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The Westminster Commission on Forensic Science, set up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Miscarriages of Justice in 2022, visited the Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services Division (SPA-FSD) in early 2025. Subsequently, the Commission published its report which highlighted Scotland’s different model of forensic delivery in comparison with the police and privatised market driven model in England and Wales. The Scottish model of delivery is cited in the report as publicly governed, multi-disciplinary and scientifically rigorous in comparison with the position in England and Wales.

On 20th November 2024, the Director of SPA-FSD and the Chair of the SPA alongside scientific experts attended the Scottish Parliament to showcase the work of SPA-FSD to MSPs. This included demonstrating Scotland’s world leading services, how they are deployed to scenes of crime in Scotland and how the captured evidence provides vital intelligence to Police Scotland in the investigation of crime. Given that the Scottish Government has no role in operational policing, it is for the SPA to highlight good practice in the provision of forensic services for the investigation and prosecution of crime in Scotland. The SPA Board regularly receives reports on SPA-FSD’s performance and standards.

There are currently 14 trained drone operators in Police Scotland, all of whom are police officers.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) currently has one qualified drone pilot who holds a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) licence. While that pilot is fully trained, the Service does not currently have an operational drone capability. Other SFRS personnel may hold personal drone qualifications independently, but these are not recognised in an official capacity for Service operations.

The food environment, including promotions, significantly influences the food choices people make, both in and out of home. This report adds further to (the evidence base and) our understanding that promotions can encourage impulse spend and can lead to people buying more than they need, overlooking cheaper and healthier alternatives.

The Scottish Government is taking forward wide ranging action to support people make healthier choices in the out of home sector.

On 17 June, the Scottish Government confirmed that it will introduce regulations to restrict the promotion of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt to the Scottish Parliament this autumn. These regulations will, amongst other things, restrict unlimited refills for a fixed charge of non-prepacked soft drinks with added sugar in qualifying out of home businesses. Further detail on the final scope of the policy is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/restricting-promotion-food-drink-high-fat-sugar-salt-hfss-consultation-detail-proposed-regulations-scottish-government-response/.

We are working with Food Standards Scotland and Public Health Scotland to develop our Eating Out Eating Well Framework https://eatingouteatingwell.publichealthscotland.scot/, one of the actions from our Out Of Home Action Plan https://www.gov.scot/publications/diet-and-healthy-weight-out-of-home-action-plan/. The new Framework is designed to help businesses serving food out of home, such as restaurants and cafes, to provide healthier options for customers, and includes developing a Code of Practice for children’s menus. Further detail is set out in the answer to question S6W-39402 on 8 August 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government will consider further action to improve the food environment, including in out of home settings, under the Population Health Framework.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission published its most recent independent forecasts on 25 June 2025, which sets out its latest five-year economic and fiscal forecasts, and includes forecasts of Social Security benefits expenditure to 2030-31.

The publication can be found on the SFC’s website: Scotland’s Economic and Fiscal Forecasts Update – June 2025 | Scottish Fiscal Commission

Based on the latest SFC’s forecasts, the Scottish Government anticipates to spend £9.3 billion on Social Security Assistance in 2030-31.

The SFC will publish its next set of five-year economic and fiscal forecasts alongside the 2026-27 Scottish Budget later this year.

The £2 million investment in 2025-26 through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) to support local authorities to return more privately owned empty homes to use is a new investment. It is part of a two-year fairer funding pilot, with a further investment of £1.3 million in 2026-27.

The £2 million is funding:

• additional empty homes officers across Scotland (£750,000),
• innovative local and national projects (£700,000) such as the Dundee project referenced in the answer to question S6W-39184 on 7 August 2025,
• SEHP core functions, such as its advice line and support for local authority empty homes officers, as well as enhanced support to deliver the additional work above in conjunction with local authorities (£550,000).

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

As of year-end 2024 there were 4,648 new Electric Vehicles (EVs) registered in Scotland through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme. This represents 16.9% of EVs registered in Scotland in 2024, although this figure may not include cars purchased through brokerages based outside of Scotland.

We are proud that the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme is delivering much-needed support for disabled people and contributing towards a Just Transition in Scotland.

This information is not held by the Scottish Government as in-work benefits such as Universal Credit are reserved to the UK Government. Additionally, the recording of personal data relating to police officers with additional jobs or business interests are matters for the Chief Constable.

The Scottish Government values the dedication shown by police officers in Scotland. That’s why our police officers remain the best paid in the UK recognising the hard work and valuable contribution they make daily as well as our commitment to investing in policing.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) provide a Victim Information and Advice (VIA) service in criminal court cases. When COPFS first consider a new criminal case, they refer to VIA any victims who should receive extra support. This includes victims of domestic abuse. If the victim wishes VIA support, VIA will proactively notify the victim of court hearing dates and bail decisions, including bail conditions of the accused person.

When the court is deciding whether to grant bail, the prosecutor and the defence are given the opportunity to make submissions to the court on the question of bail. In doing so, the prosecutor can make the court aware of any safety concerns which they consider arise based on the individual facts and circumstances of the case. This is particularly relevant under the new bail test, which came into effect on 14 May 2025, and which centres public safety, including safety of the complainer from a risk of harm, in bail decision making.

Where held, COPFS will consider the views of the victim with regard to bail and bail conditions, in forming their overall submission on bail. This may include information obtained from the victim by the police in the initial police report, information from specialist support services or information from VIA engagement with the victim directly.

Domestic abuse involves very complex dynamics where it can be important that information about concerns that may lead to a partner or ex-partner being placed on remand or subject to stringent bail conditions is not attributed to information provided by the victim. This may make victims reluctant and fearful to engage in a case.

It is for this important reason that the prosecutor, who acts independently in the public interest, is best placed to provide victim safety information to the court, including the seeking of further conditions of bail.

Ultimately, the question of bail and bail conditions is a matter for the independent court informed by the information they are provided with.

We plan to introduce amended regulations for charities accounts by the end of 2025. These will raise the audit income threshold for charities registered in Scotland from £500,000 to £1 million. The amended regulations will also include changes to UK accounting standards following a new Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), which is due to be published in the Autumn.

The Scottish Government has undertaken a range of stakeholder engagement prior to the development of a long term conditions framework consultation, including meeting with fifteen clinicians representing seven policy areas (stroke, respiratory, cardiology, chronic pain, neurology, diabetes and long COVID) between August and September 2024. These engagements captured a mixed response, with some raising concern that moving to an integrated approach risks losing focus and progress for policy work in these areas. However, the potential transition to an integrated approach was also seen as more equitable, with value in conditions working together. All clinical leads were able to identify opportunities within their specialty for beneficial joins to be made across conditions.

Additionally, in September 2024 the approach set out in the consultation was presented to the Scottish Government Professional Advisory Group, which involves clinicians working across a wider range of specialties including primary care and allied health professionals, to discuss the proposed changes in approach to long term conditions. This meeting involved discussion of opportunities to simplify, make efficiencies and provide effective interventions while taking a whole person approach, starting with the person rather than the condition.

We will continue to engage with the clinical community and lived experience groups as the Framework develops. The public consultation on long term conditions closed on 20 July, and analysis is ongoing.