Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government is aware that there was a UK-wide supply issue with the availability of Antabuse® (disulfiram) tablets earlier this year. The supply disruption has now been stabilised and supplies of Antabuse® (disulfiram) tablets are returning to normal levels.

The pricing and the supply of medicines is currently reserved matter for the UK Government. We continue to engage with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and we will continue to monitor the situation.

In the event of a medicine shortage, the NHS in Scotland has robust processes in place to manage supply issues when they do arise. Normally there are alternative products which can be prescribed and dispensed.

Full details of the digital prescribing and dispensing programme are publicly available on NHS National Services Scotland website. See https://www.nss.nhs.scot/national-programmes/digital-prescribing-and-dispensing-pathways/about-the-digital-prescribing-and-dispensing-pathways-programme/ .

Through this website, information on stakeholder engagement is detailed within quarterly newsletters which also confirm progress against key milestones. The programme as a whole remains on track, as set out in our Digital Health and Care Delivery Plan.

The range of experts that have been involved in the Best Start and the Options Appraisal Process represent the leading expertise on this issue and are fully competent to reach an objective decision. I have no doubt that the process of determining where the final three units should be located was independent and robust, and can see no reason to commission a further review.

The Scottish Government published Quality Standards for Adult Hearing Rehabilitation Services in 2009 which sets out a standard for the repair being carried out within 2 days of the repair service receiving the hearing aid.

It is for NHS Boards to ensure appropriate provision of a service for the timely repair of hearing aids for patients.

Our Diabetes Improvement Plan contains a specific commitment to support further roll-out of technologies such as insulin pumps and Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs), as well as emerging technologies such as hybrid closed loop and artificial pancreas systems. Between 2016 and 2022, we have invested £29.6 million of additional funding specifically to support this.

This is over and above the baseline funding that Scottish Government provides to NHS Boards and it is for them to determine how best to utilise this funding to meet the needs and priorities of their local populations.

We work closely with boards to identify and resolve any issues regarding access to diabetes technologies and we recognise that there are still significant challenges for some people living with diabetes to access the technology they are eligible for.

The Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway based within the Centre for Sustainability Delivery (CfSD) has recently established a national team to provide dedicated support to NHS health boards and roll out the technology faster and more efficiently across Scotland. We will monitor this pilot closely to determine how best to support NHS Boards in the future.

Section 41 of The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 (“the Continuity Act”) required Scottish Ministers to review and prepare a report on the following matters:

• whether the provisions of this Chapter have ensured that there continues to be effective and appropriate governance relating to the environment following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU,
• whether the law in Scotland on access to justice on environmental matters is effective and sufficient, and
• whether and, if so, how the establishment of an environmental court could enhance the governance arrangements.

The Report into the Effectiveness of Environmental Governance Arrangements was published on 1 June. The subsequent consultation on the Report was launched on the 2 June and closed on the 13 October.

The Scottish Government is currently considering the responses made to the consultation on the Report, and as required by s41 of the Continuity Act will publish a response to Parliament, including recommendations in response to the views raised in the consultation.

In the 2022-23 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government reaffirmed our commitment to explore a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill to support greater implementation of the National Performance Framework and ensure that the interests of future generations are considered in decisions made today.

Ministers and officials have been engaging with several stakeholders including meeting with Ms Boyack MSP earlier this month. This has assisted with developing policy proposals.

The proposed Bill may seek a statutory requirement that ensures public bodies and local authorities consider the long-term consequences of their decisions for the wellbeing of people in Scotland, including those not yet born. We are considering whether a Future Generations Commissioner is the most appropriate way to ensure the support and accountability which would need to accompany such duties. It will be important to consult widely on this broad policy area to ensure that any legislation is effective.

The Minister for Parliamentary Business regularly discusses legislative proposals and potential legislative vehicles with his Ministerial colleagues, including the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill. However, introduction of specific primary legislation is considered in the wider context of overall legislative programmes. Decisions on future legislative programmes are a matter for Cabinet and will be announced in relevant Programmes for Government, in the normal way.

In the 2023-24 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government stated its commitment to continue to explore the development of legislative proposals on a wellbeing and sustainable development Bill, to support greater implementation of the NPF, and to ensure the interests of future generations are taken into account in decisions made today.

The 2016 Digital Learning and Teaching strategy sets out our expectation that local authorities will develop strategies to support the appropriate and effective use of technology in education. We do not hold a central record of these documents. As indicated in the recent PfG, we will now work with partners on the development of a refreshed digital strategy for education that will aim to drive improved digital access for all learners.

Health Boards are responsible for planning services to best meet the needs of their patients.

Service planning and design should take place at a local level and be informed by an assessment of the type, and level, of support required by patients who need to access those services.