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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-37966

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with the National Energy System Operator regarding the number of wind turbines in Scotland, and how many of these are currently connected to the grid.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) on a number of energy related matters in Scotland, including wind energy infrastructure and grid connection.

In October, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments jointly commissioned the NESO to produce a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) for Great Britain, which is intended to help accelerate and optimise the transition to clean, affordable and secure energy in Great Britain by providing greater clarity on the shape of our future reformed energy system. Scottish Government officials meet regularly with NESO to shape the plan as it develops, including providing representation at formal governance groups.

The Scottish Energy Statistics Hub provides the progress of Scotland’s renewable electricity projects.

Question reference: S6O-04742

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any further plans to widen its review into Creative Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37689

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Prison Service regarding the April 2025 Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research report and its finding that Scotland has one of the highest prison death rates across Europe, which has risen 60% in the last year, and how it will prioritise the provision of rehabilitation and adequate support measures for prisoners.

My deepest thoughts and condolences are with those families affected by a death in prison custody. The Scottish Prison Service cares for and supports some of the most complex and vulnerable individuals in our society, often at times of personal crisis.

I regularly meet with the Chief Executive of Scottish Prison Service and the safety and wellbeing of people in custody remains part of a continued dialogue. Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research report covers a range of distinct topics which will be considered individually.

The Scottish Prison Service have now developed a multiyear recovery plan to prioritise the delivery of offending behaviour programmes, including the introduction of new delivery sites to increase programme delivery and capacity.

Question reference: S6W-37690

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to (a) address the reported 60% increase in prison deaths in 2024 and (b) improve the safeguards in place to prevent (i) drug deaths and (ii) suicides in prison.

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

Any loss of life in the care of SPS is tragic no matter the circumstances.

The recently reviewed Death in Prison Learning Audit and Review (DIPLAR) process, supports our ability to improve and identify lessons learned following any death in custody.

We are also reviewing and overhauling our suicide prevention strategy, ‘Talk to Me’, supported by an independent expert review. We have implemented immediate measures identified following recommendations from Fatal Accident Inquires, including but not limited to mandatory observations of young people during their first 72 hours in custody.

Additionally, the implementation of SPS’ Alcohol and Drug Strategy, which was developed with partners, will compliment operational actions by using trauma informed practices to support those in our care who are affected by substance use.

Question reference: S6W-37688

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure that prisoners receive adequate access to healthcare, in light of the April 2025 Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research report, which highlighted that 27 of the 64 deaths occurring in prisons in the last year were related to health conditions and incidents.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that those living in prison have access to healthcare that is, as a minimum, equitable to that offered in the community.

Within 24-hours of entering a prison establishment, all individuals have a face-to-face consultation with an NHS healthcare professional to assess their physical and mental health needs, including any addictions. This nationally agreed process helps identify healthcare and medication requirements, and other vulnerabilities. Healthcare plans are then put in place accordingly.

All individuals living in prison can access healthcare appointments with the prison healthcare team via a simple internal self-referral process. Scottish Prison Service staff can also refer individuals for healthcare appointments, where needed.

We are taking forward a range of work to improve access to healthcare. The National Prison Care Network has developed a Target Operating Model for prison healthcare, which aims to ensure nationally consistent healthcare delivery in all prison establishments

Question reference: S6W-37487

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any additional resource requirements for court services resulting from any increase in the volume of body-worn camera footage submitted as evidence by Police Scotland.

Police Scotland commenced its rollout of body worn cameras on 26 March 2025. Dealing with the footage submitted as evidence to the courts is an operational matter for SCTS. The Scottish Government continues to support the roll-out of the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability programme and if any additional resource requirements are identified this will form part of the normal budget setting process.

Question reference: S6W-37489

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to adapt to any shift in standard police case submissions from the occasional CCTV reference to routine body-worn video evidence.

Body-worn video footage can be an essential part of a prosecution: providing a rich source of real evidence including exculpatory evidence. Provided promptly, such footage can:

enable prosecutors to make an informed marking decision
facilitate the early resolution of a case
support an effective prosecution

Considerable work being undertaken within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to measure and monitor impact the impact of submission of BWV footage on both operational processes and prosecution decisions.

Officials from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are working closely with colleagues from the Police Service of Scotland to ensure that the body-worn video footage submitted to prosecutors supports and does not detract from these aims.

Question reference: S6W-37486

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address any need to balance the reported operational pressures and budget constraints of Police Scotland with the need to maintain a visible and adequate security presence in courtrooms to ensure safety.

The operation of Police Scotland, including decisions on the allocation of resources and the deployment of officers and staff, is for the Chief Constable, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. This includes the provision of Police Officers in courts, to maintain public order within the building, ensuring that all court users continue to be in an environment where their safety is maintained.

Despite unprecedented challenges to public finances, the 2025-26 Scottish Police Authority budget has increased to £1.64 billion, an increase of almost £90 million when compared to the 2024-25 budget.

Question reference: S6W-37490

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support the provision of additional training or guidance for staff involved in custody hearings and early case processing, in light of any increased reliance on body-worn video evidence.

Officials within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have prepared detailed policy and process documents to assist staff across the service, including those involved in custody hearings and early case processing, dealing with body-worn video footage. These documents are being supported by extensive training which highlights:

The need to take a trauma informed approach to the use of body-worn video
The evidential value of body-worn video
The sensitive nature of body-worn video and its implications for disclosure and redaction.
The need for prompt disclosure and early engagement with the accused and their legal representative.

Question reference: S6W-37488

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has estimated any impact on the processing times for case marking and prosecution decisions as a result of any need to review body-worn camera footage.

The introduction of body-worn video footage by the Police Service of Scotland is a significant development and has the potential to bring enormous benefits to the criminal justice system and beyond.

Body-worn video provided promptly can enable prosecutors to take informed initial marking decisions by providing them with not only evidence of offending, but an insight into the nature of the offending behaviour, and its impact on individuals involved.

Considerable work is being undertaken within the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to measure and monitor impact the impact of submission of BWV footage on both operational processes and prosecution decisions.

This monitoring will inform resource allocation within the service and any future funding requirements.