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Overall, more trainee doctor posts have filled in 2023 than any other year on record. 7 posts were advertised in Neurology at ST4 level and 4 (or 57.14%) filled successfully. These figures are accurate as of 25 July and pertain only to the initial recruitment rounds of 2023; end-year data for all UK nations and specialties will be published by NHS England in the coming weeks. We continue to work closely with our partners in NHS Education for Scotland and Health Boards, to consider ways of improving fill rates across all specialities.

Neurology recently became what is known as a group 2 specialty (formerly group 1), meaning that trainees must complete 3 years of Internal Medicine Training (IMT) rather than 2. We are working with NHS Education for Scotland to determine what impact this is having on the attractiveness of the programme. We are also funding uplifts in IMT with 22 posts set to be created in 2024. IMT is a pre-requisite for Neurology (among several other specialties) and increasing front-end supply should therefore improve the sustainability of services in the longer term.

(a) For Local Authorities there were 140 separate lines in the funding formula being used in the consultation process for the 2024-25 revenue settlement. Twenty-six lines specifically use rurality-related indicators, though about 120 of the lines attract extra funding for island communities .

(b) Formula allocations to territorial NHS boards are informed by the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula. The NRAC formula captures the variation in both the relative need for health services across small area populations and the relative unit costs of delivering services across different geographies. The formula models 6 care programmes separately: Acute (with 7 discrete diagnostic groups), Care of the Elderly, Maternity, Mental Health and Learning Difficulties, Community and Prescribing. An adjustment to take account of the difference in relative unit costs across urban, rural and remote areas is applied to all of the care programmes except GP prescribing (because prescriptions are reimbursed at national prices).

The increase in operational budgets of overseas offices in 2024-25 predominantly reflects how running costs for Scotland House London are attributed from a budgeting perspective as well as a minor amendment to IFRS 16 adjustments, and does not reflect an increase in the costs of its activities. Aside from these, there are adjustments across all offices to reflect a smaller increase in staff costs for the pay award announced by the Scottish Government in June 2023.

The First Minister and I both met with the Climate Ambassador of Denmark, Tomas Anker Christenson at COP28. The Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance is co-chaired by Denmark, meaning that the coalition came up in both meetings.

Similarly, I met with representatives from the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. Holding such meetings is consistent with our approach of engaging with diverse organisations as part of a wider programme of analysis and engagement with a range of stakeholders.

Overall more trainee doctor posts have filled in 2023 than any other year on record, (data correct as at 25 July 2023). Within that overall context there will always be a number of posts which do not fill. Rehabilitation Medicine ST3 is a small specialty with only 1 post advertised in 2023, therefore, as this post has not filled, the fill rate appears as 0%. We continue to work closely with our partners in NHS Education for Scotland and Health Boards, to consider ways of improving fill rates across all specialities.

Table 1 shows the Basic (poundage), Intermediate and Higher Property Rates since 1999-2000, including the rates for 2024-25 as announced in the Scottish Budget 2024-25.

Table 1:

The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement. Retail representatives and other relevant stakeholders will be consulted as part of that exploratory work.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that engagement with the New Deal for Business Non-Domestic Rates sub-group continues to explore how the non-domestic rates system can best support business growth, investment and competitiveness, while acknowledging the important role non-domestic rates income plays in funding public services.

Overall, more trainee doctor posts have filled in 2023 than any other year on record. 15 posts were advertised in Emergency Medicine at ST4 level and 5 (or 33.33%) filled successfully. These figures are accurate as of 25 July and pertain only to the initial recruitment rounds of 2023; end-year data for all UK nations and specialties will be published by NHS England in the coming weeks. It should be noted that recent uplifts in Emergency Medicine (10 posts in 2023) led to a greater number of posts being advertised. Another 12 posts will be added this year. Steps have been taken by NHS Education for Scotland to fill the 10 vacant posts: 5 are being filled through IDTs (Inter-Deanery Transfers), 1 has been converted to an ST1 post and the other 4 are have been converted to LAT (Locum Appointed to Training) posts.

The 2021 manifesto and Framework for Tax 2021 stated our commitment to ensuring that the largest businesses pay the same combined poundage in Scotland as in England by the end of this parliamentary session.

Since the Barclay Review made this recommendation, we have introduced the Intermediate Property Rate on 1 April 2020. On 1 April 2023, we increased the rateable value threshold at which the Higher Property Rate applies, from £95,000 to £100,000. As a result, over 95% of properties are liable for a lower poundage rate in Scotland than in anywhere else in the UK.

Budget decisions are made annually in light of affordability. The Scottish Budget 2024-25 takes a balanced approach to supporting businesses through non-domestic rates where possible, while ensuring the funding necessary to protect public services.

There is no minimum required number of medically-trained NHS 24 call handlers, as call handlers are classed as healthcare support workers and are not medically trained.

Call handlers operate under clinical supervision at all times with a minimum level of one clinical supervisor for every five call handlers. Each call has clinical supervision input at an appropriate level, depending on acuity and outcome.