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The Scottish Government/Cancer Research UK funded Paediatric Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) in Glasgow has been involved in a number of initiatives aimed at maximising the number of opportunities for children and young people with cancer to participate in clinical trials.

The Glasgow Paediatric ECMC leads the Northern Paediatric ECMC Network that includes all Scottish Principle Treatment Centres (PTC’s), together with centres in the North of England and Northern Ireland. The Network holds weekly Regional Relapse Discussion Panel (RRDP) meetings which facilitate the identification across an extended geographical area of clinical trials suitable for individual patients.

This approach has been extended to clinical trials in the Teenage and Young Adult (TYA) patient cohort, with the Glasgow ECMC a participant in the UK ECMC TYA Network. This group is currently actively considering the development of a UK-wide national complex case TYA multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach to enable availability of early phase trials across as wide a patient population base as possible.

The Scottish Government, in collaboration with Cancer Research UK, provides funding for the Adult Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC's) in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and a Paediatric ECMC in Glasgow. These form part of a UK-wide ECMC Network. Home | ECMC (ecmcnetwork.org.uk) .

The Glasgow ECMC has developed and implemented a strategy to increase engagement with the Teenage and Young People with Cancer patient group (defined in NHS Scotland as those between ages 16-25) and improve access to Clinical Trials. In collaboration with the Teenage Cancer Trust they set up a workshop with the Scottish Youth Advisory Forum to discuss young people's views on equity of access to clinical trials, and the communication of clinical trial patient information to young people. The ECMC will continue to work with the Scottish Youth Advisory Forum to address issues that were identified during the workshop.

To improve trial access and recruitment of children and young people the UK-wide Paediatric ECMC network has developed 4 Regional networks. The Glasgow Paediatric ECMC leads the Northern network and hosts weekly Regional Relapse Discussion Panel (RRDP) meetings. All Scottish Principle Treatment Centres (PTC) (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen) together with Belfast and Newcastle participate in these meetings. This aim of this network is to broaden the portfolio of studies for solid tumours and leukaemia - thereby maximising the opportunity for patients in any given centre to participate in a clinical trial.

On 13th February 2023 we published an Independent Report on Improving Equity of Access to Cancer Clinical Trials.

Improving equity of access to cancer clinical trials in Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) We are working closely with the cancer research community here to develop plans for the implementation of the report’s key recommendations and have established an implementation board chaired by Professor David Cameron from the University of Edinburgh to oversee this work.

The Scottish Government has fully engaged with housing associations and organisations from all other sectors addressing issues relating to RAAC through a number of networks including the Scottish Government led RAAC Cross Sector Working Group. The Scottish Government has no plans to legally compel housing associations - or other organisations - to attend meetings or committees that have been called regarding the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

The Scottish Government is committed to improving support services for children and young people with cancer. Last year we provided recurring funding for the existing dedicated psychologists for children and young people with cancer.

A review of further psychological support services in Scotland is currently being carried out by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer and the Scottish Government remains engaged with this.

The Scottish Government recognises the impacts of climate change on coastal communities and the need to consider coastal defences.

Our Dynamic Coast 2 project, published in 2021, helps local authorities and other stakeholders identify where the greatest risks are from coastal erosion this decade and into the future. The 2020 Programme for Government committed £12 million to local authorities, over four years, for coastal change adaptation to allow them to plan for, and protect communities from, the impacts of coastal erosion and sea level rise. We published Guidance in 2023, to support local authorities in the preparation of Coastal Change Adaptation Plans,which includes using nature based solutions as part of coastal protection.

Improving resilience to flooding is a priority for the Scottish Government and we continue to work with, and support, local authorities to fulfil their obligations to reduce the impact of flooding from all sources including coastal. To support flood protection measures, the Scottish Government provides £42 million each year to local authorities. In August 2020, the Programme for Government also committed an additional £150 million over 5 years to support flood risk management actions.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on a Flood Resilience Strategy for Scotland which will lay out what we need to do in the long term to make our places more flood resilient, including at our coasts.

In the consultation on a Heat in Buildings Bill, we recognise that as a renewable, and potentially net zero, energy source, bioenergy may represent the best option to help decarbonise some homes for which clean heating systems are not suitable. We also want to ensure that owners who have taken the proactive step of installing renewable bioenergy systems are fairly treated.

This is why, in addition to permitting extra time for those currently using bioenergy to meet the clean heat element of the Standard, we sought views on whether a more flexible approach to the use of bioenergy under future regulations is needed.

We are currently analysing the over 1600 responses to this consultation and considering how to take this matter forward in a way that balances the needs of Scotland’s diverse buildings. We would need to balance this flexibility with the need to protect and ensure the supply of bioenergy in other sectors of the economy that also rely on bioenergy to remove emissions.

Following the UK General Election, we will work with the new UK Government to understand the approach they plan to take regarding a consultation on a Renewable Liquid Heating Fuel Obligation, which will then determine the need for engagement with the Scottish supply sector.

The Scottish Government recognises the strength of feeling of beneficiaries in Scotland about the future of the current Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS), which has been important both in supporting people, and in providing a service they value, over a number of years.

The UK Government set out its proposals for an infected blood final compensation scheme, and the setting up of a new UK-wide Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), on 21 May. The UK Government proposes that support scheme payments, such as those currently provided by SIBSS, will continue to be paid on an ex-gratia basis until 31 March 2025. From 1 April 2025, SIBSS payments will be taken into account in calculating final compensation awards. Infected and affected people will have a choice of receiving their compensation as a lump sum or as periodic payments. The UK Government has also said that it will ensure that no one will receive less than they do now. In addition, Sir Robert Francis, interim chair of the IBCA, published a Statement of Intent on 29 May 2024 making clear that Regulations setting out details of the compensation scheme will be laid in the UK Parliament on or before 24 August 2024. Currently, he is consulting with infected and affected communities and their representatives.

The Scottish Government will continue to represent the views of Scottish stakeholders to the UK Government during these consultations, including on the question of whether SIBSS members who opt for periodic payments should get those ongoing payments from the support schemes or the IBCA. Having campaigned for years to achieve these outcomes, we do not want people to now feel they have no say in how compensation is paid.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information that has been requested, as local authorities are responsible for administering the scheme and making relevant inspections. I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28008 on 11 June 2024. 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

The Scottish Government has been listening to the concerns raised regarding the New Build Heat Standard regulations, which is why it was announced to Parliament on 28 May that we will be reviewing the regulations to adapt them to address those concerns. As part of this review, we will speak with stakeholders and Ministers are always happy to discuss issues with MSPs.