Powers of Attorney. The immediate priority is to sustain registrations above incoming demand and translate increased output into continuing reductions in the outstanding caseload and waiting times.

The timescale for significant improvement will depend on how these changes operate in practice, alongside the continued rise in operational demand. SCTS has therefore advised that it is not possible to provide a definitive date for a return to previous processing times.

The Scottish Government's National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland and Guidance outlining Child Protection Committee and Chief Officer responsibilities make clear that protecting children is a shared responsibility involving statutory agencies, third-sector organisations and communities.

The Scottish Government understands that women and girls continue to experience avoidable health inequalities, which is why we were the first county in the UK to publish a Women’s Health Plan.

During the first phase of the Women’s Health Plan research: Women's experiences of discrimination and the impact on health: research - gov.scot was undertaken to explore women’s experiences of discrimination and the impact on their health. This research, and the experiences of women and girls across Scotland, informed Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan and will continue to inform its implementation.

We want all women and girls to feel valued and listened to when they seek healthcare. Through the delivery of Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan, we will work to address the particular, specific and intersectional needs of women and girls through a Realistic Medicine approach so that they receive the care that matters to them, in the right place and at the right time. Practising in this way should empower women and girls to be able to make choices about their healthcare based on reliable information on options available to them, in the context of what would work best for their personal situation.

The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 places a duty on NHS Boards to investigate and respond to any concerns raised, to take improvement actions where appropriate and to share learning from the views they receive.

Seven of the top twenty global semiconductor companies already have a presence in Scotland and we are considered a worldwide centre of excellence in semiconductor design and IP development.

The Scottish Government has not had any such discussions. A decision on whether every officer would be trained in the use of Taser and any associated timeline is an operational matter for the chief constable.

There are currently 2126 Specially Trained Officers (STOs) trained in the use of Taser but this number can fluctuate for a variety of reasons such as sick leave. There are also 641 Tasers available for STOs.

In order to assess the effectiveness of the MPA and PMF management measures, Scottish Government, as part of it’s monitoring programme, will undertake surveys in Marine Protected Areas and proposed Priority Marine Feature management areas. Findings will be analysed and contribute to the status of the sites protected feature(s).

In relation to Good Environmental Status for seafloor integrity, the Scottish Government is carefully considering the ESS report published on 23 June 2026, Protecting Scotland's seafloor: an assessment of Scottish Ministers' implementation of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010 and will work constructively with ESS to seek to agree an appropriate action plan within the timescale suggested in the report.

The Scottish Government's position on the report's findings and recommendations will be set out through that engagement and in its formal response.

In July 2026 officials were made aware of NHS Grampian's position in relation to the possibility of delays to the restoration of services. I visited Dr Gray's in August to meet staff and discuss the concerns raised by local campaign groups. We continue to make clear our expectation services be restored as safely and quickly as possible.

The Scottish Government recognises the capital pressures facing museums and galleries and remains committed to supporting a resilient sector. In 2026-27, Museum Galleries Scotland will receive £1.6 million for its capital grant programme, helping museums across Scotland invest in their buildings, collections and infrastructure.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with Museum Galleries Scotland to understand the sector’s capital investment needs and priorities, and how these can best be supported within available resources. However, consideration of any capital support must be viewed in the context of the significant pressures on the Scottish Budget. Following the UK Government Budget of 28 October 2026, Scotland’s capital budget alone will see a 1.5% real terms reduction in 2027-28, equivalent to around £100 million.

The Scottish Government recognises the concerns highlighted in the 2021 Thriving Learners survey which focused on universities and the 2022 survey which focused on colleges. We remain committed to working with partners to improve the mental health of students in Scotland.

In September 2024, the Government published the Student Mental Health Action Plan, in part informed by the Thriving Learners research. This aims to support student mental health, through effective collaborative working across colleges, universities and key partners. Work is informed by a Delivery Group which includes Universities Scotland, Colleges Scotland, CoSLA, Public Service Delivery Scotland, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Royal College of General Practitioners and those with lived experience alongside a range of other relevant partners.

Suicide prevention is a key focus. Through our delivery partnership, Suicide Prevention Scotland and the University of Strathclyde, we have established a national network of universities dedicated to suicide prevention. This network is a space for sharing learning and resources and providing peer support across the sector.

The Scottish Government, in partnership with COSLA, is continuing to drive forward Creating Hope Together, our ten year Suicide Prevention Strategy. Published in 2022, it aims to tackle the root causes of suicide, support people at higher risk of suicide and ensure that anyone who has thoughts of taking their own life, or is affected by suicide, gets the help they need. The Strategy’s second three-year Action Plan was published earlier this year, supported by an increased budget of at least £3 million in the current Financial Year. It builds on the work of the previous Action Plan, with a specific action to strengthen the integration of suicide prevention in undergraduate and other courses.

The Scottish Government has invested significantly in a range of mental health services, including allocating over £194 million since 2020 on community-based support for children, young people and adults. Many of these services are available to students.

The Scottish Government also funds the Student Minds Think Positive initiative, which has enabled institutions to develop Student Mental Health Agreements. These bring together institutions and students’ associations to support student mental health and wellbeing and to identify improvements.