ScotRail currently operates a diverse fleet of 145 diesel trains and 203 electric trains. The typical design life of a train is around 35 years, although in practice this depends on the quality of construction and may be extended through appropriate investment in obsolescence management and effective heavy maintenance.

We are replacing ScotRail trains as they reach the end of their useful life. This is outlined in the Rail Recharged: Scotland’s Fleet Transition Strategy - Delivering a Modern Fleet for a Connected Scotland | Transport Scotland.

This is an operational matter for ScotRail Trains Ltd. The member may wish to contact ScotRail Trains Ltd directly to obtain this information.

Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan was published on 20 January 2026.

Its implementation will be supported by a ‘Women’s Health Plan Ministerial Oversight Group’, chaired by myself. This Group will provide strategic oversight and governance for Phase Two and support partners across Scotland in delivering the Plan.

Additional governance and working groups to support the delivery of Phase Two are currently being determined and will be in place by Spring 2026.

The Scottish Statutory Instrument for the commencement for the removal of the requirement for local authorities to gain Ministerial consent before transferring funds to HRA came into force 12 January 2026.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2025/408/made

It will be for individual councils to set their policy on the transfer and use of contributions from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account.

The Chief Finance Officer, as the proper (section 95) officer with responsibility for managing the financial affairs of the authority, must be satisfied that the transfer and use of contributions from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account is prudent, affordable and sustainable.

Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan was published on 20 January 2026.

As part of the next steps for the delivery of Phase Two, a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is being developed. Part of the work of the Framework will be to set out timelines for the delivery of the 40 actions within Phase Two of the Plan including the national survey on women and girls’ health.

The Palliative Care Matters for All Strategy, which was published on 10 September 2025, provides a strategic framework to help improve the delivery of palliative care support to communities across Scotland.

The Strategy is underpinned by an initial 3-year delivery plan (2025-28) which is focused on developing tools that will support frontline delivery across Scotland and the sharing of best practice.

However, it is for Integration Joint Boards to govern, plan and resource adult palliative care, including equipment provision, in their areas using the delegated budgets under their control.

No unauthorised amendments have been made to the draft 2026-27 Scottish Budget. Some narrative elements within the supplementary level 4 information within the Constitution, External Affairs & Culture Portfolio was edited, however, this was restored to the originally published version on 15 January 2026.

Our Equally Safe strategy recognises that, just as violence against women and girls takes place in all communities and places, the same applies to all online spaces. Action is therefore required across Government, the wider public, third sector, industry, and wider society to respond to the added risks this may pose to women, children and young people.

Whilst regulation of AI is a reserved matter, we continue to engage with the UK Government on this issue. We understand that the UK Government is introducing new legislation related to AI, and we will continue to work closely with them to ensure that Scotland’s interests are represented.

The Scottish Government welcomes Ofcom’s formal investigation into X under the UK’s Online Safety Act.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government will shortly publish a consultation to seek views on a number of issues relating to how the criminal law protects women and girls. This will include seeking views on online harms, including proposals to criminalise the non-consensual creation of intimate images, including through the use of AI image generation tools.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) publish all Modern Apprenticeship starts on their website back to 2007-08 at Scotland and local authority level. These can be accessed at the following link: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/publications-statistics/statistics/modern-apprenticeships

Please note that data for 2007-08 was collated by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. SDS was formed in April 2008.

The Scottish Government recognises and values the importance of social workers and social work education. I am pleased to announce that we are investing, through the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) in a Local Learning Partnership (LLP) approach.

Additional funding of up to £600,000, will support key sector partners to work collaboratively to help address some of the challenges around social work workforce recruitment and retention. We will be trialling this model across a small number of areas, with an initial focus on strengthening quality practice learning arrangements for student social workers.

This investment will support collective efforts to improve the design, structure and delivery of practice learning opportunities, underpinning improvements in professional knowledge and skills. Over time, the Partnerships will provide greater insight for educators on local employer needs and a space within which people with lived experience can meaningfully participate in the development and evaluation of qualifying programmes.