We are mindful of the importance of birth and still birth registration and will continue to ensure that the register of births, the register of still births, and all our civil status registers align as necessary with broader legal requirements. There are no current plans to change the content of birth register and still birth register entries.

This is a matter for ScotRail as the train operating company. The Member may wish to contact ScotRail for this information.

Scottish Government funding schemes, for example ScotZEB, are designed and delivered in accordance with the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, including subsidy control requirements. Where relevant, scheme design and delivery may also take account of wider considerations such as supply chain resilience. Applications are assessed against the published eligibility criteria for the scheme concerned and funded projects must comply with the applicable requirements.

Vehicle safety and cybersecurity requirements are reserved matters and are overseen by the UK Government through the DVSA and the National Cyber Security Centre. All vehicles entering service in Scotland must meet relevant UK-wide safety, security and product standards, regardless of where they are manufactured. Compliance with those requirements is the responsibility of operators.

Since 2024, the Scottish Government has commissioned an annual boost to the Scottish sample in the ASH Smoke Free GB Youth survey. Each year, around 750 Scottish adolescents aged 11 to 17 are asked questions about their behaviours and attitudes towards tobacco, vaping and other nicotine products, including nicotine pouches.

The latest report was published in August 2026 (https://www.gov.scot/publications/vaping-smoking-scottish-adolescents-results-ash-smokefree-gb-youth-survey-2026/pages/3/), with results from the 2024 and 2025 survey also available on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/vaping-smoking-scottish-adolescents/pages/1/;https://www.gov.scot/publications/vaping-smoking-scottish-adolescents-results-ash-smokefree-gb-youth-survey-2025/. The next wave of data collection is expected to take place in March 2027.

Data are collected on social grade and the Office for National Statistics Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS IMD), which are not directly comparable with the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). The sample is skewed towards higher social grades and less deprived areas and is therefore unlikely to be representative by deprivation. This limitation should be considered when interpreting the findings.

The Scottish Government continues to keep its evidence needs under review, including how best to monitor the use of nicotine pouches and other emerging nicotine products among children and young people, while balancing analytical value, cost and timeliness.

Postal delivery companies are commercial organisations, operating in an unregulated market. The Scottish Government has long called for an end to unfair delivery charges, but only the UK Government has the power to regulate these. Where there are opportunities to do so, the Scottish Government urges these companies to be fair and transparent in their pricing policies.

The Scottish Government supports the maintenance of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) and makes regular representations to the UK Government and Royal Mail on behalf of Scottish consumers.

On 25 August 2026, following the publication of the Consumer Scotland report, I wrote to UK Government ministers offering to meet and discuss the challenges faced by island communities. I have also requested that the UK Government convene Royal Mail, Post Office Ltd, Ofcom, parcel delivery companies, and consumer and community organisations to make urgent and necessary progress on postal services and parcel delivery regulation.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02734 on 24 September 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.

Decisions regarding the £30 million Invest to Save Fund for 2026-27 have been made and successful applicants have been notified. Funded organisations are currently considering and confirming acceptance of their awards, including the associated terms and conditions. As this process remains ongoing, details of individual projects and funding allocations have not yet been finalised for publication.

The Scottish Government intends to announce the successful projects and associated funding allocations once the funding award process has been fully concluded.

The funded projects for 2025-26 Invest to save fund is outlined below.

Invest to Save fund 2025-26

Pension liabilities and future funding requirements are subject to a range of factors, including scheme membership, actuarial assumptions and workforce changes. Any pension impacts arising from workforce changes would be considered as part of the development and implementation of specific reform proposals.

Public Service Reforms are intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public services and do not in themselves alter the pension benefits available through existing public sector pension schemes therefore the Scottish Government has not made an estimate of potential pension shortfalls arising from its proposed public sector reforms.

The Scottish Government will assess the workforce implications of reform proposals as they are developed.

As set out in the answers S7W-02915 and S7W-02916 on 17 September 2026, the Scottish Government have outlined our expectations regarding use of Section 315 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 by local authorities.

It is important that local authorities have sufficient time to determine the most appropriate approach to introducing these byelaws, taking account of local circumstances and needs. It would therefore not be appropriate to outline a date.

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 Scottish Government is aware that children are increasingly engaging with digital devices from an earlier age. The Scottish Government recognises that it is important that we provide parents with access to clear and up to date advice on how they can support their children’s development and wellbeing.