Chamber and committees

Statutory undertakers perform functions under statutory powers or duties, for example in relation to utilities such as building and maintaining sufficient infrastructure to transport gas or electricity to residential homes. Where problems are encountered between a statutory undertaker and property owners, the Scottish Government expects all parties to engage in meaningful discussions to resolve any issues that are preventing a statutory undertaker from performing its functions.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00315 on 3 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 recognises the role that advisers and third sector organisations, including Citizens Advice Scotland, can play in supporting clients to challenge Adult Disability Payment decisions.

Under current legislation, requests for redetermination must be made by the individual client, or by a formally appointed representative (such as a power of attorney, guardian or appointee), who has the legal authority to act on the client’s behalf in line with statutory requirements and Social Security Scotland security and consent processes.

This is distinct from third party representatives, such as advice, advocacy, or welfare organisations, who may be nominated to support a client but do not have the same legal authority to act on their behalf. Social Security Scotland has established Third Party Representative guidance which explains how individuals can nominate such organisations to share or receive some categories of information on their behalf. However, this does not extend to making a redetermination request. Stakeholder organisations continue to play an important role in supporting those clients seeking a review of a decision.

Social Security Scotland continues to engage with stakeholders, including Citizens Advice Scotland, to ensure that systems and processes meet the needs of clients and those supporting them.

The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (the 2026 Act) introduces provisions that will make changes to the Code of Practice for Deer Management currently defined by the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.

We expect that the provisions in the 2026 Act will be enacted in a phased manner, and we will set out further details about the timetable for commencing and implementing the individual provisions in the 2026 Act in due course.

We will continue to engage with stakeholders during the commencement and implementation phases, and we will ensure stakeholders and members of the public have sufficient time to prepare before we commence any provisions that would directly impact on them.

In this session, I am delighted to maintain Cabinet level leadership for Gaelic, building on the substantial legacy of the previous DFM. My focus will be on implementing the Scottish Languages Act 2025, passed unanimously by this Parliament. I will continue to be supported in this by officials in the Gaelic and Scots division working to strengthen the statutory support and development of Gaelic across Scotland. This legislation is supported by an increase in funding secured through the 2026-2027 Budget, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to creating a secure future for Gaelic in Scotland. A range of projects and initiatives, operating in different sectors, are in place to support and promote the Gaelic language. Along with significant funding there is also welcome support and co-operation in place from local authorities and public bodies.

As outlined in our pledge over the first 100 Days of a new government and as set out in the Scottish Budget 2026-27, Scottish Spending Review 2026 and the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline 2026, published on 13 January, the Scottish Government is fully committed to dualling the whole A96, including a Nairn Bypass. As part of this commitment the Scottish Government is already starting the dualling process from Inverness to Nairn, including Nairn Bypass.

Investment in the trunk road network over the four year Capital Spending Review period to 2029-30 will allow the Scottish Government to make further progress on dualling the A96 between Inverness and Nairn, including the Nairn Bypass. With the land acquired for the scheme in 2025, funding is included in the 2026-27 Budget to commence the delivery of advanced works. This will include vital archaeological investigation works and other key environmental and ecological measures, along with significant work to facilitate complex Public Utility diversions.

In parallel to the advanced works, investment through the Budget in 2026-27 will also allow Transport Scotland to continue to take forward the work to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme and further develop the Business Case.

The Scottish Government’s preference would be to deliver the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) as one project. However, due to the continued fiscal challenges, it is planned that the Scottish Government will take forward a phased approach to delivery, starting with the Nairn Bypass, followed by the remaining sections of the scheme, from Seafield, east of Inverness, to Balloch and then on from Balloch to the Nairn Bypass.

Completion of the preparatory work, including approval of the Business Case, will enable a firm timetable for delivery to be set as part of the annual budget setting process, with a view to commencing procurement of the main works contract for the Nairn Bypass within this Capital Spending Review period.

The Capital Spending Review allows for the commencement of the construction of the Nairn Bypass in 2029-30, subject to business case approval and confirmation of funding beyond the spending review period. Delivery of advanced works for the Seafield to Balloch section of the scheme are also expected to commence during this capital spending review period.

Despite the current fiscal position and following the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) scheme, the Scottish Government will continue to progress dualling of the A96 eastwards, including an Elgin Bypass.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) describes long COVID as “a multi-system condition with a range of debilitating symptoms… people may have wide-ranging and fluctuating symptoms following an acute COVID-19 infection, which may vary in nature over time”. The ongoing impact of long COVID can be debilitating for some with impacts on daily activities and quality of life reported to include fatigue, breathlessness, anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment.

National population health surveys are currently the most appropriate source of data on the proportion of a population experiencing the long-term effects of COVID-19. The annual Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) is the most robust source of data on self-reported long COVID prevalence in Scotland, including among children. Long COVID is defined for this survey as symptoms that develop during or after a COVID-19 infection that continue more than four weeks after the infection and are not explained by something else. The most recent data for 2024 was published in October 2025. The data for children (aged under 16) are available via the survey dashboard. The question asked respondents who had had COVID-19 whether they currently had long COVID. 1% of children aged under 16 were reported to have long COVID. This is the lowest self-reported prevalence rate among all age groups shown in this survey. The overall adult self-reported prevalence rate was 7%.

The Scottish Government does not have access to data about long COVID held in NHS electronic systems. It is in any case difficult to identify people who have long COVID from within NHS records: not everyone with long COVID will attend their GP, and not all cases or symptoms will be recorded as long COVID. Research undertaken in Scotland, England and Wales has consequently shown that long COVID among adults is under-recorded in GP electronic systems compared with findings from surveys such as SHeS which ask about self-reported prevalence. It is reasonable to assume that long COVID among children is also likely to be under-recorded and is therefore difficult to assess accurately from health records.

No central assessment has been made of the impact of paediatric long COVID on paediatric health and social care services. Responsibility for service delivery rests locally with NHS boards which configure services taking into account local circumstances and the reasonable needs of their patient populations.

We are providing £4.5 million funding to NHS boards on a recurring basis to support the delivery of specialist support for long COVID, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and other similar conditions. In allocating this resource, NHS boards have been asked to consider what would be needed to extend provision for these conditions to paediatric services if there is an identified need for this in their board. Boards have also been asked to consider how they may collaborate to provide a more efficient and effective service, whether this may be for the most complex cases and/or for specific populations e.g. paediatrics.