Good morning. The first item of business is general question time.
Control of Gulls
To ask the Scottish Government, in the light of reports that gulls can cause serious human injury, whether it will direct NatureScot to issue licences to control the birds and help prevent such injuries. (S6O-04560)
I recognise the significant impact that is felt because of urban gull populations in some of our towns and cities. I met NatureScot yesterday on the back of my meeting with Fergus Ewing and Douglas Ross, and it has agreed that it will consider, for potential health and safety reasons, area-wide gull licences to deal with the immediate concerns with regard to the upcoming nesting season, but it is mindful of our conservation obligations.
There is a vital role for local authorities to play in working with local communities, building owners and businesses to reduce the appeal of urban areas as nest sites or feeding zones. I am sure that we have all seen plenty of people standing at the side of a pier throwing chips, which only encourages more gulls to come in. As a result, I will chair a summit later this year that will bring together the key partners to put measures in place now to prevent those issues from arising again next year.
NatureScot has been considering this for ever. It is all too often the case in Scotland that, when there is a serious injury or death that could and should have been avoided, we have a public inquiry that often costs millions of pounds, followed by a report to ministers that says that we must learn lessons. Would it not be better to have taken the necessary action to prevent the injury or death from ever occurring where the risk is clear, direct and foreseeable, as in this case? Given the risk of serious injury and death, will the minister take the necessary action through a section 11 order under the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991, before it is too late?
I recognise the points that Mr Ewing has made. As I set out a moment ago, in order to reduce the risk of health and safety issues caused by gulls, NatureScot will consider an area-wide gull licence to deal with the immediate concerns related to the upcoming nesting season.
I understand the potential issues that Mr Ewing has highlighted, and I have made them very clear to NatureScot. However, gull numbers are in decline, and the longer-term solution cannot be further population reductions where mitigation action can be taken. That requires collective action, so we will work together through a summit that I will hold later this year with key partners, including local authorities, to ensure that appropriate measures are in place ahead of next year’s breeding season.
I agree with everything that Fergus Ewing has said about people being injured—indeed, this is happening daily, or weekly. Only this morning, I received a freedom of information response from NatureScot. To my question about how many injuries it had recorded as a result of gull attacks in each of the past five years, it said in response that it does not hold that information. How can it make decisions on licences when it does not know the impact?
I have previously put it to the minister that NatureScot has been refusing licences for various reasons, including a suggestion that businesses give customers umbrellas to protect themselves as they walk in and out, because they will not be attacked by gulls if they have them. Does the minister agree that that is utter madness and that NatureScot has to treat this as a serious issue?
As I said, I spoke to Mr Ross and Mr Ewing last week, and I have raised those points with NatureScot. We have come to the conclusion that actions will be taken this year to ensure that we deal with the immediate problem, but there will be a summit to ensure that we take the appropriate action to preserve the status of the gulls and, at the same time, ensure that we can live beside them.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Shared Care Agreements (ADHD and Autism)
To ask the Scottish Government what dialogue it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde regarding shared care agreements for adults with private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism diagnoses. (S6O-04561)
My officials were in communication with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in November regarding shared care agreements for adults with such diagnoses. Colleagues from the board set out its policy and approach to private diagnosis.
Additionally, in March, the director of mental health wrote to the chief executives of all health boards with a baseline survey of locally available neurodevelopmental assessment and support services for adults. It included a question on the protocol followed when a board is approached by an adult with a private diagnosis who wishes the national health service to ratify it.
Adults in my constituency have repeatedly raised, both with my office and directly with me, that they feel that they have no option other than to pursue private ADHD or autism diagnoses. In instances where they are given such a diagnosis and are prescribed medication, their next challenge is to get an NHS shared care agreement put in place. For many, that can result in huge bills that they risk not being able to afford if the NHS does not take on their treatment. Will the cabinet secretary advise what additional work is to take place to ensure that the criteria for NHS shared care agreements are made clear to patients and that the process for assessing whether a private diagnosis meets NHS standards is carried out at pace?
I thank Stuart McMillan for raising the matter on behalf of his constituents, with whom I absolutely sympathise and empathise. Awareness of neurodevelopmental and neurodivergence issues in adults has increased, which has seen demand on services grow. That poses challenges to which we seek to respond. Some NHS boards might have shared care policies, but it remains within the clinical discretion of individual general practitioners to decide the best course of action for their patients.
