Chamber and committees

A real terms uplift to health funding has been prioritised in the opening Budget position for 2024-25. We have invested £2 billion in the 2024-25 budget for social care and integration, which is an increase of over £1 billion compared to 2021-22. This delivers on our Programme for Government commitment to increase social care spending by 25% (£840 million) over this Parliament, two years ahead of our original target.

Despite this significant investment the financial climate remains extremely challenging, and we are working with partners to understand and address the challenges, within the context of a finite budget.

Work is ongoing to progress the national guidance framework on local planning and commissioning of independent hospice care, and to align the framework with our overarching palliative care strategy.

We will continue to work with Chief Officers and independent hospices to support longer term sustainable planning and commissioning for the hospice sector.

The criminal investigation by Police Scotland, supported by other agencies, into this attack is still going on. As such there is a limited amount that I can share at this moment in time. As the investigation progresses the Scottish Government and partners will undertake a lessons identified exercise and share its findings with public bodies so they are able to take preventative steps to defend against similar attacks.

A cyber threat actor was able to gain unauthorised access to NHS Dumfries and Galloway's infrastructure during a targeted and sustained cyber-attack. As the member will understand,NHS Dumfries and Galloway's IT infrastructure contains information that includes patient's medical information.

Work to improve gender identity healthcare services remains a priority of this Government. That includes the establishment of a multidisciplinary team of senior clinical advisers to Scottish Government who are considering the recommendations of the Cass Review in the contest of NHS services in Scotland. The Chief Medical Officer will provide a written update to Parliament on the outcome of that clinical consideration process before the summer recess. The outcome of that process will also feed into work on national commissioning of young person’s services.

We routinely engage with a range of stakeholders in our work across Scottish Government, including work to implement the recommendations and observations of the Committee.

The UK's State Report covers the measures that have been adopted, by Government, relating to the rights described in the Convention, and on the progress made in upholding them. Scottish Government did not engage with these groups for the specific purpose of providing our updates to the UK Government for inclusion in their State Report, due to the nature of the reporting process.

Scotland is determined to play our part in eradicating racism, inequality and injustice – and in building a better, fairer world. Specifically, the Race Equality Framework demonstrates our commitment to eliminating racism – our Vision for a fairer Scotland is that by 2030 Scotland is a place where people are healthier, happier and treated with respect, and where opportunities, wealth and power are spread more equally.

The Cass Review is a valid scientific document. The review was chaired by a past president of the UK’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, a senior, and well-respected clinician.

The UK Government is the State Party to the CERD with a legal obligation to report on implementation. It submitted its state report to the Committee in March 2023.

Prior to this report’s submission, the Scottish Government shared updates on devolved policy areas including health, housing and employment with the UK Government. These updates were included in the UK Government’s report to the Committee.

Scotland is determined to play our part in eradicating racism, inequality and injustice – and in building a better, fairer world. Specifically, the Race Equality Framework demonstrates our commitment to eliminating racism – our Vision for a fairer Scotland is that by 2030 Scotland is a place where people are healthier, happier and treated with respect, and where opportunities, wealth and power are spread more equally.

Scottish Government only holds information on meetings between Dr Hilary Cass and Scottish Government officials that are attended by Scottish Government.

Scottish Government has met with Dr Hilary Cass and members of the Cass Review team on a number of occasions. Several of these meetings included clinicians from Health Boards in Scotland. Scottish Government understands separate meetings between clinicians and/or NHS Health Boards and Dr Hiliary Cass and the Cass Review team may have taken place, but does not hold information regarding frequency or dates of such contact.

b) Available information indicates that Scottish Government officials have met with Dr Hilary Cass in her capacity as Chair of NHS England’s independent review of gender identity services for children and young people in either direct meetings, or meetings where Dr Cass was also an attendee, on:

21-09-2022

21-11-2022

17-01-2023

20-09-2023

16-11-2023

22-11-2023

19-12-2023

Dr Cass also updated MSPs on the ongoing work of her review on 29-09-2022. Officials attended that MSP-chaired meeting as observers.

Established in 2022, the National Gender Identity Healthcare Reference Group advises on the ongoing implementation of actions outlined in our 2021 Framework. The Reference Group includes NHS Board representation, LGBTIQ organisations, clinicians, academics and people with lived experience of using gender identity healthcare.

This reference group is not a clinical oversight forum. It brings together a wide range of stakeholders for the collective aim of improving provision of gender identity healthcare in Scotland.

The specific clinical recommendations of the Cass Review are being considered by a multidisciplinary team of senior clinicians within the office of the Chief Medical Officer.