Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Rural Support Plan was laid today and will be published tomorrow.

We fully appreciate the concerns being raised by the third sector about the rise in confrontational behaviour towards charity staff and volunteers. Officials in volunteering and in safer communities policy are working together with Police Scotland, local authorities and the third sector to identify and provide guidance and support.

While we are committed to upholding the rights to peaceful public assembly and freedom of expression, instances of hate, violence, or intimidation towards others will not be tolerated. We fully support Police Scotland to take appropriate action in response to criminal behaviour against charities and other voluntary organisations.

The following table captures the number of GlobalScots registered across 2023 - 2026:

The GlobalScot network is administered by Scottish Enterprise. As this is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise, I have asked their CEO, Adrian Gillespie to respond to you directly.

As previous answers indicated, COPFS advise Shelagh McCall KC has been instructed to independently consider reports of criminal conduct relating to the Rangers prosecutions to ensure any allegations are considered fairly and objectively. COPFS has also advised as the investigation by Shelagh McCall KC is being progressed independently of COPFS, the timescale for concluding the investigation is a matter for Shelagh McCall KC.

The Scottish Government has provided over £8m of funding to NHS Grampian in support of return of obstetric maternity services to Dr Grays since 2023, with a further £1.4m committed for 2024-25. NHS Grampian have appointed consultant obstetricians, paediatricians, midwives and nurses to support the service. Since 2024 NHS Grampian have reintroduced obsetric day care assessment, scanning services and elective caesarean sections to Dr Grays. Recruitment is ongoing for additional obstetricians, anaesthetists and theatre staff with the expectation that full obstetric maternity services will be returned in 2026.

To maintain a safe and secure prison estate, we are investing just over £1 billion in our prisons to support frontline staff and progress improvements. We have already optimised the existing estate by creating 400 additional spaces and the Scottish Budget 2026-27 will provide £458.5 million in capital funding to allow SPS to finalise the HMP Highland project and continue to progress HMP Glasgow. HMP Glasgow will add 357 places while HMP Highland will provide an additional 107 places and will allow more adult men from the Highlands and Islands to be accommodated in their local area, improving access for families and services.

The following table captures the number of businesses registered on the GlobalScot platform:

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The register exists to support the enforcement of regulation on age restricted products given the public health harms of tobacco and vaping. It is the responsibility of local authorities to enforce compliance with the register in their local areas.

The GlobalScot network is administered by Scottish Enterprise. As this is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise, I have asked their CEO, Adrian Gillespie to respond to you directly.