Chamber and committees

In November 2023 Scottish Government published a consultation on Proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. This included proposals to set a Heat in Buildings Standard, which would prohibit the use of polluting heating systems after 2045 and require homes to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard. The consultation also asked for views on how to monitor and enforce this Standard, including the role for modifications and exemptions. The consultation closed in March 2024 and independent analysis of the c.1650 responses is currently underway. We will use this analysis to help our thinking going forward, and the First Minister will set out his policy and legislative priorities for the remainder of the parliamentary session in due course.

There are two commitments relating to FAST In the Stroke Improvement Plan 2023:

1. Establish the current degree of public understanding of FAST stroke symptoms and the action required, and whether certain at-risk groups require different messaging.

2. Support the delivery of FAST campaigns, working with third sector organisations, and ensure messaging reaches all at-risk groups.

Work to establish the existing understanding of stroke symptoms and FAST, including variations across demographics, has been completed via quantitative research.

The findings of this research will help to inform the strategic direction of a future stoke marketing campaign. The Scottish Government does not yet have a finalised timescale for running a campaign.

I refer the member to the answers to questions S6W-27379 on 17 May 2024 and S6W-27276 on 14 May 2024.

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 UK Spring Budget, announced by the Chancellor on 6 March, generated £293 million of resource consequentials for 2024-25, of which £237 million relates to Health. Health consequentials will be passed on in full to the Health portfolio, in line with our manifesto commitment.

The remaining £56 million of resource funding will be passed on to local authorities to support the Council Tax freeze. This comes on top of the record funding I announced for local authorities back in December.

Disappointingly, Scotland received no new capital or financial transactions funding so the Scottish Government will continue to see a real-terms cut in our capital block grant – a cumulative loss of over £1.3 billion by 2027-28.

The 2023-24 budget in both resource and capital will be delivered on balance, which is a significant achievement given the pressures we have faced. As per normal practice, following the year-end process, Scottish Ministers will confirm the 2023-24 provisional outturn position to Parliament in June.

The archival analysis element of the research is underway and the report is currently being drafted. We anticipate receiving the report from this work towards the end of summer 2024. The contract for the qualitative research was tendered twice but no compliant bids were received.

We intend to publish the report from the archival analysis in due course, and will work to ensure those who wish to provide feedback and share their experiences will be able to do so. We will then consider next steps thereafter.

Transport Scotland officials meet regularly with officials from Glasgow City Council, to discuss progress and learning around the impact of its Low Emission Zone (LEZ).

Statutory reports on LEZ performance and air quality monitoring are expected from Glasgow City Council in summer 2024 and will be published in due course.

Transport Scotland Officials, along with relevant transport stakeholders, routinely take part in the multi-agency Events Planning and Operations Group (EPOG) dealing with Events. EPOG is run by the City of Edinburgh Council as the lead planning authority in respect of events within Edinburgh, such as Taylor Swift.

Through the EPOG discussions, enhanced transport arrangements have been put into place across Lothian Buses, Edinburgh Trams and ScotRail services, to meet the increased demands expected at the Taylor Swift concerts.

The Scottish Government has been making progress in several ways to improve and shorten the pathways of less survivable cancers.

For example, the Scottish Government awarded the Scottish HepatoPancreatoBiliary Network funding of £653,000 over two years to redesign the pancreatic and liver cancer pathways - the PHCC Pathway Improvement Project. The project has been extended for one more year and we are exploring options for sustained delivery of its positive outcomes after March 2025.

Through the Detect Cancer Earlier programme, the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) continues to design and support the implementation of optimal cancer diagnostic pathways. As reflected in the Cancer Strategy, lung, head and neck and colorectal cancer have been identified as the first tranche. Scotland’s first optimal cancer diagnostic pathway for lung was published in December 2022.

Scotland’s first Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (RCDS) have been established in 5 Health Boards across Scotland. They provide primary care with access to a new fast-track diagnostic pathway for people with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer. An evaluation published in February 2024 shows success in finding cancer while delivering a high standard of quality care at speed. Lung and Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) were the two most commonly found.

Scotland’s police officers and staff do a challenging job and it absolutely right that they are supported with their physical and mental wellbeing. Whilst the wellbeing of officers and staff is a matter for the Chief Constable, under the supervision of the Scottish Police Authority, the Scottish Government communicates with Police Scotland on a range of health and wellbeing issues.

We understand that Police Scotland has committed to formally submit an action plan to HMICS shortly in response to its Wellbeing Frontline Focus review. The action plan will address the recommendations made by HMICS and provide progress updates on the areas for development identified in the Review. The Scottish Government stands ready to support Police Scotland with the implementation of the recommendations.

Following the announcement on 7 March 2024 that the Scottish Government would be holding a public inquiry into the investigation of Emma Caldwell’s murder, immediate preparatory work to set up an Inquiry was commenced. Scottish Ministers have been liaising with the Lord President and the Caldwell family to explore different options for who could lead the Inquiry however, no decision has been taken on this yet.

A statutory Public Inquiry is a significant undertaking and will take time to set up. I will provide further updates to Parliament as work is progressed including, appointing a Chair and setting the Terms of Reference.