Seòmar agus comataidhean

As I have said in my response to Parliamentary Question S6W-42512 on 12 January 2026, broadcasting is a reserved issue, and the switch-off of television transmitters - leading to internet-only access to television services - is a matter for the UK Government. We are clear on the importance of people in Scotland being able to continue to access the high-quality broadcast TV and radio services they rely on and enjoy, and we urge the UK Government to engage with all relevant parties to ensure that remains the case into the future, and to be particularly cognisant of inequitable impacts on vulnerable people, including those in rural communities and from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

To support connectivity and digital access, the Scottish Government has invested over £600 million in our Reaching 100% (R100) programme to deliver future-proofed broadband infrastructure, particularly in many of Scotland’s most hard-to-reach communities. Through our Connecting Scotland programme, we have also provided over 61,000 devices and, since 2023, delivered more than £389,000 in grant funding for local digital inclusion projects. In October 2025, we introduced two new funds worth £1.4 million to further support digital inclusion work. We also continue to work with partners to raise awareness of affordable connectivity options.

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.

Following a positive recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee, from the 12 January 2026, all newborn babies in Scotland will be eligible for testing for Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type 1 (HT1) through the existing bloodspot test. Introducing newborn screening for HT1 will enable earlier diagnosis and treatment for babies born with this life-threatening condition. This will significantly reduce the number of babies who develop severe liver disease as a result of this condition. It may also lower the likelihood that those diagnosed with HT1 will require a liver transplant later in life.

My sympathies go to anyone bereaved after a loved one endured a long A&E wait. The Scottish Government recognises the link between prolonged waits and increased risk of harm. We monitor A&E performance through weekly data and operational reviews, analysing factors such as bed occupancy, delayed discharge, workforce pressures and seasonal demand. This informs actions to reduce delays and improve patient flow.

We acknowledge the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s modelling, which estimates excess deaths associated with long waits. While based on modelling rather than case reviews, it highlights the need to address underlying causes. Our analysis shows high bed occupancy and delayed discharge are key drivers, compounded by winter pressures. To tackle these, we have invested £220 million in 2025-26 to improve hospital flow, reduce waiting times and expand community care, including frailty services and Hospital at Home. I will meet RCEM later this month to discuss ongoing improvements.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS Boards and healthcare professionals to follow relevant clinical guidelines when assessing children and to refer them for testing where clinically necessary.

Decisions on testing are a matter for clinicians, guided by national clinical standards, and it would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to mandate this. In May 2023, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence updated its diabetes guideline (NG18), which recommends that any child displaying symptoms such as excessive urination, thirst or tiredness should be referred immediately to paediatric diabetes services for diagnosis and care. This process includes appropriate testing to confirm diagnosis.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS Boards and healthcare professionals to follow relevant clinical guidelines when assessing children and to refer them for testing where clinically necessary.

We encourage parents and carers to contact their GP urgently if their child is displaying symptoms.

We remain committed to improving early diagnosis and awareness among healthcare professionals and will continue to monitor emerging evidence to inform future policy decisions.

The Scottish Government is taking steps to improve early detection of type 1 diabetes in children through research, awareness initiatives, and clinical guidance.

Scotland contributed to the UK’s largest screening trial for children with type 1 diabetes, the ELSA study, which screened 20,000 children aged 3 to 13 for early markers of the condition. The findings will help inform future policy decisions.

Our Diabetes Improvement Plan sets out priorities for early diagnosis and prevention and is overseen by the Scottish Diabetes Group, which brings together clinical leaders and stakeholders to drive improvements in care.

A key commitment within the Plan is raising awareness of type 1 diabetes in primary care to ensure clinicians can recognise early signs and symptoms and act quickly.

The Scottish Diabetes Group works closely with the Diabetes Managed Clinical Network-Managers and Leads group to ensure frontline perspectives inform policy and practice. National clinical guidelines are regularly discussed at Scottish Diabetes Group meetings to reinforce best practice.

At its next meeting in March, the Scottish Diabetes Group will consider a suggestion brought forward by the Scottish Government, to promote awareness of the 4Ts (Toilet, Thirsty, Tired, Thinner) which are key symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children. We remain committed to improving early diagnosis and will continue to monitor emerging evidence to inform future policy decisions on diabetes care for children and young people.

