Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W 41083 on 21 October 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.

The Scottish Government has taken a number of important steps to support its Land Reform objectives including supporting diversity of land ownership.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Bill is currently being considered by Parliament and represents a significant step forward on Scotland’s Land Reform journey. The Bill will give communities more opportunities to use their Right to Buy and will stop sales of large landholdings from proceeding until Ministers can consider the impact on local communities. Ministers will be able to require land to be sold in lots, further supporting diversity of ownership. The Bill will also require landowners to engage with local communities, giving them more of a say in how land is used and managed, and will also improve the rights of tenant farmers.

The proposals in the Bill build upon the success of earlier legislation such as the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016. This helped establish the Scottish Land Commission which provides evidence-based advice to inform land policy in Scotland and also works to support good practice in land ownership, management and use, and also the functions of the Tenant Farming Commissioner.

As Summary of Research and Recommendations has shown, concentrated land ownership and the associated lack of supply of land can lead to many important social, economic or environmental objectives being more difficult to achieve. That is why we are taking ambitious action to tackle it through the Bill and other work. These steps support the many sector-specific policies that apply to all land, irrespective of ownership.

Scotland has a proud history of land reform since devolution. The Government is committed to driving forward land reform and increasing diversity of land ownership in a way that is fair, proportionate and within the terms of the current devolution settlement.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W 41083 on 21 October 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W 41083 on 21 October 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W 41083 on 21 October 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.

The Scottish Government is aware of the Community Syringe Redemption Program pilot schemes currently delivered in New York City and the City of Boston in the United States. However, while this specific scheme has not been assessed, we will continue to monitor it, and other international developments, and are open to reviewing any robust evaluation of such initiatives.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Royal College of Psychiatry’s report on meeting the needs of autistic people and people with ADHD in Scotland.

The Scottish Government agrees with the College, that the demand for neurodevelopmental assessment and support now exceeds what Scotland’s current mental health infrastructure can deliver and that a different response is needed, which recognises the complex nature of this issue.

We are grateful to the College for their work in preparing this report and will now take time to consider it fully.

Mental health is an absolute priority for this Government and ensuring provision of care and support for individuals with mental illness will be considered as part of the ongoing budget process. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance has confirmed that the Scottish Government will publish the 2026-27 Scottish Budget on Tuesday 13 January 2026. The UK Government’s decision to publish its Autumn Budget on 26 November has significantly compressed the Scottish Budget timetable.

Information about activity undertaken to support and develop restorative justice (RJ) services can be found in quarterly and annual reports published by Community Justice Scotland.

Examples of the outcomes and actions achieved to date include:

Outcome 1 - Restorative Justice is available across Scotland

• Baseline survey carried out in 2018 to establish current provision of services
• Hub and Spoke model developed (2020)
• Training and model tested for delivery of RJ in sensitive cases (2021-2023)
• Options Appraisal produced by Community Justice Scotland (CJS) (learning from testing of Hub and Spoke model) (2024)
• RJ test cases identified, funded and, where feasible, taken forward, with report on findings due to be published soon (ongoing)
• Engagement activity undertaken with individual local authorities, victim support organisations and other services such as Scottish Prison Service (2024-25)
• Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice survey carried out and shared with stakeholders - Capturing the Organisation and Delivery of Restorative Justice across Scotland, designed toidentify strengths and gaps in RJ service provision for under 18s and identify test cases (2025)
• Policy and Practice Framework developed with partners and stakeholders to build on existing published guidance and provide more detailed information for facilitators (Ongoing – due to be published 2025)
• RJ Stakeholder Group established (2020); membership and remit refreshed (2024); last met in June 2025.
• RJ development forum established in 2025 bringing local leaders together to learn from others and develop RJ in their own area

Outcome 2 - High quality restorative justice services are delivered by trained facilitators

• National RJ Training Needs Analysis commissioned and completed (2022)
• Research into risk mitigation measures commissioned and completed (2022)
• Training material developed and tested for facilitating sensitive cases (2023)
• Training module produced by CJS (2024)

Outcome 3 – There is strong public awareness and understanding of Restorative Justice in Scotland

• Ipsos Mori telephone survey carried out (2020)
• RJ animation developed and produced (2020)
• Free to use Flickr photo album created showing RJ practices (updated 2024)
• Communications brief developed and agreed with RJ Stakeholder Group (2021)
• Work in schools including:
• “The views of school pupils on the use of Restorative Justice in Scotland” (2022) where school children were asked about their awareness, understanding, and attitudes toward restorative justice
• “Key Messages from Children and Young People about Restorative Justice,” (2023) groups from Drumchapel High School and youth groups contributed their views on how RJ should be carried out.
• Mapping of existing practices with under-18s across Scotland (2025) to identify strengths and gaps
• Two workshops at George Watson’s College in Edinburgh (2023 and due 2025) delivered as part of a Crime and Justice Conference for Advanced Higher Modern Studies students from schools across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
• Funding provided to SACRO for development of RJ Forum website (2021)
• Restorative Voices – Seen and Heard exhibition developed and delivered as part of Scottish Mental Health Festival (2024)
• RJ Stakeholder Group chaired by Scottish Government meets three times a year

We continue to fund and work in partnership with teams in Community Justice Scotland and the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice to develop and promote restorative justice (RJ) services across Scotland.

We also seek input on a regular basis from a wide range of organisations through the Restorative Justice Stakeholder Group – which meets three times a year - to identify priorities and actions.

Activity has included:

• Carrying out a National Training Needs Analysis
• Production of an online training module by Community Justice Scotland
• Initial model for delivery proposed and tested
• Options Appraisal carried out by Community Justice Scotland, building on learning from the testing of the proposed model (involving consultation with stakeholders)
• Policy and Practice Framework developed to support RJ facilitators
• Creation of a RJ protocol with the Scottish Prison Service to use restorative practices in prison establishments where appropriate to do so
• Outreach work in local authority areas to raise awareness of RJ and supporting partners to develop local RJ services
• Building networks with national and international RJ academics and practitioners to develop good practice in Scotland
• Conducting research to help develop a model for Scotland
• Feasibility study to develop an online directory of RJ services

Additionally, over the last 18 months, support has been provided to identify and run test cases. The report setting out the learning from these will help inform next steps and priorities.