Following a full submission of doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Xonvea®), for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP), for women who do not respond to conservative management, the SMC | Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published not recommended advice found here: doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Xonvea) in May 2019. The marketing authorisation holder did not present a sufficiently robust clinical or economic analysis to gain acceptance by the SMC. The SMC would welcome a resubmission at any time.

Where licensed medicines, such as Xonvea®, are not routinely available on the NHS in Scotland, doctors can use the PACS Tier Two system to request access on a case-by-case basis. The cost of the medicine is not a decision-making criterion.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges people with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) face in obtaining diagnosis and care. Diagnosis usually begins with a GP referral and may involve rheumatologists, geneticists, and other specialists. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is diagnosed clinically, while genetic testing is available for rarer forms of EDS.

EDS can affect people in different ways. While there is no cure for EDS, treatment and support focus on helping people manage symptoms and prevent complications. NHS Scotland provides multidisciplinary care through hospitals in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, and Scottish patients can access more specialist EDS services in England via cross-border referrals if clinically indicated.

Scottish Government engage regularly with the National Shipbuilding Office on matters including proposed procurement exercises, and we are aware that Damen have been awarded work to deliver tug vessels for the Royal Navy under a contract won by Serco. The delivery of these vessels is a matter for Serco, in partnership with Damen. In line with our national policy and legislation, the Scottish Government will continue to seek opportunities to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits in Scotland through our procurement activity.

An application from DFDS to the Waterborne Freight Scheme was received by Transport Scotland in January 2024.

A formal decision and an offer of grant can only been made after detailed consideration of the application. Officials had begun work on this matter with the company, however, the Waterborne Freight Scheme was paused in 2024-25 due to budget pressures and has not been reinstated. The application from DFDS therefore has not progressed.

Should budget become available in future years, DFDS would need to resubmit their application for consideration. This is because some, or all, of the data the application contained may be out of date.

The City of Edinburgh Council has published detailed information on the implementation of its visitor levy scheme, including the treatment of advance bookings. The Council has committed to providing further practical guidance and support to accommodation providers, including a payment platform and training from March 2026. The Scottish Government continues to engage with the Council and the wider sector to support effective implementation.

 In Scotland, we have built a radically different system to change the way disability benefits are delivered. We ensure that the impact of fluctuating health conditions like PMDD have on people’s lives are fully taken into account when someone applies for a social security benefit.

For example, we have removed anxiety inducing and unreliable private-sector assessments which only offer a snapshot of an individual’s needs and fail people with fluctuating conditions like PMDD. Our person-centred approach ensures that the full impacts of a long-term health condition, including the impacts of pain and fatigue, are taken into consideration during the decision-making process.

The Sottish Government is committed to protecting and enhancing the social security system. We therefore welcome this comprehensive report and will carefully consider its findings alongside the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment, which Scottish Ministers are committed to responding to by January 2026.

The shipbuilding sector plays a vital role in supporting jobs and driving economic growth across Scotland. We are committed to promoting manufacturing and innovation, and Ministers continue to engage with businesses in the sector as part of that commitment.

We know many people are still waiting too long and this is not good enough. We are determined to do more and our Budget will provide a record £21.7 billion for health and social care, with more than £110 million allocated to health boards, including over £6.6 million for NHS Lanarkshire, to help tackle the longest waits for appointments and procedures.

The funding has been assigned to specialty areas for the year ahead where it can have the greatest impact against the longest waits – this includes £25 million for trauma and orthopaedics, £21 million for imaging, £14 million for cancer treatment and more than £12 million for ophthalmology.

It will also support delivery of planned care for patients across Scotland, to increase capacity and address backlogs of treatment as we work towards achieving the 18 weeks Referral to Treatment (RTT) standard.

Social Security Scotland has established a Debt Management Service to oversee the recovery of overpayments, ensuring that recovered funds are redistributed in line with Scottish public spending priorities. Recovery processes are carried out with respect for clients’ dignity.

While internal systems are in place to track and prevent overpayments, detailed statistics—such as the number of overpayments or the age profile of debts—are not routinely published. As such, we are unable to provide further breakdowns.

Details of defence programme contractual arrangements, including associated jobs, are a matter for individual companies. Information on contracts awarded through the UK Government Ministry of Defence are published and publicly available.