Chamber and committees

In 2025-26. the Scottish Government allocated £3m to deliver a Test of Change for those in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in secondary 1 to 3. The Test of Change has been providing nutritious meals for up to 6100 newly eligible pupils across 60 schools in 8 local authorities since August 2025 and will run until the end of June 2026.

Following an open tender Ipsos have been appointed to carry out an independent evaluation of the Test of Change. This work involves researchers seeking the views on a variety of subjects linked to the creation and delivery of the Test of Change from stakeholders, including pupils, parents and staff across all 8 partner local authorities.

The research also considers the uptake of free school meals during the Test of Change, including any factors that may have encouraged or been a barrier to eligible pupils taking a meal.

A full report is expected to be published during autumn 2026. The research findings will help inform future phases of the Free School Meals Programme.

The Scottish Government published updated statutory RSHP teaching guidance in February 2026. The revised teaching guidance reflects the issues currently facing children and young people, especially around inclusivity, consent and healthy relationships as well as online influences.

Regarding content of the Scottish curriculum, I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-30034 on 3 October 2024, and S6W-32189 on 23 December 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

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.

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.

The Scottish Government is aware of the decision made by the proprietors to close Fernhill School, and recognises the impact this has for pupils, families, staff, and the wider school community.

The Registrar for Independent Schools has been in contact with the school, which will remain open until the end of this academic session, and has received assurance that relevant local authorities have been notified of the closure and that the school is supporting pupils and families in making arrangements for next year.

Qualifications Scotland has also been engaging with Fernhill School to ensure that young people undertaking their qualifications are being appropriately supported, and the Registrar and HM Inspectors will continue to engage with the school to provide advice and support as necessary.

Further to the answers to questions S6W-43890 on 4 March 2026 and S6W-44014 on 11 March 2026, I met with Alistair Cochrane, Interim CEO of Royal Mail Group on 19 March. We discussed planning for the election and I highlighted the major concerns which have been raised around whether poll cards, postal votes and campaign material will be delivered on time. I received an assurance that Royal Mail recognise the vital role they play in the democratic process and that election mail will be prioritised. They are working closely with Returning Officers and the Electoral Management Board for Scotland ahead of 7 May.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Scotland is the only country in the UK with a Tobacco and Vapes Retail Register. All businesses, regardless of size, need to be registered to be able to sell these products in Scotland. The register exists to support the enforcement of regulation on age restricted products given the public health harms of tobacco and vaping.

Individual business owners are responsible for registering any business selling tobacco and/or vapes. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £20k and possible imprisonment not exceeding 6 months. It is the responsibility of local authorities to enforce compliance with the register in their local areas.

We remain committed to considering how the register could be improved including possible further conditions on registration to support our public health aims of reducing the use of tobacco and vapes.

We also remain open minded to potential further regulation and legislation to ensure the safety of people and buildings, especially when it comes to the storage and disposal of combustible products.

Scotland is the only country in the UK with a Tobacco and Vapes Retail Register. All businesses, regardless of size, need to be registered to be able to sell these products in Scotland. This includes retailers which operate from moveable premises, such as market stalls or sales vans. The register exists to support the enforcement of regulation on age restricted products given the public health harms of tobacco and vaping.

We remain committed to considering how the register could be improved including possible further conditions on registration to support our public health aims of reducing the use of tobacco and vapes.

Individual business owners are responsible for registering any business selling tobacco and/or vapes, or they face a fine of up to £20k and possible imprisonment not exceeding 6 months. It is the responsibility of local authorities to enforce compliance with the register in their local areas.

Local Authorities have responsibility to ensure local budget decisions deliver local and national priorities. The 2026-27 Scottish Budget provides a further real-terms increase in the Local Government Settlement, delivering record funding of almost £15.7 billion, including a quarter of a billion pounds of unrestricted General Revenue Grant.

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.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) will publish waiting times data covering the period up to 31 March 2026 on 28 April 2026.

PHS uses the national waiting times datamart to collect electronic patient records covering the waits that patients experience waiting for treatment as an inpatient or day case under the Treatment Time Guarantee. This data source can be used routinely to identify the specialty of treatment. However, although the records are designed to collect coded information on the procedure that is planned for the patient, this information is often either incomplete, lacking in essential detail and/or its accuracy cannot be assured. In addition, for patients who have completed their wait the procedures that was planned may not always reflect the procedure actually performed after they were admitted for treatment. The latter is not captured through the national data mart. Consequently, information on the average waiting time for surgery for endometriosis or fibroids is not available at a sub-speciality level.