Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Genomic Laboratory Transformation Programme, initiated in 2022, is ongoing and has not yet been completed.

In March 2024 the NHS Scotland National Services Division (NSD) transformation team developed a two-year delivery plan to guide the next phase of transformation, running through to 2026.

The programme aims to deliver a more efficient, equitable and sustainable genomic laboratory service across Scotland. Key areas of focus include service delivery models, workforce planning, bioinformatic support, data and digital infrastructure and financial sustainability.

Ministers recognise the very challenging financial landscape across health and social care but remain committed to making progress regarding the removal of non-residential charging in partnership with others.

Ongoing engagement work has made clear there is variation in non-residential care charging across the country and some groups and people are more adversely impacted. We will continue to work with others on this issue to ensure people have greater clarity on what charges apply and where they can go for support.

The Scottish Government will take forward discussions with the UK Government on the matter of quota distribution following the recent agreement with the EU. Those discussions will include how sea fish quotas are apportioned. The majority of quota is currently apportioned by the UK Government on the basis of each Administration's share of Fixed Quota Allocation (FQA) units.

Disturbance by low frequency sound is typically described as hearing a low rumble, and it can be distressing, due to sleep disturbance and other symptoms. In some instances the low-frequency noise complaint can be traced to a sound source. If the source can be found then there is a chance the noise can be mitigated. However, in many cases no sound can be traced that could account for the disturbance.

The relevant local authority has responsibilities to consider the granting of any planning permission and enforcement action related to low-frequency noise, supported by the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). The environmental health department of that authority consider and act if there was determined to be a breach of the relevant legislation, such as noise and statutory nuisance legislation.

The Scottish Government received an Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), Draft Programme Business Case (PBC) from the Home Office in May 2024. This indicated that the Emergency Services Network (ESN) would be delivered by 2029-30.

Since then the Home Office has completed a major re-procurement exercise, which has resulted in the appointment of new commercial suppliers to deliver the Programme. The Home Office is currently updating the 2024 PBC and associated documentation, to reflect the impact of the new suppliers. This information is expected to be shared with partner organisations, including Scottish Government, in the coming weeks.

While the re-procurement exercise has introduced delays into the Programme, this has not had any operational impacts on the emergency services in Scotland, who continue to use the Airwave network for critical communications.

The Scottish Government acknowledges that the increase in children, young people and adults seeking neurodevelopmental support and assessment across Scotland is creating challenges for services.

Scottish Government officials are engaging with Health Boards across Scotland to understand the challenges that they are facing in providing assessment and support services for neurodivergent adults, and to discuss potential solutions.

We fund the National Autism Implementation Team to support NHS Boards to develop, enhance and redesign local neurodevelopmental services for adults.

While the Scottish Government has overall policy responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, decisions on how to deliver services to best meet the needs of the local population are the responsibility of NHS Boards and their partners.

The 2025-26 Budget which has been approved by Parliament will provide a record £21.7 billion for Health & Social Care next year. This includes £16.2 billion for health boards - a 3% cash uplift and real terms increase on their baseline funding. It will also deliver record funding of over £15 billion for Local Authorities, a further 4.7 per cent real terms increase.

We have allocated £123.5 million to Health Boards this year on a recurring basis through the Enhanced Mental Health Outcomes Framework which plays a part in improving the quality and delivery of mental health and psychological services, including neurodevelopmental services for children, young people and adults.

The Scottish Genomic Test Directory for Cancer is reviewed annually. The next update is expected to be in September 2025.

As part of the transformation programme, the entirety of the cancer test directory has been mapped to the SNOMED Clinical Terms disease ontology as part of a wider programme of data standardisation across the laboratory service.

Officer wellbeing and retention are operational matters for Police Scotland. I refer the member to my response to S6W-35420 on 17 March.

The Chief Constable has stated to the Criminal Justice Committee that the wellbeing of police officers and staff is one of her main priorities. Police Scotland has made a £17 million investment in wellbeing, which includes a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and enhanced occupational health services, to support officers and staff wellbeing.

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

Operational matters and internal policies are the responsibility of the Chief Constable, who is committed to ensuring all staff voices are heard. The Scottish Government expects Police Scotland to support a diverse and inclusive workplace where all staff networks are treated with respect. Police Scotland continues to engage with staff associations and networks to consider the impact of the recent Supreme Court ruling on its internal policies.

The recruitment and deployment of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable.

Police Scotland’s three-year Business Plan 2024-2027 sets out the Chief Constable’s vision of a thriving workforce which goes beyond an overall officer headcount and that of a police workforce which includes police staff.

The Chief Constable aims to make maximum impact with a workforce that has the right skills and capacity to keep people safe. Through the Chief Constable’s workforce modernisation plan, Police Scotland are developing an operating model that will create capacity to deal with new and increasing threats by moving more officers to frontline roles, to strengthen community confidence.