Seòmar agus comataidhean

The 15 per cent rise in recorded rape and attempted rape in the past year is highly alarming. That coalesces with the increasing normalisation of violence in sexual activity, with non-fatal strangulation becoming more prevalent and mainstream. I have been calling for Government action to challenge that culture, to be clear on the health and criminal consequences, and to invest much more heavily in prevention work with young people. Will the First Minister commit to taking forward that action?

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of the recent changes to college funding arrangements on Fife College. (S6O-04820)

The minister is well aware that the 1.26 per cent increase in teaching funding is a real-terms cut that is below inflation and compares unfavourably with other colleges. Over the past decade, Fife College’s core budget has been cut in real terms by almost 20 per cent. The college now faces defunding of £1.3 million in annual learning and teaching investment for the coming year. There is no question but that it is one of the losers in the funding changes, which will have consequences for staffing, academic provision and accessibility. Fife College principal, Jim Metcalfe, has said:

“The scale of the challenge now created by these changes is clearly precipitous.”

Does the minister recognise that the decision risks creating for Fife College the situation that the changes seek to solve for other colleges, and that it places the college at risk?

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app has not connected. I would have voted yes.

As the First Minister is aware, I have raised the case of Demi Hannaway in the chamber before. As he recognises, the Lord Advocate has instructed a fresh investigation into Demi’s death, which includes the role that Andrew Brown possibly played in it. Does the First Minister share my concerns about the decision on home leave? How can we maintain the integrity of the new investigation if Andrew Brown is allowed home leave and is looking at a release date for February?

To ask the Scottish Government when the statutory guidance for local bus services franchising will be published. (S6O-04797)

I thank the minister for his response, but I am disappointed because the Government previously committed to issuing the guidance by the end of last year. Six months on from that deadline, we are still waiting, and, given the minister’s explanation this afternoon, we can expect to be waiting quite a while longer before we reach the final stage.

The length of time required for and the complexity of the overall franchising process in Scotland has been raised as a concern. In comparison with other parts of the UK, the process in Scotland is much longer and has additional requirements. Is the Scottish Government considering ways in which to speed up and simplify the process? Have lessons been learned from elsewhere, including on the potential removal of technical barriers?

It is disappointing that the Scottish Government does not recognise its own role and responsibility in this regard, as housing is a devolved policy area.

I understand that the home report system is under review at the moment. Is there scope for that review to include the condition of RAAC and information on RAAC?

The motion sets out clearly the lack of provision for neurodevelopmental conditions and the impact that that is having. The significant waiting times for diagnosis and support are leaving far too many without the support that they need. The 2021 report by the national autism implementation team was clear on the need for neurodevelopmental pathways and stepped care, but the lack of delivery alongside the growing demand is putting huge pressures on our mental health services.

In my region, NHS Fife has publicly recognised the impact that demand for neurodevelopmental services is having on mental health teams. Fife was one of the pathfinder sites that were identified for adult neurodevelopmental pathways following the 2021 feasibility study. An audit that was undertaken in 2023-24 showed that there was significant unmet need and high demand for adult neurodevelopmental services. Like all boards, NHS Fife is in dire need of additional resources and solutions from the Scottish Government. However, within existing resources, it is starting to pilot some approaches.

A digital neurodevelopmental hub has been created alongside self-help platforms such as moodcafe.co.uk, which is designed to give families and individuals better access to guidance, screening tools and signposting to support. NHS Fife is also trialling group-based interventions such as I CAN, which is delivered by psychology teams, and SPARKS, which was developed by occupational therapists. Those initiatives are aimed at helping people to build resilience and coping strategies while waiting for formal assessment or treatment, but although they are pragmatic and forward-thinking interventions, they are not a replacement for properly resourced and delivered care models and pathways.

We know that, where statutory services struggle to meet demand, the voluntary and community sector steps up. In Mid Scotland and Fife, there are great organisations that are working hard to provide support. In Glenrothes, Autism Rocks (Fife) has been a lifeline for many families. Run by parents for parents, it offers advice, peer support, playgroups and events for children and young people. For many local families, it is the first port of call when diagnosis is delayed or support is absent. In Lochgelly, Hyperclub provides a safe, inclusive place for children and young people with additional needs, many of whom are neurodivergent.

As well as offering respite to parents, those clubs offer a sense of belonging and understanding that formal systems often fail to provide. Although the support that such groups are able to offer is invaluable, it should be delivered alongside NHS services. The Scottish Government must act with the urgency that is required to ensure that support is available, without extensive waits, and in all communities.

The Scottish Government promised to allocate 10 per cent of NHS spending to mental health and 1 per cent to CAMHS, but it has not yet met either target. It promised to recruit people into additional roles to support community health resilience. It promised a learning disability, autism and neurodiversity bill to give voice and rights to people who are too often overlooked. It promised action on CAMHS waiting times. Instead, it has been quietly removing patients with neurodevelopmental diagnoses from those waiting lists altogether—skewing the data to mask the truth. If we are to make progress, it is essential that we have transparency on those figures.

The economic impact of undiagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions often makes a compelling argument. The Mental Health Foundation has estimated the lifetime cost of untreated ADHD to be more than £100,000 per person. The wider cost to the economy runs into the billions when we factor in lost productivity, increased health service use and social impacts.

However, at the core of the debate is the human impact. We know that, if they do not have the proper support in place, people with neurodevelopmental conditions can experience significant mental and physical health inequalities. They are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, more likely to struggle with employment and more likely to come into contact with the justice system or to have substance misuse issues. The right diagnosis and the right support can transform lives. That support can unlock talent and allow people to thrive, rather than simply manage their symptoms. That is what we all have to deliver.

I welcome the direct award to CalMac, which was the right thing to do. Yesterday, we debated how we can empower our island communities, and part of that is ensuring that they are better represented in the organisations that deliver the services that they rely on. Has the cabinet secretary given active consideration to having direct representation of islanders on the CalMac and CMAL boards?