Chamber and committees

The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer has commissioned work to explore how the required level of access to clinical records by community pharmacists can be delivered.

Community pharmacists currently have access to the Emergency Care Summary (ECS) which provides information on recent acute and repeat prescriptions and allergies and the Key Information Summary (KIS) where available, which provides information about a person’s health issues, a carer’s name and contact details, preferences on how a person would like to be cared for, the treatment they would like and where they would like to be cared for. In addition, several health boards are providing community pharmacists access to their clinical portal which provides additional clinical information.

There are several barriers that currently make full access to clinical records difficult including the interoperability of the different IT systems used across the NHS and providing assurances on data protection and information governance requirements.

The proposed consultation on phasing out the use farrowing crates for pigs was originally intended to have been delivered jointly across all UK administrations. However, progress on a number of important pieces of animal welfare legislation have been significantly delayed or has ceased due to delays in UK Government timetabling, such as the Kept Animals Bill.

Regardless, the Scottish Government is pressing ahead on improving the welfare of all animals in Scotland, including pigs. This included updating and publishing the Scottish Government’s Guidance for the Welfare of Pigs.

We continue to listen and work with the industry and stakeholders on how best to achieve improvements in animal welfare as well as monitoring industry information to allow us to determine how to ensure best practice is delivered, and remain committed to consulting on ending farrowing crate use.

This information is not held centrally. However all recommendations are published on the website of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and are publicly available.

This information is not held centrally. However all recommendations are published on the website of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and are publicly available.

I engaged with the Lord Advocate, Solicitor General and the Crown Agent during the 2025-26 budget process which informed the allocation to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. The portfolio received a resource budget of £225.2 million for 2025-26, an increase of 10.7% compared to 2024-25. The funding uplift was allocated to support the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to manage a range of demand led pressures

The Scottish Government recognises the value and special characteristics of Scotland’s traditional and protected buildings, and we are taking a range of action to ensure they are preserved in a way that supports the reduction of carbon emissions. Traditionally built properties make up around 18% of all homes in Scotland. These homes may have different requirements to other homes based on their construction type, location or status.

In 2025-26 the Scottish Government is investing over £300m in heat and energy efficiency programmes, including for traditional properties. Households can access advice and funding through Home Energy Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government.

Home Energy Scotland specialist advisors are trained to provide advice on traditional homes, working closely with Historic Environment Scotland, who we continue to work closely with to ensure that Scotland’s traditional and protected buildings are properly maintained and preserved. Through Historic Environment Scotland’s Grants programme, we invest around £13.5 million a year to support building repairs, ancient monuments, archaeological work, and conservation.

The Scottish Government also continues to work to ensure the availability of the traditional skills needed to undertake retrofitting work. On 3 April 2025 it was announced that a new national training centre for Scotland, focused on traditional skills, had secured £3.7 million of National Lottery support.

The Scottish Government will also continue to make representations to UK Government requesting the implementation of a VAT reduction in the context of encouraging maintenance and energy efficiency improvements in traditional buildings.

Latin can be taught in both primary and secondary state schools as part of the Scottish Government’s 1+2 approach to language learning. It is also offered as a National Qualification from National 3 to Advanced Higher level.

Education Scotland work closely with partners to develop resources to support the teaching of Latin and other classical subjects in schools.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations to discuss animal welfare improvements and remains committed to consulting on phasing out the use of farrowing crates.

The Learning Disability Support Fund aims to sustain and support organisations working directly with people with learning disabilities in Scotland to build a more inclusive society, reduce inequality and provide opportunities for fulfilling lives.

Funded work will contribute to at least one of the following objectives:

• A more inclusive society
• Improved health outcomes for people with learning disabilities
• People with learning disabilities have a social network and safe relationships

Further details on the Learning Disability Support Fund can be found via the fund manager, Inspiring Scotland’s, website here Learning Disability Support Fund - Inspiring Scotland.

Three year funding was provided separately to the Scottish Assembly for the Leadership and Engagement Framework project. This was a time-limited project which came to a natural conclusion in 2024-25.