Chamber and committees

The latest published Official Statistics for Child Winter Heating Payment show the number of payments issued increased from 18,365 for winter 2020-2021 to 39,590 for winter 2024-2025.

Of the winter 2024-2025 payments issued by 8 April 2025, 93% were for children or young people eligible through Child Disability Payment, with the remaining 7% for those eligible through Adult Disability Payment. Published statistics for Child Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment show there has been an increase in the respective caseloads over time, which will have contributed to an increase in those receiving Child Winter Heating Payment.

Entitlement to Child Winter Heating Payment was expanded in November 2021 to include anyone up to the age of 19 in receipt of the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment.

In addition to this, since winter 2022 it has also paid to young people up to the age of 19 in receipt of the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment.

Social Security Scotland pays Child Winter Heating Payments automatically to eligible children and young people, so most families do not need to apply.

The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Support Fund has allocated £13,775,000 to households and businesses within 20km of any LEZ in Scotland since 2020. To date £7,684,695 has been paid out to households in Scotland.

There was no set allocation per city, to households or to businesses. This allowed flexibility to respond to demand dependant on applications received each year.

I can advise that £464,688 of this funding has been awarded to households within 20km of the Aberdeen LEZ.

In the financial year 2024-2025, there was one banning order granted for tobacco and five banning orders granted for vapes.

Network Rail has spent £461 million of Network Grant funding and £163 million of Enhancement Grant funding in year one of the control period. The quoted figures represent Network Rail spend alone.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

This is a matter for NHS Boards, which the Scottish Government expects to provide high quality, person-centred care and support for everyone, including people with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS). Support is often provided via primary care, with referral to secondary care if necessary to rule out other causes of symptoms or provide management advice.

PoTS UK is a charity which provides information about managing and living with PoTS. This includes information and advice on self-management, mental health support and medication guidance. Their full resources can be found here: Managing PoTS - PoTS UK. Additionally, STARS (the Heart Rhythm Alliance) provide information on PoTS and resources for patients, which can be found here: Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) – STARS – UK (heartrhythmalliance.org).

This is a matter for NHS Boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

In 2025-26 the Ministerial element of all Ministers' pay remains frozen at 2008-09 levels. This is the seventeenth consecutive year in which Ministerial pay has been frozen. In 2025-26, it is estimated that, as a result of the Ministerial pay freeze, Ministers will contribute £166,000 to public spending from their own pay packets. This is on top of the estimated £2.23 million Scottish Ministers contributed to public spending from their own pay packets between the start of the pay freeze on 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2025.

While the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, it is for Health and Social Care Partnerships to ensure that support services are in place to provide people with the appropriate support in the right place and at the right time. Decisions on how best to deliver services to local communities, are ultimately for local partners to make.

We continue to protect and prioritise additional investment into social care, despite an extremely challenging Budget settlement. This includes almost £2.2 billion for social care and integration – exceeding our commitment to increase funding by 25% by almost £350 million.

We would encourage all partners to work together to find solutions that put the needs of local people and those impacted by the decision, particularly those who are most vulnerable, at the centre.