Seòmar agus comataidhean

My visit to COP30 will include engagement with Regions4 and Under2. This will deliver on our Programme for Government commitment to lead on climate action internationally, using our leadership roles in Regions4 and Under2 to bring devolved governments together to agree ambitious actions.

Scotland’s Clinical Management Pathway for breast cancer currently recommends that people diagnosed with breast cancer be referred for further gene testing (which includes BRCA1 and BRCA2) if they meet criteria designed to identify those at the highest risk.

The criteria are currently based on a clinical risk assessment which considers family history, the age of cancer diagnosis and whether patients have been affected by other types of cancer. We will be guided by clinical expertise on whether these criteria should be extended.

The benefits of offering universal testing, however, would need to be carefully assessed against not only the costs of testing but capacity across our NHS system to best support patients.

In the meantime, we remain committed to working with stakeholders across the NHS to raise awareness of the testing available and improve the coordination of care across Scotland.

I thank the Member for their question. The SPCB will consider this suggestion in due course.

As set out in answer S6W-41307 on 13 October 2025, improving access to primary care is a key priority for this Government. We recognise the vital role that GPs, community nurses, pharmacists, dentists and other members of the primary care team play as the foundation of healthcare in our communities.

We are committed to strengthening the whole primary care system, building on our ongoing commitment through the Service Renewal Framework to shift more care into community settings and make services more accessible for patients.

As part of this, we will develop options for new and innovative ways to improve access to primary care, including local walk-in models which will provide more flexibility for patients. It is our intention to develop proposals for a model would see these services open Monday-Sunday. We will develop these proposals first as a pilot model which will complement current core general practice and provide a range of same-day assessment and small-scale diagnostics. To do this we will work in collaboration with NHS Boards and primary care delivery partners to ensure they strengthen, rather than duplicate, existing primary care services.

The Scottish Government will set out further details as these plans develop.

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 set out in answer S6W-41307 on 13 October 2025, improving access to primary care is a key priority for this Government. We recognise the vital role that GPs, community nurses, pharmacists, dentists and other members of the primary care team play as the foundation of healthcare in our communities.

We are committed to strengthening the whole primary care system, building on our ongoing commitment through the Service Renewal Framework to shift more care into community settings and make services more accessible for patients.

As part of this, we will develop options for new and innovative ways to improve access to primary care, including local walk-in models which will provide more flexibility for patients. It is our intention to develop proposals for a model would see these services open Monday-Sunday. We will develop these proposals first as a pilot model which will complement current core general practice and provide a range of same-day assessment and small-scale diagnostics. To do this we will work in collaboration with NHS Boards and primary care delivery partners to ensure they strengthen, rather than duplicate, existing primary care services.

The Scottish Government will set out further details as these plans develop.

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 Scottish Government continues to encourage innovative solutions to support equitable access to electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across Scotland.

Cross-pavement charging solutions represent a practical approach to EV users who do not have access to off-street parking to access home charging, enabling them to access cheaper tariffs. We recognise the potential of this initiative to support our broader ambitions for a just transition to net zero and to reduce barriers to EV adoption.

That is why in August this year in East Lothian I officially launched the Scottish Government launched the Cross-Pavement Charging Grant, which offers up to £3,500 to support the installation of cross-pavement charging solutions. So far, three Local Authorities – East Lothian, Perth and Kinross, and Renfrewshire – are participating in this pilot.

We would welcome more local authorities participating. My officials and Energy Saving Trust (EST) are currently in discussion with a number of local authorities about taking part in the scheme.

To further encourage uptake of cross-pavement charging, the Scottish Government is actively engaging with local authorities through the SCOTS (Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland) network. This engagement includes the sharing of technical guidance, case studies from pilot areas, and support to assess local feasibility.

In addition, the Scottish Government is working to ensure that any deployment of cross-pavement charging solutions do not compromise pedestrian safety or the integrity of public footpaths.

We remain committed to supporting local authorities in identifying consistent and safe approaches to cross-pavement charging solutions, and we will continue to work collaboratively to ensure that innovative solutions such as EV cable channels can be deployed effectively and equitably across Scotland.

New Entrants to Crofting:

As set out in answer S6W-41307 on 13 October 2025, improving access to primary care is a key priority for this Government. We recognise the vital role that GPs, community nurses, pharmacists, dentists and other members of the primary care team play as the foundation of healthcare in our communities.

We are committed to strengthening the whole primary care system, building on our ongoing commitment through the Service Renewal Framework to shift more care into community settings and make services more accessible for patients.

As part of this, we will develop options for new and innovative ways to improve access to primary care, including local walk-in models which will provide more flexibility for patients. It is our intention to develop proposals for a model would see these services open Monday-Sunday. We will develop these proposals first as a pilot model which will complement current core general practice and provide a range of same-day assessment and small-scale diagnostics. To do this we will work in collaboration with NHS Boards and primary care delivery partners to ensure they strengthen, rather than duplicate, existing primary care services.

The Scottish Government will set out further details as these plans develop.

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.

Vacant Crofts:

The Scottish Government recognises the contribution colleges make to widening access, and the important role they provide in delivering higher education.

We are working with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), colleges, and universities to improve articulation agreements, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This includes expanding opportunities for direct entry into degree programmes with advanced standing.

We are promoting stronger partnerships between colleges and universities to ensure smoother transitions for learners, including joint curriculum planning and shared support services.

Articulation from college to university is a key route into degree level study for many learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. With so many more young people from deprived areas successfully securing places directly to university, this inevitably reduces articulation figures and also allows those young people to enter the job market sooner. School-leaver destinations stats published in June 2025 showing the proportion of leavers in positive follow-up destinations 9 months after leaving school, show that 24.6% of school leavers from the most deprived areas in Scotland are in Higher Education, an increase from 24.0% the previous year.

However, the data shows there is still a need for articulation, with over a third (33.5%) of new entrants at university from deprived areas in 2022-23 progressing from Higher Education courses at college.

We continue to invest in guidance and support services to help students from deprived backgrounds navigate their options and make informed decisions about progressing to university.