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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.

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

The Scottish Government is currently undertaking a programme of Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus local area visits to Scottish territorial NHS Boards which provides an opportunity to explore the levels of psychological support available for people living with HIV.

Throughout visits we have observed areas of excellent practice in relation to psychological support for people living with HIV, including some Boards bringing clinical psychology pathways into routine HIV care to ensure holistic HIV management and digital solutions for those who live in more rural areas where peer support may be more challenging. We continue to work with NHS Boards and encourage sharing best practices to address any gaps identified throughout these visits.

The Scottish Government is committed to equitable access to HIV support services and we continue to work with NHS Boards who provide targeted community outreach, peer support initiatives and digital health solutions particularly focused on underserved groups.

The landmark anti-stigma campaign had a significant impact and laid strong foundations to challenging HIV-related stigma and reducing barriers to HIV prevention. Building on this successful campaign, we are funding further training for health and social care staff to increase awareness and reduce stigma, particularly for underserved groups.

Recently, in partnership with Scotland’s Migration Service, we have developed tailored information on accessing sexual health and HIV services for new arrivals to Scotland, which can be found here Healthcare in Scotland | Scotland.org.

The Scottish Government published its Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework (SRF) on 17 June 2025. This Framework provides a high-level guide for change, to ensure the sustainability, efficiency, quality, and accessibility of health and social care services in Scotland. Within the SRF, we set out our commitment to publish the Long-Term Conditions Framework and its aim and outcomes will be closely linked to the principles of the SRF.

The dates of Scottish Screening Committee (SSC) meetings since January 2023 are listed below and hyperlinked to the published minutes where available.

18 April 2023 Scottish Screening Committee minutes

The SSC last met on 6 March 2024. The minutes for this meeting are due to be published shortly.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the Just Transition Fund (JTF) is responsive to the needs of the North East and Moray. This includes full consideration of the recommendations of the independent evaluation to support ongoing improvements to the 10-year Fund in a way which aligns with Scottish Government’s budget position.

The independent evaluation highlighted the positive and catalytic impact of support delivered through the Fund in its first two years of operation. We have already delivered against some of the report’s recommendations. For example, updated application material and guidance were issued as part of the 2025-26 open capital funding round for the JTF to support greater transparency of process.

Approximately 61% of the additional funding for National Treatment Centre (NTC) Highland will be used to support ophthalmic procedures. NTC Highland have planned to deliver over 3,500 cataract procedures with this funding.

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.

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

If a prison officer is suspected of engaging in corrupt practices, SPS will implement its Anti-Corruption Policy and Guidance. Where information suggests that a prison officer has participated or has become involved in corrupt activity, those matters will be progressed in accordance with SPS’ Code of Conduct policy.

If information exists to suggest that corruption may have, or is alleged to have taken place, the matter will be referred to Police Scotland who will determine whether any criminal proceedings should be brought against those thought to be involved.

The specific criminal offences that a prison officer could be charged with will depend on the nature and extent of corrupt behaviour and/or activity that they have been found or alleged to have participated in.

While the vast majority of staff adhere to the highest standards of conduct, SPS is always vigilant to any potential corruption within establishments. Maintaining the safety and security of Scotland’s prisons is and remains, an absolute priority.