Chamber and committees

Third Sector organisations play a key role in civil society and we welcome any insight and challenge they bring to public policy. The Scottish Government appreciates discussion around public policy and view it as an essential part of the democratic process.

To ensure funding is awarded on a fair and equitable basis by officials, The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) is issued by the Scottish Ministers to provide guidance to the Scottish Government and other relevant bodies on the proper awarding, handling and reporting of public funds. It sets out the relevant statutory, parliamentary and administrative requirements, emphasises the need for economy, efficiency and effectiveness, and promotes good practice and high standards of propriety.

Additionally, internal governance procedures are in place to ensure funding is awarded without prejudice or a single point of influence. These include an internal audit system, a governance and accountability team and accountable officer processes that ensure funding is awarded on the basis of value for money as well as outcomes and objectives that best serve the people of Scotland.

I last met with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks on Tuesday 29th October 2024 to discuss the Scottish Consenting Consultation.

Information about Ministerial engagements, overseas travel, car journeys, domestic travel and gifts received is also published on the Scottish Governments website: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

I last met with the National Energy Systems Operator on 29 October 2024 to discuss Clean Power 2030.

Information about Ministerial engagements, overseas travel, car journeys, domestic travel and gifts received is also published on the Scottish Governments website: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Tackling health inequalities and improving life expectancy remain clear aims of the Scottish Government. To achieve this, we are taking forward wide-ranging action targeted to support communities most in need and address the root causes of inequality; which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic and other recent economic shocks.

This includes allocating around £3 billion a year since 2022-23 to tackle poverty and protect people during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis - as well as initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles through tobacco control, preventing alcohol related harm, promoting healthy eating and physical activity. Reinforced by targeted action through our Women’s Health Plan, which clearly sets out actions which aim to address women’s health inequalities by raising awareness across women’s health, improving access to healthcare for women across their lives and tackling inequalities in health outcomes for women and girls.

We are also working with our partners to develop a Population Health Framework, to take a cross-government and cross-sector approach to improve the key building blocks of health including: good early years and education; good work and income; healthy places; and equitable health care. With an overarching ambition to accelerate the recovery and improvement of population health in Scotland with a focus on a whole system approach to preventative action.

The NRAC formula is an objective measure of the need for health care services across Scotland.

Under the existing formula the additional cost of providing health services in remote and rural areas is factored within one of the key components in determining funding allocations, with the formula giving greater weights to areas where there is evidence of unavoidable excess costs of supplying healthcare services.

The Scottish Government have committed to continually review the funding formula. This process is managed by the Technical Advisory Group for Resource Allocation (TAGRA) and supports vital work to reduce health inequalities; ensuring that we continue to allocate funding according to the relative need for healthcare in each Board area. Work is underway to review this, however, funding formulas are inherently complex and the review will take time.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

NHS Boards are responsible for managing their contracts with GP practices, whether General Medical Services contracts (referred to in the question as “17J contracts”) or Primary Medical Services agreements.

Such data as exists on practice closures, mergers or other changes of contractual status does not record whether or not practices “chose” to change.

The Scottish Government is aware of the report.

The Scottish Government already has in place service level agreements with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and local authorities to ensure farm animal welfare legislation is complied with. In addition, Scottish Government Inspectors from our Rural Payment and Inspections Directorate conduct a number of on farm inspections annually which include the consideration of any livestock present.

The Scottish Government also recognises the challenges faced by local authorities in the current fiscal climate and in line with the Verity House Agreement, we continue to engage with COSLA on resourcing matters.

The Scottish Government payment system confirms that no funding has been provided to Stream Bioenergy in the last 5 years.

The Scottish Government is working closely with key stakeholders, including NHS Scotland and third sector to ensure that health professionals embed conversations about alcohol consumption and the risk it carries in developing a range of cancers, for example through Alcohol Brief Interventions, into their daily practices. The Scottish Government also worked closely with Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) to disseminate SHAAP’s guidance, highlighting the link between alcohol and cancer, to health professionals across Scotland.

Cancer remains a national priority, within the Scottish Government and across NHS Scotland. That is why we published our Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033 along with an initial three year Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 – 2026 in June 2023.

The Scottish Government conducted an initial survey of residential rehabilitation providers in Scotland and published the results in November 2021. This showed that, at that time, there were 12 reported beds in Highland and 6 in the Western Isles. None were reported in Orkney, Shetland or Grampian.