Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to improving health and reducing health inequalities, and supporting our more vulnerable communities, which can include our former coalfield communities.

We know that poverty and unemployment are key drivers of ill health and health inequalities. That is why, we continue to support the health of Scotland’s population through a number of measures including:

• allocating around £3 billion a year since 2022-23 to tackle poverty;
• initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles through tobacco control, preventing alcohol related harm, promoting healthy eating and physical activity; and
• the creation of a Population Health Framework to take a preventative approach in which we address health problems at the root as well as build a Scotland in which our places and communities can positively support health and wellbeing.

In addition, we deliver significant investment through a range programmes to support economic growth and regenerate communities, which contribute to addressing underlying poverty by creating jobs and employment opportunities. Our regeneration programmes are delivered through established relationships with local government and communities, focussing investment in areas of priority need including former coalfield communities. These programmes include our Investing in Communities Fund, which is being delivered over 2023-24 to 2025-26 with an annual budget of circa £9m. It is currently supporting 20 projects in coalfield communities investing nearly £3.5 million to date.

The UK Pesticides National Action Plan (NAP) was published on 21 March 2025.

The NAP is a UK-wide document which sets out the shared ambition of the Scottish Government, Defra, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. It aims to minimise the risks and impacts of pesticides to human health and the environment, while ensuring that our land managers in the agriculture, horticulture and amenity sector have effective tools to manage pests and pesticide resistance.

Supporting uptake of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is central to the actions set out in the NAP. This includes targeting use of conventional chemical pesticides to when environmentally and economically justified. It also includes equipping pesticide users with the knowledge and support needed to adopt a range of sustainable crop protection practices, including innovative precision application technologies, to continue to reduce the use of conventional chemical pesticides whilst retaining the ability to address the crop protection challenges arising from climate change. The NAP also commits to improving and supporting compliance with regulations to ensure that pesticides are used safely.

Measuring progress is a key commitment of the NAP and as such sets the first domestic reduction target for pesticides in the UK, with an aim of reducing a suite of representative pesticide load indicators by 10% by 2030. The target is designed to measure progress against reducing environmental pressure from pesticides, rather than representing a simple usage reduction target. This reduces the potential for unintended consequences, which could risk the removal of important tools for farmers, growers and other land managers. The NAP sets a target for the arable sector, using data from the existing pesticide usage surveys, but also acknowledges that we want to improve our understanding of the nature of pesticide use in the amenity and amateur sectors in future.

We welcome publication of this plan, which commits us to measuring our progress over the next five years, and we look forward to working with stakeholders during the implementation of these actions.

The plan can be viewed at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-pesticides-national-action-plan-2025.

Designation as a statutory consultee places certain statutory obligations on the relevant body to provide comments on any application notified to them within a set time period. These obligations have to be met and funded by the organisation in question. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has not requested to become a statutory consultee at this time and we do not have plans at this stage to take this forward however we will of course continue discussions with SFRS on this matter as and when appropriate.

Scottish Government officials remain actively engaged with Public Health Scotland (PHS), who are responsible for the implementation of the Fracture Liaison Service audit. Progress against the business case requirements to develop and then implement the new audit is reviewed on a regular basis.

I also refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-35534 21 March 2025. 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

I was pleased to meet with the Scottish Huntington’s Association (SHA) recently to discuss the provision of Huntington’s Disease services.

The Scottish Government is currently supporting the SHA’s youth services through the Children, Young People, Families Early Intervention and Adult Learning and Empowering Communities Fund, to improve the resilience and confidence of young people with Huntington’s and support young carers.

Through the Neurological Care & Support Framework 2020-25, we have been working to ensure that everyone with a neurological condition, including Huntington’s Disease, can access the care and support they need. As the formal Framework strategy concludes, we have been engaging with clinicians, patients, carers and third sector organisations to explore a joined-up policy approach to long-term conditions. A full public consultation will commence shortly, following which a strategy will be developed and published later in 2025.

We have recently established a Neurological Conditions Improvement Network and are working with providers across Scotland to consider ways of ensuring statutory and third sector organisations collaborate on decision-making around the provision of care. This aims to ensure the best use of resources while encouraging person-centred support for people with neurological conditions.

A significant amount of work has been undertaken to date, to progress the implementation of the 55 recommendations made as part of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland, involving a wide range of stakeholders across the public and third sector. We continue to work with the NHS, Third Sector and private providers to identify and cost an appropriate model of community care for any future service reform and ensure that the voices of those with lived experience inform this work.

A report outlining how each of the 55 recommendations set out in the Independent Review have been closed or transitioned, and the rationale for that, will be provided to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee imminently and will be made available on both the Committee website and https://www.all-ears.nhs.scot/

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35647 on 21 March 2025. 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 has no powers over the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS).

Ofgem and Energy UK are leading a cross-industry response to the RTS shutdown which includes a public awareness campaign. However, progress has been slow. Ofgem’s data from suppliers show that between October 2024 and January 2025 around 18,700 RTS meters were replaced in Scotland. As of January 2025, there were still 146,302 RTS consumers in Scotland who need to have their meters replaced. The switch-off date has already been extended three times and a further extension is not expected.

People who rely on the RTS will experience real and considerable detriment unless meters are replaced by the switch-off date. This is especially true for those in our rural and island communities where expensive electric storage heaters are more prevalent. The Scottish Government continues to consistently convey this message to the UK Government, Ofgem, and suppliers.

Since the creation of the RTS Taskforce in autumn last year, the energy industry has progressed a series of pilot projects in areas with high numbers of RTS customers. These pilots have been intended to target several upgrades at once while understanding and addressing technical challenges. However, many still wait for engineers who simply do not turn up or are insufficiently trained to upgrade the meter in question. The Scottish Government has asked for additional enforcement action to be put in place to reduce these instances and ensure that every household is fitted with a fully functioning meter before the deadline.

While we do not hold the necessary powers to direct Ofgem or suppliers, we are committed to raising awareness and working with those responsible to ensure consumers are not negatively affected by the switch-off. This includes contributing to RTS related engagement, consultations, and roundtables as well as raising the media profile of the switch-off. We have written to the UK Government, Ofgem, and industry on several occasions to press them to take the necessary steps to protect consumers in Scotland from detriment – highlighting the specific needs of rural and island communities and the availability of working smart meters as a viable solution – and continue to advocate for Scottish RTS users at every opportunity.

Any consumers experiencing difficulties with their supplier should contact Advice Direct Scotland (ADS). ADS receives funding from the Scottish Government as part of our devolved responsibilities for consumer advocacy and advice. Services include the free national energy advice helpline, available on 0808 196 8660 or at energyadvice.scot.

With just over three months to the deadline, and no clear Plan B, the UK Government and Ofgem must use their relevant powers to take urgent and proportionate action to substantially increase the number of properties upgraded. This is particularly pressing in rural and island areas where the number of RTS meters is disproportionate and where the impact on already high levels of fuel poverty could be significant.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35647 on 21 March 2025. 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.

Our ambition is that ‘women and girls enjoy the best possible health, throughout their lives’. We want to improve health outcomes for all women and girls in Scotland and working to improve access to health services which meet the needs of women is central to this.

The Scottish Government’s National Carers Strategy sets out a cross-government approach to tackling issues that affect carers, including through health and social care policies. A range of services are in place to support unpaid carers to better access healthcare. Some have a carer-specific focus, while others are more general. The Scottish Government will continue to raise awareness of these services among unpaid carers and will ensure that our health services consider the needs of carers.

As we develop the next phase of the Women’s Health Plan, we are listening to women’s voices and lived experience to seek to meet the needs of women across Scotland, including unpaid female carers.