Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21476 on 2 October 2023. 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

Current guidelines for healthcare professionals regarding fibromyalgia are available from authoritative professional sources such as the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) - https://www.sign.ac.uk/our-guidelines/management-of-chronic-pain/ and the Royal College of Physicians - https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/guidelines-policy/diagnosis-fibromyalgia-syndrome

The Scottish Government does not routinely provide financial support for the repatriation of historical artefacts.

Due to the unique circumstances and complex logistics as a result of the size of the House of Ni’isjoohl memorial pole, funding was provided to National Museums Scotland to facilitate the pole’s removal from the museum and enable its transport to Leuchars Airfield.

The total bid figures reflect bids made by local authorities in February 2023. The total allocation figures reflect the allocation of probationers in May 2023.

The current iteration of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research was undertaken with schools in Spring 2023, and will be published in in advance of the relationships and behaviour summit event currently scheduled for 28 November. This will allow participants in this event to use the research in their discussions on how to address the issue.

The Scottish Government is facing the most difficult financial situation since devolution. I therefore wrote to the hospice sector on 17 August 2023 to let them know that, unfortunately, their request for funding of £15.5 million is currently unaffordable. However, the Scottish Government will continue to consider how best we can support independent hospices and Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), which are responsible for planning and commissioning palliative and end of life care, including hospices, in their areas.

Private Healthcare Information Network figures for the first quarter of 2023 show Scotland has a lower rate of take up of private healthcare compared to England and Wales. The rate of people self-funding for private inpatient/day-case care is 16% higher in England, 51% higher in Wales and 40% higher Northern Ireland than in Scotland. When people who fund private healthcare through insurance is included, the rate per head in England is 76% higher than Scotland. In Wales it is 15% higher and in Northern Ireland 31% higher than in Scotland.

Scotland has a world-class National Health Service we can all be proud of but people have the choice to pay privately for care if they choose. It is important that all healthcare is safe, effective and person-centred and Healthcare Improvement Scotland have stringent regulation of private healthcare, including private hospitals, to ensure that’s the case.

We welcome the agreements reached with police officers and staff, which sees them receive a 7% pay increase for 2023/24. The agreement reached with officers, through the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland, means that police officers in Scotland remain the best paid in the UK.

The agreements recognise the valuable contribution police officers and staff make to keeping people and communities across Scotland safe, while cognisant of the current economic climate. They provide a fair pay deal amounting to 12% over 2 years, which broadly mirrors wage growth for firefighters over the same period.

Police welfare, wellbeing and morale are matters for the Chief Constable, who has set out a range of support for officers and staff through the Your Wellbeing Matters and Your Voice Matters programmes.

The Scottish Government is aware of concerns raised by clinicians about the impact of social media on women’s contraceptive choices, and we are grateful to them for raising awareness of this important issue. We would always encourage women to seek advice from NHS professionals on their contraception options and the benefits and risks, rather than social media.

We are committed to ensuring that all women can access accurate information regarding contraception and are able to access services in a timely and convenient manner. This is something we continue to work towards improving through the Women’s Health Plan and the forthcoming Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Action Plan 2023-26

To support this aim, the Scottish Government has funded a project to develop a new sexual and reproductive health website on the NHS Inform platform, featuring a range of interactive, quality assured sexual health and contraception information.

Criminal Proceedings in Scotland: 2021-22 statistical bulletin will be published on 24 October 2023.

The dates of all Scottish Government Official and National Statistics publications are pre-announced, and the up to date list of future publications can be found at Official statistics: forthcoming publications - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)