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This is an operational matter for ScotRail Trains Ltd. The member may wish to contact ScotRail Trains Ltd directly to obtain the information related to complaints received by it.

The Scottish Government has worked closely with partners to assess the opportunity for Scotland to participate in the UK bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2035. Having considered the opportunity, the Scottish Government has decided to support the bid.

All four nations of the UK have committed to the bid, alongside the respective Football Associations and prospective host cities and stadia. Two Scottish cities – Edinburgh and Glasgow – will be put forward to FIFA for consideration. The bid was submitted to FIFA on 28 November 2025. FIFA is expected to announce its decision in April 2026.

Scotland’s reputation as a host of major events is strong. With Scotland co-hosting the men’s UEFA EURO 2028 event, it is right that we are equally as ambitious at exploring opportunities for women’s sport. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the largest single sport women’s event in the world. It is a growing event with the 2023 tournament generating one billion television viewers and selling 1.9 million tickets. Supporting this unique opportunity will promote the visibility and participation of women and girls in sport and support delivery of Scotland’s National Event Strategy.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of staff currently employed in local authority planning services, nor in other sectors.

Research commissioned by Skills Development Scotland, published in 2021, estimated that there were approximately 1600 people employed in the planning profession in Scotland and that over the next 10-15 years the planning sector would have demand for an additional 700 entrants into the sector.

More recently, the National Planning Improvement Champion has undertaken a workforce and capacity study and published the findings at: National Planning Improvement Workforce and Capacity Report Scotland. The RTPI has also published its report scotland-sotp-final.pdf. We are currently considering the findings of these reports.

The Scottish Government recognises the financial and capacity pressures on the planning system and is continuing to take forward a package of changes to provide authorities with additional resources. Planning fees were increased in line with inflation in December 2024, June 2025 and a further increase is scheduled for April 2026.

In addition, Scotland’s National Planning Hub continues to provide additional funding and targeted practical support to help authorities respond to pressing challenges, enabling them to accelerate key activities this financial year.

We are also supporting an increase in planners coming into the profession, having recruited 17 Student Planners on our Future Planners Programme, working across the Scottish Government for 23 months whilst undertaking a funded planning postgraduate degree, and we trebled the number of bursaries in 2025-26 to help 30 planning students with course fees and living expenses.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. The arrangements set out in the question are operational matters for Health Boards and the information sought would require to be requested from the Boards.

The figures are provided in the following tables.

Custodial

How many times a person has appeared in court on a charge of sexual crimes, and received a custodial sentence

The Scottish Government does not routinely monitor the progress of planning applications through the system.

However, we have worked closely with the housebuilding industry and planning authorities to remove barriers on stalled housing sites across Scotland. This has included addressing infrastructure issues, for example flooding and drainage, education, and transport, covering road and rail. We have taken actions that benefit multiple sites, for example sharing advice and best practice, and undertaken brokerage on specific sites.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The 2021 Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out the role of solar thermal technology, which can help to supplement the supply of hot water.

Our Heat in Buildings Programme offers a wide variety of schemes that provide funding to reduce heat demand and decarbonise heat in our homes and buildings. This includes loan support for the installation of solar thermal systems through the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme. There are no planned changes regarding the funding for solar thermal systems.

As stated in the answer to question S6W-41965 on 27 November 2025, the Scottish Government intends to adopt the Home Energy Model (HEM) methodology as the basis for calculating the ratings on a domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The reformed domestic EPC will contain a new Heating System Rating. We expect solar thermal systems will largely operate as part of a hybrid system with other technologies. This will be reflected in the rating awarded. Our intended Heating System Rating bandings were published in the updated response: 1. Overview - Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2025 - EPC reform consultations: SG response - update - gov.scot to the 2023 Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reform consultation and 2025 technical consultation.

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.

As in the Chief Planner letter dated 27 August 2020, the Scottish Government considers that a battery storage installation generates electricity and is therefore to be treated as a generating station for the purposes of deciding whether Section 36 consent is required. This position has not changed. The letter can be accessed at: Battery storage consents: Chief Planner letter August 2020 - gov.scot.

The Scottish Government is currently assessing the potential to expand the use of Fibroscans across NHS Scotland through its Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) which is finalising a Strategic Case paper (rapid assessment) on Intelligent Liver Testing to present to the Innovation Design Authority (IDA) in December.

Intelligent Liver Testing involves Intelligent Liver Function Test (iLFT) and Enhanced Liver Fibrosis testing (ELF) to support the earlier detection of liver disease.