Chamber and committees

The Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) are currently working with Young Lives vs. Cancer (YLvC) to take forward learning from the NHS England and Picker Institute U16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, to see if this can be developed for children and young people with cancer in Scotland.

Additionally, the MSN CYPC provides a range of patient experience support services such as the Youth Advisory Forum which provides children and young people with cancer with the opportunity to share experiences with each other as well as identifying gaps and improve the quality of services by providing feedback. The Parent, Carer and Families Forum, also facilitated by MSN CYPC, gives a voice to the youngest children with cancer, and their support networks which enables their views to also be captured.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32265 on 6 January 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.

We know that people who inject drugs are at higher risk of contracting blood borne viruses (BBVs), bacterial infections and injection site wounds.

The Scottish Government has committed to effectively eliminating hepatitis C (HCV) as a public health threat in Scotland and to driving improvement through focusing on intensifying case finding and treatment initiation, and ensuring that people who inject drugs have access to, and take up, i) optimal harm reduction services and ii) if deemed clinically ready, antiviral therapy to prevent the onward transmission of infection.

The Scottish Governments ‘Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Action Plan’ also aims for everyone in Scotland to have good sexual health and wellbeing, with high quality, innovative, sexual health and BBV prevention, care and support available to those who need it, in a timely manner and irrespective of age, sex, gender, sexual identity or location. We have allocated multi-year funding to a range of projects alongside the action plan which will drive improvement in the areas identified.

In addition, the ‘HIV Transmission Elimination Delivery Plan’ sets out prioritised actions towards achieving our goal of zero people contracting HIV within Scotland by 2030. This aligns with wider global strategic aims, including UNAIDS’ goal “to end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.” Alongside the plan we have funded a National Coordinator post to oversee coordination of this Delivery Plan and to work with locally identified HIVTE Champions at NHS Board level towards delivery of actions to support elimination.

Specifically in Glasgow, The WAND (Wound management, Assessment of injecting risk, Naloxone supply and Dry blood-spot test for BBV) model has been implemented in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. WAND has proved effective in engaging with people who inject drugs and who are not in contact with traditional services, reflecting the requirement of MAT Standard 4, and providing them with a unique level of support to address these issues. Other areas are also trailing the model.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes annual data on 16 to 25 year olds with cancer in Scotland in their incidence statistics. The latest report is available on the PHS website

PHS also publishes information on cancer in children (ages 0 to 14) and young people (ages 15 to 24) in Scotland

Children and young people with cancer in Scotland 9 May 2023 - Children and young people with cancer in Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland

Our next formal update will be as part of a parliamentary debate currently planned for early June, subject to ministerial and parliamentary timetables. It is planned that this debate will focus on AI and its current and future impact in the Health sector.

However the Scottish AI Alliance provide monthly updates on the meeting of the Scottish AI Taskforce. This group of public servants meet to discuss and share AI challenges and opportunities, with the intention of avoiding duplication and ensuring shared best practice. These meetings offer a good overview of the public sector approach to AI, and you can find minutes and details from these meeting on the Alliance website. Public Sector AI - Taskforce — Scottish AI Alliance

We are also currently working on our response to the recent publication of the UK Government AI Action Plan, and that response will include a public sector component.

The AI Register remains the intended source of publicly available information on AI in use across the Scottish public sector. Work is on-going to encourage use across Scotland and to build completion of the register into our procurement and development processes.

Scottish Government has committed to making up to £2.3 million available per annum (from 2024-25 – 2026-27) to Glasgow HSCP for the development, set up and running of the SDCF in Glasgow from 2024-25. A total of £1,277,000 will be provided by Scottish Government for the financial year 2024-25.

The Scottish Government remains committed to providing legal aid for a wide scope of actions. The draft Scottish Budget includes a proposed further investment of £14.2 million for the Legal Fund in 2025-26 which is an increase of 10% on this year’s budget (to £155.5 million).

Despite financial constraints, the Scottish Government continues to focus on building a more inclusive Scotland for all, investing in services and support that will help our communities during these difficult times.

Our budget, if passed by Parliament, will ensure that this government can continue to prioritise action to eradicate child poverty, protect our public services including improving access to legal aid and grow Scotland’s economy, while addressing the inequalities that many in our communities still face.

I recognise that change is needed to ensure we have a legal aid system that meets the needs of people. We are publishing our legal aid action plan for reform shortly, and I intend to take forward work in this area in the coming months and I will meet with the legal profession and stakeholders to hear views from across the justice system on areas for reform.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31040 on 13 November 2024 in respect of solicitor numbers. 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 question S6W-32820 on 15 January 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 question S6W-33162 on 23 January 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.

This information is not held by the Scottish Government. The member may wish to contact Network Rail.