Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to drawing on a wide range of evidence in developing the Better Surfaces Fund. Engagement with relevant stakeholders will inform the design and operation of the fund, to ensure it supports the adoption of best practice and delivers lasting benefits for Scotland’s road network.

We recognise that the register of child welfare reporters is a key part of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020. It remains a priority and will improve consistency, transparency and quality in how reporters are appointed and deliver their role. To support the delivery of this, we convened a short-life Child Welfare Reporter Working Group to consider what is needed in advance of establishing the new register.

The Child Welfare Reporter Working Group last met on 19 March 2026 to consider a draft implementation plan and Logic Model. The plan is not yet finalised, and a further meeting is expected in autumn 2026.

Subject to approval of the implementation plan, delivery of the register is expected to take up to three years. This will include developing regulations, establishing operational arrangements, and making any necessary changes to court rules. Work is also underway to assess costs and ensure the register is implemented sustainably while delivering its intended improvements.

The creation of a national register for child welfare reporters is a priority for the implementation of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020. The register will improve consistency, transparency and quality in how reporters are appointed and carry out their role, helping to support better outcomes for children involved in contact and residence cases.

To support this work, the Child Welfare Reporter Working Group last met on 19 March 2026 to consider a draft implementation plan and supporting Logic Model for the establishment of the register. The plan has not yet been finalised, and we expect the Working Group to meet again in autumn 2026 to consider further.

Once the plans are approved, it is anticipated that it will take up to three years for the new register to become fully operational. Key elements of this work will include developing and laying the necessary regulations, determining the operational model for the management of the register (for example, through contractual arrangements), developing a robust understanding of the costs associated with reports, and identifying any required changes to court rules.

Section 23 of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (the 2020 Act) requires Scottish Ministers to make funding available, through legal aid or otherwise, to help individuals cover the costs of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in family law cases under section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 or where such cases are likely to arise. This includes disputes about child contact and residence following parental separation and aims to help people resolve issues out of court, where possible.

In line with section 24 of the 2020 Act, our intention is to first set up a pilot of ADR meetings, which will inform the future details of such a funding scheme.

This pilot will not apply to proceedings in which there is a proven or alleged history of abuse, and it will not compel parties to attend an ADR service (it is a basic principle that it is designed as a voluntary process for those involved).Upon conclusion of the pilot, it is likely to take at least another 12 months to put the agreed funding scheme into place.

We have not been in a position to implement these provisions. However, they will be taken forward through a phased approach, alongside other 2020 Act priorities. For both of these ADR provisions, the Scottish Government provides update reports to Parliament on the progress of this work. The latest report is available here Introduction - Children (Scotland) Act 2020 - section 23(1) and section 24(1): fifth report on the Scottish Ministers' duties - gov.scot. We intend to resume production of these reports in the near future.

In light of the UK Government’s decision, the Scottish Government is actively exploring options to ensure that listed places of worship in Scotland are not disproportionately affected by this withdrawal of UK-wide VAT relief.

I asked for clarity about Barnett consequential funding from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. She has reviewed movements in the UK Government Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s funding from the UK Spending Review, and this shows negligible changes in capital budgets across the period. On this basis, it appears that existing funding has simply been repurposed from the now scrapped UK-wide scheme.

Following the announcement by the UK Government of the closure of the Places of Worship Grant Scheme the Scottish Government has met with representatives of both the UK Government, and the Church of Scotland, regarding the closure of the UK Government’s Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

The Scottish Government is actively exploring options to ensure that listed places of worship in Scotland are not disproportionately affected by this withdrawal of UK-wide VAT relief.

I have been advised by NHS Tayside that external investigators AAB began their formal investigation in February 2026, and that they are independently analysing all the documents they have requested to date, with further documentation being identified and new information requested as witness interviews progress and additional evidence is heard.

The agreed scope of the investigation is to:

• Review NHS Tayside’s systems, processes, actions and governance arrangements in response to the Do Not Destroy notice
• Examine NHS Tayside’s internal investigation to assess whether the Health Board has a full and accurate understanding of how the destruction occurred
• Identify any systemic or procedural weaknesses that contributed to the incident
• Provide recommendations to strengthen controls and prevent recurrence.

NHS Tayside has indicated it expects to receive its final investigation report and recommendations during the first week in April. The report will then be considered by NHS Tayside’s board and next steps agreed. The First Minister has written to the Chief Executive of NHS Tayside to ask that she keep former patients updated with any developments in the weeks ahead.

The wide range of improvements delivered for the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan scheme include introduction of a digital customer claim verification process, simplified documentation requirements, language and layout updates to the application portal, as well as improved guidance and named caseworker support for applicants. We have also developed guidance tailored for installers.

These changes have improved the customer journey, with customer satisfaction scores rising to consistently above 90%. I attended a roundtable with installers and manufacturers in the clean heat sector at the Energy Training Academy in February to gather further feedback, and we remain committed to making further improvements.

I welcome the interest in the Home Energy Grant and Loan scheme performance, and expect this information to publish shortly.

(a) We know that the earlier all cancers, including lobular breast cancer, are diagnosed the easier they are to treat and even cure which is why we continue to invest in our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme. Detect Cancer Earlier’s Be The Early Bird campaign launched in March 2023 aiming to reduce fear of cancer and empower those with possible symptoms to act early.

Following successful independent evaluation, the campaign re-ran several times (September 2023, August 2024, March 2025 and September 2025) to prompt health-seeking behaviour, targeting those aged 40+ from areas of deprivation.

The Scottish Referral Guidelines (SRGs) for Suspected Cancer support primary care clinicians to identify those with symptoms suspicious of cancer, including lobular breast, and identify those who require urgent assessment by a specialist. A clinical review of SRGs has been completed with updated guidance published on 6 August 2025.

(b) Breast tomosynthesis, or 3D mammography, is a low-dose X-ray imaging technique that creates 3D images of the breast and is more effective at detecting lobular breast cancers. This advanced technology is now available in all six breast screening centres.