The Scottish Government has not engaged directly with families or clinicians calling for the introduction of routine point-of-care testing for diabetes symptoms. However, we regularly engage with Diabetes Scotland and other third-sector organisations, and clinicians, through forums such as the Scottish Diabetes Group, which provide opportunities for clinical leaders and patient representatives to inform policy development.

We also engage with people with lived experience of diabetes through events such as World Diabetes Day and other awareness activities, ensuring their perspectives help shape our approach to improving care and early diagnosis.

Through these channels, we ensure that views from healthcare professionals, organisations supporting families and those directly affected by diabetes are considered in shaping policy.

Following publication of the Learning: For All. For Life. report in July 2024, the Scottish Government and COSLA accepted recommendation 1.1 of the report to set up a joint CLD Strategic Leadership Group (SLG) in December 2024. The SLG has made good progress since its inception and has identified taking action on ESOL as an immediate priority.

There are several pieces of work currently being undertaken which will feed into the work of the SLG and will inform the next steps on ESOL. This includes:

• a survey undertaken by COSLA in relation to the provision of ESOL for New Scots across local authorities;
• work being taken forward to address the issue of ESOL access and coordination for New Scots in line with the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy: Delivery Plan 2024-2026 commitment. This involves engagement with key stakeholders and partners to identify potential solutions for effective ESOL delivery across Scotland. This work is expected to be shared with the SLG in the first half of 2026;
• a thematic inspection of ESOL led by HM Inspectorate of Education and focussed on the experience of learners in accessing provision within communities and colleges as well as how providers respond to demand. A final report will be published in early 2026.

The SLG are also in the process of establishing a working-level Strategic Delivery Group which will take forward tangible actions linked to the priorities identified by the SLG, including on ESOL.

Noting the need for immediate action, and in direct response to recommendation 3.2, since 2024-25, over £1.2M in funding has been made available for a short-term intervention in Glasgow where evidence of high demand for ESOL is documented. In the 2024-25 academic year this enabled over 1000 learners in Glasgow to access English language classes. The aim of the funding in the 2025-26 academic year is to enable 800 learners to access or progress in their learning.

In 2025-26, a further £200,000 has been awarded to ESOL Scotland for a nationwide online ESOL pilot for up to 1,800 learners responding to the demand identified by the review report.

As set out under the Scottish Ministerial Code, the First Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a Minister. The First Minister's Independent Advisers on the Scottish Ministerial Code have considered this matter fully and their report is now available at: Ministerial code investigation: complaint about Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs - gov.scot.

The First Minister has accepted the conclusions and recommendations of the report in full. A letter from the First Minister to the Justice Secretary can be found at: Ministerial Code investigation: First Minister letter to Justice Secretary - gov.scot.

The Scottish Government does not hold centrally data on how many cases of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children have resulted specifically from delayed diagnosis in each of the last five years.

While information on diabetes diagnoses and hospital admissions for DKA is recorded nationally, through SCI-Diabetes, these datasets do not capture whether an episode of DKA was attributable to delayed diagnosis. Assessment of the clinical circumstances leading to DKA sits with local NHS Boards and care teams.

Reducing the number of children presenting in diabetic ketoacidosis remains a priority. Evidence shows that improved awareness, timely referral, and better glucose control can reduce the likelihood and severity of DKA.

Closed Loop Systems support more stable blood glucose control and provide early alerts that can help prevent deterioration and emergency admissions. Local experience in Scotland demonstrates sustained improvements in glycaemic control among children using these systems, reducing future risk of acute complications.

The Scottish Diabetes Survey 2024 highlights continued improvement in monitoring and technology uptake among children and young people, reinforcing the importance of prevention and early intervention across the pathway rather than retrospective attribution of individual cases.

Alongside technological advances, the Scottish Government continues to support early detection and prompt referral through national clinical guidance, professional education and the Diabetes Improvement Plan, overseen by the Scottish Diabetes Group. This approach is intended to reduce avoidable harm, including diabetic ketoacidosis, in children and young people with type 1 diabetes.

While Transport Scotland provides funding to support the development of active travel infrastructure, decisions on specific interventions, such as work to improve routes to schools, are made by local authorities in line with their statutory duties under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. This includes assessing local needs, engaging with communities, and determining the most appropriate solutions for their area.

Local authorities can apply through our Active Travel Infrastructure Fund for active travel infrastructure schemes, including those for schools and these have in the past helped in some cases to deliver safer routes to schools and applications are currently open for 2026-27.