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Fully funded undergraduate programmes have increased in size for 10 consecutive years. Now we will ensure stability in our universities and aid workforce planning by maintaining our intake target for nursing places for 3 years at this all-time high figure of 4536.

We know that there were fewer applications into nursing at the January 2023 UCAS update, however we continue to expect applications to rise over the summer period. Student Awards Agency Scotland and our Higher Education Institutions continue to work hard to promote programmes by visiting schools, attending careers fairs and promoting the range of opportunities via social media channels.

We know that not everyone will begin their career by participating in an undergraduate programme and undergraduate programmes are not the sole solution to filling vacancies. That is why we are already considering alternative progressive career pathways that can attract new candidates and encourage existing staff to join supported education programmes that enable them to reach registration with the relevant professional bodies.

In collaboration with NHS Education Scotland, Higher Education Institutions, practice partners and other key stakeholders we are actively exploring models to increase the pathways into these careers via potential apprenticeships and ‘earn as you learn’ routes. We are also encouraging individuals to return to the NHS following career breaks via our refreshed commissioned Return to Practice programme which commenced in 2020. Since 2020 a total of 152 practitioners - 140 nurses & 12 midwives - have successfully registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This year, 82 have commenced the programme (75 nurses and 7 midwives) with 32 so far completing. These routes will be discussed in more detail at the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce which next meets in June 2023.

The Scottish Government has taken into account the findings of the gateway review commenced in March 2023 and has taken action to address the issues raised. A letter and plan of action which outline how the Scottish Government has addressed or plans to address the recommendations will be sent to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee imminently.

The Scottish Government has no role in setting the levels or assessing the impact on individuals of registration fees for the regulated health professions. These functions are within the statutory authority of the Councils of the independent UK regulators, including the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). In common with the other regulatory bodies, the HCPC’s establishing legislation requires it to publicly consult as part of the process for assessing the level of fees which will enable it to carry out its statutory public protection duty.

The Scottish Government recognises the unwelcome additional burden that higher fees will place on registrants, especially during the current financial climate. However, we acknowledge that the HCPC - as a registrant-funded independent regulator – is facing the same cost pressures as other organisations.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has delivered Skills for Growth to the following number of employers:

Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with representatives of all professional partners, including Royal College of Occupational Therapists, to discuss matters of importance to the professions of which they represent.

In June 2022 the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousef published a timetable for the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 on both the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website and Care Inspectorate website .

This timetable is still valid although it is noted the guidance consultation period is now due to start in June 2023, rather than May 2023.

If there is a particular element of implementation you would like further information on, please do not hesitate to contact the Act Implementation Team using HCSA@gov.scot .

I have agreed with the Scottish Law Commission its Eleventh Programme of Law Reform, which covers the work to be undertaken by the Commission for the five year period from 2023 until the end of 2027. The Programme was presented to Parliament today and is also being published today. The Programme is also available online from the Scottish Law Commission website.

The projects which will be undertaken under the Eleventh Programme have been selected following consultation by the Commission. The Programme includes existing projects which began under the Tenth Programme, including work on homicide, damages for personal injury, heritable securities, aspects of family law, and aspects of leases. The Commission is undertaking work on tenement law: compulsory owners’ associations which was a reference from the Scottish Ministers. A joint project with the Law Commission for England and Wales on surrogacy also continues. In addition, the Commission expects to undertake new projects on execution of documents, limitation, executry law, and consolidation work on nature conservation legislation.

I welcome this Programme, which represents a varied and relevant set of proposals, and look forward to receiving reports from the Commission in due course. We continue to work with the Commission over ways of taking forward the proposals in these reports, and note the introduction of a number of bills taking forward proposals from the Commission.

The Scottish Law Commission has a general remit to keep the law of Scotland under review for the purpose of promoting reform and development of the law. In addition to the Programme of Law Reform agreed with Ministers, the Commission also receives from Ministers references on specific issues and provides other advice on specific areas of the law.

The Scottish Government has today published its Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland which can be accessed on the Scottish Government website at http://www.gov.scot/ISBN/9781805255802 .The Violence Prevention Framework is one of the actions to help deliver the aims of the Vision for Justice in Scotland, published in 2022.

Supported by evidence on the context and drivers of violence, and interventions to prevent and reduce violence, the Framework includes priority aims and actions we will collectively take forward with partner organisations. The Framework aims to reduce the number of victims of violence and to target support and interventions for those most at risk of violence to stop the repeated cycle of harm to individuals, families and communities.

We are pleased to announce today the launch of our New Dementia Strategy for Scotland , in partnership with COSLA.

It sets a 10-year vision for dementia policy, directly informed by the voices of lived experience and wider partners.

The strategy identifies a number of areas where we will focus our attention to improve the lives of people living with dementia, their families and care partners, with a focus on the role of our communities.

It also follows an 8-month engagement process, including a National Conversation with individuals and organisations from across Scotland, and an independent evidence review focussed on health inequalities, and what is making a difference in practice here and internationally.

Building on our strong record of working closely with the voices of lived experience, our National Dementia Lived Experience Panel played a direct governance role in the Strategy’s development. This has ensured their voices are central to the formation of this vision, and that this Strategy’s aspirations reflect their own.

We are clear that the strategy is only the first part, and that we change experiences through delivery. Our first 2-year delivery plan will be agreed with people with lived experience and wider partners by December 2023.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17467 on 17 May 2023. 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 .