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216 people were discharged to an interim care home bed placement through the 2023 interim care beds funding. The scheme was open between 10 January and 31 March 2023. The average cost per placement was £1108.22. This varied by placement in practice dependant on length of stay.

The Scottish Government publishes local authority analysis using a three-year pooled data set to ensure sufficient sample sizes. As set out in the Scottish House Condition Survey 2023 Key Findings Report (available at Scottish House Condition Survey: 2023 Key Findings - gov.scot) the lack of SHCS data for 2020 and the enforced changes for 2021 cause issues with the production of this analysis for two reasons.

Firstly, due to the Covid-19 pandemic the SHCS survey was suspended and there is no data for 2020. Secondly, the data from the 2021 external+ SHCS is not directly comparable with that for earlier years, due to methodological differences, and therefore it would not be appropriate to combine it with the data for 2019 (or earlier) to produce a multi-year analysis.

As we require three years of data to produce local authority analysis, we won’t be able to return to the usual approach for producing local authority estimates from the SHCS until the 2024 wave of the SHCS has been published in early 2026. We will then be able to produce local authority estimates from the SHCS based on a three-year average for 2022 to 2024.

NatureScot have met with the Scottish Raptor Study Group on multiple occasions to discuss concerns around proposed changes to Schedule 1 bird monitoring licences.

They are due to meet again with the Scottish Raptor Study Group and other relevant stakeholders on 14 March 2025.

I can confirm that where it is not reasonably practicable for licence holders to notify the landowner(s) or land manager(s) in advance of planned activity, the licence holder must notify NatureScot and include the reason for not being able to notify the landowner or land manager directly.

The Aerospace, Defence, Marine & Security Industry Leadership Group (ADMS ILG) was a partnership of key public and private sector players and last met in 2018.

Two bodies have since succeeded that entity; the Aerospace and Defence Industry Leadership Group (ADILG) has its origins in the ministerial-chaired Aerospace Response Group (ARG) that was established during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following agreement by members at an ARG meeting on 15 March 2021, the ARG transitioned from a government-convened body into the new, industry-led body which absorbed the remaining work of the ARG. Secretariat is provided by ADS Scotland and it continues to meet regularly with public sector partners attending at the invitation of the group.

The Scottish Space Leadership Council, meanwhile, had its origins as an ADMS ILG working group, but opted to move away from the ADMS ILG and has evolved to become an independent organisation - Space Scotland - that serves the Scottish Space eco-system and meets on a quarterly basis.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a key area, where technical opportunities need to be balanced with public interests. To this end the Scottish AI Alliance, a partnership between the Scottish Government and the Data Lab, have launched a series of People’s Panel events. These events are intended to capture public thoughts on how and where they would like to see AI used, and what they expect from their public servants as they use it.

Within the Scottish public sector we are already making significant use of AI through our Centre for Excellence in Automation, resulting in greater efficiency and productivity across government. More widely, the Scottish AI Register reflects AI use cases as diverse as protecting children at risk of harm, or transcribing public consultation interviews.

We continue to work closely with UK Government AI Policy teams to develop a culture of curiosity and openness to the opportunities which AI can provide us. The Scottish AI Taskforce has been set up to encourage and develop a shared knowledge and appreciation for AI, this helps avoid duplication of effort and ensure good governance awareness.

In relation to digitisation, In March 2021 the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA, launched an updated Digital Strategy, with a renewed focus on delivering high quality digital public services, and a commitment to the use of digital technology as a tool to better serve the Scottish people.

Our digital service design tool supports staff in ensuring that the services we develop have people at their heart, with extensive consideration of service users and the level of service they expect from government.

This process has helped us, for example, to deliver ScotAccount, an online service allowing users to access public services and verify identity in one place, it has also allowed us to offer increased usability and accessibility across the nation.

The use of digital technologies offer us significant opportunity to improve and enhance the lives of our citizens, and please rest assured these opportunities remain at the heart of the Scottish Government’s priorities.

The Scottish Government has written to NHS Scotland Boards noting the closure of the Managed Voluntary Register previously operated by the Faculty of Physician Associates and encouraging the early registration of Physician Associates (PAs) with the General Medical Council following the introduction of statutory regulation of the role in December 2024.

The Scottish Government continues to engage regularly with the PA workforce, including through dialogue with the Scottish Physician Associate Network which is represented on our national Medical Associate Professionals Programme Board.

(a) The Scottish Government engages with the General Medical Council (GMC) on its regulatory functions as a matter of routine. Many of those operational discussions will have touched upon issues relating to physician associates and anaesthesia associates since the decision was taken that the GMC would be their regulator. The answer to FOI requests 202400422610 and 202400441146, published on the Scottish Government website, provides information on written communications between the Scottish Government and the GMC.

Surgical Care Practitioners, also a Medical Associate Profession, are not regulated by the GMC.

(b) The GMC has no functions in respect of the design of services in NHS Scotland. Health Boards are responsible for determining the services appropriate to the needs of their local populations, and the skills mix necessary to ensure their delivery.

Public bodies are reviewed quarterly as part of the Scottish Government’s Assurance cycle to ensure they are operating efficiently and effectively.

One of the key aims of our Public Service Reform (PSR) programme is to drive efficiency and effectiveness across government and public bodies, making sure we have the public body landscape to deliver the services the people of Scotland need. As part of this, we have commissioned data on expenditure on corporate functions to identify where there is duplication and are working with public bodies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our services.

The Scottish Government’s policy is that any new public body should only be set up as a last resort and after consideration of all other delivery mechanisms has been exhausted. The Ministerial Control Framework ensures any Scottish Government proposal to establish a new public body is based on evidence and value for money, with approval from Cabinet before any decision is made.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.