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Registers of Scotland is a non-Ministerial Public Body answerable to the Scottish Parliament.

The work of the Registers of Scotland is demand led, depending on the volume of activity in the housing market. RoS is continuously working to improve its efficiency and thereby keep its running costs as low as possible. The costs of running RoS are largely covered by the fees charged for its services, and that is expected to remain the position.

The allocation of medical specialty training places is made annually to ensure it meets the needs of the healthcare workforce, recognising that completion of specialty training can take a minimum of 3 to 8 years depending on the specialty. This process is overseen by a group of senior representatives from the Scottish Government, NHS Education for Scotland, professional bodies, and Health Boards. Based on workforce data and service demands, the group makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers regarding any changes needed, including the potential expansion of training places in specific specialties.

Progression data from the General Medical Council shows that 90% of trainees have obtained a specialty training post in the UK within three years of completing the Foundation Programme. It is likely that overall numbers taking up a specialty training place for cohorts 2022, 2023 & 2024 (albeit not immediately after completing foundation training) will increase over the coming years.

The Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group undertakes an annual review of medical training establishments and makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers on the need to create additional training places in order to meet increased demand and future anticipated consultant need.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to the decarbonisation of its vehicle fleet. To support this, a replacement strategy has been in operation since 2015 to replace end of life vehicles with zero or ultra-low emissions vehicles where possible.

UK data from the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that the reported trend of Foundation Year 2 doctors delaying NHS specialty training in Scotland is similar to the trend in the UK as a whole. There are a number of possible (and complex) explanations for this trend but progression data from the GMC shows that 90% of trainees have obtained a specialty training post in the UK within three years of completing the Foundation Programme.

Details are as follows:

The Scottish Government has not made specific representations to the UK Government in relation to spectrum policy, however we continue to engage with Ofcom, who has responsibility for allocating spectrum and assessing appropriate levels of local content, to press for a network of radio stations that ensure that Scotland’s needs across rural and urban areas are met.

Ofcom is reviewing public service media and the Scottish Government will be closely engaging with this and making representations on the importance of a diversity of voices being maintained and strengthened across broadcasting services in Scotland, including community radio.

The Scottish Government responded to Ofcom’s last review of public service broadcasting setting out our expectation for enhancing representation of people and place in Scotland to strengthen the a sense of community and culture. Local voices and coverage of local issues, whether through news coverage, or programming about and told by the people in Scotland’s diverse communities, need to be protected in the regulatory framework.

Fundamentally, we believe that broadcasting should be devolved so that the decisions that impact audiences and the creative industries in Scotland can be determined by the Scottish public through the Scottish Parliament.

I have asked Alison Byrne OBE, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The total annual operating costs of NRS for the last five years are:

• £32,845m (2023-24)
• £63,812m (2022-23)
• £61.905m (2021-22)
• £49,557m (2020-21)
• £40,990m (2019-20)

NRS operating costs (excluding depreciation) include the costs of the Census Programme 2022.

I have asked Alison Byrne OBE, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

A programme of audit and other service based assurance reviews (including Digital Major Programme, Procurement, Cyber, Information management and archive assurance) are undertaken on a rolling basis across NRS services and functions with recommendations implemented to ensure efficient and effective delivery operations. The organisation also receives independent challenge through an Audit and Risk Committee comprised of Non-Executive Directors.