The Scottish Government remains absolutely committed to doing all it can to reduce harm and deaths caused by drugs through our National Mission and addressing the twin public health challenges on alcohol and drugs.

Long-term thinking has been embedded into the National Mission, as we are investing in a comprehensive range of services, from prevention and early intervention to treatment and long-term recovery support. For example, implementing the Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards across Scotland, ensures high-quality treatment options for those affected by addiction will be met for years to come.

In addition, capital investment in residential rehabilitation has increased the number of spaces for people, both now and in the future, and our work on tackling stigma aims to fundamentally break down barriers for those seeking support.

The Scottish Government is also developing a National Service Specification alongside guidance, which provide clarity on the types of treatment and recovery services available for drugs and alcohol and in the long term, improve joint working between public and third sector partners. We plan full public consultation on a draft specification with an aim to publish in 2025.

Within the National Mission strategy we are also adapting to new trends such as the change in global markets with the increased prevalence of new synthetic substances, such as the synthetic opioids nitazenes, which is of real concern.

To ensure that our future strategic plans are evidence-based, they will be informed by the National Mission evaluation, with the final publication expected in 2026. In accordance with democratic processes, any future strategic plans will also take into account the outcomes of the 2026 Scottish election.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with local authorities on the processes and operation of the landlord register digital platform, which is maintained and updated on an ongoing basis.

The Housing (Scotland) Bill includes a package of important reforms to the private rented sector which are in the interest of both tenants and responsible landlords. Should Parliament pass the legislation, it is intended that a full review of the current landlord registration regime will be undertaken, taking account of the impact of the new measures.

The Scottish Government monitors pay in the hospitality sector using data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (table 5.6a) published by the Office for National Statistics. This data is available at https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/regionbyindustry2digitsicashetable5.

The latest available data shows that median gross hourly pay (excluding overtime) for all employees in the Accommodation and Food Services sector was estimated to be £10.89 in 2023. This was the lowest median hourly pay across all industrial sectors in Scotland for which data are published by ONS. The median gross hourly pay in the Accommodation and Food Service sector for the last 10 years is shown in the following table.

Table 1: Median gross hourly pay (excluding overtime) in the accommodation and food services sector, 2014-2023

Statistics on gross value added (GVA) by industry are published in the Quarterly National Accounts for Scotland, covering periods from 1998 onwards. The latest estimates of current price GVA for the accommodation and food services sector can be found in Table D of the other national accounts summary tables at https://www.gov.scot/publications/gdp-quarterly-national-accounts-2024-q1/.

Any form of human trafficking or exploitation is completely unacceptable. Police Scotland’s specialist National Human Trafficking Unit continues to work closely with partners across the UK and internationally to tackle human trafficking. This includes the International Trade Workers Federation, Home Office, and HM Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Scottish Government has consistently opposed the inappropriate use of transit visas as means of accessing non-UK labour in the fishing industry, and reports of migrant labour exploitation within the sector are concerning. The Scottish Government does not support an immigration system which increases the risks for forced labour and exploitation of migrant workers. Sector specific concessions and visa routes are only temporary fixes adding unnecessary complexity to the immigration system. The Scottish Government wrote to the previous UK Government last year, outlining concerns regarding the immigration system’s poor suitability in addressing skills shortages within the fishing industry. We will continue engaging with the new UK Government on the need for a fair immigration system that meets Scotland’s unique economic and demographic circumstances.

Significant activity is already underway following the £30 million investment to target backlogs, announced in the spring. This will see around 12,000 new outpatient appointments, around 12,000 inpatient procedures and over 40,000 diagnostic procedures delivered.

The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing waiting times year-on-year across the NHS as set out in the Policy Prospectus. We will continue to work with all NHS boards to maximise current resources and productivity.

Future funding for commitments will be considered as part of the 2025-26 budget process that will allocate resources to the Government’s priorities of the day.

It is for Police Scotland to report on, and determine, training procedures for their officers. In August they published an update on hate crime guidance and training. Police Scotland have previously provided assurances that officers are trained, have sufficient capacity to undertake the legislation and have the systems in place to do so.

Details of impact assessments in relation to the measures set out in the Fiscal Statement will be published in the coming weeks on the Scottish Government’s website.

The One Year Job Guarantee (OYJG) scheme was previously facilitated by NHS Education for Scotland. The scheme was closed due to low application numbers.

Scottish government officials have been engaging with health boards on their current position in relation to supply of midwives. It is our understanding that they remain committed to maximising opportunities for newly qualified midwives and officials are exploring all options to support graduates into employment.

The remit of the Regulatory Review Group is to provide the Scottish Government with advice on all aspects of Better Regulation from a business and regulatory perspective. It does not propose removal of regulations but works to identify implementation challenges and practical mitigations during policy development.