A private specialist’s recommendation for a particular medicine does not entitle the patient to receive NHS prescriptions for that medicine. In April 2022, the national autism implementation team published guidance on prescribing ADHD medication to adults following a private sector diagnosis in Scotland, and that guidance is available to both practitioners and patients. Furthermore, my officials are engaging with the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland to understand what more can be done to ameliorate the situation involving private diagnosis of ADHD and voluntary agreements.
The system is wholly inadequate, and it is very short sighted. The current demand for private diagnosis is huge, because the NHS system is so inadequate. If patients have to go back to the start of the system, that will simply put further pressure on the NHS; we must either improve ADHD services or allow shared care arrangements. We cannot cut off provision in the way that has been done so far, because many patients are losing out as a result.
Like Willie Rennie, and as I said in answer to Stuart McMillan, I recognise that with increased awareness of such conditions has come massively increased demand for services. I want the NHS to be able to respond to that. We are working with bodies such as the Royal College of General Practitioners and supporting publication of the national autism implementation team’s guidance, to ensure that we are doing exactly what Willie Rennie asks of us.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Waiting Times
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been done of any impact on CAMHS waiting times targets, in light of reports of autism assessment services being cancelled leaving more children in distress and unable to access support that requires a diagnosis. (S6O-04562)
CAMHS waiting times statistics capture children who meet the CAMHS criteria. Children who require autism or other neurodevelopmental support are not reported in those statistics unless they have a comorbid mental health condition. Our focus should be on improving support regardless of the existence of a formal diagnosis. The neurodevelopmental specification places an expectation on the national health service and local authority children’s services to work together to provide support to meet a child’s needs when they need it. That should not be dependent on the child having a formal diagnosis.
In NHS Highland’s area 1,537 children are waiting for neurodevelopmental assessments, and there are more who are unable to get on to the waiting list at all. What is the Scottish Government doing to ensure that young people receive such assessments in a timely fashion? How is it dealing with the knock-on impact of delays in child and adolescent mental health services? Given the reduction in additional support needs staff, what assistance is the Government putting in place in schools for children who are stuck on waiting lists for assessments?
As I said, there are different elements at play here. One element is those children who meet CAMHS criteria, which may include children with neurodevelopmental conditions, and the direct intervention that is required to support children with neurodevelopmental conditions. As I said in my initial answer, it should not be dependent on a diagnosis for that support to be put in place, regardless of the setting, whether it is education or another setting.
We are directly allocating £123.5 million to NHS boards and integration joint boards for a new enhanced mental health outcomes framework, which provides a single flexible funding stream to support continued improvements and better outcomes across a range of mental health and psychological services, including neurodevelopmental services. We have also granted £250,000 to fund a range of individual projects to improve neurodevelopmental support for children and young people, including the use of digital tools for assessment. We have provided councils with £65 million since 2020 to develop and further deliver community-based mental health support for children and young people.
I welcome the figures from last month that showed that the national standard on waiting times for children and young people accessing mental health services has been met. The cabinet secretary just gave a comprehensive answer about the work that is going on. How will the Government continue to ensure that progress continues for children and young people across Scotland, including in Dumfries and Galloway?
I thank Emma Harper for recognising the significant milestone that 90.6 per cent of children and young people started treatment in CAMHS within 18 weeks of referral. I am incredibly grateful to the dedicated CAMHS staff, who play a critical role in achieving that. We have allocated £123.5 million to NHS boards and IJBs in 2024-25 to support the improvements and better outcomes across mental health services, including CAMHS and neurodevelopmental services. We will continue to work closely with boards to ensure that that progress continues, and that having reached that significant milestone, the achievement is sustained and we ensure that all children and young people can access the support that they need.
Childhood Immunisations (NHS Lanarkshire)
I remind members that I hold a national health service contract with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the uptake of childhood immunisations in NHS Lanarkshire. (S6O-04563)
Childhood immunisation rates across NHS Lanarkshire continue to be among the highest in Scotland, reflecting the hard work and commitment of our colleagues in the NHS. Vaccination remains one of the most important public health interventions, but compared with previous years, we have seen decreases in uptake in Scotland, as well as globally. We are working with Public Health Scotland and health boards to improve uptake, address health inequalities and support children who are eligible for vaccinations. I urge parents and carers of young children to bring them for vaccination when invited, to give them the best protection against serious disease.
