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Implementation is already underway in the East region with Fife babies transferring to Edinburgh, and in the West Region with Ayrshire babies being transferred to Glasgow.

The Scottish Government has requested progress updates from the three regional chief executives in response to the timelines indicated within the three regional plans. These updates are expected to be provided by 31 May 2025.

Over the course of this year we will continue to work with the Regional Chief Executives and NHS Boards to continue to implement this service change.

The Scottish Perinatal Network (SPN) undertook recruitment to this role in December 2024 and a preferred candidate was offered the role. Finalisation of contracts and backfill recruitment is currently taking place.

The Task and Finish Group is chaired by the three regional Chief Executives and they determine membership of the group. The SPN are currently members of the group and this will be reviewed as work progresses.

The Scottish Government are in regular contact with The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) to discuss a range of environmental legislation, including the Deposit Return Scheme, and will continue to engage with relevant public bodies as we work towards the launch of DRS in October 2027.

As part of the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map, we are reviewing the Household Recycling Charter's supporting Code of Practice using a co-design process with Local Government and CoSLA representatives. The Code of Practice will be put on a statutory basis to deliver better and more consistent recycling services across Scotland. The impact of the deposit return scheme on future waste collection services is an important factor in developing the methodology for co-design.

Work is ongoing to determine how the additional £4.5 million announced in the 2025-26 budget to deliver new specialist support will be allocated to NHS boards, what conditions it will cover and the services it will prioritise. It is expected that NHS boards will develop support based on their understanding of local population need and synergies with existing local service provision.

The Scottish Government will publish its Health & Social Care Service Renewal Framework by the end of June, which sets out our medium and long-term intentions for transformative change. We are committed to publishing annual reports on progress against the actions set out within the Framework.

The First Minister announced on 7 February that around £14 million will be allocated to delivering the Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS). The proposals for the scheme are currently being finalised and the full details about the scheme and application process are expected to be announced shortly.

Scotland is currently the only part of the UK offering financial support to consumers, small businesses and the third sector to purchase electric vehicles. Since 2011 we have provided over £230 million in interest free loans to support the purchase over 8,700 zero and ultra-low emission vehicles saving an estimated 230,000 tCO2e.

In 2025-26 we aim to provide a further £20 million in interest free loans to support the purchase of electric cars and vans. There was an announcement about the reopening of this fund on 27 May.

In addition, since 2011 Scottish Ministers have also provided over £19 million for the installation of over 23,000 lower powered charge points at homes and at workplaces, complementing the £65 million invested in Scotland’s public charging network.

The Energy Savings Trust, an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency, provides free and impartial advice on electric vehicles to both businesses and consumers and my officials regularly meet with stakeholders from Scotland’s automotive trade.

The Scottish Government is committed to doing all it can to bring forward investment at Grangemouth and across Scotland. We have given clear signals to investors and prospective developers at Grangemouth that we want to work with them to make the projects outlined in Project Willow a reality including establishing the £25 million Grangemouth Just Transition Fund. Additionally, we have established an investment taskforce, led by Scottish Enterprise and the UK Office for Investment, which is working at pace to identify and attract inward investors at Grangemouth.

In any meetings relating to offshore wind, I encouraged investors to continue engaging with Scotland’s economic development agencies.

The UK Government is responsible for national security, the regulation of international trade, elements of critical national infrastructure including energy, and the application of the NSIA. We continue to engage closely with the UK Government to understand the security implications of potential foreign investment in energy-related infrastructure.

I refer the member to the answers provided in response to S6W-36894 and S6W-36895 on 13 May 2025. 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.