Seòmar agus comataidhean

Drug deaths remain far too high, and the latest suspected drug death figures indicate that 898 people are believed to have died in the first nine months of 2025. This is a stark reminder of the scale of the challenge we face.

Through the National Mission, we have strengthened access to residential rehabilitation by funding eight new facilities, increasing referrals, and remaining on track to reach our target of 1,000 placements per year by 2026. We have also supported the establishment of the UK’s first official safer consumption facility, The Thistle, and expanded the distribution of naloxone.

The growing presence of new synthetic substances, such as nitazenes, is a serious and increasing concern across Scotland and the wider UK. We have seen clusters of harms in 2025, including both fatal and near-fatal overdoses.

We are working with partners to ensure that information on emerging trends is shared with local areas as quickly as possible so they can respond effectively, and we continue to collaborate closely with partners to communicate vital advice and guidance.

We are also encouraging anyone who carries naloxone to consider carrying additional kits, as the high potency of nitazenes may mean that multiple doses are required to reverse an overdose.

It is not possible to determine whether any suspected drug deaths are linked to waits for treatment. However, in 2011, the Scottish Government set a Standard that 90% of people referred for help with problematic drug or alcohol use will wait no longer than three weeks for specialist treatment that supports their recovery. This Standard has been met consistently every quarter since December 2022.

Over the period January to September 2024, 7,685 referrals to community-based services started drug treatment. Of these, 95% involved a wait of three weeks or less. Over the period January to September 2025, 7,606 referrals to community-based services started drug treatment. Of these, 96% involved a wait of three weeks or less. Further information is available at https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times/national-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-waiting-times-1-july-2025-to-30-september-2025/ and https://scotland.shinyapps.io/PHS_drug_alcohol_waitingtimes/.

I recognise the significant pressures facing our Emergency Departments. Improving flow and reducing waiting times is central to the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, which takes an ambitious but realistic approach to shifting the balance of care and ensuring people receive treatment as quickly as possible.

This government are investing over £220 million in 2025-26 to improve hospital flow, reduce delayed discharges and expand community alternatives such as Hospital at Home and front door frailty services.

To support resilience over winter we are investing up to £20 million to increasing social care capacity and easing pressure at the hospital front door. While performance remains below where I want it to be, I remain committed to supporting Boards to deliver safe, timely care.

We are also working with local government colleagues to ensure social care capacity and funding is maximised to allow people to receive the right care in the right place.

Information on whether a suspected perpetrator involved in a domestic abuse incident in 2023-24 had been involved in a previous incident of domestic abuse is available in Table 10 of the Domestic abuse in Scotland 2023-24 publication.

Due to the set-up of the administrative system used by Police Scotland to record these cases, it is only known whether the suspected perpetrator was involved in a previous incident. If they were, it is not known whether they were the victim or suspected perpetrator for those earlier incidents.

Going forward, following the roll-out of a new crime recording system (UNIFI) across all divisions of Police Scotland, it may be possible to identify if offenders of domestic abuse aggravated crimes have committed earlier domestic abuse aggravated crimes (for 2024-25 onwards). Scottish Government statisticians will work with Police Scotland analysts to explore this further and will provide users with an update in the next Domestic Abuse bulletin. It should be noted this would only be possible for domestic abuse aggravated crimes, not all domestic abuse incidents.

Officials from the Police Workforce, Diversity and Inquiry Sponsorship Unit attend the Scottish Police Pension Scheme Advisory Board (SAB), where a range of issues related to the Police Pension Scheme are discussed.

Minutes from the SAB are available on the Scottish Public Pension Agency website at: https://pensions.gov.scot/police/scheme-governance-and-legislation/scheme-advisory-board and they show that the SAB has not discussed police officers being unable to retire due to pension buyback or pension scheme interaction issues.

Issues relating to police officers being unable to retire due to pension buyback or pension scheme interaction issues are operational matters for the Chief Constable with oversight from the Scottish Police Authority (SPA). Officials within the Police Workforce, Diversity and Inquiry Sponsorship Unit, have not had any discussions on these matters with the SPA or Police Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not carried out any assessments in relation to these matters as the deployment and management of officers, including Human Resources matters, are operational matters for the Chief Constable. Oversight is provided by the Scottish Police Authority rather than by Scottish Ministers directly. These arrangements are in place to ensure the operational independence of Police Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not been advised that some police officers have been unable to retire due to pension scheme issues.

I am aware of the current administrative pause on buy-back of opted out pensionable service for some police officers impacted by the McCloud Public Service Pensions Remedy. I wrote to the UK Government in February 2025 seeking a resolution through changes to the relevant UK primary legislation, however this was not agreed. I remain confident that a resolution will be found.

The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) visited Scotland in June 2025 to review the treatment and conditions of people deprived of liberty in prisons and secure care for minors. The visit assessed progress since inspections in 2018 and 2019 and included checks on police custody facilities, focusing on treatment, detention conditions, and safeguards. The CPT will publish the report in due course, and the Scottish Government will carefully consider its findings.

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

SPS hold our serving staff and prospective staff to the highest of standards. While the vast majority of our staff adhere to the highest standards of conduct, SPS continue to be vigilant to any potential corruption concerns within our establishments. Maintaining the safety and security of Scotland’s prisons is and remains an absolute priority.

The following table sets out the number of prospective employees who have been prevented from taking up SPS employment. Due to differences relating to data recording, categories have been amended as follows: (a) criminal history, (b) financial vulnerabilities, (c) corruption or integrity risks, (d) association with serving or liberated prisoners, (e) failure to provide required documentation and (f) any other identified grounds. Any other identified grounds include reasons such as failed medical assessments and unsatisfactory employment history.