Chamber and committees

Recent global events have highlighted the need for robust and effective consumer protections, better regulation, price transparency and targeted financial assistance for those reliant on heating oil.

Scottish Government is actively considering the recommendations made by the Competition and Markets Authority in its report on the home heating oil market. We are also working with UK and other devolved governments, along with regulators and industry stakeholders, to explore the feasibility and potential value of a Scottish heating oil price checker tool.

Working together will help avoid duplication while ensuring that any price checker tool meets the needs of consumers in all parts of the UK.

In 2025, 210 patients received thrombectomy treatment across Scotland, similar to the 217 patients treated in 2024. This is an increase from 153 in 2023 and 112 in 2022. We have invested over £63 million to date on expanding access to thrombectomy and our manifesto includes a commitment that we will invest a further £25 million to deliver a 24/7 thrombectomy service with national coverage so that thrombectomies are available regardless of location.

We recognise that there is more to do, and we expect Public Services Delivery Scotland to provide a financial case for 24/7 expansion by the end of October. We will then work at pace to produce a delivery plan with timescales for service expansion.

The Scottish Government recognises that socioeconomic deprivation is associated with poorer cancer outcomes, including higher mortality. Through the Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023–2033 and the initial three-year Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023–2026, the Scottish Government is focused on tackling inequalities. We are working to reduce inequalities in cancer incidence, access to services, experience and outcomes, so that treatment and care are equally good wherever someone lives and whoever they are.

A key part of this work is our Earlier Cancer Diagnosis Vision, which aims to reduce later-stage cancer diagnoses by 18 percentage points by 2033, with a specific focus on narrowing the health inequalities gap. Through programmes such as Detect Cancer Earlier and the Be the Early Bird campaign, we are targeting communities in areas of deprivation to improve awareness of symptoms and encourage health seeking behaviours to support earlier diagnosis as treatment is more effective when cancer is diagnosed early.

We are also taking action to improve access to services. Our Inclusion Health Action in General Practice programme supports longer consultations, outreach activity and targeted resources for people with the greatest health needs, including those living in deprived, rural and remote communities. In addition, all NHS Boards are implementing Equity Strategies for Screening, backed by £1 million of investment in 2025-26 to improve uptake and reduce inequalities in access to cancer screening.

More broadly, we recognise that health inequalities are driven by wider social and economic factors. That is why our cancer-specific actions are complemented by cross-government measures to reduce underlying cancer risks, including action on smoking, alcohol harm and obesity, with a particular focus on supporting those communities experiencing the greatest levels of deprivation.

We have undertaken evidence reviews of health inequalities in cancer care and will consider learning as we develop the next Cancer Action Plan to ensure that we deliver on the Cancer Strategy ambitions.

The Scottish Government works closely with the National Institute for Health & Care (NIHR) including buying into the majority of their research funding programmes to allow access for researchers based in Scotland NIHR Programmes – Chief Scientist Office

The Scottish Government will reach out to the relevant team within NIHR to discuss how the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium will be fully implemented here for the benefit of both patients and researchers.

The Scottish Stroke Care Audit provides invaluable information that helps drive improvements in the delivery of stroke care, including hyperacute treatment such as thrombectomy.

Public Services Delivery Scotland are obtaining the requisite clinical, planning, financial and staffing information from NHS Boards to understand what would be required to make 24/7 thrombectomy available across Scotland.

Within the Scottish Government policy responsibility for Health and Care Research sits with the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).

NHS Research Scotland (NRS) is a partnership between the NHS Boards and CSO. NRS works to ensure that the NHS in Scotland provides the best environment to support clinical trials. The Scottish Government provides annual NRS Infrastructure support funding. The 2025-26 figure for this funding was £46.16 million.

The above infrastructure includes the NRS Cancer Research Network that supports the set up and delivery of cancer clinical trials including in brain tumours (Cancer | NHS Research Scotland | NHS Research Scotland) – annual Scottish Government funding to the NRS Cancer Network is in the region of £1 million per annum. The NRS Cancer Network is currently supporting 10 brain tumour studies open to recruitment in the NHS in Scotland – these studies have recruited a total of over 120 patients to date.

CSO co-funds in partnership with Cancer Research UK, the Adult Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC's) in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and a Paediatric ECMC in Glasgow. These form part of a UK-wide ECMC Network that works to support the delivery of early phase cancer studies including in Brain Tumours (Edinburgh adult centre | Experimental cancer medicine centres) and (Glasgow adult centre | Experimental cancer medicine centres) – CSO’s annual contribution is approximately £470K.

The VPAG Commercial Clinical Trials Investment Programme was agreed as part of the 2024 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG). It aims to strengthen the UK’s global competitiveness in life sciences and support innovation led growth. The programme is supported by approximately £400 million of funding from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry members.

The clinical trials component of VPAG is intended to enhance capacity and delivery of commercial clinical research across the UK. Approximately £40 million from this element of the VPAG investment programme is expected to be invested in Scotland over the five year scheme. CSO has worked with NRS to configure this investment to maximise the opportunities for patients to participate in commercial clinical trials.

This includes the setting up of 4 Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDC's) - based in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow - to accelerate and strengthen commercial clinical research delivery. It is anticipated that Cancer trials (including Brain Tumour trials) will represent around 50% of the commercial trial portfolio.

The Young Patients Family Fund is a demand-led fund, and the Scottish Government has ensured funding for all eligible claims each year since its launch in 2021. The 2026-27 budget has been set at £3.2 million based on expected demand levels and we remain committed to provide full funding in 2026-27.

The YPFF is designed to support the families of all babies, children and young people from birth to age 18 who require inpatient care in Scotland, regardless of diagnosis.

Other financial support is available to children and young people with a cancer diagnosis and their families for travel to hospital via the patient travel expenses reimbursement schemes. Under those schemes, patients and authorised escorts can reclaim reasonable costs of travel associated with attending a hospital appointment, in line with eligibility criteria and medical requirements.

The Scottish Government keeps the operation and eligibility of the YPFF under regular review, alongside the wider financial support available to patients and families through the patient travel expenses reimbursement schemes.