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Today, the Culture Fair Work Task Force published its independent recommendations report. The report can be found here: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806435074.

NHS 24 current staffing levels are at their highest to date, enabling the strongest level of treatment capacity on record. So far this year, NHS 24 has successfully recruited 71 Call Handlers and 51 Clinical Supervisors.

Required workforce is based on detailed call forecasting and demand modelling, using historical winter data and current trends to predict patient demand, call durations, and staffing requirements. These inputs feed into an algorithm to calculate staffing levels required to meet service standards.

Geographical placement is not a primary consideration, as NHS 24’s national telephony system routes calls in real time to available staff across Scotland.

The Scottish Government is aware of how critical equipment is to allow individuals to participate fully in daily life and to support the person being cared for to live safely within their home environment. Anyone requiring equipment should experience a seamless journey through the pathway of care, which ensures they receive the right intervention at the right time.

That is why the Scottish Government engaged robustly with Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCP) to establish the impact of the collapse of NRS Healthcare Limited. This engagement concluded that there was little to no immediate impact on services providing community equipment. Where required, HSCPs have taken appropriate steps to mitigate any immediate disruption to services. This includes; purchasing stock in bulk, purchasing from other suppliers, and utilising off-contract purchases. HSCPs have also confirmed that they have been taking the necessary steps to mitigate any disruption to the supply chain in the medium to longer term.

The National Equipment and Adaptions Network is available for HSCPs to collectively discuss local impact and mitigating actions. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor this matter.

A broadened role for firefighters has the potential to deliver economic benefits in terms of reduced hospital visits from a broader preventative home safety visit and to deliver better health outcomes through co-responding to emergency medical incidents with the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Provisions for changing the basis for uprating mobile home pitch fees, from the Retail Prices Index to the Consumer Prices Index, were included at section 61 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 (the Act), which received Royal Assent on 6 November 2025. We are now working on the secondary legislation required to commence provisions within the Act and will provide updates on the Scottish Government website (https://consult.gov.scot/local-government-and-communities/change-to-basis-of-pitch-uprating-consultation/) as we progress to implement the mobile home pitch fee provisions.

Expanding the role of firefighters so that they can do more to keep communities safe is a priority in the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland. The Scottish Government has been in close contact with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service over these proposals, which are included in discussions as part of the process of setting the annual budget for SFRS.

The substantial additional cost in terms of a significant uplift on salary for all firefighters in Scotland has been unaffordable over the last 2 financial years due to the difficult decisions needed on the allocation of resources within the Justice portfolio budget.

The Scottish Government has carried out analysis of the potential costs and economic benefits of a potential role expansion for firefighters. Analysis of the potentially expanded role for firefighters could deliver net economic benefits but these would be unlikely to deliver cashable savings in the delivery of public services.

The Scottish Government remains committed to developing the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill and will publish draft provisions as the next step.

The Scottish Government has not monitored container traffic on the River Clyde over the last year.

Peel Ports and The King’s Harbour Master are responsible for monitoring and managing marine traffic on the River Clyde.