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The Scottish Government welcomes Kidney Care UK’s recently published report and its important findings and recommendations. These will be carefully considered and reflected as appropriate in future policy planning for long term conditions like chronic kidney disease.

While there are no current plans to conduct a national audit, we expect all NHS Boards to adhere to existing guidelines and best practice in delivering psychosocial care. Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, MentalHealth Core Standards and the National Specification for Psychological Therapies and Interventions set out clear expectations for the delivery of high-quality, person-centred support across Scotland.

More broadly, the Scottish Government recently consulted on a Long Term Conditions Framework, which will help inform future approaches to prevention, diagnosis and care, including support for mental health and wellbeing.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring people living with kidney disease can access safe, effective and person-centred care, including appropriate psychosocial support.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission published its most recent independent forecasts on 25 June 2025, which sets out its latest five-year economic and fiscal forecasts, and includes forecasts of Social Security benefits expenditure to 2030-31.

The publication can be found on the SFC’s website: Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts Update – June 2025 | Scottish Fiscal Commission

Based on the latest SFC’s forecasts, the Scottish Government anticipates to spend £9.3 billion on Social Security Assistance in 2030-31.

The SFC will publish its next set of five-year economic and fiscal forecasts alongside the 2026-27 Scottish Budget later this year.

The Scottish Government has undertaken a range of stakeholder engagement prior to the development of a long term conditions framework consultation, including meeting with fifteen clinicians representing seven policy areas (stroke, respiratory, cardiology, chronic pain, neurology, diabetes and long COVID) between August and September 2024. These engagements captured a mixed response, with some raising concern that moving to an integrated approach risks losing focus and progress for policy work in these areas. However, the potential transition to an integrated approach was also seen as more equitable, with value in conditions working together. All clinical leads were able to identify opportunities within their specialty for beneficial joins to be made across conditions.

Additionally, in September 2024 the approach set out in the consultation was presented to the Scottish Government Professional Advisory Group, which involves clinicians working across a wider range of specialties including primary care and allied health professionals, to discuss the proposed changes in approach to long term conditions. This meeting involved discussion of opportunities to simplify, make efficiencies and provide effective interventions while taking a whole person approach, starting with the person rather than the condition.

We will continue to engage with the clinical community and lived experience groups as the Framework develops. The public consultation on long term conditions closed on 20 July, and analysis is ongoing.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS remain vigilant to the threat presented by weapons within our estate. Despite tactical and security measures, there are a number of those in custody who continue to attempt to introduce illicit articles (including weapons) into our estate, or those who are found to have fashioned everyday items into a weapon.

SPS will continue to report these instances to Police Scotland and seek conviction where appropriate. In addition, SPS also utilise the Prison and Young Offender Rules (Scotland) 2011 to mitigate known risk and preserve the good order and discipline within our establishments.

The table below shows how many offensive weapons there has been found in each of the past five calendar years in HMP Greenock and HMP Kilmarnock.

Establishment 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
HMP Greenock 2 9 9 5 6
HMP Kilmarnock 39 35 29 51 53
Total 41 44 38 56 59

the Scottish Government is updating guidance on Employment, Skills and Training within the Sustainable Procurement Tools, there are no current plans to issue a new Policy Note on social impact.

Scotland has been delivering social value through procurement for many years, embedding our commitment within legislation over ten years ago with a requirement to include economic, social, and environmental wellbeing in procurement decisions. For contracts valued at £4 million or more, public bodies must consider including community benefits and justify their exclusion if not appropriate. Legislation also requires that awards are not based on price alone, but on the best balance of cost and quality, which includes a commitment to sustainable outcomes.

Scottish Procurement Policy Note 6/2020 reaffirms these requirements, outlining how social impact should be considered in public procurement. In addition to scored social impact questions, it highlights other practical ways to achieve social and economic outcomes, such as:

• While Including social requirements in specifications,
• Dividing contracts into lots to facilitate access for SMEs and third sector organisations,
• Reserving contracts for supported businesses.

The effectiveness of this approach, which includes extensive training and support to implement these policies, is evidenced in the 2023 report Scotland’s Journey of Achieving Sustainable Procurement Outcomes (2002–2022) and in annual procurement activity reports.

Police Scotland has 10 drones currently in operation.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) does not currently operate any drones. However, there is a strategic intent to develop a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) capability, which includes unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), sub-surface drones, and ground-based robotic systems. This work is at a concept development stage and is being led by an internal team to explore future operational use.

As of year-end 2024 there were 4,648 new Electric Vehicles (EVs) registered in Scotland through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme. This represents 16.9% of EVs registered in Scotland in 2024, although this figure may not include cars purchased through brokerages based outside of Scotland.

We are proud that the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme is delivering much-needed support for disabled people and contributing towards a Just Transition in Scotland.

This information is not held by the Scottish Government as in-work benefits such as Universal Credit are reserved to the UK Government. Additionally, the recording of personal data relating to police officers with additional jobs or business interests are matters for the Chief Constable.

The Scottish Government values the dedication shown by police officers in Scotland. That’s why our police officers remain the best paid in the UK recognising the hard work and valuable contribution they make daily as well as our commitment to investing in policing.

We plan to introduce amended regulations for charities accounts by the end of 2025. These will raise the audit income threshold for charities registered in Scotland from £500,000 to £1 million. The amended regulations will also include changes to UK accounting standards following a new Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), which is due to be published in the Autumn.

There are currently 14 trained drone operators in Police Scotland, all of whom are police officers.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) currently has one qualified drone pilot who holds a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) licence. While that pilot is fully trained, the Service does not currently have an operational drone capability. Other SFRS personnel may hold personal drone qualifications independently, but these are not recognised in an official capacity for Service operations.