Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has invested over £40m over the past five years to support cancer services and improve waiting times for treatment. In response to oncology pressures, we have committed to additional funding for chemotherapy services, including for lung cancer. This funding will reach up to £10.5m per annum by 2027, with £3m released in 2023-24, £4.6m released in 2024-25, £6.6m in 2025-26 and £10.5m this financial year.

Through the Respiratory Care Action Plan and wider long-term conditions work, the Scottish Government is strengthening prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation services for people living with serious respiratory conditions, including severe asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease and sleep apnoea, while working with NHS Boards and third-sector partners to improve access to care across Scotland.

Import and export control law and policy are reserved to the UK Government, and the Scottish Government has no plans to undertake a separate review of the importation of vape products into Scotland. We have worked closely with Trading Standards and Four Nations officials to support compliance with vaping legislation, including the introduction of the ban on single-use vapes.

The Scottish Government fully engages with the Audit Scotland’s National Fraud Initiative and encourages all public bodies, including Local Authorities, to do the same, to ensure the protection and recovery of taxpayers’ funds from fraud.

The Scottish Government has robust processes in place to prevent, detect and respond to fraud. We continue to enhance our counter fraud arrangements in line with the latest best practice.

We continue to focus on raising the awareness of fraud within our public sector organisations, fully participating in International Fraud Awareness week, and actively sharing information about the risks to public services, making sure that fraud awareness and prevention is embedded within public service delivery through training and staff development.

The Scottish Government has strengthened key partnerships, particularly with Police Scotland and the UK Government’s Public Sector Fraud Authority, giving confidence that we remain alert to the evolving threat of fraud, and well prepared to protect public services in Scotland.

Noting that Audit Scotland’s report highlights pensions spend, I have also asked the CEO of the Scottish Public Pensions Authority to respond. His response is as follows:- “SPPA is proactive in our work to ensure we have robust and effective counter-fraud measures in place. We are carefully considering the report to help inform this ongoing work.”

The largest level increases in the devolved public sector headcount over the year from March 2025 to March 2026 were in the NHS Scotland and Local Government workforces. Our priority is to protect the roles that deliver vital services to the public, focusing on enabling frontline workers to do what they do best, supported by more effective back-office systems and shared services.

Between March 2022 and March 2026, the core Scottish Government workforce reduced by 11.4%, including both directly employed FTE staff and contingent workers, as a result of enhanced recruitment controls being implemented and taking effect. These controls have driven a significant reduction in the size of the core Scottish Government civil service over the past four years and are now being rolled out more widely across public bodies.

Our commitment remains to deliver a managed reduction in the size of the public sector workforce through reform, efficiency and natural attrition, while protecting frontline services. The commitment to reduce headcount by an average of 0.5% per year applies across the five-year period and is not expected to be delivered on a linear basis. This reflects the fact that some workforce changes will require longer-term restructuring, including reforms to public bodies, health boards and local government set out in the Programme for Government.

The Scottish Government expects the same standards of behaviour of all people resident in Scotland.

Violence against women and girls is a fundamental violation of human rights and has no place in our vision for a safe, strong and successful Scotland. Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls, recognises that such violence and abuse is not the preserve of one community but exists across Scotland. We must come together to tackle this blight on our society.

The Scottish Government has noted the UK Government guidance. As set out in the Programme for Government (PFG), The Scottish Government is investing in and delivering our community cohesion work programme, including Increasing investment in the Community Cohesion Fund to £500,000, which brings communities together and helps to build integration.

In March 2026 we published the Democracy Matters: Route Map to Reform which provides a compelling vision for the future of community decision making and sets a direction of travel to grow the capacity of communities including Community Councils, and other critical community infrastructure.

As set out in the Programme for Government, we will build on this work and develop proposals over the next 3 months in conjunction with local government, and wider partners, to strengthen local democracy and reform our governance arrangements. I expect the role of Community Councils will be an important part of these discussions.

The Scottish Government expects the same standards of behaviour of all people resident in Scotland.

Violence against women and girls is a fundamental violation of human rights and has no place in our vision for a safe, strong and successful Scotland. Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls, recognises that such violence and abuse is not the preserve of one community but exists across Scotland. We must come together to tackle this blight on our society.

Scotland has a long history of welcoming people of all nationalities and faiths, including those seeking refuge and asylum, who enrich our nations fabric and help to make Scotland stronger.

We are committed to supporting New Scots integration into our communities and providing the safety and security they need as they begin to rebuild their lives.

The sale, import and product standards of off-road vehicles, and their registration, are largely reserved to the UK Government. Scottish Ministers have previously asked the UK Government to introduce compulsory registration of off-road vehicles. We will continue to press it on these matters as a shared challenge across the UK.

Within devolved competence, we are considering how the response to the antisocial use of vehicles can be strengthened. This includes exploring removal of the requirement for police to give a warning before seizing a vehicle used antisocially under section 126 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004. We are also reviewing the secondary legislation governing the retention and disposal of seized vehicles.

The police already have a range of powers. Riding a motorbike off-road without lawful authority is an offence, and a vehicle used in that way can be seized and, following prosecution, forfeited. Police can also seize vehicles used antisocially, or driven on a road without a licence or insurance. The use of these powers in Fife is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

Ministers and officials undertaking overseas travel are required to ensure that such travel represents value for money, supports the delivery of government priorities and complies with the Scottish Ministerial Code and relevant Scottish Government travel policies. Decisions on international engagement are based on the anticipated benefits to Scotland rather than the cost of any single journey in isolation.

The First Minister's visit to the United States took place during Scotland's first FIFA World Cup appearance in 28 years and provided an excellent opportunity to advance the four priorities of Scotland's International Strategy: economy, climate, equality and stronger international relationships. The programme secured engagement with investors, promoted Scotland's export and investment opportunities, strengthened political, academic and cultural partnerships, supported key sectors including food and drink and clean energy, and helped maximise the significant international profile generated by Scotland's participation in the tournament.

This has become more important in the aftermath of the UK leaving the European Union. That has left the UK more isolated, made business more difficult, removed rights from UK citizens and costing taxpayers tens of billions of pounds. That has had a significant impact on Scottish institutions, businesses and citizens making our international engagement vital as one of the means of seeking to overcome some of that damage.