Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37115 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.

In 2025/26, an additional £28m will be invested in additional support for learning, to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce at a local level, to help enhance professional learning on inclusion for all teachers at all stages of their careers and to support teacher specialism in inclusion. A further £1 million will be provided to support national initiatives, which will enable us to build on the work being delivered through our Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.

Since 2009, the Scottish Government has provided almost £3.3 million to support the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz programme.

The programme promotes and embeds learning about and remembrance of the Holocaust. Since 2009, 5,595 Scottish students have participated in the project as well as 660 Scottish teachers.

395 schools or 76% of all eligible schools from across Scotland’s 32 local authorities have participated.

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

Under Scots law, there are established legal avenues for addressing concerns arising from deaths in the prison estate.

The Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 requires a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) to be held where the deceased was in legal custody at the time of death. This requirement arises unless the Lord Advocate is satisfied that the circumstances of the death have been sufficiently established during the course of another formal investigation, such as a criminal investigation. FAIs are designed to establish the circumstances of a death and to consider what steps might be taken to prevent other deaths in similar circumstances, including identifying any defects in systems or practices that contributed to the death.

Additionally, individuals employed by Crown bodies can be prosecuted for health and safety offences. There are also relevant statutory offences that could apply following a death in custody, most notably, corporate homicide under the UK-wide Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, for which the Scottish Ministers, via the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), could potentially be held criminally liable.

There are currently no plans to bring forward legislative proposals in this area given the existing Parliamentary timetable.

In consultation with the Lord Advocate, I have commissioned an independent review of the FAI system to focus on improving the efficiency, effectiveness and trauma-informed nature of investigations into deaths in prison custody. The review will also identify the specific barriers that families face in engaging with the process and propose concrete solutions to shortened timescales. From 7 April 2025 close family members who are involved in deaths in custody FAIs also now have access to non-means-tested legal aid.

The retention or otherwise of Crown immunity from prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is a reserved matter for the UK Government. The Scottish Government is committed to working with the UK Government on the removal of corporate Crown immunity from prosecution, under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

I recently wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice asking to meeting, with this being one of the several agenda items for discussion. The Secretary of State for Justice has now responded and a meeting will be held in due course.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

HMP Shotts was fully redeveloped and completed during 2013-14 at a cost of £93.1m. The establishment remains a valuable part of the SPS estate and delivers consistently high levels of care and support for those individuals who live there.

The land of the former prison site, which sits to the west of the current establishment, remains operational and is partly used for photovoltaic panels, reducing the establishment’s energy use.

SPS is currently in the process of assessing the future use of this area which includes methods to achieve a climate change journey to zero-direct emissions.

Dallachy Airfield is currently owned and managed by Crown Estate Scotland rather than the Scottish Government. Currently, there are a number of commercial leases in place at the site.

Crown Estate Scotland has submitted a Call for Ideas representation to Moray Council Planning Department for the airfield to be allocated as Industrial and Green Energy development land, as part of the Moray Local Development Plan 2027.

The Scottish Government are checking and reviewing the ownership details used for this site as it appears on the Vacant and Derelict Land Register and will update the register with any changes in due course.

The Scottish Government currently own 22 properties under the core estate.

Scottish Government continues to work with local authorities and the independent sector to understand the impact of the UK Government policy on Scottish schools to date. Scottish Ministers have received assurance from local authorities that they have the capacity to support increased school rolls.

The distribution methodology for calculating the block grant is agreed with local authorities and is informed by a number of indicators, including pupil numbers from the latest annual school census.