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The Scottish Government is clear that financial uncertainty should not be a barrier to women leaving an abusive partner.

We are investing £1.5 million in a national Fund to Leave, which aims to help reduce the financial burden of leaving an abusive partner by providing financial support to help to pay for the essentials women and children need.

Our £26.1 million a year Delivering Equally Safe Fund supports a range of services for survivors of gender-based violence. The Victim Centred Approach Fund provides £12 million to 23 organisations between 2025 and 2027 for advocacy support for survivors of gender-based violence. Additionally we have increased funds to Financially Included to establish an economic abuse helpline.

This year we have allocated £2.2 million to roll out a national Council Tax Debt project, delivered by Citizens Advice Scotland to increase the support available to those that need advice and support on any aspect of Council Tax including arrears.

We are committed to improving safety across our network. Since 2007, over £146 million has already been invested on the A77 to ensure its safe and efficient operation.

Each year Transport Scotland, through its Operating Companies, undertakes a review of collisions on the trunk road network to identify cluster sites, or routes with recorded collisions that may be worthwhile of further investigation. The screening process, together with a detailed understanding of collision trends around the network, results in a prioritised programme of sites that will be investigated further. This evidence-led approach ensures that resources can be targeted at locations where the greatest potential for casualty reduction is available. This approach has been successful in reducing casualties across Scotland’s trunk road network.

In 2022, a Vehicle Activated Sign with legend ‘VEHICLES TURNING’ was implemented at the A751 junction on the A77 to warn approaching southbound drivers of potential vehicle conflicts with construction of markings and road studs completed in September 2024 and signs completed in April 2025. In Girvan, a speed management scheme, which included carriageway narrowing to improve speed compliance and walking routes for pedestrians, was constructed in March 2024. In July 2025, signalisation was introduced at A77 Doonholm Road staggered junction to reduce vehicle conflicts and personal injury collisions at the junction.

Maintenance schemes programmed from November 2025 to March 2026 include resurfacing at: Drummuckloch to Ferry Terminal, Burnside and Kilantringan to Smyrton. Drainage improvements planned during this timeframe include: A77 DBFO boundary to North of Coodham Estate, Kirkoswald, Girvan and South of Ballantrae Bridge.

The Scottish Government has committed to implement 20 mph speed limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so as set out in the Programme for Government by 31 March 2026, making our streets feel safer and encouraging active travel. In 2025-2026, on the A77 trunk road, 20 mph speed limits are programmed to be introduced in Stranraer, Cairnryan, Ballantrae, Girvan and Minishant.

Regarding engagements, on 29 October 2025, I attended the second South West Roads Focus Group meeting alongside members of the A77 Campaign Group to hear their views on prioritised maintenance schemes for the A77. My officials are committed to working alongside the campaign group to develop recommendations for targeted improvements on the A77.

To improve road safety on the A77 ahead of winter, our South-West Unit Operating Company (Amey) has submitted their Winter Service Plan for the 2025-26 season and also circulated to key operational partners. The Performance Audit Group (PAG), who provide audit and monitoring services for Transport Scotland, has completed pre-winter depot visits and preparedness audits across all Units, including the South-West Unit. Transport Scotland is facilitating a “Severe Weather Media Launch” on Wednesday 12 November at the Shettleston Rail Depot, which I will be attending. This will provide the opportunity to raise awareness of the level of preparedness and collaboration that go into keeping Scotland moving during severe weather 365 days a year across modes. Collaboration with our operational partners is key to the co-ordinated communications process. Our Transport Scotland communications colleagues are working with our trunk road maintenance contractors (Operating Companies & DBFOs), Traffic Scotland, and relevant partners in the Scottish Government to deliver shared messaging across all channels to keep traffic moving safely.

The Circular Economy and Waste Route Map sets out the Scottish Government’s work to promote reuse and recycling initiatives.

Our reuse initiatives include a variety of actions aimed at increasing the uptake of reusable packaging, taking action on single-use cups, supporting the development of construction material reuse hubs and improving reuse services.

In partnership with the other governments in the UK, the Scottish Government recently introduced extended producer responsibility for packaging. The scheme transfers the net cost of providing an efficient and effective service for managing packaging waste from the taxpayer to producers. It is intended to incentivise a move towards more sustainable packaging and drive local authority recycling performance. Packaging that has been reused is also exempt from fees under the scheme to incentivise reuse. The Scottish Government are considering further measures to promote reuse, including the potential for alignment with measures within the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste

Zero Waste Scotland, as part of a consortium funded by the European Circular Construction Finance project, is developing a model for a regional reuse hub for construction materials and a national roll out plan to maximise coverage. The project will also include consideration of the role of these hubs in reprocessing and recertifying products and materials, addressing some of the barriers to availability of materials. The initiative has significant potential to help businesses navigate rising material costs, achieve net zero ambitions and develop more resilient supply chains.

Scottish Government action to improve local recycling is led by the co-design of the new statutory Code of Practice for household recycling. The Scottish Government held co-design events with local government stakeholders in June and July 2025. The findings from these sessions are being used to inform the planning of wider stakeholder engagement with business, the third sector and citizens in the coming months. The new Code of Practice will be completed by the end of 2026, after which it will be made available for public consultation.

We are also making one of the biggest investments in a generation to modernise recycling in Scotland through the Recycling Improvement Fund. A total of
£66.6 million has now been allocated to 27 local authorities for 48 projects to increase the quantity and quality of recycling across Scotland. We are funding a range of improvements, including more frequent recycling collections, the extension of food and garden waste collections, and boosting Scotland’s capacity to recycle problematic materials like plastic films, which must be collected from households and businesses by 31 March 2027. Local authorities in Scotland will also see around £150 million per year in funding to support collection for household packaging waste through extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging.

