Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36866 on 6 May 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 have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6O-04553 on 23 April 2025. All answers to Oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Official Report: search what was said in Parliament | Scottish Parliament Website

The Scottish Government’s decision-making for the flu vaccination programme continues to be guided by the expert clinical advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI currently advises flu vaccination for those aged 65 and over, as well as at-risk groups. As such, we are not considering expanding the flu programme to the healthy 50-64 year old age group for winter 2025.

Scotland expanded its flu programme to those aged 55 and over in 2021, and then those aged 50 and over in 2022 and 2023, as part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to reduce pressure on the NHS in unprecedented times.

In winter 2024, as we moved beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, we reverted to the standard JCVI-advised groups, and healthy individuals aged 50-64 were no longer included. Those aged 50-64 who have certain underlying medical conditions remain eligible by virtue of their clinical risk status.

Aviation and airspace are reserved matters.

The Scottish Government is currently engaging with the Ministry for Justice on no fly-zone regulations across prisons. Considerations about extending regulations in place in England and Wales to Scotland are ongoing.

SPS, Police Scotland, HMPPS, and police forces from England and Wales are part of a cross-border tasking group. Recently, SPS met with HMPPS, NIPS, and the Irish Prison Service to discuss drone threats, share best practices, and develop mitigation strategies.

Any attempt to bring illicit substances into prisons threatens the health of those in custody and staff safety, which is why SPS collaborates with Police Scotland and deploys technology to prevent it, where possible.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37086 on 6 May 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

It is the primary duty of Integration Joint Boards (IJB’s) to strategically plan the delivery of integrated adult health and social care provision in a local authority area. This duty will include the gathering of information regarding the impact of local decision making. Therefore, the Scottish Government does not collect or hold this information centrally.

Our national guidance on mobile phones in Scotland’s schools sets out the considerations schools and education authorities should give to respectful and responsible use of mobile phone policies. While the guidance is clear that headteachers can ban mobile phones if they think this is the appropriate approach for their school environment, the guidance takes a broader approach to identifying the features that should comprise a respectful and responsible use of mobile technology policy. This includes digital etiquette (standards of conduct when using mobile phones); digital rights and responsibilities (what individuals can and cannot do); and safe and secure use of mobile technology (precautions that can be taken to ensure digital safety).

Supporting children and young people to use mobile phones respectfully and responsibly is a key element of preparing them to be responsible citizens, successful learners, confident individuals and effective contributors. The Scottish Government wants children and young people to be protected, safe and supported in the online world and for them to be able to enjoy the internet, show resilience and take advantage of the opportunities it has to offer. We are committed to making sure child internet safety is properly recognised in Scottish education and wider child protection policies.

Education Scotland published Experiences and Outcomes for the Technologies area of the Curriculum including internet safety and cyber resilience. There are clear links between internet safety and Personal and Social Education/health and wellbeing and these statements will help teachers to know what to teach. Children and young people will learn about the safe and responsible use of different technologies, including the internet and social media, as part of their broad general education under Curriculum for Excellence.

The salary and pay range of a Chief Executive should be within the pay bands in the Scottish Chief Executive Framework (as detailed in the Chief Executive Pay Policy). This is to ensure consistency and fairness between the remuneration of Chief Executives in public bodies covered by the Pay Policy, and senior staff employed in Scottish Government Agencies and associated departments, who are civil servants (and members of the Senior Civil Service).

For local government employees, pay and other employment matters are delegated to local authorities. The Scottish Government and COSLA have committed to respect this arrangement as part of the Verity House Agreement.

For Senior Civil Servants, pay is reserved.

The Scottish Government ensures accountability and transparency in the governance of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) through the SPS Framework Document which was updated and published last year (2024). This includes the Chief Executive’s direct accountability to Scottish Ministers, financial and performance monitoring, ministerial oversight, and the role of the Portfolio Accountable Officer in overseeing the operational and financial performance of SPS.

The HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) plays a key role in holding SPS to account by reporting on prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners, with recommendations for improvement that must be considered and implemented by the SPS where required.