Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is not providing specific ring-fenced funding for breakfasts in schools in this financial year. However, a number of local authorities have used Scottish Government funding flexibly to support breakfast provision in their local area in partnership with public, private and third sector providers.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the provision of ear wax removal within community NHS services. The new GP contract, introduced in 2018, committed Health Boards to set up Community Treatment and Care (CTAC) services to provide ear wax removal in the community.

We are aware that gaps in delivery remain in certain areas, and are working closely with Health Boards, to collect and review the data on the workforce and financial resources required to fully deliver these services needs in order to inform consideration of the potential for additional investment in 2023-24.

The Scottish Government remains committed to its aim of providing an integrated community hearing service, as highlighted in the 2021 Manifesto. As set out in the 2022-23 Emergency Budget Review, ongoing impacts of the cost crisis - as well as the need to consider outcomes from the National Audiology Review - have necessitated re-phasing of this commitment.

The national standards for the delivery of adult tier 2 and tier 3 weight management services require that weight management services should be provided to those above 18 years of age. There should be no upper age limit for people accessing these services.

In the interest of patient safety and the clinical effectiveness of the intervention, age limits may be set for more intensive interventions, based on published evidence.

In relation to more intensive weight management interventions, such as the type 2 diabetes remission programme of total diet replacement, the criteria set by the national clinical advisory group in relation to age is men and women aged 18–65 years. This was done in keeping with the protocol from the DiRECT clinical trial. The standards set out that exceptions may be made where appropriate.

The standards reference bariatric surgery because of the essential role of tier 3 weight management services in the preparation and progression for such surgery. However, as bariatric surgery is a tier 4 service, it is not within the scope of the standards. For bariatric surgery as a weight loss intervention, an upper age limit of 44 years is set for priority groups within the National Performance Forum Obesity Treatment: Best Practice Guide.

In all instances, NHS boards have responsibility for service delivery and patient treatment and make decisions to offer services based on clinical judgement and local needs.

Since the introduction of the Forestry Grant Scheme in 2016, 7 woodland creation projects with a value of £1.9M have been agreed directly with Gresham House.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Prison Service.

In Scotland, a formal identification of dyslexia or a learning difficulty is not required before appropriate support is provided, although I recognise that a diagnosis can be helpful for children and young people and their families.

We want all children and young people, to receive the support they need to reach their full potential. Under the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004, education authorities have duties to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. We are committed to supporting teachers and school staff to meet these needs.

Our national approach recognises that children and young people with dyslexia benefit from early identification. We are working with local government partners to continue to improve the consistency of early identification through the adoption of the Scottish working definition of dyslexia and use of the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit’s Dyslexia Identification Pathway.

The Scottish Government has not made any specific economic assessment of the costs of late diagnosis or failure to diagnose dyslexia in individuals or across society as a whole.

Our emphasis is on the provision of free, effective support in educational settings including schools, colleges and universities.

The Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 places duties on education authorities to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. We are also committed to supporting teachers and school staff to meet these needs.

As part of our national approach to dyslexia, we have developed a range of free professional learning opportunities for teachers, which are aimed at supporting them to further develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in supporting learners with dyslexia and to reduce barriers to learning. This includes the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit ( https://www.dyslexiascotland.org.uk/addressing-dyslexia-toolkit ), its dyslexia identification pathway and the free Dyslexia Inclusive Practice online professional learning modules for staff.

Employment support is also available to adults with dyslexia. This includes access to work support which does not require a formal assessment of dyslexia. In 2020-21 people with learning difficulties accounted for 46% of the disabled people supported through modern apprenticeships.

The Scottish Government is taking a range of actions to support people with dyslexia. This includes the provision of support for dyslexic learners from nursery through school and into further and higher education, and access to support when entering employment, as well as in the workplace.

The Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 places duties on education authorities to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those with dyslexia. The cost of individual supports will vary according to the needs of each pupil.

The Scottish Funding Council’s Access and Inclusion Fund is used to support the teaching and learning of disabled students in Further Education, which includes dyslexia. In 2021-22, £51.8m worth of support was allocated. Additional funding is also available as part of the Student Support budget.

In addition, the Disabled Students’ Allowance supports disabled students and those with additional learning needs in Higher Education. In the 2021-22 academic year, over 2,000 students with dyslexia received support amounting to £3.5 million.

Dyslexia Scotland provide a range of support, initiatives and advice for those with dyslexia, their families and those who support or work with them. In 2022-23, the Scottish Government provided funding to Dyslexia Scotland of over £250,000 to support this work.

The Scottish Government does not currently fund adult assessments for dyslexia and has therefore made no economic assessment of the cost. We are not presently considering a pilot scheme.

Free support and assessment for dyslexia is provided to children and young people in educational settings.

Additional support is available to adults with dyslexia regardless of the availability of diagnosis. This includes access to work support to obtain and maintain employment.

The Scottish Government works closely with and funds Dyslexia Scotland who provide information, advice and support to people with dyslexia and those who support them.