Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02777 on 15 September 2026. 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 S7W-02316 on 24 August 2026. 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.

It is for Health Boards to manage the delivery of their services, including the consideration of how they allocate treatment to patients. As such we would expect health boards to consider the potential equalities and other impacts as part of implementing their weight management services based on the local eligibility criteria.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02745 on 15 September 2026. 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 S7W-02749 on 15 September 2026. 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.

Since NHS Grampian moved to Stage 4 of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework for finance, leadership and governance in May 2025, a range of support measures have been put in place commensurate with the Board’s financial challenges. This includes a Scottish Government-led Assurance Board, which provides enhanced oversight and support to NHS Grampian, monitoring progress against key financial and operational challenges while strengthening financial governance. It continues to work closely with the Board's leadership team to support recovery planning and help return the Board to a sustainable financial footing.

NHS Grampian remain on track to meet key financial targets in 2026-27.

The Scottish Government has not identified evidence of a sustained increase in the use of community-based treatment arrangements for restricted patients discharged from secure psychiatric facilities and has therefore made no assessment of the impact of such an increase on public safety. Data shows that, as at July each year, 78 restricted patients were on conditional discharge in 2024, 88 in 2025 and 83 in 2026.

Public safety considerations relating to community-based treatment arrangements for restricted patients are assessed and managed on an individual and ongoing basis throughout each patient’s care and treatment. Proposals for conditional discharge are informed by multidisciplinary assessment of the patient’s needs and the risk of harm to others.

Risk assessment and management take account of changes in the patient’s mental health, behaviour, circumstances and response to treatment. Restricted patients can only be conditionally discharged if the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland finds that detention in hospital is no longer necessary, with conditions imposed to support the patient’s safe management and supervision in the community.

The NRAC formula is an objective measure of the need for health care services in Scotland, providing a target share for Territorial Boards. The formula is refreshed by Public Health Scotland on an annual basis to ensure it reflects the most up-to-date data available.

The Scottish Government has committed to review the NRAC formula through the Technical Advisory Group for Resource Allocation (TAGRA). The review is ongoing and is being considered alongside the Programme for Government commitment to simplify NHS Board structures, which may affect its scope and timing.

The Scottish Government continues to ensure that all Boards remain within 0.6% of NRAC parity. Since 2012-13, over £4 billion of additional funding has been committed to those NHS Boards below their NRAC parity levels, including additional funding for NHS Grampian.

The Scottish Government does not conduct ghost gear retrieval activities and has no record of gear recovered by other organisations.

We fund KIMO’s Fishing for Litter initiative through our Marine Fund Scotland which supports fishers in bringing ashore and disposing of marine litter they catch at sea while conducting normal fishing activities. The waste brought in is mixed and includes old ghost gear.

Fishing for Litter waste since 2021

2021 – 195 tonnes

2022 – 139 tonnes

2023 – 185 tonnes

2024 – 214 tonnes

2025 – 176 tonnes

2026 – until 9 September 2026 – 79 tonnes

As set out in my answer to question S7W-02908 on 15 September 2026, while decisions on the scheduling of individual criminal cases are a matter for the independent Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, the long-standing statutory time limits at section 65 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 require the prioritisation of cases where an accused person has been remanded in custody prior to trial. This approach relates to an accused person having the presumption of innocence and the importance of seeking to minimise the length of time they are held in custody prior to trial.

It is important that delays in the criminal justice system are minimised insofar as possible and the statutory time limits exist to prevent unnecessary delays in criminal cases coming to trial and help the judiciary to effectively manage the progress of cases. This is particularly important in trials for offences of rape, serious sexual assault and domestic abuse where delays can impact on complainers.

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.