Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00342 on 5 June 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-00472 on 8 June 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.

Qualifications Scotland is a Non-Departmental Public Body and acts as a data controller in relation to the personal data it processes, including exam candidates’ access to their marker comments.

The Scottish Government expects all public authorities to comply with their statutory duties under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

The Scottish Government and COSLA published the Coming Home Action Plan in March 2026. The action plan is backed by Scottish Government funding of up to £20m to support implementation. The majority of this funding will be distributed via the Independent Living Fund (ILF) Scotland through the creation of a new Coming Home fund.

ILF Scotland are currently designing the new fund in collaboration with stakeholders with a view to formally opening to applications during Summer 2026. The fund will provide flexible, person-centred support and transitions will progress at an appropriate pace for each individual, to ensure safe and supportive care.

The UK Government launched a Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) from 1 April 2026, replacing English Discretionary Housing Payments and the Household Support Fund. The CRF also now incorporates elements similar to Scotland’s Scottish Welfare Fund. The CRF is discretionary in nature and designed to meet a broad set of short-term pressures.

The approach to Discretionary Housing Payments in Scotland differs in both purpose and delivery. Our policy is to fully mitigate the bedroom tax and provide targeted support so that low income households are protected as far as possible from the impacts of other UK welfare reforms, including the benefit cap and the freeze to Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates.

Given these different policy objectives and delivery mechanisms these schemes are not directly comparable.

However, Scotland’s investment represents a significant commitment to protecting low income households, with spending per head notably higher than that in the rest of the UK.

This year alone the Scottish Government is investing £115 million in Discretionary Housing Payments, supporting up to 92,000 households and nearly 20,000 children impacted by the bedroom tax; up to 3,000 families impacted by the benefit cap; and up to 15,000 families affected by the freeze to LHA rates. In addition, £41 million is being invested in the Scottish Welfare Fund to provide vital crisis support and help people establish independent living.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00342 on 5 June 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.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:

Scottish Water teams have reviewed telemetry data, pump station monitoring and operational records and have identified no operational incidents. I am told that discharge events were recorded from one of the four Portobello (Central) combined sewer overflows (CSOs), Portobello Joppa SPS CSO, and were part of normal operations related to rainfall.

CSOs are an integral part of a sewage network and are designed to discharge highly diluted wastewater during periods of heavy rainfall to avoid overloading the sewer system, which could result in flooding of homes and businesses. Such discharges do not necessarily result in pollution incidents, and any suspected environmental pollution incidents should be reported to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00342 on 5 June 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 wants all patients, regardless of location to receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place. The Centre for Sustainable Delivery supports clinical improvements across Scotland, including for cataracts and orthopaedics through Specialty Delivery Groups.

The NTCs are currently delivering one cataract every 30 minutes as endorsed by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. This is patient centred, particularly where patients are travelling longer distances for treatment.

Out of area transport is covered by Health Boards’ own standard travel policies.

NHS Grampian & NHS Tayside have a joint intention to develop high volume, single procedure lists at Stracathro, however these are not in place currently.

Queen Margaret Hospital has a strong, well-established reputation, both nationally & internationally, for their Ophthalmology & Urology services. The responsibility for the Queen Margaret Hospital is with NHS Fife, who continue to look at opportunities to further enhance their current services.

The Stracathro Regional Treatment Centre & the Queen Margaret Hospital provide crucial cold site (ie protected) elective capacity, and we are committed to working with Boards to continue to maximise the efficiency and use of the sites.

The Scottish Government is working at pace to pilot the delivery of alcohol care teams in Scotland.

We have already identified a potential location for the pilot and will look to announce this as soon as a formal agreement is reached.