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The Scottish Government’s Drugs and Alcohol Workforce Action Plan 2023–2026 outlines a range of measures aimed at supporting individuals with lived experience of substance use to enter employment.

The Scottish Government is aware of, and is reviewing the implementation of, the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) scheme for adults in treatment for alcohol and drug dependence in England. The data linkage report published in December 2024 has provided valuable insights.

The Scottish Government regularly meets with representatives from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) within the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to share knowledge and best practice regarding workforce development. We will continue to collaborate with OHID and explore how the findings from the report may inform our ongoing approach.

NHS Boards across Scotland are expected to provide maternity services that are delivered as close to home as practicable; however, this must be balanced with ensuring the safety of all mothers and babies. All decisions about care throughout pregnancy, including around place of birth, should be made by women in discussion with their midwife and obstetrician. These decisions will take account of their individual needs and circumstances.

In support of this, and recognising the importance of the relationship between women and their midwives during the pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey, we continue to implement continuity of carer within maternity services, a key recommendation of . The Scottish Government’s reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that more women receive care and support from the same midwife from pregnancy through birth, prioritising those most likely to benefit, including women with additional social needs.

More broadly, our ambition is for a Scotland where health outcomes are equitable across the population so that all women enjoy the best possible health – throughout their lives. This remains the ambition of the Scottish Government, and will continue to be our guiding principle as we consider the next phase of the Women’s Health Plan.

From February – May 2024, the Scottish Government held a public consultation on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt. The consultation was run in parallel with a programme of extensive stakeholder engagement.

During the consultation period, I met with a range of stakeholders across public health groups and the food and drink industry. Several Ministerial roundtable events were held with stakeholders to discuss their views on proposals for regulations. We will publish the outputs of these roundtable events alongside independent analysis of the consultation responses in early 2025, as well as set out next steps for the regulation of HFSS food and drink promotions.

Ministers meet regularly with a broad range of stakeholders including public health groups and industry to discuss a range of issues relating to public health policy.

The Lord President as head of the Scottish judiciary is responsible for the training of judicial office holders. Training is delivered by the judicial institute for Scotland.

The public consultation on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt closed on 21 May 2024.

We will publish the independent analysis report of the consultation responses in early 2025, as well as next steps and timelines for the regulation of HFSS food and drink promotions.

Smoking is the most significant cause of preventable cancer in Scotland (18%). By 2034, we aim to be living in a Tobacco-Free Scotland, reducing smoking rates to below 5%.

To help achieve this, the Scottish Government launched the “Quit Your Way” stop smoking service campaign, which ran for 5 weeks between February and March 2024. An assessment of the campaign found that visits to the Quit Your Way Scotland NHS Inform page increased by 100% and numbers of people visiting the local help to stop smoking page increased up to 2297% compared to the 5 weeks prior. Requests for support to stop smoking via NHS Inform, where we make clear the link between smoking and cancer, doubled compared to the same period in 2023.

Figures published by Public Health Scotland on 17 December 2024 show that over the past year more people have accessed the NHS smoking cessation service, 30,314, a 12.4% increase from 2022-23 (26,963).

We will publish the independent analysis report of the consultation responses in early 2025, as well as next steps for the regulation of HFSS food and drink promotions.

The public consultation on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt closed on 21 May 2024. The consultation sought views on qualifying businesses in scope of regulations and proposed exemptions.

We will publish the independent analysis report of the consultation responses in early 2025, as well as next steps for the regulation of HFSS food and drink promotions.

The public consultation on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt closed on 21 May 2024. The consultation paper sought views on proposals for price promotions within scope of restrictions, including meal deals and temporary price reductions.

We will publish the independent analysis report of the consultation responses in early 2025, as well as next steps for the regulation of HFSS food and drink promotions.

This information is not held centrally. NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships are the experts on their communities and are responsible for providing services that meet local needs. This may include providing services in-house or, where appropriate, through robust referral pathways to non-specialist services.

Following publication of the recent HIV Outcomes Beyond the Virus report, officials will work with the HIV Transmission Elimination Delivery Implementation Group and the Scottish Health Protection Network’s HIV Clinical Leads Group to consider its recommendations and ensure that psychological support for adults living with HIV meets the high standards we would expect.

The Scottish Government is also providing NHS Education for Scotland with around £30 million in 2024-25 to deliver multidisciplinary education, training and workforce expansion for staff supporting adult and children’s mental health and psychological wellbeing.