Chamber and committees

Golf is important to Scotland’s economy, culture and reputation. We have more than 550 golf courses, host world-renowned events and enjoy the benefits from a thriving golf tourism sector.

Golf events and golf tourism bring significant economic benefits to Scotland.

The economic value of golf tourism for the Scottish economy is approximately £300 million per annum, around 5000 jobs and approximately £150 million in GVA.

Scotland’s portfolio of golf events, including The R&A’s major championships and our annual national Opens, help maintain our worldwide reputation as the ‘Home of Golf’.

In 2024, Scotland successfully delivered an exceptional summer of golf, hosting five high-profile tournaments across the men’s and women’s games, headlined by the 152nd Open at Royal Troon. All five events were supported by Scottish Government funding.

Independent research from Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre found that last year’s Open at Royal Troon generated an estimated £87.3 million in total economic impact – new money entering the economy – for Scotland.

The figures for Royal Troon bring the total economic benefit generated by the ten stagings of The Open in Scotland since 2005 to £1.36 billion.

The 2024 Genesis Scottish Open reported £19.2 million in economic impact for Scotland.

In addition to direct economic benefits, Scotland’s golf events also bring wider benefits, including supporting charitable causes, engaging communities and young people, increasing participation in sport and general wellbeing, and advocating for policy priorities such as environmental issues.

Provision of medical first aid at a major sporting event is the event organisers’ responsibility which, in this instance, is the Glasgow 2026 Organising Company.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with event organisers to ensure that Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS Boards and Public Health Scotland are appropriately engaged in planning groups for major sporting events.

Public sector health colleagues work meticulously with the event organisers and any procured private first aid and ambulance services to ensure adequate first aid and health care is provided to event participants, workforce and spectators, in line with guidance and requirements as set out in the Green and Purple Guides.

The Green Guide, or ‘Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds’, provides guidance on safety at sports grounds for stadium operators and event organisers. The Purple Guide is aimed at event organisers who are responsible for managing health and safety and at events in more general terms.

NHS Boards have duties under the Carers Act to involve unpaid carers in decision making and planning the return from hospital of the person they care for (or will care for). More specifically, the Core Mental Health Quality Standards state that a person’s support network should be involved in their care if they wish. Progress on implementing the standards is measured by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

To support Boards in discharging these duties we have funded NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop three training modules for the health and social care workforce to help them identify, include and support unpaid carers including young carers. In 2025 and 2026 NES will promote and support the use of these training resources across the health and social care workforce. We are also funding NES to develop carer awareness training for staff in mental health services.

In response to the Manchester Arena Inquiry the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act received royal assent on Thursday 3rd April 2025 and has a 24 month commencement period before it will come into force.

The Scottish Government continues to work in collaboration with the UK Government in the development of Statutory Guidance that will support the legislation. The Scottish Government will consider how the regulation of ambulances and first aid provision in Scotland needs to align with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act as this guidance is developed and in response to the views of stakeholders.

The Scottish Government continues to encourage and signpost stakeholders to both the Protect UK and Gov.UK websites for further information and updates on the legislation. Materials and guidance to support duty holders is available on both websites over the commencement period.

The 2025-26 Budget will provide a record £21.7 billion for Health and Social Care, including almost £200 million to reduce waiting lists and improve flow through hospitals. Gynaecology will be targeted as a key priority area for additional funding.

We are committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

Endometriosis is one of the key priorities in the Women’s Health Plan and will continue to be so. Timely access to gynaecology services will also be a priority as we continue to develop the next phase of our Women’s Health Plan, which we aim to publish in 2025.

The 2022 Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) Sexual Health Standards set out that patients should have access to information on both medical and surgical abortion to enable an informed choice of abortion method.

Information on available methods of abortion is available on the NHS Inform website and the websites of individual Health Boards. The Scottish Government continues to work with Scottish Abortion Care Providers (SACP) to improve the information provided to patients, both in written patient information and the information shared during consultations with healthcare staff.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-36410 on 29 April 2025. 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

Guidance issued to NHS Boards by the Scottish Government states that in all new hospital developments, there should be a presumption of 100% single rooms, and where existing accommodation is being refurbished as close to 100% as possible is expected. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) are working at pace on updated guidance for public bodies following the Supreme Court’s ruling, and the Scottish Government will await this guidance and review any relevant updates to NHSScotland patient policies and guides as appropriate.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34345 on 28 February 2025. 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 NHS in Scotland holds data on the prescribing of diethylstilbestrol (otherwise known as DES or stilbestrol) in both primary care and secondary care.

Data on primary care usage of medicines is published and available on the Public Health Scotland website Show all releases - Publications - Public Health Scotland. Data on secondary usage is not routinely published.