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Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is listed amongst the World Health Organisation’s top ten global public health threats. The Scottish Government works closely with stakeholders in Scotland and beyond to assess the risks associated with AMR and implement key actions to combat it. The Scottish Government has been a key partner in the development of the UK-wide Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan (2024-2029), which was published on 8 May. The plan forms part of a long-term vision on AMR, which works towards a world where AMR is contained and controlled by 2040.

We will continue to work closely with stakeholders to address the risks of AMR across human health, animal health, and the environment. We are also developing an implementation plan which provides greater detail on specific actions that will be carried out in Scotland. This includes key actions aimed at optimising use of antibiotics, preventing and controlling infections, investing in innovation and technology, as well as working collaboratively with global partners.

The Nature Restoration Fund has not been frozen.

The competitive strand of our Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) is currently supporting more than 65 projects, and has offered support to over 200 projects, collectively worth more than £15 million, delivering exciting on the ground activity to protect and restore Scotland’s biodiversity. You can view the Nature Restoration Fund story map to see the range of projects supported across Scotland.

There has been a tremendous response across Scotland in terms of applications to the NRF such that the capital budget for delivery projects in 2024-25 is currently fully committed. NatureScot are, however, accepting applications to the NRF for development projects and for delivery projects starting in April 2025 (up to one year).

In addition, the Edinburgh Process strand of the NRF has so far directed over £17 million to support nature restoration projects directed by local authorities and our National Parks. A further £5 million of funding will be provided in 2024-25.

The provisions of the Scottish Teachers’ Pension Scheme allow members to adjust their contribution rates and increase their pension benefits by purchasing Additional Pension or opting for Faster Accrual.

Additional Pension is an amount of extra pension which can be bought in multiples of £250 up to a maximum of £7,000 and can be paid for by additional monthly contributions over a period of 1 to 20 years. Faster Accrual allows members to earn pension at a faster rate than the standard accrual of 1/57 th by making extra monthly contributions. There are three faster accrual options: 1/45th, 1/50th and 1/55th.

The Scottish Government welcomes the work of organisations like Coeliac UK who are already undertaking communications work to increase awareness and knowledge of coeliac disease and highlight the importance of knowing the symptoms and risk factors. We supported their messaging on Coeliac Awareness Month in May 2024 by sharing their twitter campaign highlighting awareness of coeliac disease and how the condition can be different for everyone.

NHSinform.scot provides clear and accessible information on coeliac disease, including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

I refer the Member to the answer to question S6W-26002 on 18 March 2024, which provides an update on implementation of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020. 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/questions-and-answers .

On child contact centres, the Scottish Government is preparing Scottish Statutory Instruments on the regulation of these services. We hope to be in a position to lay these SSIs before Parliament later this year.

The Scottish Teachers’ Pension Scheme (STPS) provides teachers in Scotland with a Defined Benefit pension scheme which offers the security of a guaranteed inflation proofed income in every year of retirement which is paid in addition to the State Pension. Teachers are automatically enrolled into the scheme and begin accruing pension immediately upon taking up teaching employment which supports pension saving throughout their careers.

Following the launch of a new national evidence-based pathway for coeliac disease in 2018, we expect all Health Boards to fully implement the Coeliac Disease Pathway in Scotland to improve under diagnosis, time to diagnosis and to ensure dietetic person-centred support for people living with this condition so that they can take control and manage its impact on their health and quality of life.

Our £70 million Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan is increasing capacity and supporting workforce training. This also includes a commitment to promote and implement guidelines for non-biopsy diagnosis for coeliac disease, which is expected to reduce waiting times for diagnosis for this condition.

The Storm Babet Ministerial Taskforce has met twice in 2024, on 17 January and on 13 March, and three times in 2023, on 16 November, 29 November, and 13 December. Taskforce members discussed flood recovery actions undertaken by the Scottish Government and by affected councils, including flood recovery grants for households and businesses, the Homelessness Prevention Fund, and the floodbank support scheme for farmers affected by the storm.

During the meeting on 13 March, members agreed that the response to Storm Babet had now moved into the medium-term recovery phase and that future discussions would focus on community recovery and work to consider the long-term future of the flooded site in Brechin.

The value of members’ benefits accrued in the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme (STSS) are protected by transitional protections on moving to the Scottish Teachers’ Pension Scheme 2015. These protections include a Final Salary Link which provides that members’ final salary pension from the STSS is based on their pensionable salary at the point they finally retire and not at the point they transition to the 2015 Scheme.

The Scottish Teachers’ Pension Scheme was reformed by the UK Government under the Public Service Pension Act 2013 along with the other main public service pension schemes in the UK. All schemes are broadly comparable and are based on Career Average Revalued Earnings. Apart from the uniformed public services, all schemes have a pension age linked to State Pension age.