Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40280 on 16 September 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 will give careful consideration to NHS Highland’s response.

The decision taken in 2016 by NHS Highland to move to a midwife-led unit at Caithness General Hospital was made on the basis of safety. This decision was taken in line with NHS Boards’ responsibility to design and deliver services which deliver safe, high-quality care to meet the needs of their local populations and geographies. Safe maternity care delivered as close to home as practicable is vital and the safety of pregnant women and babies must be central to this.

The model of care in Caithness is the same as that which operates across all rural areas in the NHS Highland region. NHS Highland understands the need to continually review its service models to ensure they are safe, effective and fit for the future.

The Scottish Government do not currently provide means-tested benefits, although certain benefits, notably 5-family payments, are targeted to those in receipt of relevant qualifying reserved benefits, and Carer Support Payment is available to eligible unpaid carers with an income below a threshold of £196 per week. Over 80% of devolved benefits expenditure is currently provided to disabled people to help them meet the costs for their disabilities.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) published its most recent independent forecasts on 25 June 2025, which sets out its latest five-year economic and fiscal forecasts to 2030-31.

The publication can be found on the SFC’s website: Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts Update – June 2025 | Scottish Fiscal Commission.

Based on those forecasts and Scottish Government’s estimates of Young Carer Grant and Job Start Payment, expenditure on the range of Social Security Assistance provided by the Scottish Government is forecast to increase from £6.8 billion this year, to £9.3 billion by 2030-31, as shown in the following table.

Scottish Government engage regularly with the National Shipbuilding Office on matters including proposed procurement exercises, and we are aware that Damen have been awarded work to deliver tug vessels for the Royal Navy under a contract won by Serco. The delivery of these vessels is a matter for Serco, in partnership with Damen. In line with our national policy and legislation, the Scottish Government will continue to seek opportunities to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits in Scotland through our procurement activity.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-40280 and S6W-40281 on 16 September 2025. I will give careful consideration to NHS Highland’s response. 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.

Scottish Enterprise recently provided a £7.4 million Research and Development grant and a £1.8 million Training Aid grant to BAE Systems to help them maximise skills development and support the establishment of a collegiate training facility which will provide access to the broader industry through the Applied Shipbuilding Academy, which is overseen by BAE Systems as custodians of the Glasgow shipyards.

Social Security Scotland has a statutory responsibility under the Scottish Public Finance Manual to ensure public resources are used economically, efficiently and effectively. The agency has developed a Debt Management Strategy to guide its approach to recovering overpaid benefits, with respect for clients’ dignity at its core.

Details of defence programme contractual arrangements, including associated apprenticeships, are a matter for individual companies. Information on contracts awarded through the UK Government Ministry of Defence are published and publicly available.

Social Security Scotland does not hold information on whether its clients are subject to active employment support requirements, as there is no eligibility need to collect or retain this data.

Details of defence programme contractual arrangements, including associated jobs, are a matter for individual companies. Information on contracts awarded through the UK Government Ministry of Defence are published and publicly available.