Chamber and committees

Individual Local Authorities, as employers, are responsible for managing teaching vacancies and providing job opportunities across Scotland. Teaching vacancies are advertised across Scotland, throughout the year, through a process of fair and open recruitment. Local authorities must balance the teaching jobs they advertise with their local needs and contexts, including the type of contracts and posts they make available.

The Scottish Government collects and publishes annual data on the number of teachers employed across Scotland’s 32 Local Authorities through the Annual Teacher Census. This data can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/collections/school-education-statistics/

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of teacher permanence, and the stability and assurance this brings to teachers. That is why we continue to invest £186.5 million to help restore teacher numbers. We continue to work closely with COSLA on medium and long-term joint workforce planning, which will take into account the importance of responding to issues such as teacher permanence.

Local authorities have the statutory responsibility to manage their school estate, and determining appropriate Pupil Product Ratios (PPR). The Scottish Government does not hold national data comparing pupil yields with PPR assumptions, however, the Determining Primary School Capacity guidance supports local authorities in using locally derived evidence within their planning models. Any review of PPRs in light of future census data remains a matter for each authority.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publish median and 90th percentile for length of time patients wait to be seen as a new outpatient on a monthly basis.

The median waiting time is the middle waiting time, calculated by ordering patients from shortest to longest wait. This represents typical length of time patients have waited. The 90th percentile reflects the upper limit on how long nine out of ten waits have lasted.

The latest data covers all waits for an ongoing new outpatient appointment up to 31 January 2026, as set out in the following table.

Table 1. Gynaecology: New Outpatient Ongoing Waits – 31 January 2026

The most recent Scottish Criminal Justice Survey, published earlier this month shows that the majority of adults are confident in the effectiveness of the police to deal with incidents, solve crime, and catch criminals. Furthermore, the survey showed that 59% of adults have confidence in the police to respond quickly to appropriate calls and information from the public. This is higher than in 2008/09, when it was 54%.

While there are a complex range of factors behind confidence in policing it would be remiss not to acknowledge that overall trust has fallen in recent years. This mirrors a similar trend in England and Wales over the same period, suggesting the issues involved may not be solely specific to Scotland.

Confidence in our police service is vital for a safe and just Scotland and Police Scotland are already taking steps to respond – from strengthening community policing to improving how they engage with victims and local communities. That work is backed by record investment of £1.64 billion this year, which will increase to over £1.7 million in 2026-27.

Improving public trust and confidence is also a cornerstone of Police Scotland’s 2030 vision and is embedded within its three-year business plan and local policing plans.

Of the £12.9 million allocation into gynaecology services in 2025-26, over £9.4 million has been directed to inpatient/day-case activity.

The impact of this investment is tracked centrally through routine self-reported returns submitted by NHS Boards and via Public Health Scotland’s (PHS) monthly Stage of Treatment publication.

As of 31 January 2026 (latest), PHS data shows that waits of over 52 weeks for gynaecology inpatient or day-case had reduced by 21.8% since 31 July 2025.

As in previous years, St Andrew’s House and Victoria Quay will be lit purple for epilepsy awareness on 26 March 2026.

It is clear that urgent action is needed to address endometriosis diagnosis times. That is why we have allocated almost £13 million in additional funding to Health Boards this year to target long waits for gynaecology.

We are beginning to see the impact of that investment, with waits over 52 weeks reducing by 44.6% for new outpatients and by 21.8% for inpatient/day-case between 31 July 2025 and 31 January 2026.

Endometriosis continues to be a priority for this Government, and we are determined to see diagnosis times reduced for all women and girls across Scotland.

Through Phase Two of the Women’s Health we are taking action to transform gynaecology services and reduce diagnosis times for all menstrual health conditions, including endometriosis. The Endometriosis Care Pathway has already been updated to align with the most recent NICE guidance, so that NHS Boards can ensure that women and girls with endometriosis and endometriosis like symptoms have access to holistic and timely care.

The updated Endometriosis Pathway can be accessed here: www.rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/gynaecology-pathways/endometriosis/

The three Accredited Endometriosis Specialist Centres in Scotland provide coordinated, multidisciplinary treatment to individuals with complex symptoms of endometriosis and to those requiring complex surgery. Understanding the potential capacity of services such as the Specialist Endometriosis Centres will be a central aspect of the National Gynaecology Plan.

Gynaecology waits of over 52 weeks reduced by 44.6% for new outpatients and by 21.8% for inpatient/day-case between 31 July 2025 and 31 January 2026 as a result of the almost £13 million additional funding we allocated to health boards in 2025-26 for gynaecology services.

The 2026-27 Budget provides almost £22.5 billion investment in health and social care services.

NHS Board planning for 2026-27 is underway, and dedicated funding will support the continuation of the progress delivered this year. However; NHS Boards are responsible for deciding the distribution of funding that they receive from the Scottish Government across the services they manage, including any funding directed towards laparoscopic diagnostic surgery and multidisciplinary care.

We want all women and girls to be able to access the best possible care and support and to benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put women at the centre of their care.

Endometriosis continues to be a priority for this Government, and we are determined to see diagnosis times reduced for all women and girls across Scotland.

Through Phase Two of the Women’s Health we are taking action to transform gynaecology services and reduce diagnosis times for all menstrual health conditions, including endometriosis. The Endometriosis Care Pathway has already been updated to align with the most recent NICE guidance so that NHS Boards can ensure that women and girls with endometriosis and endometriosis like symptoms have access to holistic and timely care.

The updated Endometriosis Pathway can be accessed here: www.rightdecisions.scot.nhs.uk/gynaecology-pathways/endometriosis/.

We want people in Scotland, regardless of their background, age, or circumstances, to have access to the right help, at the right time, when they struggle with their mental or physical health. Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy published jointly with COSLA sets out a clear vision of a Scotland, free from stigma and inequality, where everyone fulfils their right to achieve the best mental health and wellbeing possible.