I thank the minister for that answer. It is reassuring that childhood vaccination rates remain high in Scotland, particularly as we know that the perceived minor illness that those vaccinations protect against can cause disabilities or even fatalities. However, misinformation and conspiracy theories in relation to vaccinations, often fuelled by social media, have become all too commonplace. Can the minister advise what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle the issue and ensure that parents and carers have the correct factual information that they require to protect children’s health?
I thank Ms Haughey for her supplementary question, which raises a very important issue. The Scottish Government is aware of that serious problem and is currently seeking to understand the nature of the way in which false and misleading information affects the health outcomes of Scotland’s people—leaning heavily on international best practice and the latest academic research. NHS Inform and supporting immunisation materials are frequently reviewed and updated for accuracy, ensuring that the public can access the latest available information on vaccinations.
Recent Public Health Scotland figures found that just two in five high-risk infants were vaccinated against flu in the past winter, which means that more than 1,000 were left unprotected. The decline in childhood immunisation levels continued in 2024, with uptake lowest in the most deprived and rural areas. What action is the Scottish Government taking to investigate why that is, and what is it doing to address the causes of low uptake?
I agree that work needs to be done to ensure that vaccinations are available across all areas, which they are, and to ensure that the uptake is high. We are currently working with digital colleagues who have developed a system that will provide greater granularity of data so that we can understand where the areas of real need are. We can then work with health boards to ensure that those areas are targeted.
Question 5 has been withdrawn.
Community Energy Projects
To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging the growth of community energy projects. (S6O-04565)
At the end of December 2024, an estimated 1,109MW of community and locally-owned renewable energy was operational in Scotland. We are committed to growing the sector even further and have recently announced £3.5 million in funding for projects under our community and renewable energy scheme in 2025-26, building on the success of last year’s £1.5 million pilot fund, which supported 23 projects. We have also announced £1 million for community capacity building and secured £4.85 million through the local power plan, which will primarily support community energy projects in Scotland. Further details of that funding will be announced shortly.
Community energy projects are key for our journey to net zero and putting money back into local economies. Last year, Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative saved the City of Edinburgh Council £1 million in energy costs and its members money on their bills. In the light of that, will the cabinet secretary join me in welcoming the £5 million investment from Great British Energy into community energy in Scotland? Will she provide further details on how that investment will be delivered to projects such as Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative?
Mr Choudhury has just exemplified how important projects such as that are, because they are making a meaningful difference to communities. There is an awful lot more that can be done on that. During one of my first meetings with the incoming UK Government, which was in the early days of setting up GB Energy—I do not even think that the chief executive officer was in place at that point—I made the point to the Minister for Energy, Michael Shanks, that, with money for community energy, it was best not to reinvent the wheel or clutter the landscape, as we already have a very well respected and well-known vehicle for delivering funding in CARES. I urged the minister to look at that and to allocate GB Energy money straight to that vehicle, rather than setting up anything new. I am pleased to say that he realised how respected the initiative is, and we were able to secure the money. We will work together to increase the capacity of CARES, as well as deliver more projects of the sort that Mr Choudhury has just mentioned.
A96 Corridor Review
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish the outcome of the latest A96 corridor review. (S6O-04566)
During a round-table meeting for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ that I held in the Parliament on 4 February, which the member attended, I said that it is my intention to provide an update on the public’s response to the consultation as soon as possible. I also said that it will depend on the time that is required to review the considerable number of responses that we received, and I will need to apprise Cabinet colleagues of it. The 12-week consultation period ended on 21 February. The consultation received more than 1,400 responses, which are currently being collated and analysed. Following that they will be published as soon as possible.
That is a disappointing answer. The latest consultation on the dualling of the A96 closed more than two months ago. During that time, we have witnessed around a dozen separate collisions on the A96, three of which were fatal and one that involved an ambulance. We need urgent action. Appallingly, almost £6.5 million of taxpayers’ money has been spent on both of the Scottish Government’s reviews since 2022. The failure to fully dual the A96 will be Fiona Hyslop’s lasting legacy to the people of the north-east. Can the cabinet secretary set out a timetable for when the results of the consultation will be published and when the Scottish National Party Government will finally dual the A96 in full, as promised more than a decade ago?
The public response is important and will be published as soon as possible. I can inform the chamber that the Scottish Government took title to the land for the A96 from Inverness to Nairn, including the Nairn bypass, for the purpose of starting the dualling of the A96.
That concludes general questions. Before we move to First Minister’s question time, I invite members to join me in welcoming to the gallery the Hon Maree Edwards, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Victoria.