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Within the policies we set, NHS Boards have responsibility for the design and delivery of services to meet the needs of their local populations and deliver safe, high-quality care. NHS Boards may commission local reviews of services to support them in the design and delivery of safe, sustainable services which best meet the needs of their local populations and geographies.

If Scottish Ministers have concerns about local services they would discuss these with the Board as they are responsible for local service delivery, following which Ministers may decide to commission an independent review. There are no set criteria for such decisions as it will depend on the circumstances of the issues under consideration and the most appropriate response.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) undertakes independent inspections of obstetric maternity units in Scotland through its Maternity Inspection programme. The inspection programme launched in January 2025 and details of the inspection methodology are made publicly available on the HIS website, along with inspection reports and NHS Board improvement plans. Crucially, HIS maintains independence in its scrutiny activity, including in its inspection programme. HIS takes decisions around inspection activity using a risk-based, proportionate and data- and intelligence-led approach.

Links:

https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/inspections-reviews-and-regulation/safe-delivery-of-care-in-maternity-units-inspection-programme/

https://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/inspections-reviews-and-regulation/inspections-of-nhs-hospitals-and-services/hospital-and-services-inspection-reports/

A Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments (BRIA) will be published when the final SSI is laid in Parliament and will set out the estimated costs associated with the addition of the characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (“the 2021 Act”). This will be informed by discussions with Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and other justice sector bodies about the costs that may arise.

With regards to the timetable for implementation, the final SSI will include a date on which it takes effect. This commencement date will be agreed following consultation with Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal, Police Scotland, the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service and others with an interest, so as to ensure that there is sufficient time for them to carry out necessary training and changes to IT systems and guidance.

There is no power within the 2021 Act for the Scottish Ministers to publish statutory guidance on the Act.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s recent Fiscal Sustainability Report included long term projections of social care spending (including but not limited to care home expenditure). The SFC projected, based on current levels of provision, that social care spending in Scotland would increase in real terms from £5 billion in 2029-30 to £11 billion in 2074-75.

Under the Care Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 the Scottish Government will, before the end of 2026, prepare and make publicly available a report on projected social care needs in Scotland over the ten-year period from 2027. Work is underway to plan the and deliver evidential work for this reporting requirement. Further, the recently published Service Renewal Framework sets out commitments to develop population level strategic needs assessments for health and social care. It is expected that these areas of work will add to the current evidence - such as the SFC's long term projections - and give a fuller picture of the demands for social care services in the coming years.

The recruitment and deployment of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable. Police Scotland keeps retirement rates under review to ensure that new officer recruitment intakes are underpinned by workforce planning data. Since the beginning of 2024 Police Scotland has welcomed around 1,500 new officers, to ensure sustainability of the workforce.

The Chief Constable has made it clear that frontline strength goes beyond an overall officer headcount. Police Scotland’s Three-year Business Plan 2024-2027 sets out an ambitious programme of workforce modernisation, reducing back-office duplication.

The Scottish Government has increased police funding year-on-year since 2016-17, investing more than £14.6 billion since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013, with £1.64 billion being invested this year. Scottish Government funding in 2024-25 enabled Police Scotland to undertake the highest level of recruitment since its inception and Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales.

As the recruitment and deployment of officers is a matter for the Chief Constable, the Scottish Government does not hold this information.

Police Scotland has confirmed that its recruitment planning takes into account the position 12-18 months ahead to inform the probationer intake process. This process is designed to be agile and depends on the actual number of leavers, which are projected in advance and thereafter managed in accordance with confirmation of numbers. During the current financial year, Police Scotland has set out its intention to recruit around 780 new officers.

The Scottish Government is investing a record £1.64 billion in policing in 2025-26, an increase of almost £90 million of additional funding from the 2024-25 budget. Our investment in policing enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in 2024-25 than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout 2025 and into 2026. Police Scotland has stated that it has a healthy recruitment pipeline.

Police officers in Scotland remain the best paid in the UK, at the minimum and maximum salary points for basic pay at all ranks compared to counterparts in England and Wales.

The recruitment and retention of officers are operational matters for the Chief Constable, with oversight provided by the Scottish Police Authority.

Scottish Government does not directly fund any standalone stabilisation centres and so do not hold this information. Facilities that offer stabilisation and detoxification alongside other residential services will often be commissioned and funded locally by Alcohol and Drug Partnerships using baseline of National Mission funding that we provide annually, however they do not provide the breakdown to Scottish Government for which you have asked.

Scottish Government does not hold any information relating to drug and alcohol stabilisation centres in Europe that is not available publicly.

As I sent out in response to question S6W-39931 on 1 September 2025, the recruitment and deployment of officers is a matter for the Chief Constable. The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government is investing a record £1.64 billion in policing in 2025-26, an increase of almost £90 million of additional funding from the 2024-25 budget. Our investment in policing has enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in 2024-25 than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout 2025. Police Scotland has stated that it has a healthy recruitment pipeline.

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.

Scottish Government does not hold this information. Stabilisation is provided by some standalone services in Scotland, but it is often provided by facilities and services which provide other forms of support. Accessing stabilisation can provide an essential pathway into treatment and recovery and we are exploring how this can be further supported and evaluated.