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The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The member may wish to contact the British Transport Police.

Data on crime and anti-social behaviour incidents on the rail network is available on the British Transport Police website: British Transport Police - Crime information for the rail network in England, Scotland and Wales (btp.police.uk) .

STAF received £184,200 (2021-22) and £193,200 (2022-23) in core funding via the Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention & Adult Learning & Empowering Communities (CYPFEI & ALEC) third sector fund. For both these financial years, the agreed outcomes from this funding were:

• That the wellbeing and success of young people leaving care across Scotland is indistinguishable from that of their peers in the general population.
• That there is a significant and measurable shift in culture and improved understanding by all corporate parents working with young people from a care experienced background leading to improved outcomes

• That young people from a care experienced background are informed and empowered to stay in care longer if that is what they wish in placements that meet their needs.
• That STAF increases its influence on behalf of young people and our stakeholders.

In addition a grant of £27,200 was paid to staff for the financial year 2021-22 through the Children and Young People Summer Programme, the objectives of the grant were:

• Provide targeted opportunities for care leavers and those who support them to reconnect with each other and to explore local outdoor wild spaces;
• Design activities with young people with lived experience to ensure that the programme is relevant to their needs; and
• Provide opportunities that promote and support improving physical and mental health in woodlands and forests with young people participating in activities relevant to the wild spaces they are in.

A total of 13,697 accused were reported to COPFS for the period 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2023 with charge(s) which fall within the Scottish Government Classification of "Drugs – Supply, and where it can be identified that cannabis was the relevant controlled drug.

This can be broken down as follows:

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The member may wish to contact the British Transport Police.

Who Cares? Scotland was established in 1978. It provides independent advocacy for children and young people in care across Scotland, and campaign on behalf of and with children and young people with care experience. The organisation’s vision is ‘a lifetime of equality, respect and love for care experienced people’.

Who Cares? Scotland also offer a range of groups, activities and events to care experienced people, specifically to those that become members.

The Scottish Government provides grants to Who Cares? Scotland to provide a Helpline Service, Corporate Parenting Training and Children's Advocacy for Children's Hearings as part of a national scheme.

The objectives on these topics for the financial year 2022 to 2023 were:

Helpline Service

1. To provide a helpline service that will act as the main point of contact for people with care experience which will allow them to:
‎ •access support and advice; and
‎ •receive sign-posting to other support networks as required

2. To work with Scottish Government officials to report on key themes that are highlighted through calls to the helpline to allow Scottish Government colleagues to work across policy areas to address emerging or ongoing issues.

3. To work with Scottish Government officials to evolve and align this current grant funded activity with the Scottish Government’s strategic priorities including work to Keep the Promise, particularly around the development of a future advocacy support model and any future and consequential implications for the helpline.

Corporate Parenting Training

1. To provide a Training Programme for Corporate Parents - with a focus on Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), will proactively receive offers of bespoke training to upskill their workforce and embed The Promise and UNCRC within their practices. The promotion and protection of the rights of people with Care Experience amongst Corporate Parents will be enhanced.

2. To provide a Training Programme - A programme of themed training events, including health specific themes, will be available to all Corporate Parents. These are to be designed to help Corporate Parents understand how to collaborate for maximum impact to improve outcomes for people with Care Experience.

3. To provide on-Going Support - Provide on-going advice and concentrated support to Corporate Parents to encourage positive change in internal structures, policies and practice. Health Boards and HSCPs will be specifically targeted to offer support.

4. To establish Corporate Parent Champions – A Corporate Parent Champions network is established to champion change within their own organisation, share practice across Corporate Parents and influence nationally.

5. To develop Digital Communications - Develop, maintain and promote online learning and training resources available to Corporate Parents.

6. To Engage with Young People - Provide opportunities for Corporate Parents to access the voice of Care Experienced people in a meaningful way in order to support ongoing policy development and public understanding.

7. To tackle Stigma – Throughout all activities, communications and support provided, the Grantee should ensure that all efforts to reduce stigma faced by people with Care Experience are in line with the wider sectoral commitment - The Each and Every Child Initiative.

Children's Advocacy for Children's Hearings

1. To support the Scottish Government with the development, delivery and promotion of the national children’s advocacy in children’s hearings scheme as part of the implementation of section 122 of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 and The Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (Children’s Advocacy Services) Regulations 2020, in a manner which gives cognisance to the:

o Scottish Government’s Children’s Advocacy Guidance (published in 2014), https://www.gov.scot/publications/childrens-advocacy-guidance/; and

o National Practice Model for Advocacy in the Children’s Hearings System (published in March 2020), Advocacy in the children's hearings system - national practice model: guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

2. To promote high quality independent advocacy services to children and young people, to support them to exercise their rights to be heard within their Hearings and contributing to the recovery of children’s hearings from Covid 19 impacts towards stable service.

3. To promote high quality independent advocacy services to brothers and sisters, to support them to exercise their rights to participate in the Hearings of their siblings on staying together/contact arrangements as introduced by section 25 of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 and related changes in Regulations made under section 177 of the Children (Scotland) Act 2011 - The Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (Rules of Procedure in Children’s Hearings) Amendment Rules 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

4. To support planning and future implementation of The Promise by improving experiences and outcomes for care experienced children and young people.

5. To take steps to promote, respect, protect and fulfil the rights of children and young people and increase awareness of the UNCRC amongst staff and stakeholders. You will promote the UNCRC throughout the creation and development of the project, and related policies and procedures in relation to this funding.

The terms and conditions of GB Railcards are set out by National Rail (part of the Rail Delivery Group). Neither Transport Scotland nor ScotRail regulate the rules for the use of national railcards.

As such, future decisions on when discounts would be available using the 16-25 national railcard are not controlled by the Scottish Government.

Where a National Railcard dictates a minimum fare for travel during peak times - such as the 16-25, 26-30, and Veterans Railcard and the minimum fare will still apply.

I would encourage the member to contact Jacqueline Starr CEO, Rail Delivery Group to raise this matter at jacqueline.starr@raildeliverygroup.com

We have not commissioned any reviews into the effects of second-hand cannabis smoke, so we have no outcomes to report. We are aware of studies which have been conducted in North America including What are the effects of secondhand exposure to marijuana smoke? | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

The Member may wish to contact British Transport Police, who might be able to provide this information.

The Scottish Government provided no direct funding to the British Allergy Foundation in 2022.

This information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

The member may wish to contact British Transport Police who might be able to provide this information.