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The Scottish Government continues to support Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) through targeted funding streams aligned with its commitment to delivering public transport at a regional level. While the Verity House Agreement sets out principles for collaboration and funding between central and local government, it does not explicitly reference RTPs, as funding priorities under the Agreement are determined by individual councils. It is the responsibility of Local Authorities to determine their funding priorities.

We encourage all local transport authorities to consider the full range of tools available to them under the Transport (Scotland) 2019 Act, so it is pleasing to see SPT are fully exploring the 2019 Act powers with a view on improving bus services in their area.

I welcome their decision to progress with the recommendations of their Regional Bus Strategy and further develop proposals to deliver a Franchise Framework Assessment using those powers. It is important that the business cases for improving bus services are made robustly and utilise all available evidence and views, before decisions are reached about future investments in the region.

As part of the development and delivery of the bus powers within the 2019 Act my officials engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, particularly local transport authorities, including SPT. I have also met with SPT on several occasions, most recently on 25 March to discuss the progress and plans on their Regional Bus Strategy.

The Scottish Government has considered this UK report with interest and recognises the importance of a range of factors including land use, yield, and population in planning future food security.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 similarly recognises the importance of these factors and requires Scottish Ministers to make a statement on food security at least every three years and to also have regard to food supply and security in the rural support plan.

The publication of Scotland’s 4th Land Use Strategy to be published next year will also allow us to further consider the multiple pressures on land and the benefits and opportunities presented by a more integrated approach to land use.

While we are disappointed about the University of Aberdeen’s decision to pause the student intake for their dental technology programme in 2025-26 and 2026-27, the Scottish Government remains committed to the provision of dental technology training in Scotland to support this vital part of the dental workforce. We will continue to work closely with the dental schools at universities and with stakeholders on the NHS Dental Workforce National Strategy short-life working group, to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure the provision of high quality and sustainable education for the dental workforce.

The Scottish Government is a member of the Scottish Partnership on Rural Crime (SPARC) and regularly attends partnership meetings which cover a wide range of rural crime incidents. We are aware that the theft of GPS units is an issue affecting some businesses and the Scottish Government continues to support SPARC’s five priorities, one of which is the prevention of machinery, tools, fuel and metal and metal from rural premises. The revised SPARC strategy highlights activity Police Scotland and its partners are undertaking to prevent this sort of crime, prepare and protect rural businesses and pursue those responsible.

The following data is extracted from the Public Health Scotland (PHS) Costs Books reports. The most recent published data is from the financial year 2023-24.

The Scottish Government is aware of the suggestion that some stolen farm machinery stolen in the UK has made its way to eastern Europe. However, Police Scotland do not hold have enough evidence to confirm that this is a developing trend for machinery stolen Scotland. Officers will continue to investigate all crimes of this nature and trace those responsible.

The Scottish Government provides funding and support to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (SMO) in recognition of its importance to Gaelic through its key role in adult and Gaelic learning and Gaelic medium teacher education. The duty on Scottish Ministers through the Scottish Languages Act to conduct a review of the status of SMO is welcomed as a way of informing further and future actions. It is the intention to commence the duty on Ministers to undertake a review of SMO in due course and before the end of the Parliamentary term, subject to the parliamentary process and timetable.

The Scottish Government does not hold information around insurance claims made by individuals or businesses following incidents of theft.

We welcome the research undertaken by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland and Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland to provide insight in to the experiences of people impacted by long COVID. Scottish Government Officials met with both organisations at the time of publication to discuss the methodology and findings.

The reports highlight a range of themes, with a common focus on understanding of healthcare professionals, access to information and support for people presenting to primary care, and access to specialist services.

Since the research was undertaken, NHS National Services Scotland’s National Strategic Network for long COVID has supported the delivery of online education sessions for healthcare staff, including on the assessment of patients with long COVID. The Network has also developed information for NHS boards on the assessment of patients with suspected long COVID in general practice.

The 2025-26 budget includes new investment of £4.5 million to deliver new specialist support across the country for long COVID, ME, Chronic Fatigue, and other similar conditions. We wrote to NHS board Chief Executives on 18 September to confirm that this funding will now be made available on a recurring basis. This commitment provides the longer term assurance necessary to enable boards to plan on a sustainable basis, and support the recruitment and retention of the skilled members of staff required for the delivery of services.

NHS boards’ shares of the available 2025-26 funding will be allocated in full on a recurring basis. From the financial year 2026-27 onwards NHS boards will receive the £4.5 million resource annually.

In 2025-26 the £4.5 million funding is being provided in addition to remaining resource of approximately £3 million from the £10 million long COVID Support Fund (established 2022). The £10 million fund will be fully disbursed by the end of the 2025-26 financial year.