Chamber and committees

The commercial decision announced in July of a sale of BPs North Sea assets has caused great uncertainty for their workforce and the wider energy workforce in Scotland.

The Scottish Government closely monitors and considers a range of evidence in relation to the energy transition. The First Minister and I met with energy leaders in the North East in the days after this announcement, and I continue to engage with BP and other relevant partners including the trade unions to understand the potential impacts of the sale.

Our immediate concern is for workers directly affected and the thousands more across the supply chain, and the UK Government – which has responsibility for these matters - needs to take urgent action to protect jobs and investment in our energy sector.

Scotland’s energy security and economic future depend on a fair transition, where North Sea oil and gas production is managed alongside increasing use of renewables. That future is built on the world-class workers of the North East, and their skills and expertise.

The statutory guidance accompanying the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 was comprehensively updated in 2022 and further refreshed in 2025, following engagement with stakeholders. It promotes outcomes-focused, person-centred support, community participation, and choice and control for supported people.

Alongside the guidance, a range of resources support implementation, including the Self-directed Support Framework of Standards, Learning and Improvement Framework, Practitioner Toolkit, SDS Library, communities of practice, and information for supported people and carers. Collectively, these support creative, outcome-focused planning. We do not currently consider further revision necessary, as the guidance is intentionally outcomes-based rather than prescriptive.

The Self-directed Support framework does not prescribe specific activities, allowing flexibility to meet agreed outcomes. Where sport or physical activity supports those outcomes, it may already be considered through support planning.

The Scottish Government’s guidance on Welfare at the Time of Killing in Salmon Farming, published on 17 July 2025, is based on the recommendations made by the UK Government's Animal Welfare Committee and developed in conjunction with the Scottish farmed salmon industry, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and animal welfare organisations.

Currently all salmon killing facilities operate CCTV on a voluntary basis.

Scottish Government officials are members of the trout working group, consisting of representatives from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the other devolved administrations and the trout industry, to develop industry-led guidance. However, at this time we do not have a date for the completion of this work.

Prison officers play a vital role in our justice system, helping to ensure our prisons are safe, secure and stable environments for all that live and work there. Unlike other uniformed groups, prison officers do not have a dedicated pension scheme as they are members of the Civil Service pension scheme which is a reserved matter for the UK Government.

The Scottish Government has strongly supported the position of the Prison Officers Association that the retirement age of prison officers be brought into line with armed forces, police, and firefighters who retire at 60. This reflects the operational environment and physical demands associated with the role which can be particularly challenging.

SPS provide support to staff to remain at work and in meaningful employment when they cannot undertake their full contractual role, including workplace adjustments and redeployment to alternative roles across the organisation. Every effort will be made to accommodate requests for a change or adjustment where the request is evidence based.

Contribution rates vary by apprenticeship framework and age group. They are set to encourage participation among younger apprentices. Those aged 16-19 receive a higher contribution rate than those aged 20-24, and the over 25s receive the lowest contribution. Younger apprentices are eligible for higher contribution rates as they may require more support to complete their apprenticeship.

While there is no legal mechanism to take into account the cultural significance of the guga hunt when considering licence applications, the cultural importance of this activity has been recognised both by the Scottish Government and through the continuing specific provision that exists within the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to enable it to take place, subject to assessment by NatureScot as licensing authority. The Scottish Government has no current plans to change the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to remove this exception.

In considering an application for a licence to take guga, NatureScot must assess any application in accordance with the existing legal framework and based on the most recent scientific evidence. Before granting a licence, NatureScot must conclude that the activity would not adversely affect the integrity of the North Rona and Sula Sgeir Special Protection Area, including the gannet population. Having considered the evidence, NatureScot decided that the licence application for 2026 should be refused due to potential population impacts. This does not prevent future applications from being made, and any such application would be considered in full.

The Scottish Government has not identified evidence of a sustained increase in the use of community-based treatment arrangements for restricted patients discharged from secure psychiatric facilities and has therefore made no assessment of the impact of such an increase on public safety. Data shows that, as at July each year, 78 restricted patients were on conditional discharge in 2024, 88 in 2025 and 83 in 2026.

Public safety considerations relating to community-based treatment arrangements for restricted patients are assessed and managed on an individual and ongoing basis throughout each patient’s care and treatment. Proposals for conditional discharge are informed by multidisciplinary assessment of the patient’s needs and the risk of harm to others.

Risk assessment and management take account of changes in the patient’s mental health, behaviour, circumstances and response to treatment. Restricted patients can only be conditionally discharged if the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland finds that detention in hospital is no longer necessary, with conditions imposed to support the patient’s safe management and supervision in the community.

Decisions on the provision of out-of-hours and community-based alcohol and drug support services are made locally by Health Boards and Integration Authorities on the advice of Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in response to local need. Local services are working to reduce barriers to support through a range of approaches, including self-referral pathways, outreach and community-based provision, digital services such as NHS 24 and Near Me, as well as practical support with transport where appropriate. The Scottish Government continues to support implementation of the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards, including MAT Standard 1, which promotes rapid access to treatment.

An important commitment within the new Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan is to ensure that the wider health system is accessible and responsive to people who use substances, by continuing to address their specific needs through healthcare improvement work across primary care, acute and specialist services.

The Thistle Safer Drug Consumption Facility operates from 9:00am to 9:00pm and plays an important role in supporting people to access a range of health, treatment and support services, including referral pathways to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT).

The impact of the service will be considered through an independent evaluation led by the University of Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian University, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The evaluation will assess the facility's impact on health and social outcomes, including the use of drug treatment services.

There are currently no plans to extend the facility's operating hours or introduce a 24-hour model. Any future changes would need to be informed by evidence and considered alongside workforce, operational and resource implications.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of high-quality data in supporting transparency, service improvement and equitable access to care.

We do not currently routinely collect or publish national data on the number of people waiting to access hybrid closed-loop (HCL) systems or the number of new-start patients by NHS Board. As HCL systems become embedded within routine diabetes care, responsibility for service delivery rests with NHS Boards, which are expected to provide access in line with relevant NICE and SIGN guidance, based on clinical need and individual patient circumstances.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with NHS Boards and national partners to consider how data on diabetes technologies can best be collected and reported, including whether additional information could support greater transparency, service planning and the identification of unwarranted variation in access across Scotland.