On 21 October 2025 we published our draft Circular Economy Strategy for consultation. The draft strategy sets out our vision and outcomes to move from a linear “take, make and dispose” economic model to a circular economy where materials and goods are valued and kept in use for as long as possible, including through reuse and recycling. The consultation will close on 13 January 2026.

In the absence of powers over employment law, the Scottish Government is committed to using the levers we do have to embed Fair Work across the Scottish labour market.

In June 2025, we published our five-year Breastfeeding and Infant feeding framework 2025-2030, which incorporates recommendations from the Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) 2019 report, our longer term aims and sets out our detailed delivery plan over the next year.

This framework sets out our ongoing commitment to the Unicef UK Babyfriendly accreditation, and we continue to fund Achieving Sustainability Assessments, foundational training, and the Scottish Lead post.

In 2023-24 the Scottish Government permanently transferred funding to Health Boards for Maternal and Infant Nutrition as part of the Outcomes Framework funding, which covers a wider range of outcomes. The published Scottish Budget for 2025-2026 includes £72.2m within the NHS Boards budget for the Outcomes Framework. It is up to Health Boards to decide how much of this funding to allocate to each outcome. In 2025-26 territorial Health Boards received an overall cash uplift of 3%.

From 2025-26 the Scottish Government is permanently transferring over £0.8 million further investment into the baseline budgets of NHS Boards to provide a sustainable basis for funding for interventions to support breastfeeding, which can include peer support, following an additional investment of over £11 million since 2018.

The Scottish Government’s ‘A Fairer Scotland for Older People: framework for action’ contains a dedicated strand focused on activity we are undertaking to ensure people can access public and other services as they age.

We provide funding of £3.2 million over three years, through the Equality and Human Rights Fund, to older people's organisations and age equality projects. This funding is delivering a range of initiatives that tackle inequality, including among older people. A copy of the fund's progress report can be found here Equality & Human Rights Fund Impact Report Final_ Oct 21-Mar25 and provides details on initiatives we are delivering with this funding.

The Scottish Government recognises that an ageing population increases demand for accessible environments and services. Our Disability Equality Plan, supported by a £3 million investment, including a £1.5 million Improving Access Fund aims to improve access for disabled people, including older individuals with mobility or sensory impairments.

We also fund Access Panels across Scotland, which work locally to promote inclusive design and planning. These panels take a pan-disability approach, ensuring older people's needs are considered in accessibility improvements.

The Scottish Government promotes good practice in completing Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) by conducting them at the earliest stages of developing new policies or revising existing ones. This includes strategies, legislation, guidance, frameworks, training, funding, reviews, and any other activities that affect different groups of people, particularly those with protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010. This includes consideration of impact on different age groups.

In 2023-24 the Scottish Government permanently transferred funding to Health Boards for Maternal and Infant Nutrition as part of the Outcomes Framework funding, which covers a wider range of outcomes. The published Scottish Budget for 2025-2026 includes £72.2m within the NHS Boards budget for the Outcomes Framework. It is up to Health Boards to decide how much of this funding to allocate to each outcome. In 2025-26 territorial Health Boards received an overall cash uplift of 3%.

From 2025-26 the Scottish Government is permanently transferring over £0.8 million further investment into the baseline budgets of NHS Boards to provide a sustainable basis for funding for interventions to support breastfeeding, which can include peer support, following an additional investment of over £11 million since 2018.

The scale and stability of breastfeeding peer support has been strengthened as a result of targeted multi-year funding, optimising breastfeeding peer support in communities through locally driven decision making, strong partnership working and collaborations. In particular localised approaches which are effective in addressing breastfeeding inequalities and accessibility of support, as well as the growth of coverage across the volunteer and peer support landscape to include multiple Third sector organisations and in-house NHS volunteers.

All pre-registration midwifery courses validated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as meeting the required proficiencies for registration as a midwife include theoretical and practice education in recognising, assessing, planning and responding to pre-existing and emerging complications from alcohol misuse/withdrawal.

The NMC Standards of proficiency for midwives (NMC 2023) are available online at https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/standards/2024/standards-of-proficiency-for-midwives.pdf

Post-registration CPD is a matter for individual NHS Boards. The information requested is not held centrally.

All NHS Boards employ maternity service staff who are trained to deal with alcohol-related issues.

The Scottish Government supports and works closely with Food Standards Scotland, who have previously and will again repeat a winter campaign encouraging people to take a daily vitamin D supplement to maintain bone and muscle health.

The campaign primarily focuses on online advertising and social media posts. A campaign toolkit has also been developed and shared with a wide range of stakeholders to help support efforts to raise awareness of vitamin D, with graphics, web text, and social media posts available in nine languages (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/publications-and-research/publications/vitamin-d-campaign-toolkit).

Information on vitamin D is also available and promoted through a range of resources. Dedicated public advice on vitamin D is available on NHS Inform, including a general information leaflet highlighting the importance of vitamin D, which is available in a range of formats and languages (https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/food-and-nutrition/eating-well/vitamin-d).

Additional information can be accessed through our Parent Club (https://www.parentclub.scot/articles/eating-well-at-home) and Ready, Steady Baby! (https://www.nhsinform.scot/ready-steady-baby) resources, Food Standards Scotland (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/consumers/healthy-eating/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/vitamin-d) website and Eat Well, Your Way (https://www.eatwellyourway.scot/what-is-a-healthy-balanced-diet/vitamin-d/).