Chamber and committees

The Scottish Ministers have decided to recall the Lomond Banks appeal as the proposed development raises issues of national significance in view of its potential impact on Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. Ministers will make the decision on this appeal and will give full and proper consideration to it.

The economic impact of a proposed development is one of several factors considered when determining appeals. In reaching a decision, Ministers are required by law to have regard to the development plan and to all relevant material factors, including all submissions made by parties involved in the case and all representations made.

This remains a live appeal, and it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits of the case, nor on any specific issues that may be involved in the consideration and decision-making process.

This remains a live case and each case is considered on its individual merits.

Public Health Scotland have advised that the findings of their investigation into the decline in alcohol treatment numbers over the last decade is due to be published in late Summer 2025.

The information requested on how many vacancies currently exist in (a) radiology and (b) oncology posts can be found on the TURAS NHS Education for Scotland workforce statistics site at: NHS Scotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence (Vacancy tab).

Decisions on whether to install defibrillators in schools are a matter for Local Authorities.

The Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy: 2021-2026 does not include a specific commitment to placing defibrillators in Scottish schools. Our policy is to work with Save a Life for Scotland partners, taking a data driven approach, to optimise defibrillator placement and ensure they are publicly accessible and registered with the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The Scottish Government provided the Resuscitation Research Group funding for PADmap. PADmap is a free to use, data-driven service to help defibrillator guardians make informed decisions about where to place their devices in order to have the most impact.

I can confirm that guidance on fostering positive, inclusive and safe school environments was published today: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836917014

The guidance supports schools’ approaches to use of consequences as part of approaches to improving positive relationships and behaviour.

New guidance on risk assessments for violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour was also published today: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836917953

Today, we are publishing the findings from the Scottish Government’s Horizon Scanning project. The Future Trends for Scotland report and the accompanying Trend pack describe the 60 trends likely to be important to Scotland over the next 10 to 20 years. This publication does not cover potential policy or strategy implications and is not a statement of government policy or intention, rather it is about providing open analysis to spark reflection and guide decisions in a complex interconnected world.

Publishing the findings from the project fulfils the commitment made to the Finance and Public Administration Committee, will contribute to a wider debate about trends affecting Scotland in the future and will support other organisations and our partners in their own work in planning for the opportunities and plausible future risks.

I can confirm that guidance on responding to racism and racist incidents in schools was published today: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836916987

This guidance forms part of a wider whole school approach to addressing and responding to racism and racist incidents, being developed by the Anti-racism in Education Programme’s racist and racist incidents workstream. The whole school approach will be published in early 2026.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

In the last five years, the SPS has made payments to prisoners to settle cases related to “slopping out”. In the last five financial years, there has been a total of three cases settled relating to “slopping out” which were settled in Financial Year 2020-21. The total cost of these three cases was £12,000. There have been no further cases settled relating to “slopping out” since 2020-21.

The application window for the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme (SUSSS) in scheme year 2025 does not open until 1 September 2025.

Payments under the SUSSS for scheme year 2024 commenced in May 2025, as set out in the 2024 Payments Strategy timetable.

As per the payment strategy timetable, there are no delayed payments and as at 9 June 2025, 98% of eligible applicants have been paid with 17 applicants still to receive a 2024 SUSSS payment. There are various reasons why a payment has not yet issued, for example, information has still to be provided by the applicant or application processing has still to complete. All remaining payments will be processed and paid as soon as is possible.

The Scottish Government has launched the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk Factors programme to improve CVD outcomes with an aim to ‘reduce avoidable CVD death by 20% in 20 years’. The focus is on improving the identification and management of key risk factors which are; high blood pressure, high cholesterol, raised blood sugars, obesity and smoking.

We have also established a new GP enhanced service from the 2025-26 Reform Fund to support 100,000 patients who are at risk of developing CVD.

Our Population Health Framework, soon to be published in partnership with COSLA, will support the creation of environments that positively supports health and wellbeing. It will focus on prevention and tackling the building blocks of health—including good early years and education, fair work and income, healthy places, equitable healthcare, and the broader social and economic drivers of ill health.