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Drug deaths remain far too high, and the latest suspected drug death figures indicate that 898 people are believed to have died in the first nine months of 2025. This is a stark reminder of the scale of the challenge we face.

Through the National Mission, we have strengthened access to residential rehabilitation by funding eight new facilities, increasing referrals, and remaining on track to reach our target of 1,000 placements per year by 2026. We have also supported the establishment of the UK’s first official safer consumption facility, The Thistle, and expanded the distribution of naloxone.

The growing presence of new synthetic substances, such as nitazenes, is a serious and increasing concern across Scotland and the wider UK. We have seen clusters of harms in 2025, including both fatal and near-fatal overdoses.

We are working with partners to ensure that information on emerging trends is shared with local areas as quickly as possible so they can respond effectively, and we continue to collaborate closely with partners to communicate vital advice and guidance.

We are also encouraging anyone who carries naloxone to consider carrying additional kits, as the high potency of nitazenes may mean that multiple doses are required to reverse an overdose.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42822 on 21 January 2026. 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

The Scottish Government has not had any discussions with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in relation to the Scottish salmon industry. Health and Safety legislation is a matter reserved to the UK Government and HSE is the relevant regulator for workplace health and safety across Great Britain.

While the Scottish Government fully expects employers to maintain workplaces that are safe for workers in line with health and safety legislation, it cannot direct any organisation regarding these reserved matters. The Scottish Government promotes strong, constructive relationships between employers and trade unions, particularly where they are recognised, or where it is clear workers are seeking this collective representation.

It is not possible to determine whether any suspected drug deaths are linked to waits for treatment. However, in 2011, the Scottish Government set a Standard that 90% of people referred for help with problematic drug or alcohol use will wait no longer than three weeks for specialist treatment that supports their recovery. This Standard has been met consistently every quarter since December 2022.

Over the period January to September 2024, 7,685 referrals to community-based services started drug treatment. Of these, 95% involved a wait of three weeks or less. Over the period January to September 2025, 7,606 referrals to community-based services started drug treatment. Of these, 96% involved a wait of three weeks or less. Further information is available at https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times-1-july-2025-to-30-september-2025/ and https://scotland.shinyapps.io/PHS_drug_alcohol_waitingtimes/.

Responsibility for raising public awareness of Common Good assets, their registers and decision-making processes lies with local authorities.

Under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, councils have statutory duties to establish, and maintain a Common Good Register and ensure members of the public can access the Register free of charge. Any decisions relating to proposed disposals or changes of use of common good land must be published by the council and representations should be sought from specified bodies.

Councils must have regard to Scottish Government guidance designed to improve transparency and community involvement. This includes the 2018 Community Empowerment and Common Good Property Guidance for Local Authorities.

The Scottish Government supports the work of the Scottish Land Commission in promoting good practice and transparency. The Commission’s work includes the development and maintenance of the Land Rights and Responsibilities Protocol on Common Good land, developed to support local authorities in managing Common Good assets consistently and engaging communities in decision-making.

The Scottish Government fully expects employers to maintain workplaces that are safe for workers in line with health and safety legislation, but cannot direct them in respect of these reserved matters. The Scottish Government promotes strong, constructive relationships between employers and trade unions, particularly where they are recognised, or where it is clear workers are seeking this collective representation.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42856 on 21 January 2026. 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.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting local authorities to ensure the proper management and governance of Common Good assets within the framework of their statutory responsibilities.

Under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, councils must have regard to any guidance issued by Scottish Ministers in relation to the management and use of property that forms part of the common good. This includes the 2018 Community Empowerment and Common Good Property Guidance for Local Authorities. The Scottish Land Commission’s protocol also provides good practice principles for local authorities to consider.

Decisions on applying guidance and protocols rest with individual councils, and any concerns about a council’s handling of Common Good matters should be raised through its established complaints process.

Ferguson Marine wrote to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on 18 December 2025 to confirm that a thorough cost impact assessment is underway to determine any additional financial implications of the latest update to the delivery of the MV Glen Rosa. The yard will provide Parliament with a further update later this month.

The yard will continue to provide the NZET Committee with quarterly progress updates on the delivery of the vessel throughout the remainder of this year.

Our current focus remains on supporting local authorities to meet their statutory duties, including under Part 8 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and the associated statutory guidance.

Transitioning to zero emission HGVs plays an important role within the draft Climate Change Plan currently under consultation. The Scottish Government worked with the haulage, finance, energy, union and manufacturing sectors to co-design the HGV Decarbonisation - Pathway for Scotland, published in 2024. The Pathway emphasizes the importance of HGV charging being in place to support the efficient and effective movement of goods.

The Scottish Government has invested £284,000 in research with fleets and academics to identify where in Scotland en route energy infrastructure for HGVs will be required, in addition to depot energy. The first iteration looked at both charging and hydrogen fuelling. The second iteration of this research focused solely on charging and can be found at Towards Zero Emission HGV Infrastructure in Scotland: Phase 2 Report. The next iteration, also focused solely on charging, will be published in the summer and will cover around 10% of all Scottish truck miles.

This research has been shared with the electricity networks and the National Energy System Operator to support future electricity network investment planning. It has been warmly welcomed by haulage fleets, trade bodies, chargepoint operators and commercial investors. It has also been of interest to international partners learning from best practice.

Building on this evidence, the Scottish Government has made £2 million available in 2025-26 for consortia and SMEs to develop business cases for potential future investment into HGV decarbonisation covering both vehicles and charging infrastructure. Early indications are that fleets and financiers are engaging well in developing projects for potential delivery from late 2026. Further information can be found at Heavy Goods Vehicle Market Readiness Fund.

Any Scottish Government investment into heavy vehicle charging infrastructure will encourage the shared use of infrastructure across operators and sectors where possible, as was the case with the recent investment of £41.7m into zero emission bus fleets. In addition to the 252 zero emission buses and associated charging funded, around 17 bus depots will be open to HGVs wishing to charge from the end of 2026 under the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund’s second round of funding (ScotZEB2).

Since 2014 the Scottish Government has invested over £80m into public sector bodies to decarbonise their vehicle fleets. This has included funding the trialling and introduction of electric refuse collection vehicles and HGVs, including provision of charging facilities. We are now working with the public sector to develop a Public Sector Fleet Decarbonisation Action Plan.

Transport Scotland will soon be publishing a Net Zero Route Map which will include the decarbonisation targets for HGV fleets carrying out contracted work for Transport Scotland, including work to install charging points at depots