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Information on university retention rates is published by the Scottish Funding Councils (SFC) in the statistics publication “Report on Widening Access”.

The latest publication is available on the SFC’s website: Report on Widening Access 2021-22 - Scottish Funding Council (sfc.ac.uk)

Information on college withdrawal rates is published by the SFC in the statistics publication “College Performance Indicators”.

The latest publication is available on the SFC’s website: College Performance Indicators 2022-23 - Scottish Funding Council (sfc.ac.uk)

This data supports Scottish Government and SFC’s work with colleges and universities to measure and improve performance across the sectors. The data is also used to monitor student progression as part of the SFC’s Outcome Agreements with institutions. In addition to monitoring data returns, institutions may provide written commentary on their student retention rates and/or discuss this with their Outcome Agreement contacts within SFC.

Information is not held centrally on the number of abandoned vehicles reported to local authorities. Management information is available from Police Scotland on the number of police recorded incidents of abandoned vehicles. This is provided below, split by the local authority within which the incident occurred.

It should be noted that not all abandoned vehicles will relate to cars and an incident may relate to more than one abandoned vehicle. This information was consistently recorded across all police divisions from the calendar year of 2019 onwards and therefore the figures provided below relate to the period 01 January 2019 to 18 June 2024. As such the 2024 figures relate to only a partial year.

Recorded incidents of abandoned vehicles, 01 January 2019 to 18 June 2024.

The Scottish Government’s National Carers Strategy published in December 2022 sets out our cross-government approach to carer support and recognition, with an emphasis on the need for collaboration between national and local government, the third sector, wider public and private sector. The Strategy sets out the importance of all employers being positive about carers in the workforce and outlines our commitment to fund and promote the Carer Positive employer accreditation scheme.

The Scottish Government funds Carers Scotland to run the scheme, raise awareness and engage with prospective employers. It does this through direct engagement, speaking at networks and events, and via one-to-one support. To date there are now more than half a million employees working in 275 Carer Positive organisations across Scotland. A full list of Carer Positive employers is published on the Carer Positive website .

The Scottish Government remains committed to promoting the scheme, and to ensuring that people who provide care for loved ones are able to do so in a meaningful and sustainable way whilst still being able to work, study and have full lives away from caring.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting people living with dementia. We worked with a wide range of partners and people with lived experience, including those with dementia with Lewy bodies, to inform our new national strategy published last year. The first two year Delivery Plan (published February 2024) sets out the agreed deliverables and improvements, including improving access to a timely diagnosis for all dementias. We know that receiving a timely diagnosis helps people to access the support and services right for them and to plan for their future.

We are working with Public Health Scotland, local and academic partners to add to the data we collect and publish on diagnosis and post-diagnostic support as well as the quality of experience of dementia support and services.

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review pathways for patients to help improve earlier diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring everyone living with dementia receives the person centred support and care they need, regardless of which form of dementia they have. Our Dementia Strategy highlights that each individual person's experience of their dementia will be different and care and support needs to reflect that.

The current diagnostic pathway of dementia with Lewy bodies is through an individual’s GP. Clinical guidance on diagnosing suspected dementia with Lewy bodies is contained in the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) which covers assessment, diagnosis, care and support for people with dementia and their care partners. The SIGN Guideline was developed by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and partners in 2023.

The Scottish Government has also established a cross-governmental; cross sectoral steering group to help shape the Scottish Government’s role in contributing to the research and development of greater understanding around dementia risk, earlier dementia identification, diagnosis, and treatment, including the trialling of new treatments which can slow the progression of some dementias.

The Scottish Government intends to update the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967.

Given the time elapsed between the previous consultation exercise that took place in 2017-18, we must now consider the updated context that the regulations will exist in. We are now taking this work forward.

The development work delivered at Anniesland Station is led by Network Rail. Network Rail advises that painting of the adjacent bridge is not included in the scope for the current station accessibility improvements. Accessibility is a matter reserved to the UK Government.

It is for individual local authorities to decide whether they wish to declare a Housing emergency and to outline their reasons for doing so. The Scottish Government has asked individual local authorities who have declared housing emergencies to share specific actions that they are taking in response.

Review of NHS Hyperbaric Medicine Services in Scotland is ongoing. Scottish Government officials have been in contact with NHS National Services Scotland as commissioner of these services and NHS Grampian who provide and co-ordinate hyperbaric medical services in Scotland.

NHS Grampian have continued to engage with the private service provider in Oban and agreed to undertake further review of the facility. This took place in early May. Findings from the visit are being compiled and analysed before next steps are determined.

Discussions with stakeholders regarding the service are an operational matter, however we are being kept updated as review of the situation continues and have been assured risk is minimised, service capacity is in line with demand and plans are in place for the timely transfer and treatment of patients.

The Scottish Government continues to provide £16 million per year to ensure that all secondary schools have access to school counselling services.

Local authorities have confirmed that all secondary schools in Scotland have access to counselling services. All school pupils aged 10 and above have access to the service.

It is up to local authorities to decide how to deliver the service in their area to best suit the needs of their children and young people.

School counselling is just one of a range of services that schools and authorities have in place to support the mental health of children and young people.