Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32136 on 18 December 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found athttps://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

SEPA’s 24-hour availability to the Scottish public remains fully in place, ensuring 24-7 coverage for critical support for Scotland’s communities and environment. Where appropriate, this includes direct access to a SEPA employee to ensure a timely and effective response.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32923 on 15 January 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 Scottish Government is absolutely committed to keeping our NHS true to its founding principles – publicly-owned, publicly-operated, and free at the point of need.

We have increased funding for oncology services to ensure cancer treatments and appropriate care are more equitably accessible.

We are also currently working in partnership with Macmillan to improve the service we offer patients with cancer through the Transforming Cancer Care Programme. The programme will ensure that every person with cancer in Scotland has access to a specialist key support worker, who can provide financial, emotional and other practical support to those who need it most.

Financial support for travel is also available for patients and authorised escorts, according to eligibility criteria and medical requirements. Boards are expected to support patients to identify and access support available, taking account of individual circumstances and ensuring that patient care is at the centre of all decisions.

This information is not held by Scottish Government as Universal Credit is a reserved benefit administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Please redirect your request to the DWP.

The Scottish Government and the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) meet regularly with all Health Boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to discuss the performance and delivery of all planned care specialities including urology.

We have developed our winter plan with input from the whole Health and Social Care system which brings together best practice and improvement work which we know works from lessons learned in previous winters, to ensure that the most appropriate care is received in the right place and at the right time.

An initial assessment of the Citizens’ Jury report demonstrates clear alignment with the Scottish Government’s cancer strategy and action plan published in June 2023. The four key priorities identified by the Specialist Cancer Charities Group regarding Diagnosis; Equal access to care; Mental health support; and Improving communication are directly referenced within the ambitions of our strategy.

A meeting is being arranged with the Specialist Cancer Charities Group to discuss their ambitions further.

This information is not held by Scottish Government as a number of benefits are reserved to the UK Government. Employment status is not part of the eligibility criteria for any Scottish Government benefits and as such we do not hold information about the number of benefit recipients who are unemployed.

This information is not held by Scottish Government as Income Support is a reserved benefit administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Please redirect your request to the DWP.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) are committed to ensuring the safety of firefighters. In the draft budget for 2025-26, the Scottish Government will provide SFRS with an additional £18.8 million, which includes £4 million extra Capital funding to enable SFRS to continue to improve facilities for firefighters.

The SFRS Contaminants Group continues to make progress in improving processes and procedures and in December 2024 SFRS announced investment of £3.2 million in additional sets of firefighting personal protective equipment so that clothing can be thoroughly cleaned more often. The Service is also making significant capital investment in the refurbishment of stations, which will help to reduce prolonged exposure to fire contaminants.

SFRS has an ongoing innovation project related to fire contaminants in progress, this as part of Scottish Government CivTech programme. CivTech is a Scottish Government innovation accelerator programme that brings public and private sector organisations together to identify and work on innovation projects. The project is working to identify ways to track fire fighter exposure to contaminants and improve health monitoring.