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Part-time learning is a decision which should be taken in agreement with the school and the local authority. It should take into account the circumstances of the individual learner including the existing planning arrangements in place for the child or young person.

We continue to work with all our partners to ensure that all children and young people get the support that they need to reach their full potential.

We are refreshing our national guidance on attendance – Included, Engaged and Involved Part 1 to set a clear expectation that any use of part-time timetables includes a plan to support the young person return to full time education at the earliest appropriate point. We anticipate refreshed guidance will be published in early 2026.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of visible policing for public confidence. However, perceptions of community safety are shaped by a range of factors, including falling levels of crime, local police engagement, and broader community support.

Crime in Scotland has fallen significantly under this administration.

Scotland is a safer place since this government took office. Recorded crime remains below the position immediately prior to the pandemic (2019-20), and is down 39% since 2006-07.

The proportion of adults who were a victim of violent and property crime has also fallen from one-in-five (20.4%) in 2008-09 to one-in-eight (12.1%) in 2023-24 and the Scottish Crime & Justice Survey (2023-24) showed more people feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark increasing from 66% in 2008-09 to 75% in 2023-24. Over the same time period the proportion of adults who thought violence between groups of individuals or gangs was common in their area fell from 26% to 13%.

The Scottish Government have increased police funding year on year since 2016-17, investing more than £14.6bn since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013. In 2025-26, we will increase the police funding to £1.64 billion , an increase of £90 million on 2024-25, to support police capacity and capability.

Our investment in policing enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits last financial year than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout 2025. The latest official statistics show there were 16,427 full time equivalent police officers at 30 June 2025.

Police Scotland also has a healthy recruitment pipeline having welcomed around 1,500 new officers since the beginning of 2024 including a further 136 new recruits on 1 September 2025.

Specific Police Scotland officer number statistics by division, can be found by following the link.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) to discuss housing and homelessness issues and with local authorities on the importance of fulfilling their statutory duties. The Scottish Government’s approach is to work collaboratively with partners to address the acute pressures in housing and homelessness.

In its assessment of systemic failure, the SHR identified three major strategic challenges in providing homelessness services: the significant numbers of people in temporary accommodation; maintaining a sufficient supply of appropriate temporary accommodation; and ensuring access to the number of permanent homes that are needed.

The Scottish Government’s housing emergency action plan published on 2 September sets out a suite of actions to help address the challenges identified by the SHR. The plan commits to up to £4.9 billion over the next four years for the delivery of affordable and social homes. It ensures that £808 million will be available for affordable homes in Scotland this year, which includes £80 million for councils to acquire family homes now to relieve pressure. This fund will help to replenish temporary accommodation stock that has been converted to permanent homes. We are also funding a pilot private sector leasing scheme to reduce the use of unsuitable temporary accommodation, which will support local authorities to comply with their statutory homelessness duties.

The management of the Police Scotland estate, including the allocation of resources to the police estate, is an operational matter for the Chief Constable under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.

We are investing a record £1.64 billion in policing in 2025-26. This includes £70 million of capital funding for investment in police assets, including the police estate.

Planning for the Scottish Spending Review has begun, and the review will identify opportunities to optimise the use of Scottish Government funding over the longer term. As part of this process, we are working closely with the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to understand their 2026-27 budget requirements.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40058 on 16 September 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government welcome’s Police Scotland’s commitment to providing a safe environment for officers, staff and the public.

Management of the Police Scotland estate, including contingency plans in the event that any of Police Scotland’s buildings are deemed unsafe, is an operational matter for the Chief Constable under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.

The Scottish Government has established an Assurance Board, which has now met six times. The purpose of the Assurance Board is to provide oversight, scrutiny, and support to NHS Grampian as it develops and implements its improvement plans. The Assurance Board has engaged directly with NHS Grampian’s leadership team, including the Chair and Non-Executive members of the NHS Grampian Board. To ensure transparency the minutes of meetings and supporting documentation of the Assurance Board are published on the Scottish Government website.

The new Chief Executive and Accountable Officer for NHS Grampian, Laura Skaife-Knight is now in post, and her appointment will help to provide stability to the board.

As part of the £85 million investment to support improvement in hospital flow and A&E waiting times, NHS Grampian will receive £5.97 million in additional funding to support improvements in A&E performance, focusing on initiatives that will shift the balance of care and reduce hospital occupancy including Hospital at Home, Frailty, and Discharge without Delay.

A diagnostic report provided by KPMG at the request of the Scottish Government has now been published. The report identifies key challenges within NHS Grampian, including issues around leadership stability, governance structures, and financial sustainability.

Both the Scottish Government and NHS Grampian welcome the report. The rapid diagnostic review has provided fresh perspectives on potential areas for improvement, which NHS Grampian will now consider as they develop their improvement plans. This will be supported and scrutinised by the Assurance Board to ensure swift and effective progress.

Prioritisation of the improvement actions which NHS Grampian include in their plans will be critical in focussing capacity on the areas which will make the most impact and drive real sustainable change.

I will commit to updating Parliament on the improvement plans and the work of the Assurance Board as they develop.

NHS Forth Valley had been experiencing difficulties with performance, including concerns raised by Healthcare Improvement Scotland following unannounced inspections in 2022. This led to the Board being escalated to Stage 4 of the NHS Scotland Support & Intervention Framework in November 2022 for governance, leadership and culture, bringing direct formal oversight and coordinated engagement from Scottish Government in the form of an Assurance Board.

The NHS Forth Valley Assurance Board, which last met on 5 September 2024, was then satisfied that NHS Forth Valley has made considerable progress in delivering their Assurance and Improvement Plan and that the organisation was sufficiently evidencing tangible improvements across the three areas for which they were escalated: governance, leadership and culture, and the decision was taken to
de-escalate the Board to Stage 3 of the Framework from 1 October 2024. Moving to Stage 3 meant that NHS Forth Valley no longer required direct formal oversight and the Assurance Board was stood down.

The Board continued to be reviewed by the Scottish Government’s National Planning and Performance Oversight Group (NPPOG) and following careful consideration, the decision has been taken that NHS Forth Valley’s escalation status for governance, leadership and culture, should be lowered to Stage 2 from 9 October 2025. This decision also reflects the continued dedication, effort, and commitment of NHS Forth Valley staff which is bringing results and progress in reducing the longest waits.

Scottish Government will continue to engage with NHS Forth Valley and monitor progress with a view to reporting back to NPPOG in March 2026.

Following discussions with a number of stakeholders and experts over recent weeks, I have decided to delay implementation of the muirburn provisions until the start of the next muirburn season in Autumn 2026.

This decision will provide us with the time and opportunity to carefully consider the upcoming changes to muirburn and how these changes can be brought forward in a way which does not adversely affect our ability to prevent and respond to wildfires. Wildfires as I saw this summer, are very damaging to our precious peatland carbon stores and further discussions on this issue will take place with key stakeholders and at the Wildfire Summit on 14 October 2025.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40792 on 9 October 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.