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The Criminal Proceedings in Scotland statistics reported 38 recorded police warnings for ‘other sexual crimes’ over 2018-19 to 2020-21. All but one of them relate to breaches of Section 127 (1) of the Communications Act 2003, which has the crime code description of Communications Act 2003 (Sexual). Whist the remaining case was for a different crime, Police Scotland have confirmed this was a data error and didn’t receive a recorded police warning.

Under Section 127 (1) of the Communications Act, it is an offence to send by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character; or to cause any such message or matter to be sent. When recording these offences, police officers judge whether the content of the communication is sexual or non-sexual in nature. If the former it will be recorded as a Communications Act (2003) sexual crime, within the ‘other sexual crimes’ category. If non-sexual, it will be recorded as a general post office / telecommunications offence.

During 2018-19 to 2020-21, over one thousand (1,071) recorded police warnings were issued for non-sexual breaches of Section 127 (1). In reviewing their data on recorded police warnings, Police Scotland have identified that a small proportion of those far more voluminous non-sexual offences have mistakenly been classified as sexual breaches of Section 127 (1). This was the case for 17 of the 18 warnings included in the 2020-21 statistics under the ‘other sexual crimes’ category, which should instead have been recorded as non-sexual breaches. Whilst the remaining incident was for a sexual breach of Section 127(1), it has been confirmed a different disposal was given to a recorded police warning.

Based on the above, it is therefore likely there have been no recorded police warnings issued for an ‘other sexual crime’ over 2018-19 to 2020-21.

The next Criminal Proceedings in Scotland National Statistics (for 2021-22) will be published on 24 October. Scottish Government statisticians have worked with Police Scotland to ensure the data on recorded police warnings in 2021-22 reflects the true position, as a result of actions taken by the latter to rectify the above issue. We will also amend the previously published 2020-21 bulletin to (i) urge user caution when interpreting the recorded police warning figures for sexual crimes and (ii) highlight that revised data for 2020-21 will be produced following publication of the 2021-22 statistics.

Support for young people now forms part of our all-age employability support delivered through No One Left Behind. Employability support is designed and delivered at a local level by Local Employability Partnerships.

Local Authorities have the responsibility of developing approaches with partners, including engaging with employers, to meet local needs. Local Employability Leads will be able to provide local information on employer engagement.

Employability contacts for each local authority can be found on the Employability in Scotland website which can be accessed here: https://www.employabilityinscotland.com/local-employability-services/

The Scottish Government has not assessed or commissioned any such independent analysis in respect of nature-based carbon credits or prices to date. Analysis of recent carbon prices commissioned by the Woodland Carbon Code will be published in due course.

The Scottish Government works in partnership with Local Government and Local Employability Partners to offer key worker led, person-centred holistic support. At a local level they work in communities and with partners to deliver employability services to those who are experiencing or are at risk of becoming long term unemployed. This includes people with disabilities or long-term health conditions. We engaged with all Scottish Local Authorities when we undertook reviews in the delivery of Supported Employment and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) to consider the most appropriate approach for improved outcomes.

Supported employment including IPS can offer assistance to those requiring intensive and specific help. Officials are working with a range of partners to develop and expand our Supported Employment offer which is currently delivered through Fair Start Scotland. From 2024 this type of support will be made available through our No One Left Behind approach with local partners.

In addition, we are considering the recommendations from the implementation evaluation of No One Left Behind and the Young Person’s Guarantee, alongside the outputs from our recent national stakeholder discussion events and actions will be reviewed to identify improvement measures.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with local employability partners in each local authority to promote and drive an increase in the reach of our services across all of Scotland.

At a local level, Local Employability Partnerships will deliver a mixed economy of provision bringing together a range of partners including, third sector organisations, ensuring that they continue to have a core role in provision of support based on local demand.

Regarding applications for onshore wind development with a capacity in excess of 50 megawatts (including applications to extend and vary wind farms in excess of 50 megawatts where an application was made to Scottish Ministers) that have been granted in each of the past 10 years, broken down into planning authority areas, is presented in the following table.

Consents made between 2013 - to date.

The Young Person’s Guarantee was introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic as a measure to prevent long-term adverse impacts for young people in the labour market. It contained a number of aspects, covering skills, education, and employability. Employability support for young people is now delivered through No One Left Behind, as part of the long-term ambition to simplify the employability landscape for service users.

In recognition of the importance of the employability aspect of the Young Person’s Guarantee, we commissioned a joint Implementation evaluation of No One Left Behind and the Young Person’s Guarantee to inform future direction of devolved employability support. This was published on 10 August 2023.

We will consider the recommendations from the evaluation alongside the outputs from our recent national stakeholder discussion events and actions will be reviewed to identify how we can improve.

We recognise the important role the third sector can play in supporting people to access support they are entitled to and are committed to working in partnership to develop our devolved approach to employability.

Both Scottish and Local Government have been clear that No One Left Behind will deliver a mixed economy of provision at a local level, meaning organisations including those in the third sector can continue to have a role in providing support based on local demand.

At a local level, Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) bring together a range of partners including the third sector to build local capacity and take a collective leadership approach to decision making within their local areas to meet service user and labour market needs.

Awareness and promotion of the Young Person’s Guarantee among employability staff was achieved using existing networks and communication channels.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with local government partners in each local authority to promote and drive an increase in the reach of our services across all of Scotland.

The Scottish Government set out the policy approach to Employability within the No One Left Behind: review of employability services report which was published on 5 December 2018. Support and Guidance has been provided through the development of national products, including the Customer Charter, Shared Measurement Framework, Service Standards and other materials which are designed to support development and implementation of services at a local level whilst maintaining national coherence.

We continue to work in partnership with local government, key stakeholders, and service users to build capacity for promoting and delivering the Scottish Approach to Service Design in Employability and inter-related national products. This creates the optimum conditions and framework for quality services and how to evaluate them.