Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33259 on 11 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

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-34375 on 13 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

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-34375 on 13 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

The Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce was established to build on efforts to make Scotland the best place for nurses and midwives to come and work. The Taskforce brought together a number of stakeholders to work collaboratively, focusing on recruitment as well as the retention of the existing workforce.

A key priority for the Taskforce was to ensure that the voice of nursing and midwifery staff and students was heard to identify what was important for them. This was achieved through the Listening Project, which held extensive engagement with staff across Scotland.

The Listening Project report will be published on 13 February 2025 on the Scottish Government website here: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836912637

The voice of nursing and midwifery staff heard through the Listening Project informed the 44 recommended actions agreed by the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce. The recommended actions focus on improving workplace culture, practice, flexibility, recruitment, and retention, as well as diversifying education and training pathways to support long-term workforce sustainability.

The full report of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce will be published on 13 February 2025 on the Scottish Government website here: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836913290

The next phase of the taskforce will focus on implementation. A ministerially chaired implementation group will oversee development of a workplan detailing activities and timelines for delivering the recommended actions.

A total of 102 inspections were undertaken between 2022 and 2024, broken down as follows:

2022 – 18 Inspections

2023 – 52 Inspections

2024 – 32 Inspections

The inspections indicated that all of the bridges are in an acceptable condition. There are a number of new structures on AWPR, which are not yet due their first planned inspection. When these are inspected they are expected to be in good condition.

All trunk road structures and assets are subjected to regular inspections to ensure the continued integrity of the structures and identify any necessary repairs.

All the decisions made by the Energy Consents Unit and determinations made by Scottish Ministers are publicly available on our Energy Consents website: https://www.energyconsents.scot/ApplicationSearch.aspx

Ministers whose responsibilities included making determinations in the last year are: Dr Alasdair Allan MSP as Minister for Climate Action, myself as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, Miri McAllan MSP as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, and Neil Gray MSP as Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy. Decisions made by Scottish Ministers are done so on the basis of collective responsibility. All decisions reached by the Scottish Ministers, individually or collectively, are binding on all members of the Government.

The Scottish Government acknowledge the capacity challenges currently within the system, however, we have a clear plan to reduce waiting times and delayed discharges supported by £200 million targeted investment through the 2025-26 Budget.

Through this investment we will focus on shifting the balance of care from acute, to community. We will expand the Hospital at Home service, deliver additional support for GPs, and invest in new hospitals at Belford and Monklands. These actions will release capacity in the acute system.

Hospital at Home is a key component in tackling capacity pressures as the service continues to provide care for people at, or as close to home as possible, avoiding unnecessary stays in hospital, relieving pressures on urgent care services and reducing delays in the system.

Additionally, the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) are working with Boards to identify opportunities within the acute system for more efficient use of inpatient capacity and implement improvement actions that will support patient flow.

Maintenance/replacement costs for road studs on the A90 from August 2022 can be seen in table A.

Table A

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-34080 on 13 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

Where a patient deemed ready for discharge refuses to leave hospital, there is a clearly defined procedure in place: