The UK Government undertakes scoping assessments prior to negotiations, and impact assessments on completion of an FTA, which detail the likely economic, social and environmental impacts of a new FTA. Those consider opportunities for increased trade in environmental goods and impacts on trade with third countries.

In our engagement with the UK Government on all trade negotiations, the Scottish Government has consistently requested more detailed assessments of the economic impacts on Scotland. We believe that before embarking on the negotiation of such agreements, the UK Government should be fully aware of their likely impacts across all parts of the UK. Net zero and environmental commitments should be a core part of scoping and impact assessments.

Given that drug and alcohol related problems can contribute to loss of accommodation, the actions taken through Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) to provide recovery-based support can help prevent homelessness. To help align their contribution, ADPs bring together a range of partners at the local level with experience and responsibilities spanning the statutory, third sector, and community space to ensure that strategic planning reflects the wealth of local knowledge and expertise in providing services to those most in need. Whilst there is no prescriptive direction as to which individuals and organisations should sit on or contribute to an ADP, there is an expectation that local authorities will field representation with sufficient insight into wider services within their remit, such as Housing, Social Work, and Education, to ensure appropriate linkage to those areas of service provision.

The Scottish Government wants to ensure that progress is made based on the principles of shared public responsibility and earlier intervention to prevent homelessness, as set out in the proposals for new homelessness prevention duties in the Housing (Scotland) Bill currently before the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government is currently working with COSLA, and in consultation with other partners, to revise the Partnership Delivery Framework to Reduce the Use of and Harm from Alcohol and Drugs, to bring greater clarity and consistency to the remit, membership, and organisation of ADPs.

The provision of healthcare services, including medicines, is the responsibility of local NHS Health Boards, and it is for individual Health Boards to consider the implementation of any new treatment within their services in order to meet their local population needs.

The Centre for Sustainable Delivery are having initial conversations about the potential to undertake Parkinson’s Disease pathway work, which we understand would help to explore and articulate pathways for therapies for advanced and complex Parkinson’s Disease.

The Scottish Government has committed to investing rebates from the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines, Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG) to fund the New Medicines Fund (NMF), which provides additional top-up funding to territorial Health Boards to support the cost of introducing new medicines.

Myself and the previous Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills have supported the annual Vision Schools Scotland Awards ceremony by attending and contributing to the ceremonies where achievement of schools and pupils in Holocaust Education are recognised.

Since 2021, Scottish Government has provided £126,247 in funding to the Vision Schools Scotland programme to further support Holocaust education in schools. This includes funding up to £36,352 for the 2024-25 financial year.

The provision of healthcare services, including medicines, is the responsibility of local NHS Health Boards, and it is for individual Health Boards to consider the implementation of any new treatment within their services in order to meet their local population needs.

The Centre for Sustainable Delivery are having initial conversations about the potential to undertake Parkinson’s Disease pathway work, which we understand would help to explore and articulate pathways for therapies for advanced and complex Parkinson’s Disease.

Health Boards have 90 days from first receiving Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) advice in which to determine whether to make an SMC-recommended medicine (or an equivalent) available locally. This provides Health Boards with time to consider any issues associated the implementation of the medicine, such as changes to the care pathway and staff training.

We are also committed to supporting the national implementation of SMC advice and we have several ongoing programmes to address some of these implementation challenges further upstream of SMC decision making.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37086 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

We have noted the recommendations in the SAWC report and are giving them careful consideration.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37086 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37086 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

It is not appropriate to undertake such analysis given Scottish and rUK education systems are not comparable due to several key reasons, including but not limited to: