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The Scottish Government has no current plans to update the 2005 Guidance for Local Authorities and National Park Authorities on Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Taxis and private hire cars (PHCs) are a vital part of transport networks for citizens, businesses and visitors across Scotland, and all taxi and PHC drivers should be able to go about their work without the threat of any violence and abuse from their customers.

Taxis and PHCs are licensed under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (“the 1982 Act”). While the Scottish Government has responsibility for the overarching legislation, the day to day administration of the licensing regime, as set out in the 1982 Act, is devolved to independent licensing authorities – in effect the 32 Scottish local authorities.

Within this context, any reports of non-payment of fares, and/ or abuse of drivers would be directed to the local licensing authority and the local police. The Scottish Government does not hold data in relation to the non-payment of taxi and PHC fares or abusive conduct towards taxi and PHC drivers.

The Scottish Government recommends that licensing authorities should actively promote and facilitate good links between the taxi and PHC trades and the local police force, including active participation in any crime reduction initiatives.

Owners and drivers of vehicles will often want to install security measures to protect the driver. Licensing authorities may consider that this is a matter best left to the judgement of the owners and drivers themselves. However, it is recommended practice for licensing authorities to consider, as part of their licensing policy under the legislative framework of the 1982 Act, sympathetically, or indeed actively encourage, their installation.

Further information about security measures in vehicles is available in the taxi and PHC licensing best practice guidance document published by the Scottish Government, in conjunction with Transport Scotland, last year: https://www.gov.scot/publications/taxi-private-hire-car-licensing-best-practice-licensing-authorities-taxi-private-hire-car-operators-3rd-edition/pages/7/.

While the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy for the NHS in Scotland, it is NHS Boards and healthcare professionals locally who have responsibility for both service delivery and ensuring people receive the right care for them, taking into account relevant guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment.

The Health and Social Care Standards set out the expectation that care should be provided by health and social care professionals based on the most relevant evidence, guidance and best practice, as is appropriate to their profession and patient group.

In May 2023 the Scottish Government published an analysis of survey data of heath boards' arrangements for the care and support of individuals with ME/CFS, which sought to map ME/CFS support and service provision and review awareness and implementation of the 2021 NICE guideline.

We have since gathered updated information on ME/CFS care from every health board in Scotland and are currently preparing to publish an updated report later this month.

The Scottish Government is aware that supplies of various ADHD medicines continue to be intermittent. The supply of medicines and associated legislation are a reserved matter for the UK Government and the Scottish Government continues to engage with them on all medicine supply issues. At present, information provided by the UK Government indicates that some ADHD medicine shortages will continue into early 2025.

Scottish Government officials continue to monitor the situation for any further developments and are maintaining a close dialogue with all Health Boards to help manage these medicine supply disruptions. The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPO)

for Scotland is a member of a UK-wide Medicines Shortage Response Group that supports the management of medicine shortages. In addition, the CPO will be holding a roundtable meeting with key stakeholders in Scotland on 12 November 2024 to better understand the impact of ADHD medicine shortages locally and to determine if there is any further action that can be taken to strengthen our response.

In May 2023 the Scottish Government published an analysis of survey data of health boards’ arrangements: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Services in Scotland: Findings from an analysis of surveys issued to NHS Boards in Autumn 2022 (www.gov.scot) for the care and support of individuals with ME/CFS, with the aim of establishing a clearer picture of variations in service provision around Scotland.

The report sought to map ME/CFS support and service provision, review implementation of the 2021 NICE guideline and identify barriers to this, and highlight areas of good practice or where further support is needed to embed the guidance.

We have since gathered updated information on ME/CFS care from every health board in Scotland and are currently preparing to publish a revised report later this month.

sportscotland’s Institute of Sport delivers tailored support services for athletes. Their Female Athlete Performance Working Group have developed a range of resources specifically for female athletes, designed to support anyone working with girls and women in sport. The Group have also launched a learning platform which provides access to e-learning resources such as the menstrual cycle in sport.

These resources are available for free to all, with the ambition that all within the sporting system are comfortable having conversations about female athlete health and understand the impacts on training and performance.

Menstrual health and wellbeing education is a key part of relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education. RSHP education is an integral part of the health and wellbeing area of the Scottish curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence.

The RSHP teaching resource, refreshed in 2023, equips young people with information on a wide range of issues, including menstrual health and wellbeing, depending on their age and stage of learning, enabling children and young people to build positive relationships as they grow older.

Through programmes such as sportscotland’s Fit For Girls and Young People’s Sport Panel, tutors are holding workshops with girls where menstrual education and impact on physical education is a key topic of discussion.

This is not data that we hold centrally. There is no national collection of waiting times for adult diagnosis of ADHD. Accordingly, we cannot confirm whether any NHS board has closed its ADHD assessment waiting list to adult patients.

I can advise that The Scottish Government is currently working with the National Autism Implementation Team to implement Adult Neurodevelopmental Pathways across Scotland to ensure that adults with ADHD receive appropriate diagnosis and support.

The Environmental Health Policy Co-ordination Group consists of representatives from across Scottish Government, Food Standards Scotland, COSLA, the Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland and SOLACE.

Should matters arise concerning educational and wider regulatory interests, then members representing these organisations are advised and invited to attend the group for awareness or to provide relevant updates.

Therefore, the University of West of Scotland and the Royal Environmental Health Institute for Scotland are invited to attend meetings, when there is an update which is of interest to group members.

Scottish Government's ambition is that women and girls enjoy the best possible health, throughout their lives and this will continue to be our guiding principle as we develop the next phase of the Women’s Health Plan.

Any future topics or priorities for the next phase of the Women’s Health Plan are yet to be decided. Priorities will be agreed in collaboration with women and girls, clinical experts, other relevant stakeholders and our Women’s Health Champion, using the most up-to-date evidence base.

The Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland series now includes attendance on an annual basis. Headline statistics on school attendance for the 2023-24 school year will be published in December 2024. Detailed statistics on school attendance, including a measure of pupils with an absence rate of 50% or more, will be published in March 2025.