Chamber and committees

The National Headache Pathway was reviewed in July 2026 and the current version is published on NHS Scotland's Right Decisions platform. The review ensured that the pathway and supporting guidance remain aligned with current clinical evidence and best practice, including updated guidance on migraine diagnosis, treatment, prevention and referral. The Scottish Government does not hold detailed records of the amendments made as a result of the review.

The Scottish Government anticipates the Scottish Building Safety Levy will raise £450 million over 15 years.

The Scottish Government is committed to the Just Transition of the Grangemouth cluster and surrounding community. Given the scale and complexity of the industrial cluster, Scottish Enterprise is currently procuring a consultant to deliver the Grangemouth Strategic Spatial Framework. This commission is intended to provide a practical, infrastructure-led and investment-focused tool to support decision-making around land, infrastructure, sequencing and investment readiness.

Whilst the potential to recover industrial waste heat for heat networks is not a specific focus of this commission, it is one of a number of opportunities that may be informed by the findings of the study.

The Scottish Government has an engagement strategy for secondary schools, providing a range of information and support to pupils to help them understand and make choices about their future career pathways.

Careers education is included in the school curriculum alongside a significantly expanded vocational and technical qualifications offer that provides young people with access to a broad range of industry-relevant learning opportunities. Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) facilitates engagement between schools, employers and pupils to support young people to experience the world of work, for example through skills and employability sessions, careers and other networking events, workplace visits, and work tasters. Schools and local authorities also organise work placements for pupils. Pupils have access to digital resources and professional careers advisers, and third sector and other providers deliver additional support for individuals such as mentoring, skills training and / or qualifications.

The Scottish Government has not made a specific assessment of the sector’s future role in skills development.

We recognise that apprenticeships play a vital role in giving young people a pathway into a rewarding career and providing a way for employers to invest in their workforce and we are committed to expanding our modern and graduate apprenticeship offer.

Engineering and energy-related frameworks accounted for 7.5% of new apprenticeship starts and 15.7% of all Modern Apprenticeships in training during 2025–26.

The Scottish Government provided around £198 million to support around 25,500 new Modern Apprenticeships (MA), 5,000 new Foundation Apprenticeships and 1,500 new Graduate Apprenticeships in 2024-25. We have also committed to supporting more than 150,000 apprenticeship opportunities over the course of this Parliament and to introducing an Apprenticeship Accelerator Grant.

The Scottish Government is committed to growing rail freight. Ports are a vital part of Scotland’s logistics network, and we are keen to see rail freight services grow both to and from Scotland’s ports.

We are taking a range of actions to support rail freight growth, including setting industry growth targets and supporting targeted network enhancements where appropriate. Transport Scotland works closely with Network Rail and wider freight industry to identify and develop opportunities for rail freight growth.

Through the Freight Facilities Grant Scheme, Transport Scotland has also supported projects that encourage the movement of freight from road to rail and water. This includes £3 million towards West Fraser's Dalcross rail terminal, which began transporting its products by rail earlier this year.

The Scottish Government recognises the contribution that Scotland’s civil nuclear workforce makes to our energy system. We have not made a separate assessment of the cited figure.

Scotland’s energy transition will continue to require the skills that nuclear workers hold, whether in decommissioning or across the wider energy sector. Decommissioning at former sites is expected to continue for decades to come and will follow at Torness in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03437 on 2 October 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.

The Scottish Government will as part of its commitment to produce a national skills plan by Spring 2027, include a timetable for the publication of a national funding strategy next year.

We have not held specific discussions with industry about the future of the workforce at Dounreay.