Chamber and committees

Paragraph 8 in part 2 of the Primary Medical Services (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004 sets out that:

Health Boards must have in place a plan for the development of premises to support the provision of Primary Medical Services. This plan must be approved in consultation with the local Area Medical Committee. This plan should be updated annually and be consistent with the Health Board’s wider Property Strategy.

The Scottish Government does not believe that including guidance in the directions that NHS boards should make projects a priority for funding based on the age of existing buildings and population growth would be a material improvement on the general requirement for NHS boards’ wider property strategies to cover the needs of primary medical services.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information that has been requested. Legislation and regulations relating to electricity networks are reserved to the UK Government, with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) responsible for the strategic approach to the development of the electricity system across Great Britain, including connections.

A total of 46 students graduated from the ScotGEM course in 2023. At the time of response, six have already taken up a GPST 1 post in Scotland.

The remaining students destinations can be broken down as follows:

• Six graduates are yet to complete their Foundation Year 2 (FY2), for varying reasons.
• Five graduates have elected to take a post other than a GPST 1.
• Six graduates chose not to complete their FY2 training in Scotland.
• 23 graduates who have not yet taken up a post, at the time of response.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) are currently working to understand the destinations of the 23 graduates who have not taken up a GPST 1 post and where they are currently working, if in the NHS. This information will support the initial evaluation of the ScotGEM programme being undertaken by the Scottish Government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39878 on 3 September 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found athttps://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Financial Education in equipping learners with key life skills. Financial literacy is embedded in the curriculum in Scotland through numeracy and maths, business studies and personal and social education classes. Financial Education is a key feature of Curriculum for Excellence “Experiences and Outcomes” for Numeracy and Mathematics, assisting learners in understanding the benefits and risks of bank cards, effectively managing money, making appropriate use of technology and appreciating the importance of budgeting.

Education Scotland provides professional learning resources enabling educators to reflect on their own understanding and knowledge and to support future learning and teaching about money. Guidance is available for primary and secondary schools highlighting the links between financial education and Curriculum for Excellence. In addition, a wide range of teaching resources are provided by the private and Third Sector. These include Barclays LifeSkills, financial education guidance from the Money & Pension Service and the work of the charity, Money Ready.

Education Scotland are currently reviewing the curriculum in line with the Curriculum Improvement Cycle programme. As part of this review, work is taking place to review the place of financial education within the curriculum. Education Scotland are engaging with a wide range of practitioners and stakeholders, including children and young people, to review current Financial Education teaching and practice and plan how it can most effectively be integrated into the curriculum, ensuring an equitable approach.

The deployment and management of Police Officers are matters for the Chief Constable. However, I am aware that the cancellation of rest days can be due to a number of reasons, including attendance at court and the policing of events.

The Scottish Government is supporting its justice partners in achieving the outcomes described in the Vision for Justice in Scotland by taking forward a programme to drive key areas of reform, including criminal justice efficiency.

One element of this is the Summary Case Management currently being rolled out across Scotland. This initiative aims to improve the management of summary criminal cases in Scotland and reduce the number of unnecessary hearings. A pilot evaluation report published in September shows a significant reduction in the volume of witness citations being issued, this relates to police officers, victims and witnesses. The impact on police witnesses has been positive with a reduction of citations for domestic cases by up to 34% in all pilot courts. This equates to around 5000 citations not being served on operational officers in pilot areas.

Police Scotland are also progressing work to reduce the impact policing of events on officers such as the Force Mobilisation Model.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked them to respond. Scottish Water have provided estimates for the average total daily leakage levels in each month since January 2021 from water mains in the area requested (covering Argyll Islands, Argyll Mainland, Caithness, Fort William, Orkney, Ness, Shetland, Skye, West Coast, and Western Islands) in the following table. Figures are given in megalitres per day.

Details of applications made to the Energy Consents Unit under Sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act (1989) in the last five years are as follows:

It is a legal requirement for all teachers in Scottish schools to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), the independent regulator for teachers in Scotland.

Registered teachers must adhere to the GTCS Professional Standards and Code of Professionalism and Conduct, which require them to uphold values of integrity, trust, and respect, and to act impartially in their professional practice.

Ministers and officials take steps to ensure that their decisions, including where necessary in relation to international law, are informed by appropriate analysis of the legal considerations and implications.