Chamber and committees

The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s Fiscal Sustainability Report sets out that the projection of lower GDP growth in Scotland than the UK is primarily due to demographic change, with Scotland’s population aged 16-64 projected to fall by 16 per cent over the next 50 years, compared to a fall of 2 per cent for the UK.

This presents a risk to Scotland’s long term economic competitiveness and while the challenges of an ageing population are not unique to Scotland, Scotland lacks the full range of powers to deal with these in the way that other countries can, in particular with the UK Government’s current immigration system failing to meet the needs of Scotland’s communities in addressing both labour market and demographic challenges. In the short term, the Scottish Government is using the powers it has to address Scotland’s population challenges and in 2023 the Ministerial Population Taskforce will launch a new Talent Attraction and Migration Service for Scotland, and an Addressing Depopulation Action Plan will be published.

Furthermore, the National Strategy for Economic Transformation sets out the action the Scottish Government is taking to deliver a wellbeing economy which will increase productivity and international competitiveness, and deliver fairer, greener prosperity for all Scotland’s people and places.

There are no current plans to alter the number or structure of NHS Boards. This will be kept under review as we continue to consider how best to reform and renew the NHS, whilst remaining within the long established principle of a public service free at the point of use and need. Our priority remains delivering the NHS Scotland Recovery Plan, and improving services across Scotland.

The Business Investment Framework was updated in March 2022 to take account of developing best practice and recommendations from Audit Scotland. In the spirit of continuous improvement, Scottish Government Officials continue to review the Business Investment Framework to ensure it remains fit for purpose and offers up to date guidance to applicable users. This of course involves ongoing engagement with Audit Scotland to strengthen processes and procedures in line with their recommendations. The next planned update to the Business Investment Framework is Q1 of FY 23-24.

The level of funding invested each year by the Bank since it was established is as follows:

2020-21 (November to March): £23,097,000

2021-22: £130,414,000

2022-23: The Bank’s final outturn is still being finalised and it is too early to provide a provisional figure to Parliament. The Bank will lay its audited Annual Accounts in Parliament before the end of September.

The Bank’s most recent Annual Accounts are published on its website: https://www.thebank.scot/sites/default/files/2022-10/the-bank-annual-report-2022.pdf .

The portfolio page on the Bank’s website also provides details of the deals they have completed: https://www.thebank.scot/portfolio .

The Scottish Government recognises the benefits magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) could provide to eligible patients with essential tremor.

The Scottish Government has not carried out an assessment of MRgFUS for the treatment of essential tremor.

We understand the University of Dundee and Ninewells hospital continue to run a MRgFUS service for essential tremor on a trial basis. It is imperative that before any new procedure is adopted into the NHS, it is first subject to rigorous clinical assessment to establish patient safety and efficacy. The trial in Dundee will help contribute to the building evidence base for the treatment.

The third Scottish Annual Pollinator Conference on 15 June 2023 is an online only event organised and staffed by our conservation agency, NatureScot. The 2023 theme is monitoring, with the intention of highlighting pollinator monitoring schemes, and, in line with our final draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, published in December 2022, demonstrating the necessity of monitoring for a better understanding of the status of our pollinating insects and wider biodiversity. Scottish Government policy officials will attend the conference.

The annual Scottish Budget document sets out the detail of the health, including Scottish Government funding for NHS boards. Budget documents are available from the Scottish Government’s website: Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The Scottish Government continues to prioritise investment in frontline NHS services, with funding increasing by over £1.4 billion since 2021-22 – well ahead of our trajectory to increase funding by 20% over the life of the Parliament.

Public Health Scotland Publish information on the number of GPs and patients by Health Board and this is available at:

General Practice - GP Workforce and practice list sizes 2012 - 2022 - General Practice - GP workforce and practice list sizes - Publications - Public Health Scotland

Table 2 sets out the number of GPs in each board area and Table 4 shows the registered number of patients in each health board, over the past 10 years.

The Scottish Government is developing a Strategic Framework for Scotland’s Early Learning and School Age Childcare Profession which will set out the priorities for the sector and actions we will take to ensure a sustainable, thriving childcare workforce. We will consider the payment of SSSC fees as we develop the Framework.

The review of the expressive arts curricular area is part of the ongoing National Discussion on Education as well as the Hayward review into qualifications and assessment. In the immediate term, Screen Scotland, in partnership with the education community, are piloting, in selected schools, a new Film and Screen curriculum for Scotland as part of the expressive arts curricular area. This pilot programme is being delivered across early years, primary and secondary settings.

The draft Film and Screen curriculum has been created to meet the needs of a shifting economy, employment landscape and learner demographic. A full evaluation of this will be made at the end of the pilot programme.