Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government remains steadfast in our commitment to preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls and to supporting specialist services that provide vital support to victims and survivors of gender based violence.

The commissioning of domestic abuse services is a matter for local authorities. However the Scottish Government strongly encourages local authorities to utilise the joint COSLA and Scottish Women’s Aid’s guidance on good practice in commissioning specialist domestic abuse services.

I wrote to the Chief Executive of Highland Council on 11 February 2026, highlighting concerns raised in relation to funding proposals for women’s aid organisations in the area, including Inverness Women’s Aid, requesting Highland Council consider engaging with the organisations concerned and cross-party MSPs in the Highlands, to better understand the challenges and how they can be resolved.

Through the Scottish Budget we have provided a 5% increase to the Delivering Equally Safe Fund, bringing total investment in the fund to almost £46 million over 2026-2028. This will increase the support Inverness Women's Aid receives through the fund to around £230,000 each year over 2026-2028, subject to annual budget processes. Our fund managers, Inspiring Scotland, are actively engaging with Inverness Women’s Aid to offer support.

The Scottish Government expects NHS Boards to ensure that all of their facilities comply with the guidelines and recommendations on the elimination of mixed sex accommodation which has been in place since 2005. In all new hospital developments, there should be a presumption of 100% single rooms, and where existing accommodation is being refurbished as close to 100% as possible is expected. There are limited exceptions, such as Intensive Care Units.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. This is a matter for Boards, who are expected to comply with guidance on the elimination of mixed sex accommodation.

As noted in my response to question S6W-43974 on 5 March 2026, the National Radiology Lead from the Centre for Sustainable Delivery meets regularly with Health Boards to discuss imaging performance, staffing levels and scanner stock. NHS Boards have been asked to provide plans to support delivery of the 95% target of patients seen within 6 weeks throughout 2026-27, which includes reporting of scans.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government works with Health Boards through planning to make best use of existing NHS resources and capacity, it is for Health Boards locally to determine how they use the private sector and to agree any contractual arrangements. The Scottish Government no longer provides direct funding to private providers for planned care, therefore, this information is not held.

The Scottish Government does not monitor this. This is a matter for Boards, who are expected to comply with guidance on the elimination of mixed sex accommodation.

Since publication of the Diagnostic Imaging Workforce Plan in May 2023, the Scottish Government has continued to support education and training pathways for clinical radiologists. Over the past five years, 164 Clinical Radiology training posts have been advertised and all filled, strengthening future workforce supply.

We are progressing Phase 2 of the Future Medical Workforce Project to co-design solutions across medical education, workplace culture and long-term planning, including measures to support Consultant Clinical Radiology capacity, which underpins diagnostic imaging services.

NHS Boards are implementing service improvements, including pathway redesign and expanded advanced practice roles, supporting productivity gains under the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan. Work also continues to introduce new technologies, including AI, to enhance reporting capacity and streamline workflows.

While the Scottish Government sets national policy, operational staffing matters rest with NHS Boards, and we have no plans to make a statement at this time. We will continue to work with Boards and national partners to ensure sustained progress in delivering the Plan’s recommendations and strengthening diagnostic capacity across Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises the urgency of establishing a Scottish Marine Recovery Fund (MRF). We are actively prioritising its delivery, and the completion of relevant policy development and due diligence, to ensure establishment can happen at the earliest practicable opportunity after the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

The Scottish Government continues to engage closely with Scottish offshore wind developers, and pending the launch of the Scottish MRF, we have emphasised the importance of developers continuing to undertake the necessary work to identify project-level compensatory measures.

This is an operational matter for ScotRail. The Member may wish to contact them directly for the information.

In addition, the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) publishes statistical information on station usage on its website, which can be accessed here: Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal

Throughout 2025-26, all Boards were expected to incrementally ramp-up activity as the capacity provided by the £22 million additional funding operationalised, with some high volume initiatives commencing in the latter part of the year.

All Boards are making every effort to achieve this target.