Chamber and committees

Scottish Government utilises the National Dental Inspection Programme (NDIP) to both assess children’s oral health over the longer-term, and to understand the impact of dental policy and services, including Childsmile. As part of dental payment reform, we have also introduced adult oral health metrics for the first time. These are based on key data points routinely collected through dental examinations, and can be used by dentists to monitor the long-term oral health of their population cohorts.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) statistics published in May, and showing data to 31 March 2025, report that adults in the most deprived areas are more likely to be registered with an NHS dentist than those in the least deprived areas, however participation (the number of registered patients who have been seen by a dentist in the past two years) is lower.

To help address this, we work with NHS Boards to make available additional financial incentives to grow and sustain access to primary care dental services, this includes the Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI), which financially assists dentists in either opening a new or expand an existing dental practice in a designated areas where there is unmet demand for NHS dental services.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service meet on a regular basis to discuss the data that SCTS publish monthly in terms of court business. The current publication is showing the number of outstanding scheduled trials at the end of May 2025 is 18,355.

Court scheduling is a matter for SCTS and as a result there is no metric set by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service publish monthly criminal case data, including volumes, trends, and outstanding trials. They also publish information on criminal court modelling. The latest report can be found here.

Scottish Government continue to support the criminal court recovery programme so that our justice agencies continue to make progress in increasing efficiencies and effectiveness of our courts. It is pleasing to see that significant progress has been made in criminal courts.

The Rural and Islands Housing Fund has received one Expression of Interest relating to projects in Fife since 2016.

The transfer and repatriation of mother and babies is a normal component of neonatal care provision in Scotland, ensuring babies receive the best care in the right place at the right time.

The RSM report, published on 29 May 2024, New Model of Neonatal Care – RSM UK Consulting - Report, modelled demand and capacity requirements for the new model of neonatal care. The report was compiled based on data collected from each of the eight neonatal intensive care units, as well as information from Public Health Scotland (PHS) and, Scottish Specialist Transport and Retrieval (ScotSTAR) / Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). The RSM report included a section covering the impact on transfers. The Regional Planning Directors continue to work closely with ScotSTAR and the Scottish Perinatal Network to consider the ongoing impacts as the implementation work continues.

The decision to move to three Neonatal Intensive Care Units has been firmly based on clinical evidence that the most premature and sickest babies do best when they are cared for in larger specialist neonatal units with higher numbers of these babies, and with specialist staff and services (for example neonatal surgery) available on site to give them the very best care.

Local neonatal units across Scotland, including Wishaw, will continue to offer care to babies who need it, including a level of neonatal intensive care.

We have considered the data and evidence in relation to the proposals and have taken advice from clinical advisors, and are assured about the validity of the evidence base, the process and the conclusions reached.

We have consulted families on the changes to inform implementation of the new model. We have shared the outputs of that consultation with Regional Chief Executives and are taking forward Scotland-level actions required.

The stated aim of the Flanders-Scotland Memorandum of Understanding is further cooperation between the Scottish Government and Government of Flanders. The Joint Working Action Plan sets out specific areas for further cooperation. This will therefore be progressed by existing teams within our Directorate for External Affairs and EU Directorate and policy areas related to the themes of the Plan - responsible for strengthening Scotland’s energy, research, tourism, culture and other vital links with European partners.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of cybercrime units within Police Scotland as this is an operational matter for the Chief Constable.

We recognise the crucial role that Police Scotland officers and staff play in keeping our communities safe, including from sexual abuse.

In 2025-26, we have increased police funding to £1.64 billion, an increase of £90 million on 2024-25, to support police capacity and capability.

At this time, no other proposal for any additional facilities has been brought to the Scottish Government for consideration. Any future proposals will be subject to careful assessment, must align with public health priorities and reflect local collaboration. They would also need to satisfy the Lord Advocate in relation to the various requirements previously set out by her in order to receive a similar statement of prosecution policy as that which is in place for The Thistle.

The Glasgow safer drug consumption facility, The Thistle, will undergo a comprehensive, independent evaluation led by a collaboration of academic institutions, including the University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University, and other expert research partners. The findings from that evaluation will be an essential reference point in informing the development, scale, and scope of any future facilities.

The Glasgow Safer Drug Consumption Facility (SDCF) will undergo a comprehensive, independent evaluation, led by a collaboration of academic institutions, including the University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University, and other expert research partners.

The Scottish Government is committed to an evidence-based approach to tackling drug-related harm and will ensure any further facilities are informed by robust, independent evidence.

The Scottish Government will assess the impact of the Glasgow pilot using those forthcoming evaluation findings and this will assist to build an evidence base for future policy considerations.

Any proposal for additional facilities or a wider roll-out will be considered on a case-by-case basis but will also require agreement from the Lord Advocate and the provision of a statement of prosecution policy similar to that which is in place in Glasgow.