To ask the Scottish Government, in the light of reports that capital expenditure work has now been stopped at Raigmore hospital, when it will publish its plan for the Moray maternity services redesign. (S6O-03597)

On 3 March 2023, the Scottish Government approved the plan that NHS Grampian and NHS Highland submitted for the reintroduction of obstetric maternity services at Dr Gray’s hospital, which was backed by up to £6.6 million of Scottish Government investment. We remain committed to that plan. NHS Grampian has a dedicated Moray maternity web page, where it publishes its regular newsletter, which it shares with the public and local elected members. The March edition of the newsletter included a summary of the plan and a working timeline.

As the minister well knows, all capital works have stopped, and maternity provision across the Highlands, especially for Caithness mothers, is shocking. Given that NHS Highland has already spent £2.7 million on the project, and it has potentially overspent by £70 million, surely the Government must accept that the handling of the Moray maternity services redesign has been shambolic and nothing short of wicked.

With regard to Moray maternity services at Dr Gray’s, I am pleased to say that NHS Grampian and NHS Highland have moved forward with delivery of the plan. In addition to the delivery of the first three milestones, three obstetricians and one paediatrician have recently been appointed, recruitment of specialist midwives, anaesthetists and speciality midwives is on-going, expansion of the day-case assessment provision is continuing and operating models for neonatal care and intrapartum obstetric care are being finalised. Work is absolutely continuing, and I regularly meet my officials, who regularly meet NHS Grampian, to discuss progress.

Regarding capital works, the United Kingdom Government’s decision to cut the Scottish Government’s capital budget for the next five years by nearly 9 per cent in real terms has had a severe impact on healthcare projects. Can the minister advise of any conversations that have been held with the UK Government on that matter? Will she join me in calling on the UK Government to reverse those harsh cuts, to ensure that Scotland’s health service infrastructure can be significantly improved?

I agree that it is incredibly disappointing that the Scottish Government’s capital budget was reduced. As Ms Harper said, our block grant for capital is expected to reduce by around 9 per cent in real terms by 2027. That represents a cumulative loss of more than £1.3 billion.

Ahead of the UK autumn statement in November and the UK spring budget in March, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government called on the UK Government to reverse the cuts and to provide clarity on the future of our financial transactions funding. Sadly, no clarity and no additional capital or financial transactions funding for Scotland was forthcoming.

Question 2 has been withdrawn.