Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has the utmost sympathy for women who were prescribed diethylstilbestrol (DES) and the impact it may have had on them and their families.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) does not currently recommend increased screening for individuals whose mother may have been administered diethylstilbestrol while pregnant with them. The most recent guidance advises that routine screening is appropriate for those who believe that they were exposed to stilbestrol in utero, and we would encourage all women to attend their routine breast and cervical screening appointments.

In line with the UK NSC’s current recommendations, all women aged between 50 to 70 are invited for breast screening every three years. In addition, those aged 25 and 64 are invited for routine cervical screening every 5 years. Individuals may be invited for more regular cervical screening or until they are aged 70 if previous results have found changes that need to be monitored.

Anyone concerned that they may have side effects from possible or known exposure to DES should discuss this with their GP in the first instance, who can provide support and advice, and request a referral for any further testing or treatment if this is determined to be appropriate.

This information is not held centrally.

The data the Scottish Government receive from Police Scotland on recorded crime is a simple count of recorded crimes by crime type and does not contain any detail on the specifics of each crime e.g. the type of item stolen.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving inclusion and accessibility for everyone who needs to use public toilets. To achieve this, we are investing £10 million through the Changing Places Toilets Scotland Fund, launched in August 2025, to deliver up to 150 additional Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) across Scotland. These facilities are larger, fully accessible toilets equipped with specialist equipment to meet the needs of people with complex disabilities and health conditions, including those who require carer support. CPTs ensure that individuals can have their personal care needs met safely and with dignity, a fundamental human right.

Since 2012, the number of CPTs in Scotland has grown from 25 to around 270, including a 30% increase since 2019, when we amended Scottish Building Regulations to require CPTs in all larger new public buildings. This legislative change, supported by Planning Circular 1/2020, has driven significant progress, and the new Fund will further expand provision, prioritising areas with the greatest need.

Responsibility for public toilet provision often lies with local authorities and individual businesses, which are required under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. The Scottish Government encourages all relevant organisations to meet their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and to follow guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

The Scottish Government has published a Changing Places Toilets Planning Guide, created in partnership with Promoting A More Inclusive Society (PAMIS), along with an easy-read version. These resources are designed to help organisations plan and install Changing Places Toilets in both new and existing buildings.

Through these measures, the Scottish Government is working proactively to ensure that people with a stoma, and all those with complex needs, can access facilities that uphold dignity, equality, and inclusion.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government remains committed to developing the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill and will publish draft provisions as the next step.

The Scottish Government has not provided any specific funding to NHS boards to support testing for people who may have been affected by exposure to diethylstilbestrol.

Cervical screening is offered to women who live in Scotland and are aged between 25 and 64 years. The Scottish Government encourages all women to take up routine cervical screening appointments when invited.

Pregnant women who know that they were exposed in utero to DES should inform their obstetrician and be aware of the increased risks of ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

Whilst the Scottish Government is not a social care provider or employer, we work closely with partners across the sector to provide support that employers can access, that will allow them to attract and retain staff within the social care sector.

The Scottish Government funds the caretocare.scot website, which provides information and tools on careers in the adult social care sector.

The Scottish Government have also continued funding to enable all social care providers to advertise vacancies on the MyJobScotland recruitment website at no cost.

We have worked with partners to establish the Centre for Workforce Supply (CWSS), which helps to support ethical and sustainable international recruitment across the sector and have just announced the opening of a £500,000 scheme to support employers to recruit displaced international care workers into jobs in Scotland.

We do not hold any information on the extent that staff shortages affect hospital discharge times. Whist the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care support policy in Scotland, it is for local Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to ensure that social care support services are in place to provide their population with the appropriate support in the right place and at the right time.

The Scottish Government values our dedicated, caring and professional social care workforce.

The Scottish Government has not made any assessments on the impact of any issues involving care packages on the social care workforce. Whilst the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care support policy in Scotland, it is for local Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to ensure that social care support services are in place to provide their population with the appropriate support in the right place and at the right time.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the human rights of disabled people are protected and respected, and that they are empowered to live their lives, the same as everyone else.

We are putting disabled people at the heart of our priorities, investing £3 million in the Disability Equality Plan - including a new £1.5 million Improving Access Fund, co-designed with Disabled People’s Organisations and others, to enhance access to vital services and support that disabled people rely on. We are also providing £20 million this year via the Independent Living Fund, £10 million in 2025-26 and 2026-27 to provide more Changing Places Toilets for people with profound and multiple disabilities and £2 million a year to deliver Annual Health Checks to people with learning disabilities aged sixteen and over.

Third sector organisations also play a vital role in providing support and improving outcomes for disabled people and the Scottish Government provides a range of funding to a number of these organisations. This includes Down’s Syndrome Scotland, which currently receives £382,500 in core funding from the Scottish Government.

Furthermore, Under the public sector equality duty, all Scottish public authorities must have 'due regard' to the need to:

• eliminate unlawful discrimination
• advance equality of opportunity
• foster good relations

In 2012 Scottish Ministers made regulations that placed specific duties on Scottish public bodies to help them meet the general duty.