Chamber and committees

We have been in regular dialogue with ALACHO since this survey was undertaken in November 2023 and I have also been meeting with Housing Convenors across Scotland to discuss the homelessness and housing supply pressures that are facing councils. I meet with local authorities with the greatest temporary accommodation pressures on a regular basis to explore the best way to build resilience in the system.

This year, we have provided an additional £2 million to the 15 local authorities with the greatest percentage increase in the use of temporary accommodation. We have committed to maintain the homelessness budget for 2024-25 at broadly similar levels to 2023-24 and we will invest £556 million in affordable housing in 2024-25. Further investment in our housing capital budget will be a key priority if new funding becomes available as a result of the UK Government’s Spring Budget 2024.

The Scottish Housing Regulator has noted that the demands on some local authorities now exceed their capacity to respond, and it is engaging with the City of Edinburgh Council and Glasgow City Council on improvements in the way they discharge their duties to people who are homeless.

I have met with a range of stakeholders to discuss the operational challenges and wider impacts associated with the new safeguards on XL Bully dogs.

As I stated in response to question S6W-24479 on 24 January 2024, there is a significant degree of uncertainty across the UK as to the size of the population of XL Bully dogs. It is clear from the number of applications received from XL Bully owners in England and Wales seeking exemption for their dogs that the initial estimate of 10,000 dogs was a significant underestimate.

It is also evident from press and social media coverage that some XL Bully dogs have been transported to Scotland. It is this context of uncertainty and the failure of the UK Government to ensure XL Bully dog owners in England and Wales cannot evade the new safeguards by selling their dogs outside of England and Wales that has led to the decision by the Scottish Government to introduce similar safeguards in Scotland.

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 .

As set out in this year’s Programme for Government and Scotland’s International Strategy, the Scottish Government intends to host an international food summit including a focus on promoting the sector and overall food security. Further detail will be announced in due course.

There are no reimbursement schemes available to patients who enter into a private arrangement with a dentist for treatment, and the Scottish Government has no locus for intervention.

NHS dental services will continue to be available to patients, and some patients may wish to travel outwith their local area to access NHS dental services. Patients who are not registered with a dentist are able to access emergency and urgent dental care through their local Board’s Public Dental Service clinic.

The Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan supports the delivery of the Scottish Government’s commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes, 10% of which will be in rural and island areas. The Scottish Government use the 6-fold urban rural classification when categorising homes delivered through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP), based on information provided by AHSP grant applicants.

Prescription numbers of sodium valproate are not collected by the Scottish Government.

All patients can self-refer to an Orthodontist, without having seen a General Dental Practitioner.

Orthodontists have access to all items of service within the NHS Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR), should any preparatory work be required.

Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Information in relation to the number of dental practices providing NHS dental services is held by each Health Board.

The Scottish Government has awarded the following amounts since the Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) was granted in the NHS Borders area in 2009:

Following the recent Scottish Government announcement on XL Bully dog safeguards, Scottish Government officials are continuing to engage with Police Scotland about the impact of enforcing this change to the law, including any impact on police dog kennels.