Chamber and committees

Information on the number of classroom assistants for the years 2003-2020 was provided in answer to question S6W-01069 on 14 July 2021 which is available on the Scottish Parliament website at: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers

Data on classroom assistants by sector and local authority is available from 2019 to 2023, here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-support-staff-management-information/

The decision to move to three Neonatal Intensive Care Units has been firmly based on clinical evidence that the most premature and sickest babies do best when they are cared for in larger specialist neonatal units with higher numbers of these babies, and with specialist staff and services (for example neonatal surgery) available on site to give them the very best care.

Local neonatal units across Scotland, including Wishaw, will continue to offer care to babies who need it, including a level of neonatal intensive care.

We have considered the data and evidence in relation to the proposals and have taken advice from clinical advisors, and are assured about the validity of the evidence base, the process and the conclusions reached.

We have consulted families on the changes to inform implementation of the new model. We have shared the outputs of that consultation with Regional Chief Executives and are taking forward Scotland-level actions required.

Regional Chief Executives have worked with NHS Board teams and strategic planning leads to undertake modelling and capacity work to develop local implementation plans, including plans for staffing levels. It’s important that the whole multidisciplinary team are involved in developing local plans, including obstetric and maternity staff. We expect that staffing resources in the neonatal units will be reflective of the workforce required to deliver care under the new model.

The Scottish Government values the teaching profession and the important work that teachers do is one of the key strengths of our education system.

We will continue to work with COSLA and the teaching unions to address concerns around teacher workload.

We are clear that reducing teachers’ class contact time by 90 minutes per week will help address critical concerns around teacher workload, including the retention of teachers.

We will continue to work with COSLA and the teaching unions to make meaningful progress on this important commitment.

The Scottish Government welcomes the finding that eligible patients are increasingly accessing CAR-T therapies.

NHS Board Chief Executives have endorsed a three-centre regional service model for delivering CAR-T therapies across Scotland, in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Grampian and NHS Lothian, to expand capacity and provide easier access for people requiring this treatment. This service delivery model fully commenced on 1 April 2025.

The Annual Participation Measure is published by Skills Development Scotland and uses the following classifications:

Scottish Government Grants are subject to legally binding agreements. A model offer template is in place which includes terms and standard conditions and schedules covering claims and payments. The exclusion of employment costs forms part of clause 2.7 of the grant offer letter template and is a standard term for all discretionary grants. Employment arrangements of an organisation are a matter for that organisation.

Internal SG guidance requires that all costs must be specific to the delivery of the grant’s purpose therefore employment costs related to the job role of grant delivery are expected. Specifically excluded costs as noted in this clause relate to those which are reclaimable from HMRC. It is for the business area to make local decisions for their grant, the Scottish Government does not store these grant agreements centrally therefore the recording and retention of grant agreements is the responsibility of local business areas.

The Scottish Government recognises that NHS Scotland’s oncology capacity has been increasingly tested due to steady, long-term increases in demand driven by new medicines approvals, increasing complexity of treatment, an ageing population, more treatments for incurable cancers, and delayed presentations exacerbated by the pandemic.

Despite these pressures, we are treating more patients with cancer on time, within both standards, compared to the same quarter 6 years ago – 7.7% more within the 31-day standard & 0.1% more within the 62-day standard.

We continue to take action to address workforce pressures and have increased consultant radiologists by 27.7% in the last ten years. We continue to invest heavily in radiology training - for example we are currently funding around 190 specialty training places in clinical radiology, including 78 extra places we have added since 2014 based on modelling and future workforce need. This enables doctors to train and enter the workforce following completion of training - which takes a minimum of 5 years. This programme has been filled at 100% in Scotland from 2014 to 2024, with 230 resident doctors successfully completing the training.

Further, over £106 million has been allocated to NHS Boards in 2025-26 to address waiting times, with £21 million for imaging. We will reduce the radiology backlog so that 95% of referrals are seen within six weeks by March 2026, through expanding to seven-day services, recruitment, and utilising mobile scanning units.

I have written to the Royal College of Radiologists following their report as I hope to work together to support the development of solutions. This will ensure that our NHS continues to deliver excellent and equitably accessible cancer care.

The transfer and repatriation of mother and babies is a normal component of neonatal care provision in Scotland, ensuring babies receive the best care in the right place at the right time.

The RSM report, published on 29 May 2024, New Model of Neonatal Care – RSM UK Consulting - Report, modelled demand and capacity requirements for the new model of neonatal care. The report was compiled based on data collected from each of the eight neonatal intensive care units, as well as information from Public Health Scotland (PHS) and, Scottish Specialist Transport and Retrieval (ScotSTAR) / Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). The RSM report included a section covering the impact on transfers. The Regional Planning Directors continue to work closely with ScotSTAR and the Scottish Perinatal Network to consider the ongoing impacts as the implementation work continues.

Local Government have the statutory responsibility for education so this information is not held centrally.