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The Dynamic Support Register (DSR) provides a mechanism for national data collection on people with learning disabilities and complex care needs. Out-of-area placements are those where the individual is accommodated out with their Health and Social Care Partnership area. Out-of-area placements can be an appropriate option, depending on an individual’s needs and preferences. The focus of the Coming Home Implementation Report is to reduce inappropriate out-of-area placements.

The DSR only collects data on adults (aged 18+ years) and, therefore, cannot provide data on children with learning disabilities who are in out-of-area accommodation. Additionally, as the DSR was established in May 2023, we do not hold data for adults before 2023.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) collect and publish quarterly data from the DSR, with the most recent collection from 7 March 2025 published on 17 June 2025. At that time, there were an estimated an estimated 1,264 people on the DSR, of which 842 were appropriate out-of-area placements, and 45 were inappropriate out-of-area placements.

Additionally, PHS publish monthly data on delayed discharges. The most recent figures for May 2025 can be found here. This data is broken down to Health Board and Local Authority level.

The following table shows the total amounts of quota payback made by Scottish vessels in each of the last five years.

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Approach to challenge demand for prostitution and improve support for those with experience of it reinforces the clear message that there is no place for the exploitation of any individual, and that prostitution is recognised as a form of violence against women and girls, as was also set out in our Equally Safe Strategy.

There are a number of specific offences which make certain activities associated with prostitution illegal, including trading in prostitution of others, the running of a brothel, procuring for the purposes of prostitution, as well as publicly soliciting or loitering for the purpose of purchasing sex, and trafficking persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Current legislation is clear that no one can be forced into sexual activity without their consent.

Our joint work with Police Scotland forms a key element of our strategic approach and we support their national approach on prostitution, Operation Begonia, which takes a victim-centred trauma-informed approach routing women to support, whilst ensuring that Police more evidently use the powers currently available to them to challenge men’s demand.

The independent review, ‘Developing Scotland’s Economy: Increasing the Role of Inclusive and Democratic Business Models’, looked at a range of inclusive and democratic business models (IDBMs), including employee ownership, and outlined their important contributions to the Scottish economy. The Economic Democracy Group was formed following the review and will examine the review’s recommendations with the objective of devising a workplan to realise their implementation where this is feasible.

The Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee issued Decision VII/8s in October 2021, which found that Scotland and the UK are not compliant with the requirements of the Aarhus Convention in relation to access to justice. The UK was required by the Compliance Committee to submit an action plan and progress reports detailing how compliance was to be achieved.

The Scottish Government contributed to the action plan submitted in July 2022 and the progress report submitted in October 2023. A final progress report was initially due to be submitted in October 2024, however following changes in the UK Government an extension was agreed for submission of the final progress report to November 2024. The Scottish Government contributed to the final progress report. May 2025 represented an informal opportunity to provide any additional substantial updates ahead of the meeting of the Compliance Committee on 2 June. The Scottish Government continues to work towards strengthening compliance but had no substantial updates to add to the update already provided in November 2024.

Neither Transport Scotland nor the Scottish Government have ordered any buses in the past five years.

Since 2020, Transport Scotland has supported the Scottish bus sector with over £150 million of grant funding to support operating companies to acquire 800 zero emission buses and their supporting charging infrastructure. This is a rapid increase from the 20 zero emission buses on the road in 2020, and we have been right to set ambitious targets for the sector.

The Northern Isles Ferry Services contract sets out the requirement for a Revised Base Case exercise. Transport Scotland and Serco NorthLink completed the contractual requirement to rebase the bid submission figures for Contract Years 7 & 8. As the costs were agreed by Ministers the contract runs to 30 June 2028.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38765 on 4 July 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/written-questions-and-answers.

Scottish Ministers require that those who deliver public contracts adopt fair employment practices for all workers engaged on delivering these contracts. Crew on board the freight vessels MV Helliar and MV Hildasay continue to benefit from the principles set out in the Fair Work Framework such as; access to training, genuine workforce engagement and payment of at least the Living Wage. Transport Scotland hold regular meetings with SNF to cover a variety of matters, including updates on union and employment issues. Scottish Ministers regularly engage with Trade Unions.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38764 on 4 July 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/written-questions-and-answers.