Chamber and committees

The information requested is not held centrally; this is a matter for individual non-departmental public bodies. You can find links to each body’s website at National public bodies: directory - gov.scot where there will be further information.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

As set out in my answer to question S6W-32625 on 8 January 2025, Tier 3 and Tier 4 services are those secondary and specialist mental health services - including Community Mental Health Teams, Adult Acute Psychiatry, and specialist Perinatal Mental Health care, that usually require a referral from a GP or other health care professional. Data on this is not collected centrally by government. Decisions on access to those services are determined locally by NHS Boards.

To ensure access, we have directly allocated £123 million to NHS Boards and IJBs for a new Enhanced Mental Health Outcomes Framework in 2024-25. The Framework focuses on embedding increased capacity around CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), the delivery of psychological therapies, eating disorder care, primary care and neurodevelopmental services, as well as ongoing innovation and service reform - but also brings together a number of other funding streams which includes Perinatal and Infant Mental Health.

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

We intend to publish the results to the call for evidence in line with Scottish Government consultation good practice guidance for Scottish Government consultations, typically within 12 weeks of the closing date.

Following analysis of the responses, policy proposals for a new framework for managing our inshore fisheries will be drafted, with input from key stakeholders. There will then be a full public consultation.

Emergency early release regulations have been utilised twice within the last five years (May 2020 & June/July 2024). On both occasions, the conditions of release were as they would have been at the individuals original scheduled liberation date, with no additional conditions or sentences applied.

Those released were approaching the end of their short-term prison sentences, and such individuals are not routinely subject to additional monitoring or community service requirements following their release. Therefore, those released via emergency early release were not subject to such conditions.

Individuals whose sentence would require post-release supervision or monitoring requirements were automatically excluded from both emergency early release processes.

The requirement for an individual to complete any kind of community sentence is a matter for the independent courts to decide at the point of sentencing, after consideration of the full facts and circumstances of the case.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has received a submission through the Ultra-Orphan Pathway from the marketing authorisation holder, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, for exagamglogene autotemcel (Casgevy®) for the treatment of transfusion-dependent ß-thalassaemia in patients 12 years of age and older. A decision on whether Casgevy® is accepted on to the Ultra-Orphan Pathway for this indication will be published on the SMC website in due course.

The SMC has not yet received a submission from Vertex Pharmaceuticals for Casgevy® for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34796 on 25 February 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.

With regards to the STPR2 Delivery Plan, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31324 on 27 November 2024. 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

My officials at Transport Scotland are developing how we align transport infrastructure investment planning with future expected budgets. Such investment plans are significantly dependant on the outcomes of the UK Government’s Spending Review, which is now expected in June.

Recommendation 36 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) notes that consultation with the freight industry, trade unions, representative bodies, local authorities and other stakeholders will take place to discover gaps in provision and support Transport Scotland in making future decisions on the need to address market failure. This recommendation also includes that a review will take place on freight parking and rest areas to better understand barriers.

STPR2 is a long term framework for investment and it is not possible to progress all its recommendations at once. Work on this recommendation is not planned to commence in the forthcoming year. However, please be assured I will continue to engage with my officials on how STPR2 recommendations can be taken forward.

In 2022 the Scottish Government conducted a full analysis of the different options for relocating the SQA’s accreditation function. As of 11 March 2025 and in response to this question the analysis has now been published at Education reform: location of the Scottish Qualification Authority’s accreditation function - gov.scot.

Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including queries relating to staff appointments, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.

I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.

The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), published in 2022, was supported by a transport appraisal which included a concept network for Clyde Metro. Given STPR2 was a strategic assessment, the assessment of Clyde Metro, and all other options, was at a relatively high level, with a possible light rail connection between the city centre and East Kilbride, as shown in the recommendation appraisal summary table.

This option is separate from the existing heavy rail connection to East Kilbride and therefore no assessment was made of rail double tracking under the transport appraisal.

The ongoing stage of the development process for Clyde Metro, known as the Case for Investment, is being led by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), supported by Glasgow City Council, with Transport Scotland providing a project assurance role. This key stage, which will inform decisions around network selection, phasing and implementation is well underway and is currently anticipated to be complete by mid-2027.

Further details on the Case for Investment stage of Clyde Metro can be obtained by contacting SPT directly at [email protected].

The Scottish Government is currently progressing the East Kilbride Enhancement Project. This will deliver electrification of the route, a relocated station at Hairmyres, a new accessible station at East Kilbride, accessibility works at other stations and a 1.4km extension of the existing Hairmyres double track section to enhance operational resilience and service flexibility. This project represents a further commitment from this Government in contributing to our wider net zero objectives and will enable the introduction of electric services on the route from December 2025.