Chamber and committees

As the latest Programme for Government makes clear, the commercialisation of Scottish research and intellectual property (IP) is a significant economic opportunity. The Scottish Government and its agencies are working in partnership with universities and investors to unlock this potential through a range of initiatives. Examples include:

• £3 million Proof of Concept Fund – supporting researchers to transform new discoveries into investable commercial propositions.
• Techscaler network – working with universities to equip talented researchers and innovators with the entrepreneurial skills needed to translate ideas into marketable products.
• High Growth Spinout Programme (Scottish Enterprise) – provides tailored support and training for IP-rich spinouts with strong scaling potential.
• Investment collaboration – the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Investment Bank are exploring the creation of a dedicated fund for companies focused on commercialising new IP.
• Direct investment – both Scottish Enterprise and the Bank continue to invest directly in Scotland’s IP-rich companies.
• Infrastructure – the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise have invested in several key institutions focussed on the creation and commercialisation of new IP e.g. the Robotarium, the national network of innovation centres and the Dundee Life Sciences Innovation Hub.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring public bodies deliver services that are high-quality, provide best value and contribute to economic growth.

The Scottish Government has not exercised a statutory power of direction in respect of NatureScot, SEPA, or Creative Scotland in the past decade. A directive was given to the SQA in 2020 in regards to how exam appeals should be handled during the pandemic.

Ministers retain oversight of these bodies and provide strategic direction, but the use of statutory powers of direction would be for the most exceptional circumstances.

 In Scotland, we have built a radically different system to change the way disability benefits are delivered. We ensure that the impact of fluctuating health conditions like PMDD have on people’s lives are fully taken into account when someone applies for a social security benefit.

For example, we have removed anxiety inducing and unreliable private-sector assessments which only offer a snapshot of an individual’s needs and fail people with fluctuating conditions like PMDD. Our person-centred approach ensures that the full impacts of a long-term health condition, including the impacts of pain and fatigue, are taken into consideration during the decision-making process.

The Sottish Government is committed to protecting and enhancing the social security system. We therefore welcome this comprehensive report and will carefully consider its findings alongside the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment, which Scottish Ministers are committed to responding to by January 2026.

The shipbuilding sector plays a vital role in supporting jobs and driving economic growth across Scotland. We are committed to promoting manufacturing and innovation, and Ministers continue to engage with businesses in the sector as part of that commitment.

Following a full submission of doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Xonvea®), for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP), for women who do not respond to conservative management, the SMC | Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published not recommended advice found here: doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Xonvea) in May 2019. The marketing authorisation holder did not present a sufficiently robust clinical or economic analysis to gain acceptance by the SMC. The SMC would welcome a resubmission at any time.

Where licensed medicines, such as Xonvea®, are not routinely available on the NHS in Scotland, doctors can use the PACS Tier Two system to request access on a case-by-case basis. The cost of the medicine is not a decision-making criterion.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges people with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) face in obtaining diagnosis and care. Diagnosis usually begins with a GP referral and may involve rheumatologists, geneticists, and other specialists. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is diagnosed clinically, while genetic testing is available for rarer forms of EDS.

EDS can affect people in different ways. While there is no cure for EDS, treatment and support focus on helping people manage symptoms and prevent complications. NHS Scotland provides multidisciplinary care through hospitals in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, and Scottish patients can access more specialist EDS services in England via cross-border referrals if clinically indicated.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Bowls Scotland, the Scottish Governing Body for the sport, is responsible for the development of the sport in Scotland and you may wish to contact them for the requested information.

An application from DFDS to the Waterborne Freight Scheme was received by Transport Scotland in January 2024.

A formal decision and an offer of grant can only been made after detailed consideration of the application. Officials had begun work on this matter with the company, however, the Waterborne Freight Scheme was paused in 2024-25 due to budget pressures and has not been reinstated. The application from DFDS therefore has not progressed.

Should budget become available in future years, DFDS would need to resubmit their application for consideration. This is because some, or all, of the data the application contained may be out of date.

Scottish Government engage regularly with the National Shipbuilding Office on matters including proposed procurement exercises, and we are aware that Damen have been awarded work to deliver tug vessels for the Royal Navy under a contract won by Serco. The delivery of these vessels is a matter for Serco, in partnership with Damen. In line with our national policy and legislation, the Scottish Government will continue to seek opportunities to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits in Scotland through our procurement activity.

The Scottish Government is committed to recovering benefit overpayments wherever it is considered economic and reasonable to do so in line with the principles set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual.