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The Scottish Government recognises the potential risks posed by PFAS in drinking water and works closely with Scottish Water and the Drinking Water Quality Regulator to ensure risk is minimised. The Public Water Supply (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 were brought into force to align with the EU's recast Drinking Water Directive's (rDWD) updated list of parameters, which sets statutory limits on the combined concentration of a group of 20 named PFAS substances. These Regulations broadly align with the Royal Society of Chemistry's recommendation to limit the sum of PFAS to 10 nanograms per litre (0.1 µg/l)

There is also a legislative requirement for Scottish Water to carry out risk assessments of all drinking water supplies, and PFAS risk is assessed for every water supply. A further statutory duty is that Scottish Water must sample for any substance where it considers that there is risk, and this would include any other PFAS compounds that are not listed in the Regulations.

The Scottish Government is working with the UK and Welsh Governments through initiatives like the Cross-government PFAS working group to better understand current and legacy PFAS issues, regulatory approaches and compliance. Under SEPA’s Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory, regulated businesses in Scotland have a duty to report annually their emissions of chemicals to air and water that include a number of PFAS. SEPA make this information publicly available on their website. Under the international Stockholm Convention, SEPA must report any stockpiles of material or products above 50kg containing certain PFAS.

In line with the Public Water Supply (Scotland) Regulations 2014, Scottish Water is required to carry out risk assessments to assess the likelihood of the presence of the most widespread PFAS compounds in its drinking water supplies. Where risk is identified, controls must be determined. It is a matter for Scottish Water to decide what treatment technology is necessary, however, the Drinking Water Quality Regulator has provided guidance on the types of treatments that can be effective in removing PFAS from drinking water.

The DWQR is participating in a UK wide research project on the effectiveness of different treatment processes for the removal of PFAS that is led by Cranfield University; this research is due for completion by June 2024.

The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) essential work to deliver a comprehensive monitoring programme in order to understand Scotland’s environment and the risks from emerging contaminants of concern, such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). SEPA collaborates closely with partners across the UK and engages in various research projects to work towards a common approach on the assessment and management of a wide range of chemicals.

SEPA has developed a new analytical technique to screen environmental water samples for a large number of chemicals, including PFAS. It is currently expanding the extent of this monitoring and the range of substances and analytical media included. SEPA is also developing another method specifically to monitor PFAS substances, which will be ready in 2024.

The Scottish Government is also funding several relevant research projects through its five-year Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture strategic research programme and through the Centre of Expertise on Waters (CREW). This work includes developing techniques to measure perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in salmon, food products (fish), and soils, and developing approaches for future monitoring programmes.

The Scottish Government works with the UK and Welsh Governments on UK chemicals regulation to ensure the continued protection of the environment and people’s health. We have been clear that the risks the continued use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present is a priority issue for addressing through the UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (UK REACH) regulation. This regulation is the principal mechanism for controlling the supply and use of chemicals on the GB market. Earlier this year the Health and Safety Executive, as the Agency for UK REACH, published a detailed report recommending regulatory steps to control the risks of PFAS. Scottish Government supports the recommended prioritised approach, starting with a UK REACH restriction on the use of PFAS in fire-fighting foams with further, wider ranging PFAS restriction proposals to follow. This will build on existing bans on three PFAS through the international Stockholm convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, to which the UK is a signatory. SEPA supports site operators or users of PFAS-based substances to meet their legal obligations under national legislation. SEPA has worked with Scottish Water for a number of years on the Chemicals Investigation Programme, a UK-wide initiative coordinated by UK Water Industry Research, which investigates pollutants in wastewater treatment work influents and effluents and the effectiveness of treatment options for a range of substances including certain PFAS.

For drinking water sources, measures will be introduced as part of the Scottish Government's commitment to align with the EU’s recast Drinking Water Directive which will require Catchment Risk Assessments to be undertaken. Where there is a risk of compliance failures for substances such as PFAS, remedial action must be taken. Work to align with the requirements of this Directive is currently underway with a compliance deadline of 2027.

From Academic Year 2023-24 all students who meet the following criteria will be eligible for home fees status and student financial support in Further Education and Higher Education:

Ordinarily resident in the UK for three years prior to the relevant date;

Ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date; and

Granted a form of leave to enter or remain in the UK, where that leave has not expired.

In the case where a student is instead ordinarily resident in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, but satisfies the remaining criteria, they would be expected to qualify for the “rest of UK” tuition fee rate of up to £9,250 per year. As the British National (Overseas) visa would be considered a form of leave to enter or remain in the UK, I would consider a student in the situation described likely to be eligible for the “rest of UK” tuition fee rate.

It is, however, the responsibility for each university and college, as autonomous bodies, to make a determination regarding a student’s fee status based on the available evidence and their interpretation of student support regulations.

The Programme for Government 2021-22 and 2022-23 committed to a Student Mental Health Action Plan and Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy respectively.

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy was published in Summer 2023 and is supported by a Mental Health Workforce Plan and Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan, published in autumn 2023. The Student Mental Health Plan, which flows from these, will be published in early 2024.

There is, therefore, no ongoing requirement for these Plans to feature in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government.

The Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group was established to advise on the implementation of Programme for Government commitments related to student mental health, which have now been met in full. In addition, the Group was remitted to assist in the development of a Student Mental Health Action Plan and act as a consultative body for gathering evidence and feedback.

Meetings of the Group were paused in January 2023, to await publication of the Scottish Government’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan and Mental Health Workforce Plan.

Members of the Group will shortly be consulted on the draft Student Mental Health Action Plan which has been informed by the now published Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and attendant Plans.

Following the publication of the Scottish Government’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy in summer and Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan and Mental Health Workforce Plan in autumn we will shortly consult on a draft Student Mental Health Action Plan which flows from these recent publications.

Targeted consultation with Members of the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group, on the draft Student Mental Health Action Plan will be undertaken in the coming weeks, with the aim of publishing a completed Plan in early 2024.

Due to the nature of the eligibility criteria, the number of households eligible to apply for the scheme varies according to the number of households in receipt of the relevant social security benefits at any given time. However analysis of the eligibility criteria in December 2022 estimated that a total of 208,000 households were eligible to receive support at that time. Analysis of the current eligibility criteria for phase 2 of WHS estimates that around 433,000 households will be eligible.

The following table shows the number of households who have received support each financial year in phase 1 of Warmer Homes Scotland.