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The regulation of consumer protection is reserved to the UK Government which includes the work of Trading Standards Scotland.

The Scottish Anti-Illicit Trade Group (SAITG), which was formally re-launched on 3 March 2025, aims to disrupt counterfeiting and Intellectual Property crime in Scotland. The group brings together law enforcement, government and businesses and focuses on developing best practice and enhancing collective strategies. The work of the group forms a coordinated response to protect Scottish products, businesses and consumers from the threat of counterfeit goods.

The group also supports the aims of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce to discourage individuals from using the products of serious organised crime.

The Scottish Government does not hold the requested information.

Trading Standards Scotland reports any suspected criminality directly to the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service.

In March 2020, Scotland implemented human papillomavirus (HPV) testing as the primary cervical screening test, and increased the routine screening interval from every three years to every five. Both changes followed UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommendations, which were based on strong evidence that HPV causes almost all cases of cervical cancer and typically takes years or decades to do so.

The change was accompanied by guidance to explain the increased interval, and we have continued to reiterate this as part of on-going work to raise awareness of the importance of cervical screening. Considerable efforts have also continued to improve the information available for those invited for cervical screening, which includes revision of invitation letters and information leaflets and updates of NHS inform.

To date, there is no evidence that the changes made to the English programme have given rise to increased concerns in Scotland. We will, however, keep this situation under review, and consider if additional work is needed to ensure the benefits of Scotland’s cervical screening programme are communicated clearly.

It remains important that anyone who has concerns about possible symptoms of cervical cancer discusses them with their GP, even if they have not yet received an invitation for their next cervical screening appointment. In addition, anyone between the ages of 25 and 64 who did not attend their last screening appointment can ask to be screened, no matter how long ago they were last invited.

The Projecting Future Demand for Health and Care Services in Scotland (2024-2034) report forecasts a continued rise in unplanned acute inpatient hospital admissions. Public Health Scotland (PHS) emphasises that this trend is not fixed and can be influenced through strategic investment, service redesign, and addressing the wider determinants of health.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the projected increase, particularly in admissions related to respiratory conditions, and is taking action. We recently published the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, the Scotland's Population Health Framework and the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework in which we outline our shared, long-term vision for reforming and renewing health and social care services to ensure they are more sustainable, preventative, and equitable. A new Long Term Conditions (LTC) Framework is under development. This framework aims to ensure equitable and sustainable access to the services that all people with long term conditions need while allowing for targeted action on condition-specific care and support where appropriate.

Capital expenditure is solely for the purchase of Peatland Carbon Units at a set rate as they mature within each project. However, awardees may sell their units on the open market where they can achieve an improved price.

We have requested sheep movement data from APHA, but it has not as yet been received.

The social value of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund arises in several ways, including through the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the bus sector by accelerating the uptake of zero emission buses and coaches as part of wider activity to address the climate emergency.

In addition, Wider community and decarbonisation benefit was included among the criteria for ScotZEB 2, accounting for 10% of the total score. The guidance to applicants explained that this could include job creation, making assets (particularly infrastructure) available to a wider number of users and / or transport modes. The programme’s delivery of this criterion are assessed through evidence provided in annual reports to Scottish Ministers from the consortium. The full criteria for ScotZEB2 can be found online at https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/grants-and-loans/scottish-zero-emission-bus-challenge-fund-phase-2/

The programme has been highly successful against these aims: through ScotZEB and its predecessor programme SULEBS, more than 800 zero-emission buses and coaches have been introduced to Scotland’s roads, a network of charging facilities established for use by bus operators and other businesses, and new business models introduced to the sector to help make the use of zero emission technology financially sustainable. This contributes to greenhouse gas emissions reductions, as well as higher air quality and lower noise pollution, particularly in urban areas. Furthermore, ScotZEB 2 has seen, in only its first year, 60 new jobs in the Dundee area at zero-emission coach company Ember linked to their participation in the successful ScotZEB consortium.

The common law offence of misconduct in public office does not operate in Scotland. However, there is a comparable common law offence in Scots law of wilful neglect of duty.

Separate to common law, there are also some specific offences relating to the police in terms of failure to perform duty. These are contained in section 22 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 and are the offence of being absent from duty and the offence of neglecting or violating a constable’s duty.

The following table provides data from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) on the number of charges related to these offences. However, this data cannot be disaggregated by the occupation or role of the accused person (though this is otherwise identified for the specific charge of Constable of Police Service of Scotland did neglect or violate duty).

Table: Number of Charges reported to COPFS related to culpable neglect of duty.

Through ScotZEB 1, the average subsidy per vehicle, excluding infrastructure was £176,000. Through ScotZEB 2, the average subsidy per vehicle, excluding infrastructure is £108,000. ScotZEB 2 is still a live project in its delivery phase, and consortium membership and vehicle numbers may be subject to change. Both phases of ScotZEB have been designed to bring about a market transformation in Scotland’s bus sector, to see the rapid adoption of zero-emission technologies.

Through ScotZEB 1, all subsidy was offered to bus operators, not to bus manufacturers. Similarly, through ScotZEB 2, the grant award was made to Zenobe Energy, to manage on behalf of their consortium of operators, and no subsidy went directly to manufacturers.

There are no implications for the Peatland ACTION budget in the year 2026-2027 as a result of the carbon contracts pilot.