Chamber and committees

The supply of medicines and the associated legislation are a reserved matter for the UK Government and the Scottish Government continues to engage with them on all medicine supply issues. The UK Department of Health and Social Care have stated that while the medication is currently unavailable, the anticipated resupply date is mid-august 2025. An alternative medication named Naldemedine (Rizmoic) remains available in 200 microgram tablets and can support increased demand. Those affected by the shortage are encouraged to discuss alternative treatments with their clinical team.

Scottish Government officials continue to monitor the situation for any further developments and are maintaining a close dialogue with all Health Boards to help manage this medicine supply disruption.

The Scottish Government issued a Medicine Supply Alert Notice (MSAN) relating to supply disruption of the medicine naloxegol on 25 April 2024. The anticipated resupply date for the medicine has since been moved to 15 August 2025 and the medicine is unavailable throughout the UK. The Scottish Government appreciates the frustration and concern that this continued shortage will be having on patients prescribed this medication and while medicines supply continues to be reserved matter for the UK Government, we continue to press for a lasting solution in our engagement with the UK Government’s Department of Health and Social Care.

Social Security Scotland recognises and values a wide range of diverse groups beyond the nine protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010, including a strong commitment to the armed forces community – veterans and their families.

Social Security Scotland is committed to supporting the Armed Forces Community, including veterans and their families.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 sets out the legislative criteria for becoming a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) and the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) sets regulatory criteria under section 25 of the 2010 Act. A prospective RSL must meet both sets of criteria to be eligible for registration. The SHR have set out their registration criteria and constitutional requirements for social landlords in their Regulatory Framework. They will assess each application to determine whether the applicant body will be a viable organisation that can meet the demands of managing a social landlord’s business and providing services to tenants.

The Scottish Government uses a variety of sources to measure Scotland’s inward investment performance, including data from Scottish Enterprise and independent analysis published annually in the EY UK Attractiveness Survey for Scotland. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) is not a classification that the Scottish Government or Scottish Enterprise use when measuring the performance of inward investment projects into Scotland. Scottish Enterprise classifies projects as new, expansion and safeguarding projects and as such, does not collect information on M&A activity. The UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) provides estimates for M&A activity in Scotland based on their own internal definitions, classifications and methodology.

Scotland continues to attract new high quality investment projects, according to the latest EY survey published in June 2025. Scotland has maintained its position as the top performing region or nation of the UK for foreign direct investment (FDI) projects outside of London, for a record tenth year and is the sixth best performing region in Europe.

The use of vapes containing harmful substances among young people is concerning. The Scottish Government is taking forward substance use education work in our schools through Curriculum for Excellence, where children and young people learn about a variety of substances including alcohol, medicines, drugs, tobacco and solvents. Learning sets out the impact these substances can have on their life and health and helps support better informed decision making. Education alone will not turn the tide of substance use but it is an important strand within a broad range of measures designed to tackle this issue.

Each establishment, working with partners, should take a holistic approach to promoting health and wellbeing. This should take account of the stage of growth, development and maturity of each pupil, and the social and community context.

We welcome the work of Ayrshire’s Vaping Taskforce comprising of Trading Standards, Police Scotland, Alcohol and Drug Partnerships and GPs. This Taskforce is actively working to raise awareness on vaping and the potential for them to contain illegal substances. We will monitor the impact of the Taskforce and the introduction of devices which can test vape liquids for illegal substances.

Our Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR), published in November 2023, identified vaping as an emerging behaviour of concern. While BISSR did not highlight links with violence in schools, it did identify that the rise in prevalence of use of vapes among secondary pupils was resulting in reduced attendance within classes as young people gathered to vape in toilets throughout the school day. As part of the Scottish Government’s response to BISSR, our Relationships and Behaviour in Schools Action Plan 2024-27 we have committed to developing guidance on vaping in schools, which we will begin later this year.

The Scottish Government provides early access to substance use treatment and support for all those who need it through the National Mission. This has been backed by an investment of £250 million over the life of the Parliament.

Responsibility for school funding, education provision and pupil support rests with local authorities. Under the Curriculum for Excellence framework, schools and practitioners are empowered to design the curriculum in a way that best meets the needs of learners.

School Nurses are equipped to support school aged children and young people with concerns regarding substance use. Scottish Government continues to promote the role of the school nurse and their strong focus on prevention, early intervention and support for the most vulnerable school-aged children and young people. Between 2019 and 2024 the Scottish Government invested over £34 million to support the recruitment and retention of over 216 additional school nurses. Funding has now been added to annual Health Board budgets to support retention of the school nurse workforce.

The Scottish Government has invested £1.5 million over the last 2 years in Planet Youth. Also known as the Icelandic Model, Planet Youth is a universal approach to prevention which empowers communities to support their young people to reduce the risk of substance use and harms. The Scottish Government has committed a further £750,000 to Planet Youth over 20025-26.

Through the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund, the Scottish Government has also provided nearly £4 million funding between the years 2023-24 and 2025-26 to expand the Routes programme. This model provides support for young people who are affected by substance use in their families.

The Democracy Matters steering group last met on 11 June 2025. The steering group is focused on developing the views that communities shared during the Democracy Matters engagement process into practical models for democratic decision-making.

NatureScot, on behalf of Scottish Government, currently run a Long Distance Trails Forum which brings together trail managers, including the 4 Long Distance Routes and wider ‘Great Trails’, from across Scotland to share good practice, knowledge and experience. NatureScot also fund Scotland’s Great Trails website promoting Scotland’s long distance trails. There is currently a review being carried out of Scotland’s Great Trails, which includes active travel provision, visitor experience, enjoyment of the outdoors, connection with nature, green tourism and community connections.

Local Authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships can apply for funding for active travel from Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Infrastructure Fund, which could include long distance walking routes where they deliver against Scotland’s Active Travel Framework. The Scottish Government also funds the National Cycle Network which is also used for walking and wheeling, forming long distance active travel routes that are also used for everyday journeys.