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The Scottish Government’s long-held position, which mirrors the UK Government’s, is that it does not regard it as appropriate to engage in public comment in respect of live court proceedings. That is different from saying that the position is that Scottish Government cannot comment or is prevented from commenting generally on live litigation, although there will be cases in which the Contempt of Court Act 1981 is engaged to that effect - and additionally cases in which there are legal prohibitions that must be adhered to - to ensure there is no risk of impediment or prejudice to the proceedings. In all cases, the Scottish Government is mindful of the obligation to uphold the independence of the judiciary.

The Scottish Government is asked why it is choosing not to comment on this particular litigation. The answer to that applies to the Scottish Government’s approach to all live litigation. The appropriate forum for discussions on matters live before the court is in the court and that ensures that the proper respect is afforded to the judiciary and also to the litigants.

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

As explained in the answer to S6W-42080; as a public body we must uphold our statutory obligation to ensure everyone in our care has their personal information protected. Given that the 21 transgender people in our custody represent only 0.3% of the total prison population, we are unable to provide any further disaggregation of this data into which estate they are held in as there is a potential risk of identification of individuals due to the very small numbers involved.

You are aware of the current trans policy as set out in S6W-42080 ensures that no trans woman with a risk of violence against women and girls is placed in the female estate and that the relevant data on trans prison numbers is part of the data we publish on a quarterly basis, the last of which can be found here.

Scottish Ministers received the reporter’s report from the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division on 9 September 2025. Following receipt of the report, no additional information has been sought by Scottish Ministers.

Scottish Ministers and civil servants involved in handling the Lomond Banks recalled appeal have not held any meetings with representatives of Lomond Banks regarding this appeal. The Scottish Government conducts its planning casework responsibilities in accordance with the principles set out in the Scottish Ministerial Code.

Scottish Ministers are giving full and proper consideration to the Reporter’s findings and recommendation on the Lomond Banks recalled appeal. The final decision will be issued as soon as possible. Updates will be published on the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) website: Scottish Government - DPEA - Case Details.

It is for NHS Boards to assess and fund the sexual health needs and required care of their population and ensure trauma-informed approach to care within services. Details of all sexual health services can be found on NHS Inform.

If someone attends a Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS) they will have their immediate sexual health needs met there, including, for example, emergency contraception and post-exposure prophylaxis. SARCS will then make a direct referral to a sexual health clinic for their follow up care if required. Some Boards also offer services such as fast-track pathways and at-home sexual health testing, which may be more accessible.

Since its establishment in April 2025, the Working Group has met on 30 April, 13 May, 29 May, 17 June, 31 July, 14 August, 28 August, 11 September, 25 September, 9 October, 23 October, 6 November, 20 November and 4 December.

The Scottish Government accepts the judgment of the Supreme Court. It is the responsibility of employers and service providers to interpret and comply with the Equality Act 2010, and for the regulator - the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) - to enforce the Act.

The Working Group was convened by the Permanent Secretary and is chaired by the Director General for Education and Justice. The membership of the Working Group includes representatives from every relevant portfolio area across the Scottish Government, including officials from the following Director Generals (DG):

• DG Corporate
• DG Communities
• DG Education and Justice
• DG Economy
• DG Exchequer
• DG Net Zero
• DG Health and Social Care
• DG Strategy and External Affairs

As stated previously, it is the Scottish Government’s long-held position that it is inappropriate for Scottish Ministers to comment on live litigation. In all cases, we have an obligation to uphold the independence of the judiciary. Therefore it would also be inappropriate to meet with For Women Scotland to discuss a live case. I met with For Women Scotland in May last year, and Scottish Government officials have also met with them to discuss the impact of the judgement and their priorities for the forthcoming Women’s Equality Strategy.