The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) is a strategic leadership group that brings together the Scottish public sector and the offshore wind industry. SOWEC has five subgroups that are administered by individual group leads and are tasked with dealing with different industry challenges.

The Scottish Government does not hold a complete list of the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) sub-group members as this is held by individual sub-group leads.

A range of organisations across the sector have been involved to date, including: BP, college sector, Copenhagen Offshore Partners, Crown Estate Scotland, Dundee Council, EDF Renewables, Equinor, ESB, Energy Skills Partnership, Floatation Energy, Forth & Tay Cluster, Fred Olsen, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), HIE/DeepWind Cluster, Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm, Mainstream, Muir Mhor, Nadara, Net Zero Technology Centre, Northland Power, Ocean Winds, Orsted, RenewableUK, RWE, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Renewables, ScottishPower, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Funding Council, Shell, Simply Blue Group, SSE Renewables, University of Strathclyde and Vattenfall.

Section 119 of the Procurement Act 2023 amends the scope of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016, and Concession Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016, so as to be clear that they extend only to devolved Scottish authorities.

Devolved Scottish authorities will continue to be subject to these regulations when awarding contracts or framework agreements, and there is no reason for this to delay the procurement or award of such contracts.

When devolved Scottish authorities award a contract from a framework advertised and awarded under the terms of the Procurement Act 2023, then relevant elements of the rules established by that Act will apply to the call-off procedure. Similarly, when other authorities award contracts from a framework agreement awarded under the Scottish regulations, then relevant elements of those rules will apply to the call-off procedure. Regulations made under section 115 of the Procurement Act 2023 will set this out.

We want all people with epilepsy to be able to access the best possible care and support. Since October 2020 we have committed almost £650,000 towards projects which specifically improve the health and wellbeing of people with epilepsy.

In 2022-23 Scottish Government funded Epilepsy Scotland to work with NHS Lothian in piloting mental health screening and intervention for people with epilepsy.

We are working hard to improve support for those whose mental health is affected by long term physical health conditions, such as epilepsy, and in 2023 published a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy jointly with COSLA, which incorporates a focus on wellbeing and prevention.

One of the Strategy’s priorities is that “People with mental health conditions, including those with co-existing health conditions, experience improved quality and length of life, free from stigma and discrimination.”

Our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults has been a key development on prevention and early intervention in recent years, addressing a number of mental health and wellbeing concerns. It has a focus on at risk groups including those with a long-term health condition or disability.

The Scottish Government does not hold specific information on these issues, however information regarding the impact of migraine on workplaces and the economy have been published by organisations such as the Migraine Trust.

Scottish Government’s Fair Work policy sets out actions to promote fair and inclusive workplaces across Scotland. Becoming a 'fair work employer' includes creating a healthy and safe environment where individuals' wellbeing is actively supported.

Scottish Government supports employers to do this via several interventions, including:

• Providing occupational health support for employers via Health Scotland's Healthy Working Lives website and Working Health Services Scotland. Access to occupational health can help enable early intervention and personalised support where required.
• Promoting flexible and hybrid working by providing over £1.1 million in funding through Fair Work and Social Innovation Partnership budgets. Flexible working practices can help people to manage their condition without dropping out of the workplace and incurring a loss of income.

Those who experience a substantial and long-term impact on their lives due to migraine have a right under the Equality Act 2010 to have their employer make reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

The Scottish Government continues to support the Centre for Sustainable Delivery in updating their national headache pathway for Scotland, which was launched last year, which will help to improve care for migraines and headache.

The Scottish Government received no requests for funding to support Migraine Awareness Week 2024. No funding was provided.

Our records indicate that since 2021:

a) The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has not met with the Migraine Trust.

b) The former Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health & Sport, Maree Todd MSP, met with the Migraine Trust once.

The current Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto MSP, has met with the Migraine Trust three times.

c) The Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport has not met with the Migraine Trust.

Discussions between the former and current Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health & Sport and the Migraine Trust have focussed on the charity’s activities and publications and more generally the improvement of care in Scotland for those with migraine.

The most recent Ministerial engagement with the Migraine Trust was 20 August 2024, when the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health visited NHS Grampian to learn more about the collaborative project undertaken between the charity and the health board.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

a) A national headache pathway was launched in October 2023 by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery at NHS Golden Jubilee. This pathway aids clinicians, including GPs, in the diagnosis and management of headache disorders, including migraine. The pathway specifically includes guidance for the treatment of migraine in primary care.

b) Through the Neurological Care & Support Framework, the Scottish Government provided £221,176 in total to the Migraine Trust across 2022-24, to work with community, primary and secondary care pharmacists to help people with migraine manage their symptoms and treatments more effectively. The work has been undertaken in NHS Grampian, and is being expanded into further NHS Boards who are working towards adopting this model of care.

Through this work an eLearning programme and resource page has been developed on NHS Education for Scotland’s platform TURAS. This comprises a suite of training materials available for all pharmacists and pharmacy teams to access.

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the availability of medicines that patients in Scotland need.

A national headache pathway was launched in October 2023 by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery at NHS Golden Jubilee. This is to aid clinicians in the diagnosis and management of headache disorders, including migraine, and offers guidance on management of conditions.

Through the Neurological Care & Support Framework, the Scottish Government awarded £221,176 in total to the Migraine Trust across 2022-24, to work with community, primary and secondary care pharmacists In NHS Grampian to help people with migraine manage their symptoms and treatments more effectively.

Through the success of this project, a further seven NHS Boards are working towards adopting this model of care in future.

In Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) appraises the clinical and cost-effectiveness of newly licensed medicines, following receipt of a submission from the manufacturer. Where the SMC accepts a medicine, or accepts it with restrictions or on an interim basis, there is an expectation that NHS Boards will consider the medicine and make it (or its equivalent) available. This is considered by each NHS Boards’ Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee.

NHS Boards are expected to reach a decision within 90 days of being informed of the SMC advice, which provides time to consider any issues associated with the implementation of the medicine, such as changes to the care pathway and staff training. Boards should publish their decision on their website within 14 days of the decision.

The SMC appraisal is undertaken independently of Scottish Ministers and is based on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the medicine at a population level.