I am already on my feet, Deputy Presiding Officer.

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of children currently waiting for an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment and the median length of wait. (S6O-04908)

The Scottish Government does not hold data relating to the number of children waiting for an ADHD assessment or to the length of waits. Health boards hold their own data on that.

As I have previously acknowledged, work is needed to improve the quality of data that is available on neurodevelopmental support and services. We are working with health boards and local authorities to better understand what is available and how it can be used to support improvements for children and families.

I remind members of my diagnosis.

The Minister’s answer speaks for itself. The reality is that there is a crisis in neurodiversity assessment and that the Government does not hold that data. How does it propose to fix the problem when it does not know the scale of the problem or even the length of waits? Children are going to wait until they are adults to be assessed. When will the Government introduce a comprehensive system of waiting time data and pathways for assessment?

The member will be aware that considerable work has already been undertaken on the development of pathways, both for children and young people and for adults.

On the point about data, as I stated in my original answer—and as I referred to in the statement that I gave to Parliament towards the end of June—we understand the issue and the interest in Parliament on the length of waiting lists and the median waits. That information is held by health boards.

I repeat the point that I made in my original answer and in response to questions in Parliament in June: we are working with health boards and engaging with local authorities to understand the picture more clearly. I am conscious of the member’s interest. As part of the pre-agreed summit between parties, we will have the opportunity for dialogue, and I am sure that we will be able to explore the area further.

A couple of members wish to ask supplementary questions. I will try to get them both in, but they will need to be brief.

I welcome recent figures that show that the Scottish Government has met child and adolescent mental health services waiting time targets for the third successive quarter. However, we must maintain the momentum, particularly in the face of unprecedented demand for mental health and neurodevelopmental services. Will the Minister say more about how health boards are being supported to improve their performance and provide our young people with the support that they so desperately need?

I put on the record my sincere thanks to the staff in our national health service CAMHS teams for their hard work. They play a vital role in making that achievement possible. However, we cannot be complacent. I agree with the member that we need to sustain that work and, importantly, ensure that standards are consistent across the country. That can be done only with direct support from the Scottish Government. Through our support framework, we continue to work with boards to meet those targets and ensure that they have robust improvement plans in place. We are also investing directly in a system to ensure that children and young people receive the support that they need, when they need it.

The Minister’s response to Daniel Johnson sums up this Scottish National Party Government. How can he, as a minister, possibly be part of the solution when he does not even ask for the data? How can the minister possibly be able to put forward ideas, policies or anything at all if there is no data? Will the minister now ask the 14 health boards for the data? If necessary, will he put in his own freedom of information requests to find out what the data is? This is simply unacceptable.

That is interesting, because Mr Kerr asked me a question on the matter when I gave a statement to the Parliament at the end of June. The point that he made about the importance of data to understanding the landscape and developing policy is important. I recognised that point then. I had recognised it in the statement that I gave to the Parliament, and I recognised it in both my original and supplementary answers to Daniel Johnson.

Of course there is a need for data and for understanding of it, but health boards hold that data. As I have stated and have indicated previously to the Parliament, my officials have been engaging directly with health boards to understand the range of data that is available and, importantly, how that data can be used and applied for the benefit of children and young people.