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The Scottish Government has engaged with video game industry representatives, with Ministers attending the Industry Conference and Scottish Games Awards at the most recent Scottish Games Week. Further engagement over the past 12 months has primarily been between officials and the Scottish Games Network through regular meetings. Public bodies such as Creative Scotland, Skills Development Scotland and Education Scotland and our Enterprise Agencies will also engage with individual games companies, however, the Scottish Government does not keep a record of this.

The primary focus of our engagements has been the industry led games action plan which was backed by Scottish Government in a roundtable discussion between Ministers and industry figures in November 2023. The aim of this plan is to boost and accelerate growth and job creation, as well as amplifying the global reputation of one of Scotland’s most promising sectors.

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

SPS are pleased that His Majesties Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, recognised that HMP Dumfries is a well-run prison and performs well against their standards.

In 2022 work started on the new SPS development and learning strategy, now called "Learning for a Better Future”. The strategy will be implemented across all SPS sites on 1 August 2025 and aims to utilise an enhanced screening process, to support and identify the specific needs of learners, and allow establishments to design Annual Learning Plans (ALP) which deliver a range of qualifications and opportunities appropriate to their specific needs.

The strategy and individual ALPs will help to identify ways for establishments to enhance engagement and participation in learning opportunities both in and out with the traditional classroom setting.

We welcome the UK government’s Timber in Construction road map since this should increase the market for Scottish timber in England. There is considerable scope to increase the use of timber frame house building methods in England unlike in Scotland where 92% of new build homes are already timber frame. Officials at Scottish Forestry have been aware of the road map as it was being developed through discussions with Defra, Confor and the Forestry Commission during that period.

The Scottish Government expects all organisations to comply with the full range of legislation that applies to them, including health and safety legislation. Given the breadth of legislative requirements that there may be across different sectors, it is not feasible for us to list every specific regulation that may be relevant to a particular body’s type of work or premises.

The Scottish Government expects all organisations to comply with the law, including health and safety regulations applying in workplaces. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Workplace) Regulations 1992 are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the subject matter of Part 1 of which is a reserved matter.

The Scottish Government has not contacted public sector organisations to clarify health and safety workplace regulations regarding the use of single-sex toilets and we have no plans to do so. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 make provision on sanitary conveniences in the workplace. These regulations are a reserved matter. The Health and Safety Executive have issued guidance and an approved Code of Practice on the 1992 Regulations: Workplace health, safety and welfare - L24.

The information requested is not held centrally. Decisions on whether or not to grant bail are for the independent courts based on the individual facts and circumstances of each case. As set out in the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, in any given case, bail may, subject to very limited exceptions, only be refused where the court determines there is good reason to do so having regard to a list of specific grounds and the wider public interest.

The bail reforms in Part 1 of the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023 will be brought into force on 14 May 2025. This includes a new duty on the court to state the grounds on which it determines that there is good reason for refusing bail in accordance with the new bail test and have those grounds added to the record of proceedings. This will help improve understanding over time regarding the use of remand.

Local authorities are obliged by law to offer advice and assistance to people who are at risk or who are experiencing homelessness, and temporary accommodation if it is needed.

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

SPS are pleased that His Majesties Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, recognised that HMP Dumfries is a well-run prison and performs well against their standards.

Prior to the inspection a CCTV replacement and upgrade programme was already agreed as part of the establishment maintenance programme.

A contractor has now been appointed and will replace and/or upgrade existing systems, introducing CCTV coverage into areas that do not currently have it such as D and E Halls and the respective exercise yards. This work is expected to begin in Autumn 2025 and is expected to take approximately 8 months to complete.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will be reviewed as soon as this process is complete and will supersede existing SOPs that are in place to monitor exercise yards.

The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults is managed and distributed locally by Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) across Scotland. Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLAN), the TSI for South Lanarkshire, was awarded £881,768 in Year 3 of the Fund to distribute to local projects. A full list of projects which received funding in Year 3 can be found on the Scottish Government website at:

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults Projects awarded funding Year 3 - 2023/2024

In Year 4 VASLAN were awarded £890,697.55. We do not yet have the list of projects funded in this year, as TSIs are due to submit their end of year reports by 31 March 2025. A full list of projects funded in Year 4 will be made available on the Scottish Government website thereafter.

The Scottish Government does not provide specific support to independent video games developers. Developers can access bespoke business advice and support through our enterprise agencies.