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The Scottish Government’s seventh Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) will be published week commencing 23 June 2025, alongside a Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan.

Publishing in June will allow the MTFS to reflect the outcome of the UK Spending Review on 11 June, enabling the Scottish Government to publish a more robust central funding forecast as the basis for its financial strategy and delivery plan.

The MTFS will provide the Scottish Government’s medium-term (five-year) economic and fiscal outlook and spending projections. It is underpinned by the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s forecasts and provides the context for annual Scottish budgets.

The MTFS will also set out the Government’s strategic approach to setting the public finances on a sustainable pathway over the medium-term.

The Scottish Government is taking this issue seriously. As well as regular meetings with the Medicines Healthcare and products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPO) has met with Police Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland and plans to issue communications for healthcare professionals in Scotland on how to report known or suspected illicit prescribing of these medicines.

The CPO has also met with the Advertising Standards Agency to discuss their work in tackling adverts for weight-loss prescription-only medicines targeting members of the public.

The Scottish Government’s decision-making for the flu vaccination programme continues to be guided by the expert clinical advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI currently advises flu vaccination for those aged 65 and over, as well as at-risk groups. As such, we are not considering expanding the flu programme to the healthy 50-64 year old age group for winter 2025.

Scotland expanded its flu programme to those aged 55 and over in 2021, and then those aged 50 and over in 2022 and 2023, as part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to reduce pressure on the NHS in unprecedented times.

In winter 2024, as we moved beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, we reverted to the standard JCVI-advised groups, and healthy individuals aged 50-64 were no longer included. Those aged 50-64 who have certain underlying medical conditions remain eligible by virtue of their clinical risk status.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of supporting young people to remain in education and has taken a range of measurable actions since the COVID-19 pandemic to address the financial pressures that can contribute to early school leaving. These actions include, the continuation of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) programme, increased support for School Clothing Grants, investment in Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), support for a broad range of learner pathways and the continuation of record funding to Scotland’s schools through the Scottish Attainment Challenge programme, providing up to £1billion in additional funding.

The Scottish Government continues to work in partnership with local authorities, schools and third sector organisations to monitor these interventions and assess their impact on young people’s education.

Our programme of reform of post-school education will see us develop a streamlined funding system more focussed on the needs of employers and the economy through improved national skills planning and reformed apprenticeships.

As we take this work forward, we will learn from the experience of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund to develop a skills system that is simple, straightforward, agile, and responsive to the needs of Scotland’s learners and employers.

Employers have a key role to play in workforce development. We will continue to encourage employers to build strong partnerships and work with their local colleges and universities to ensure training offers align to labour market needs.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36866 on 6 May 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 Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) was published in 2021 and was intended to cover the period 2021-22 - 2025-26. However, as announced in the Scottish Government’s Medium Term Financial Strategy, the current IIP has been extended by a period of one year. This means the IIP will run to 2026-27 and the next IIP will cover the period from 2027-28. We intend to publish a draft for consultation well in advance of commencement.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37056 on 6 May 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

Growing the economy is at heart of the Scottish Government's agenda. The First Minister has announced that the next Programme for Government will be published on Tuesday 6 May. It will be focused on targeted initiatives to boost Scotland’s economic prospects, now and for the long term – in particular sustainable and renewable energy resources – to draw in new investment and create rewarding and well-paid jobs.

The Scottish Government recognises that global economic conditions are creating a challenges economic environment for Scotland’s businesses. In addition, the Scottish Government has consistently called on the UK Government to reverse in full its decision to increase employer national insurance contributions from April 2025.

Recognising the challenges faced by the hospitality sector, in 2025-26 the Scottish Government is offering 40% relief for hospitality premises liable for the Basic Property Rate, with 100% relief for premises located on islands as defined by the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 to tackle the specific pressures they face. A number of measures in the Budget will also benefit properties in the retail and leisure sectors including freezing the Basic Property Rate and the most generous small business rates relief in the UK.

The Budget provides capital investment in offshore wind, almost tripling the current support to £150 million and investment of £100 million will continue to rollout of the digital connectivity programmes across Scotland. Investment of over £2 billion in Scotland’s colleges, universities and skills system recognises their contribution to driving economic growth and to help ensure businesses have access to a skilled workforce.

Employers are key to the delivery of our ambitions for a skilled workforce to meet the demands of an ever-changing economy and society. The Scottish Government is committed to working with them and listening to them as we take forward our programme of post-school education reform.

I host an employer roundtable several times a year to engage on the Scottish Government’s programme of post-school education reform. The most recent roundtable took place in February 2025. The roundtable includes a range of employers from across Scotland, including small to large businesses.

In addition, a national employer network to engage employers on post-school education reform is being set up. This will include members of the DYW Employer Network, with which Ministers will also continue to engage. This new network will serve as a platform for sharing updates, seeking input on policy reforms, acting as a sounding board and facilitating workshops and discussions. The first meeting of the Reform Employer Network will focus on the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill which was introduced to the Scottish Parliament on 6 February 2025 and will take place in May 2025.

The Growth and Skills levy remains a reserved tax for the UK Government. The changes, as we understand them, will impact on what funding can be spent in England. We do not expect this to have an impact on Scotland. Officials will continue to engage with the UK Government to understand any impacts that changes to the Levy may have for businesses in Scotland.