Chamber and committees

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.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the experience of those living with long term conditions in Scotland. That is why we have committed to continue working with people with lived experience, the third sector and clinicians to develop our way forward for long term conditions.

This will build on the work undertaken by the Long Term Conditions Advisory Groups established under the previous government. We are now carefully considering the recommendations shared by various Advisory Groups, made up of key stakeholders from NHS Scotland and the third sector, to inform the best way forward. Our Programme for Government for 2026-27 will be put to the Parliament in due course.

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 Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish estimates of the number of children living in workless households by region from the ONS Annual Population Survey (APS) household datasets. A workless household is defined as a household containing at least one person aged 16 to 64 in which all persons aged 16 and over are either unemployed or economically inactive.

The latest available estimates are for January to December 2024.

The estimated number of children living in workless households in Scotland was 112,200 in 2024, 12.7% of children living in all households in Scotland.

Source: Annual Population Survey Household dataset, ONS

Office for National Statistics (ONS), published 29 October 2025, ONS website, statistical bulletin, Children living in long-term workless households in the UK: 2024

This work is well underway, however it is complex and officials are working with Environmental Standards Scotland to take forward a full scope of work that is practical in advance of a full understanding of the emerging recast EU Urban Wastewater Directive As previously noted in the answers to S6W-40574 on 30 September 2025, S6W-38373 on 17 June 2025 and S6W-42837 on 16 January 2026, I will provide an update to Parliament once this work has reached an appropriate stage.

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.

In 2023, Glasgow City Council last raised the issue with the Scottish Government of the rising cost of maintaining the Clyde Tunnel and the possibility of it becoming a trunk road. The request was made by the Glasgow City Council - Convener for Neighbourhood Services and Assets.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that our health and social care system operates as efficiently and effectively as possible. Our National Flow Plan, which we will publish within the first 100 days of government, will aim to ensure our care system works more smoothly and supports better outcomes for individuals accessing services.

The requirement for individual social work assessments is set out in legislation. Under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships have a duty to assess the social care support needs of individuals and, having given due regard to the results of those assessments, decide whether those needs call for the provision of any service. These assessments are an essential part of our health and care system, ensuring that the most vulnerable people can access the care and support they need.

Scottish Ministers are committed to reforming the public sector to deliver high-quality services in a fiscally sustainable way. Public Service Reform is central to this, with an increased focus on accelerating change and strengthening the delivery of key services, including ferry operations.

In this context, Scottish Ministers will consider structural reforms to improve accountability, transparency and efficiency within lifeline ferry services, as part of a wider approach to better integrate publicly owned transport bodies and maximise public investment. Communities and businesses remain central to this, with an emphasis on reliability, resilience and value for money.

While no final decisions have been taken on the nature or timing of reforms, engagement will continue with CalMac, CMAL, island stakeholders and trade unions as this work progresses.

The Scottish Government expects development of Vision Anywhere for Scotland to progress in line with the wider Vision programme and migration timetable to June 2027.

The Private Jet Tax will be implemented as higher rates of Air Departure Tax (ADT)which will apply to the carriage of passengers by air on private jet flights from Scottish airports.