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There are three licensed Cannabis Based Products for Medicinal use (CBPMs) available on the NHS in Scotland to treat specific conditions. These are:

• nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, as an add-on treatment for adults with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting;
• Sativex®, a combination of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol for moderate to severe spasticity in adults with multiple sclerosis;
• and Epidyolex®, a cannabidiol for treating seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)

The decision on whether to make a licensed medicine routinely available on the NHS in Scotland is made by healthcare professionals and other experts who make up the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), following an application by the manufacturer. This is independent of Scottish Ministers. If a medicine is recommended for use,- Health Boards’ local Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees will consider and decide whether to include it in their prescribing formulary.

Clinical guidance does not recommend the prescribing of unlicensed CBPMs, other than in clinical trials. The biggest barrier to the prescribing of other CBPMs on the NHS is that most products remain unlicensed with a limited, or non-existent, peer-reviewed clinical evidence base for their use.

The Government plans to commence the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill within three months of the Bill receiving Royal Assent.

The creche service is available 3 days per week.  The opening hours reflect that the core purpose of the creche is to facilitate public engagement with parliamentary business.  We recently successfully negotiated with the Care Inspectorate to increase the number of hours each week, but we currently have no plans to review the facility on non-business days. 

Supply of LPG fuel in the UK is a matter reserved for UK Government. It is the responsibility of individual LPG retailers to ensure that the availability of LPG is actively monitored, and managed to prevent shortages, which can occur during periods of peak demand. The investment costs and installation of LPG fuelling sites is commercially led, and applications for new sites fall within the remit of local authority planning.

The Mental Health in Schools Working Group will consider whether any updates or engagement is required to support the Whole School Approach Framework. The Group is expected to reconvene in Autumn 2024.

The Scottish Government is working with COSLA on arrangements to reconvene the Mental Health in Schools Working Group in Autumn 2024.

College Principals’ salaries are for individual colleges to determine. The Scottish Government does however, expect that pay arrangements for senior staff ensures value for money, affordability and sustainability in the longer term.

The increase in the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) balance relates to Taxpayers’ equity, which represents SFC’s investment in the university sector through low cost loans (SFC’s Financial Transactions programme) issued to universities to support them with longer-term projects since 2018.

Taxpayers’ equity is not a liquid asset which can be spent. It is a measure of the financial position of SFC from the perspective of its stakeholders showing what assets (tangible and intangible) remain after all SFC debts and obligations are met. It reflects the overall net worth of SFC which belongs to the taxpayer.

SFC’s ability to support the college and university sectors is framed by the allocation received in annual Budget Bills and SFC is required to live within the allocation set for that financial year. SFC does not hold any “reserves” of monies.

We have committed to implementing new infrastructure-levy regulations under the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 by spring 2026. On 3 June a discussion paper was published setting out the research undertaken previously and seeking views on the various options for a levy. The discussion phase will run until 30 September. After that, and subject to the views received in response to the discussion paper, draft regulations will be prepared which will be subject to a formal consultation in early 2025.

The Scottish Government consultation on the revised teaching guidance closed on 23 November 2023. Over 4,000 responses were received and officials are now in the process of writing up the consultation analysis report. Once that report is published, officials will revise the guidance, taking account of the consultation feedback.