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The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.

Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider with the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).

The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer (AO). They are responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, this includes decisions regarding areas in which to make savings, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected.

The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.

Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider within the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).

The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer, responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected. However, Scottish Government are consistently clear that NHS Board savings should be sensible, proportionate, and minimise the impact on frontline services.

NHS Boards continue to work towards to 3% recurring savings target in 2025-26, and Scottish Government officials continue to work with all NHS Boards to enable savings where appropriate. Whilst the 3% recurring savings target is expected to continue, the level of savings required will depend on the budget settlement in each year.

The SPCB has a Flag flying policy.

The Flag flying policy is managed on behalf of the SPCB by the Facilities Management Office and they are guided by the SPCB on the appropriateness of any flags, which have been requested to be flown, on a case-by-case basis.

The SPCB last reviewed the Flag flying policy on 2May 2024 and confirmed it remained content with the current Policy, which includes flags which are to be flown annually.  The flag policy will be reviewed again by SPCB prior to dissolution and this request will be considered at this time.  Ad hoc requests can also be made to the SPCB to be considered each year, it is helpful to have these requests at least a month in advance to accommodate SPCB meeting dates.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a Regional Transport Partnership, with a Board made up of members of local authorities who are the owner and operator of Glasgow Subway and they are responsible for decisions on operational matters, such as extending the Sunday operating hours. The Scottish Government has no role in setting operating times or the general running of the subway.

The Scottish Government is committed to recovering benefit overpayments wherever it is considered economic and reasonable to do so in line with the principles set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Bowls Scotland, the Scottish Governing Body for the sport, is responsible for the development of the sport in Scotland and you may wish to contact them for the requested information.

Due to concerns over patient confidentiality a single length of delay figure cannot be provided.

A delayed discharge occurs when a hospital patient who is clinically ready for discharge from inpatient hospital care continues to occupy a hospital bed beyond the date they are ready for discharge. Official Statistics on delayed discharges in NHS Scotland are available here: About this release - Delayed discharges in NHSScotland monthly - Figures for July 2025 - Delayed discharges in NHSScotland monthly - Publications - Public Health Scotland. This publication includes the number of people delayed at each monthly census point by length of delay at census point. A person’s length of delay at census is calculated as the time from their latest ready for discharge date to the monthly census point.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring public bodies deliver services that are high-quality, provide best value and contribute to economic growth.

The Scottish Government has not exercised a statutory power of direction in respect of NatureScot, SEPA, or Creative Scotland in the past decade. A directive was given to the SQA in 2020 in regards to how exam appeals should be handled during the pandemic.

Ministers retain oversight of these bodies and provide strategic direction, but the use of statutory powers of direction would be for the most exceptional circumstances.

We know that cancer, and its treatments, can have a significant impact on an individual’s physical health. Scottish Government recognises the impact that a cancer diagnosis can also have on individuals financially and emotionally and is committed to supporting them.

People with cancer can apply for financial support through Social Security Scotland, including for Disability Living Allowance.

Further to this, we are currently working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support to improve the service we offer patients with cancer through the Transforming Cancer Care Programme (TCC). This partnership programme is worth £27 million and ensures that people affected by cancer in Scotland have access to a specialist key support worker, who can provide financial advice and emotional and practical support.