Chamber and committees

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Population Survey (APS) is the main source for Labour Market Indicators for detailed characteristics. The ONS state there are concerns with the quality of the APS estimates for smaller groups of the population. Therefore, it is not possible to produce robust estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training who also report having a disability from this source.

Scotland’s Census 2022 results show that, excluding full-time students, there were around 23,600 people aged 16 to 24 in Scotland who were unemployed or economically inactive and had a disability or health problem that limited their day-to-day activities a lot or a little. This was 28% of all disabled 16 to 24 year olds.

The Annual Participation Measure is published by Skills Development Scotland. This publication began in 2016 and covers those aged 16 to 19 years old. The proportion of disabled people aged 16 to 19 who were not participating in education, employment or training is included in Table 1.4a: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/appbneac/2025-annual-participation-measure-supplementary-tables.xlsx.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Population Survey (APS) is the main source for Labour Market Indicators for more detailed characteristics. The ONS state there are concerns with the quality of the APS estimates for smaller groups of the population. Therefore, it is not possible to produce robust estimates of the number of people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training who also report having a work-limiting health condition from this source.

Scotland’s Census 2022 results show that, excluding full-time students, there were around 23,600 people aged 16 to 24 in Scotland who were unemployed or economically inactive and had a disability or health problem that limited their day-to-day activities a lot or a little.

The Annual Participation Measure published by Skills Development Scotland provides estimates for 16 to 19 year olds not participating in education, employment or training by disability status. In 2025, the SDS Annual Participation Measure estimates that 8,910 people aged 16 to 19 years old in Scotland were not participating in education, employment, or training (3.9% of 16 to 19 year olds). Of those who were not participating in education, employment or training, 11.1% (985 people) were identified as being disabled.

The Scottish Government is aware of the growing sales and ownership of non-traditional and so-called exotic pets but that the full details of this are not easily gathered. We are also aware of campaigns by NGOs as well as SAWC’s historical reports, recommending the introduction of a permitted or positive list system for the keeping of pets in Scotland.

While we acknowledge reports of certain negative welfare outcomes associated with exotic pet ownership, we equally acknowledge that with the right owner education, such species can often be kept under good welfare conditions and in certain cases some species may be kept and bred for important conservation purposes.

At this time, we have no plans to introduce a permitted/positive list system, but we will continue to hold discussions with stakeholders and consider any and all relevant information in this area.

The Scottish Government commissioned NHS Scotland Innovation Hubs to develop diagnostic pilot proposals aligned with the National Islands Plan commitment.

The North of Scotland Innovation Hub – in partnership with NHS Shetland, NHS Orkney and the Scottish Ambulance Service – proposed Project SOUND, which seeks to evaluate the use of point-of-care diagnostics in emergency response vehicles, assessing their impact on urgent clinical decision-making and reducing hospital admissions through treatment closer to home.

This was assessed by the Scottish Government through internal governance processes and with relevant clinical input to assess viability. The project has been approved and will launch in August 2026.

Information on progress against this commitment will be included in the National Islands Plan Annual Report to the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Forestry operates a Strategic Timber Transport Scheme to support timber transport infrastructure improvements. Most recently, on 10 July, it announced that £900,000 has been allocated to 9 local authority projects this year. These projects are co-funded by the local authorities which include Highland Council, Scottish Borders Council, Argyll and Bute Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council and the Ayrshire Roads Alliance. Another £945,000 this year is supporting the shipping of timber from Argyll to Ayrshire thereby removing approximately 75,000 tonnes from roads in those areas.

These are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise. I am advised by Scottish Enterprise that, since 2021-22, Cooperative Development Scotland has provided direct support to a total of 199 employee-owned companies and 94 co-operatives.

The following table shows the number of employee-owned companies and co-operatives that received direct support in each financial year:

Funding allocations within Scottish Enterprise are operational matters for the agency. I am advised by Scottish Enterprise that, through its most recent Letter of Engagement, it has been directed to ensure that it supports social enterprises, co-operatives and employee-owned businesses. Businesses using these models can access wider Scottish Enterprise services, provided they meet the general business criteria for those services.

We continue to work closely with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations, where it is practical and sensible to do so, on how best to achieve measures that improve sow welfare.

This work is ongoing and there is currently no specific timetable for the completion of the consultation.

Scotland’s education system is designed to be inclusive for all children and young people, with or without additional support needs(ASNs).

All children and young people should receive the support that they need to reach their full potential. Education authorities are under a statutory duty to identify, provide for, and to review the support that they provide for pupils with additional support needs, including those who are deaf. They also have duties to employ teachers of deaf children and young people where support for a pupil is required.

The Scottish Government continues to invest in the school workforce and the provision of additional support for learning. The 2026-27 Budget provides £186.5 million of additional resource to councils. This includes £28 million investment in the ASL workforce and builds on the £15 million each year for pupil support assistants. Councils have the flexibility to use this funding to increase the number of teachers of deaf children and young people in their area and provide other specialist support such as BSL Tutors and Communication Support Workers. Councils have also continued their record investment in additional support for learning, with almost £1.1 billion spent in 2024-25.

In addition to postgraduate qualifications in deaf education, professional learning opportunities in supporting children and young people with sensory needs are available via the Scottish Sensory Centre, Education Scotland and CALL Scotland.

Notwithstanding the support that the Scottish Government already provides to schools we recognise the need to go further and we have already committed to expanding the provision of BSL training for teachers and to ensuring that a pool of specialist teachers to support those children who are blind, partially sighted, deaf or deafblind. I will update Parliament on these plans in due course.

The Education (Scotland) Act 2025 ensures that the Qualifications Scotland and HMIE will have due regard to the specific needs and interests of those receiving BSL learner education or BSL medium education.