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Officials within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have prepared detailed policy and process documents to assist staff across the service, including those involved in custody hearings and early case processing, dealing with body-worn video footage. These documents are being supported by extensive training which highlights:

• The need to take a trauma informed approach to the use of body-worn video
• The evidential value of body-worn video
• The sensitive nature of body-worn video and its implications for disclosure and redaction.
• The need for prompt disclosure and early engagement with the accused and their legal representative.

Scottish Government monitor the performance of NHS 24 and regularly engage with the service to discuss any performance related issues. We are satisfied that the Service continue to meet their statutory and clinical obligations and are committed to continuing to support them to enhance the service they provide to patients.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on where mental health patients specifically are awaiting discharge to, or the reason for delay.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes an annual report and summary of occupied bed days and census figures. The report includes the total number of bed days occupied by people delayed in their discharge from hospital and the average number of delayed discharges across monthly census points. PHS published the latest release in December 2024 covering the financial year 2023-24 (available by visiting Delayed discharges in NHS Scotland annual summary of occupied bed days and census figures). The next publication is expected in June 2025.

Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) are examples of post-acute infection syndromes. Work is ongoing to determine how the additional £4.5 million announced in the 2025-26 budget to deliver new specialist support will be allocated to NHS boards. It is expected that NHS boards will develop support based on their understanding of local population need and synergies with existing local service provision.

The Scottish Government is aware of the limitations of BMI as an indicator of obesity and its links to health outcomes and of NICE updated guidance (January 2025) section 1.9 Identifying and assessing overweight, obesity and central adiposity | Overweight and obesity management | Guidance | NICE

Whilst BMI still remains a useful population level indicator, discussions are in progress to include waist circumference to height ratio data in the future Scottish Health Survey Reports.

In relation to access to NHS IVF treatment, I refer you to the answers to written parliamentary question numbers S6W-37455 and S6W-37456 on 27 May 2025.

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

The introduction of body-worn video footage by the Police Service of Scotland is a significant development and has the potential to bring enormous benefits to the criminal justice system and beyond.

Body-worn video provided promptly can enable prosecutors to take informed initial marking decisions by providing them with not only evidence of offending, but an insight into the nature of the offending behaviour, and its impact on individuals involved.

Considerable work is being undertaken within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to measure and monitor impact the impact of submission of BWV footage on both operational processes and prosecution decisions.

This monitoring will inform resource allocation within the service and any future funding requirements.

Whilst evidence shows that people feel more able to talk openly about their mental health, we know there is more work to do in tackling stigma and discrimination in relation to complex, severe, and enduring mental illness and we all have a role to play.

This work remains a key priority for the Scottish Government, which is why our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy sets out a vision for a Scotland, free from stigma, discrimination and inequality. This is also reflected across our strategy Delivery Plan, Suicide Prevention Strategy, Self-Harm Strategy and Mental Health Workforce Action Plan.

Key actions include:

• Providing £5 million funding over 5 years since 2021 to See Me as our key delivery partner on tackling mental health stigma and discrimination to work with a range of other partners to drive forward anti-stigma and discrimination action.
• Investing £66 million since 2021 in our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults, which includes a focus on supporting those with mental illness. We are also working with the National Rural Mental Health Forum and SAMH’s The Changing Room: Extra Time programme to reduce stigma and discrimination, including in disadvantaged areas.
• Working nationally to raise awareness and reduce mental health stigma through our Mind to Mind, Parent Club Young Scot and Aye Feel campaigns and resources for adults and young people.
• Working in partnership with Public Health Scotland and See Me to support employers to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination in the workplace and to promote mentally healthy workplaces.

Access Criteria for NHS IVF treatment in Scotland is set at a national level within the National Fertility Group. The group brings together experts in the field and makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers. Whilst the group has been modelling future access for single people, it has no current plans to review access criteria. A copy of NHS IVF Treatment access criteria can be found here Access-Criteria-NHS-IVF-Treatment-Scotland.

Body-worn video footage can be an essential part of a prosecution: providing a rich source of real evidence including exculpatory evidence. Provided promptly, such footage can:

• enable prosecutors to make an informed marking decision
• facilitate the early resolution of a case
• support an effective prosecution

Considerable work being undertaken within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to measure and monitor impact the impact of submission of BWV footage on both operational processes and prosecution decisions.

Officials from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are working closely with colleagues from the Police Service of Scotland to ensure that the body-worn video footage submitted to prosecutors supports and does not detract from these aims.

Long waits for neurodevelopmental support are unacceptable. Health boards and children’s services partners are responsible for working together to ensure that children and families receive support and access to services that meet their needs at the earliest opportunity. To support this, we have provided almost £250,000 in 2024-25 to fund a range of individual projects to improve neurodevelopmental assessment and support for children and young people. This includes nearly £54,000 for services in the Lothian area.

We have also directly allocated £123.5 million to NHS Boards and IJBs for the Enhanced Mental Health Outcomes Framework. The Framework provides a single, flexible funding stream to support continued improvements and better outcomes across a range of mental health and psychological services in line with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy including neurodevelopmental services for both adults and children.

We are also continuing to work with Health Boards and local authorities to improve our understanding current levels of need and the level of support children and young people currently receive, and how this could be used to support improvements for children and families.

For adults, we have commissioned the National Autism Implementation Team to support NHS Boards to develop, enhance and redesign adult neurodevelopmental services. Our £1 million Autism Support Fund for Adults funds organisations that support people with ADHD, especially where this co-occurs with autism.