Chamber and committees

As set out in our manifesto, we will work in partnership with others, including administering authorities in the Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme, to progress funding models that safeguard fiduciary duties, provide secure inflation linked returns, and can accelerate the delivery of affordable homes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00834 on 12 June 2026. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00791 on 12 June 2026. 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.

We are taking bold and ambitious action to reform and renew our health and care systems in line with our vision where people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives while recognising the financial pressures facing the health and social care sector now. The 2026-27 Budget provides almost £22.5 billion investment in health and social care services, exceeding consequentials and providing a real terms uplift to enable more sustainable and resilient services.

Delivering the transformation the people of Scotland need depends on improving prevention and ensuring that health and care services are accessible, high quality, and person led. The Service Renewal Framework provides a structured approach to drive the transformation necessary to realise our vision - responding to today’s pressures but also building the foundations for long-term sustainability and improvement. Renewing Scotland’s essential public services must be rooted in a long-term vision - one that prioritises prevention and early intervention.

The integration of health and social care planning is essential in ensuring services are well-coordinated and responsive to the population's evolving needs, and the report recognises the need for local collaboration in setting budgets. This means that local authorities are responsible for how they choose to invest in those services, not Ministers.

The financial position remains challenging – to ensure that available capital funding can be directed to best effect, we are working with all health boards to develop an NHS whole system infrastructure plan for Scotland to inform investment priorities. The 2025-26 Budget confirmed our capital investment priorities for the next 5–7 years. The NHS whole system infrastructure planning work will inform our capital investment priorities beyond that.

The first phase of this was identifying immediate building maintenance and equipment replacement priorities to support service continuity. Boards submitted their risk-assessed priorities in January 2025 and, following review, Boards have received confirmation of which items can be progressed.

The next stage will consider long-term investment priorities and Boards – including NHS Grampian – have been instructed to undertake strategic assessments with returns required during 2026-27 and by not later than 31 March 2027.

A key part of this work is the development of an infrastructure investment strategy programme for primary care as announced in the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline on 13 January 2026. An initial tranche of 12 projects has been selected for their health, population demographic and estate needs. Work on three initial projects will start immediately to create and pilot a standardised approach towards design and procurement – this will be used to improve the efficiency of delivery of all future schemes. It is intended that there will be further, future tranches of investment across the primary care estate, which will consider other areas of need.

The Scottish Government will not extend the deadline to participate in the public inquiry into the 400kV Kintore –Tealing overhead line. The 14 day period given to confirm participation in the public inquiry accords with the guidance on Priority Applications for Transmission Infrastructure (February 2025). To extend this period would jeopardise Scottish Ministers' ambition to determine the application within 52 weeks.

The Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) notified 10,524 individuals and organisations with a right to take part, including 31 statutory consultees and 10,493 interested parties (10,005 by email and 488 by letter). Records confirm that all notifications were issued. Only one person has reported not receiving the original email, and their response has since been recorded. Anyone who believes they missed correspondence can contact DPEA, and all inquiry information remains available on the DPEA case portal.

Assessments of respiratory prevalence and emergency hospital admissions are produced and published by Public Health Scotland, including data for NHS Grampian and national averages. The Scottish Government draws on these official statistics rather than undertaking separate board-level assessments.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) data shows that respiratory conditions are a major contributor to unplanned hospital demand. Emergency inpatient activity accounts for almost half of all hospital admissions nationally, reflecting sustained pressure on acute services. Longer term projections indicate that unplanned acute inpatient admissions for respiratory conditions are expected to rise by around 23% between 2024 and 2034, confirming the growing burden of respiratory illness across Scotland. A link to PHS data can be found at: Projecting future demand for health and care services in Scotland (2024-2034) - Long term service demand projections in Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises these pressures and is taking action. We recently published the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, the Scotland's Population Health Framework and the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework in which we outline our shared, long-term vision for reforming and renewing health and social care services to ensure they are more sustainable, preventative, and equitable.

Our Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland has supported national work to strengthen prevention, diagnosis, care and support for people living with respiratory conditions. Through the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, national pathways are being developed for severe asthma, COPD, sleep apnoea and interstitial lung disease. Work is also underway to improve access to pulmonary rehabilitation, a key intervention for people with chronic respiratory conditions.

This work supports resilience across the health system throughout the year, including during periods of increased pressure. Prioritising prevention, early detection and supporting effective long term self-management helps reduce avoidable exacerbations which often drive urgent and unscheduled demand during winter.

The Scottish Government is aware of the development of Modern Service Frameworks in England for major conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia. For clarity, these are being developed by the UK Government but have not yet been formally introduced.

In Scotland, our policy is guided by our own strategic frameworks, including the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, Scotland's Population Health Framework and the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework. Together, these set out our shared long-term vision for reforming and renewing health and social care services.

This work is underpinned by a ten-year programme focused on prevention, person-centred care, strengthened community services, digital innovation, and addressing the root causes of poor health.

The Scottish Government works closely with NHS Grampian and NHS Scotland Assure on all capital investment projects. Safety is always paramount and NHS Grampian is implementing several changes to the new hospital as a result of clinical recommendations, following a design review - this has impacted completion date and cost.

The Key Stage Assurance Review (KSAR) process is in place to ensure a safe, high quality healthcare facility is delivered. Infection prevention and control is embedded throughout the KSAR process.

We are focused on ensuring the ANCHOR Centre and Baird Family Hospital opens when it can operate safely and effectively.

Draft valuations for the 2026 revaluation were published on 30 November 2025. Valuations are carried out by independent Assessors and we recognise that while some ratepayers will see their rateable values fall, a number will see significant increases.

While Assessors may use local Practice Notes to value properties, all Assessors are voluntary members of the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) which has subject-specific committees that regularly meet to discuss valuation matters pertaining to specific subject categories. It also publishes subject-specific Practice Notes to ensure consistency of valuation approach and practice by property type across Scotland, including self-catering holiday accommodation. Practice Notes are developed in conjunction with relevant bodies and affected stakeholders where appropriate and major changes to Practice Notes are consulted on. Individual valuations reflect the local information held by the Assessor responsible for valuing the property.

Valuations can be challenged via the appeals system, the first stage of which is the proposal system and the rules of procedures for which are set out in the Valuation (Proposals Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2025. In prescribed circumstances, the outcome of proposals can be appealed to the Local Taxation Chamber, first-tier Tribunal, which operates across all of Scotland. Decisions are published and serve as the case law basis for consideration of future cases on comparable matters.

An report on draft 2026 valuations was published on 13 January 2026, and further expanded on 11 February 2026. This includes, in Table 2a, a breakdown of changes by council area and property class. The report is available at: Non-domestic rates revaluation 2026: draft valuation roll statistics - gov.scot.

A further report will be published after final rateable values are available. This will include more detailed breakdowns, including by council area and property core description.