Chamber and committees

This information is not held by Scottish Government. I would advise the Member to contact each NHS Board directly to obtain this information.

While the Scottish Government engages with citizens and stakeholders through a number of established channels and forums, we did not undertake a specific public consultation, and the decision to end the scheme was made following an internal review of its performance.

Given that applications have decreased by more than 75% in recent years - from around 1,400 in 2022 to less than 300 to date in the current financial year - it was concluded that demand for the scheme has reduced significantly in recent years and this, coupled with declining supplier participation numbers and the availability of affordable commercial alternatives, suggested that the scheme had achieved its objectives and was no longer required.

The following table sets out the number of vouchers claimed by residential properties per financial year, broken down by Local Authority, as of 22 October 2026.

The Scottish Government recognises the significant contribution that Sleep Action makes in supporting children, young people and families experiencing sleep difficulties across Scotland. Good sleep is fundamental to children's health, wellbeing, learning and development, and sleep difficulties can have a profound impact on family life.

The Scottish Government currently supports Sleep Action through the Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning Third Sector Fund (CYPFEI & ALEC), with core funding of £89,250 committed until March 2027. This funding supports work to improve sleep outcomes for children, young people and families, including families of children with additional support needs, while also increasing the skills, knowledge and awareness of health and education professionals to better identify sleep issues and support families to access help.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with Sleep Action regarding its financial position and future plans and will continue to engage constructively with the organisation on the sustainability of its services. We understand the concerns that have been raised about the future of the Sleep Support Line and the impact this could have on families who rely on the service.

Future funding decisions, including support provided through the CYPFEI & ALEC Third Sector Fund , will be considered in the context of the Scottish Budget 2027-28 and wider spending priorities.

The Scottish Government is placing nature at the centre of our work to strengthen resilience to more floods, drought, wildfires, extreme weather and faster coastal erosion. Simply put, nature is one of the best tools we have to adapt and build resilience to climate shocks, and to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Both must be tackled together.

Though our Scottish National Adaptation Plan, our Climate Change Plan, and our Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, Scottish Ministers are collectively delivering actions that strengthens our natural infrastructure - holding more water in our uplands, creating new and improved wetlands, slowing river flows and improving water quality; to ensure resilience against wildfires and flooding, and provide new and improved spaces for wildlife to live and move as the climate changes. We are also protecting our coasts including restoring sand dunes and seagrass meadows to reduce coastal erosion and protect coastal infrastructure.

In this new Parliament we will continue to invest in nature-based solutions across our land and sea scapes, using local knowledge and expertise. We are delivering this at scale. Since 2021, over £90 million has been committed through the Nature Restoration Fund, while a record number of more than 15,000 hectares of peatland were restored in 2025-26. We are building on this progress through the Programme for Government, including further investment in peatland restoration, flood resilience and coastal adaptation.

For communities, investment in nature means protecting homes and business while contributing to economic growth. For people in Scotland that means improved health and wellbeing, and ensuring everyone can enjoy new and improved nature-rich spaces along our coastlines, in towns and cities, through our rivers and into our national parks and nature reserves, now and in the future.

Further details on the functions, priorities and funding arrangements for More Homes Scotland will be set out as development of the Agency progresses.

The Paediatric and Perinatal Pathology Workforce Report was published by the Royal College of Pathologists in 2025 (Report-RCPath-paediatric-and-perinatal-pathology-2025.pdf) and showed 7 Paediatric and Perinatal Pathology Consultants in Scotland.

The Official Statistics show NHS Scotland has zero Paediatric and Perinatal Pathologists vacancies in NHS Scotland as at 30 June 2026.

The Scottish Government supports specialty training for doctors. The specialty training posts available in NHS Scotland for Paediatric and Perinatal Pathology in 2026 has seen 1 of the 2 training posts filled by mid-year. The specialty training process is ongoing and final fill rates will be known before year end.

The Scottish Government is considering the Thirlwall recommendations in relation to the systems and services operating in Scotland to consider where there is a need for improvement.

The Scottish Government, alongside its delivery partner Public Health Scotland, is currently considering how action on health and work, as outlined in the 10-year Population Health Framework, is delivered alongside commitments in the Programme for Government 2026 – 2031.

We will publish our Long Term Conditions Strategy for Adults in March 2027, which will include both arthritis and wider MSK conditions. This will set out how we will make the vision for health and social care reform set out in our Health and Social Care Renewal Framework a reality for people living with one or more long term conditions in Scotland and support the shift towards prevention reaffirmed in our Programme for Government.

National guidance for NHS employers on safe recruitment practices has been in place since 2007. This has been frequently updated, culminating in the extant NHSScotland Employment Checks Policy and supporting documents being published in August 2025. This policy ensures a consistent approach by setting the standard for employment practice that all our boards follow. It applies to all candidates for employment and employees as well as current and future bank staff, agency staff, sessional workers, volunteers, contractors, secondees and those on placement or work experience, including trainees and students.

In addition to recommendations for stronger safeguards when senior managers transfer between NHS employers in England, Lady Justice Thirwell also recommended that the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England establishes a statutory manager barring system by September 2027. The UK Government confirmed in July 2025 its intention to proceed with legislation to create such a mechanism for NHS senior managers in England, operated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). As the HCPC is a UK-wide regulator, accountable to the Scottish Parliament for groups regulated after devolution, the territorial extent of that legislation may be extended to Scotland at the request of the Scottish Ministers. That work is at an early stage and we will determine the potential suitability of proposals for our devolved services at the earliest opportunity.

The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering resilient, future-ready digital infrastructure that supports Scotland’s long-term economic ambitions. While the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme has played a valuable role in expanding access to superfast broadband, the strategic priority has now shifted towards extending gigabit-capable connectivity, reflecting the widespread availability of superfast services across Scotland.

Demand for the scheme has reduced significantly in recent years and this, coupled with declining supplier participation numbers and the availability of affordable commercial alternatives suggested that the scheme had achieved its objectives and was no longer required.