Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02285 on 21 August 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.

NHS Scotland Health Boards may make use of external teleradiology providers or commercial imaging companies based elsewhere in the UK to deliver remote diagnostic imaging interpretation.

The use of the alternative providers to deliver additional capacity is not a new development. As is the case across the UK, in certain circumstances limited use of external providers may be required in response to capacity constraints.

This approach supports diagnostic waiting times performance and enables the continuation of vital diagnostic services while longer-term initiatives to increase NHS capacity are implemented.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the frequency of which Health Boards make use of alternative providers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02285 on 21 August 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.

SEPA has committed to increasing the number of samples of PFAS collected in 2026 to 500 which is fully funded through SEPA’s existing Grant in Aid arrangements. SEPA has stated that outcomes from its 2025 Water Quality Monitoring Report will be used to inform this extended programme of monitoring and investigation where necessary at specific sites.

The Scottish Government is currently reviewing the changes that the EU recently made to its list of Priority Substances for the Water Framework Directive, which includes the introduction of an environmental quality standard for 25 PFAS.

SEPA’s findings relate to the presence of PFAS in the wider water environment rather than compliance with drinking water standards, and no detections exceeded applicable environmental or groundwater standards. Similarly, the recent EU measures referenced concern environmental and groundwater standards rather than changes to drinking water standards. While the UK Government has committed to consulting on the introduction of a statutory limit for PFAS in public drinking water supplies in England, it has not yet published proposed limits or compounds that may be covered.

At present, there are no plans to review the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) eligibility rules. The delivery of PAWHP relies on data received annually from the Department for Work and Pensions and Ministry of Defence. The qualifying week is set out in regulations and supports the efficient delivery of automatic payments by ensuring eligible individuals can be identified ahead of winter period.

People who reach State Pension age after the qualifying week are not entitled to PAWHP for that winter and will become eligible from the following year. We recognise that the increase in State Pension age means some people will not reach pensionable age by the end of the qualifying week and therefore not qualify for a payment that year.

These questions relate to the procurement, specification, quality assurance, performance monitoring and contract management of hearing aid batteries supplied through National Procurement arrangements. This is a matter for Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) and NHS Boards and the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Prior to 1 April 2026, these functions were undertaken by National Services Scotland and now sit within PSDS. While the Scottish Government sponsors PSDS and provides strategic oversight, operational responsibility for procurement and contract management rests with PSDS, while the delivery of audiology services is a matter for NHS Boards.

PSDS has advised that NHS Boards may raise supplier or product performance concerns through National Procurement's complaints process where products supplied under the framework do not meet the required standards. PSDS has also advised that it holds no record of a formal complaint relating to hearing aid battery performance under the current framework agreement that has resulted in contractual remedies being exercised since the commencement of the contract.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was developed to support delivery of the Clyde Targeted Scientific Programme (TSP). It provides a framework for collaborative working, setting out shared commitments, roles and responsibilities to help achieve the programme's objectives. The MoU is a voluntary, non-binding agreement entered into in good faith. Responsibility for delivery is shared between the parties, with the Marine Directorate retaining oversight responsibilities and a final determination role.

The Marine Directorate, the Clyde Fishermen's Association (CFA) and the Working Group are currently identified as parties to the MoU. The decision to develop the MoU was agreed at the programme's inception meeting in February 2026, where discussions focused on practical arrangements for implementing the TSP, including data collection and methodology. As the initial priority was to establish the programme quickly and begin gathering data from fishing vessels, the CFA was the obvious fishing industry organisation supporting delivery at that stage given its membership and location. This should not however be interpreted as limiting participation to a single organisation. The MoU remains a live document, and the Scottish Government welcomes engagement from all active Clyde fishers, including those operating independently or through other representative bodies.

Year 1 priorities for the TSP are set out in public documents and are intended to be delivered through collaboration between fishers, scientists and technical advisers. As the programme develops and evidence gaps are addressed, opportunities for wider scientific engagement and collaboration are expected.

The MoU does not give any organisation responsibility for appointing scientists to the programme, determining participation in meetings, or restricting the involvement of other research institutions or the sharing of programme outputs. The Marine Directorate has also committed to providing annual updates to the Scottish Parliament, supporting transparency and the dissemination of programme findings.

The TSP and wider Clyde cod policy were considered by the Scottish Parliament in January and February 2026, with relevant licence conditions taking effect on 1 March 2026. The MoU did not establish new policy or create legally binding commitments. Rather, it documented collaborative arrangements to support delivery of an existing programme and formed part of its routine governance arrangements.

The draft Ministerial Objectives for Scottish Water for 2027-33 were published in January 2026 as part of the Strategic Review of Charges process. The Objectives set strategic investment priorities, outcomes and expectations for Scottish Water. They do not make explicit provision for individual pollutants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), nor do they prescribe specific monitoring, source protection or treatment measures.(Water services - investing in and paying from 2027: consultation - gov.scot)

The Scottish Government engages with a wide range of groups relating to commercial fishing activity in Scottish inshore waters. These groups vary in purpose, duration and membership, and there is no centrally held or comprehensive record of all groups that have operated since 2020.

Membership is determined by the remit of each group and may include representatives from fishing organisations, scientific and academic institutions, environmental organisations and Scottish Government officials. Membership can also change over time as projects, programmes and areas of work evolve.

Providing a definitive list of all groups relating to commercial fishing activity in Scottish inshore waters, together with their memberships since 2020, would require extensive consultation across the Marine Directorate and parts of the wider Scottish Government. This would include teams covering sea fisheries, marine science, aquaculture, marine renewables, marine environment, licensing, compliance and operational delivery, together with a review of records held across multiple policy, research and delivery programmes.

Given the breadth of activity involved, the changing nature of membership and the absence of a central record, the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

In relation to inshore fisheries management specifically, information on a number of key groups is already publicly available through Scottish Government and related stakeholder websites:

https://www.gov.scot/groups/fisheries-management--conservation-group-fmac/

https://rifg.scot/about/meetings