Official Report 180KB pdf
14:03
The next item of business is general questions. To accommodate as many questions as possible, I ask for concise questions and answers.
Antisocial Behaviour and Retail Theft
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to address antisocial behaviour and retail theft in town centres and high streets across Edinburgh and Lothians East. (S7O-00415)
Antisocial behaviour and retail crime have a real impact on businesses and communities. That is why we are acting to provide record funding of more than £1.7 billion for policing in 2026-27. That supports visible local policing and targeted operations where communities are experiencing particular concerns. In addition, we provide £3 million to support the police retail crime task force, delivering targeted action against shoplifting and repeat offenders.
I recognise and thank Police Scotland for its work across Edinburgh and the Lothians taking forward a range of interventions, including high-visibility patrols, retail crime task force operations, bus and tram patrols, action against the illegal use of e-bikes and targeted activity to prevent disorder around Halloween and bonfire night.
Outside enforcement, we are strengthening prevention work—for example, we are investing £26 million through the cashback for communities programme, supporting young people and providing positive alternatives to offending.
Businesses and charities in my region have reported concerns about persistent shoplifting and antisocial behaviour, and one constituent recently contacted me regarding repeated thefts from a local charity shop. What action is the Government taking, in addition to what the minister has described, to understand and manage the root causes involved, in relation to antisocial behaviour in particular?
I am grateful for that question, and I understand the member’s concern about retail crime and the challenges that that presents. The Scottish Government recognises the vital role of our retail sector and the real harm that retail crime does to businesses and staff and to our communities. The member may find it helpful to know that the retail crime task force utilises a four-strand approach, commonly known as the four Ps—prevent, pursue, protect and prepare—which is delivering real results by helping to target repeat offenders and drive enforcement in the areas that are most affected.
I have met with many businesses across Edinburgh that have told me that they are increasingly being targeted by individuals wearing balaclavas. What specific measures will the Scottish Government support to prevent the inappropriate use of balaclavas in city centres, such as penalty notices and giving Police Scotland powers to demand the removal of balaclavas when someone is attempting to hide their identity from the authorities?
Police Scotland already has powers under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to require the removal of face coverings in certain circumstances if officers reasonably believe that they are being used to conceal a person’s identity—for instance, in connection with criminality or disorder. Police Scotland has been clear that it considers that those powers are proportionate and sufficient at present, and it continues to monitor the implementation of powers that have been introduced in England and Wales.
We will continue to engage with policing partners to keep the position under review. The consideration, and implementation, of any additional powers would require clear evidence that existing legislative provisions are not adequate and that further measures would be necessary and proportionate.
I am not sure that the answer that the minister just gave is entirely accurate. The police do not have the powers that she described, except in exceptional circumstances, and she should know the law well enough to know that that is the correct answer to the question about face coverings that she was asked by Miles Briggs.
My question is simple. The thin blue line is stretched to breaking point. The reality is that, although the physical presence of a police officer can be a powerful deterrent to some antisocial behaviour, the Scottish Police Authority has warned that if the Government’s budget settlement for Police Scotland is in line with the spending review in January, it will result in 1,000 fewer officers.
Will the minister assure me and my constituents, and members in the chamber, that there is no such plan to reduce the number of front-line officers by 1,000 as a result of a flatline budget settlement?
I am sure that Mr Kerr does not expect me to narrate the budget in advance of its taking place, but I assure him that there are more officers per head of population in Scotland than in England, and that our officers receive the best basic pay in the United Kingdom at the minimum and maximum in each rank. In addition, the recent recruitment pipeline of new officers into Police Scotland is healthy. I hope that he finds that response helpful.
Urban Rural Classification
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the Scottish urban rural classification, including its application in the delivery of public services. (S7O-00416)
The most recent version of the classification is the “Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2022”, which was published in December 2024 and is based on the 2022 census. The classification will be updated following the release of the next population estimates. The next version of the classification will be based on 2026 population estimates for settlements and localities, which are expected to be available in 2028 or 2029.
Under the classification, much of mainland Orkney is categorised as band 8, which is “Very Remote Rural”, but so too are places such as Hoy, Westray, Sanday and other isles that are wholly dependent on ferry and air services. I am sure that the minister will not need persuading that, when determining how funding is targeted to support the delivery of public services in a rural setting, it is important that all barriers to access are considered. For Orkney’s smaller isles, ferry timetables, weather conditions and additional travel and freight costs should be factored in.
Will the minister therefore consider how the classification system might be refined to better capture the different aspects of rurality in an island context, to ensure that the needs of communities in ferry-linked isles are best reflected?
I welcome Mr McArthur’s engagement on the issue, which I understand deeply, being from the islands just to the north of the Orkney Islands. I look forward to engaging with him on the budget negotiation and classification of Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles and Argyll and Bute. “Rural” and “remote” are terms that we both have strong feelings about, so I also look forward to engaging with him on public sector reform, and finding classification that better suits island communities across our country.
Will the minister set out how the urban rural classification statistical tool is currently being used to ensure that robust rural proofing takes place across the design and delivery of public services?
The Scottish Government’s urban rural classification provides a consistent framework for identifying and understanding the circumstances of rural communities across policy development and service delivery on housing, education and transport. The classification that is used today is about travel time and population sizes of less than 3,000. It is quite definitive, and it indicates and balances how we allocate money across the country in a 12-month cycle.
Essential Services (Disruption)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking, in co-ordination with the United Kingdom Government, to ensure that households and essential public services in Scotland are prepared for any prolonged disruption to electricity, water and telecommunications services, including the measures used to assess the effectiveness of that action. (S7O-00417)
The Scottish Government works with national and regional organisations, utilities, telecommunications providers and local resilience partners to support preparedness for disruption to essential services. Through Ready Scotland, we promote practical household preparedness and support a UK-wide approach to improving public awareness of risk and resilience. We assess the effectiveness of that activity through public preparedness research, engagement and communications data, lessons identified from emergency responses and exercises, and feedback from resilience partners. That includes the UK public survey of risk perception, resilience and preparedness, which provides valuable evidence on the public understanding of risks and the actions that households are taking to prepare, and helps to inform future activity.
Does the minister agree with the list of items that we should all stock up on that was recently provided by the UK Government? Have hospitals, care homes, schools and councils recently tested their contingency arrangements for prolonged and simultaneous failures of electricity, water and telecommunications?
I have followed with interest both the detail of and the commentary on the UK Government’s preparedness campaign. The Scottish Government has recommended practical household preparedness for many years, which can be found on our Ready Scotland website. The be ready campaign is running UK-wide and aims to empower households to take simple steps to prepare for disruption. The Scottish Government continues to liaise with the UK Government about the roll-out of the be ready campaign in Scotland.
On the member’s question on resilience and preparedness, I am happy to write to him to outline further details on the specifics that he is interested in.
I recently attended an event hosted by the community in Glendaruel in Argyll and Bute, which highlighted the importance of being prepared for situations such as those that Graham Simpson highlighted. The event also showcased the significant support from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks through the provision of a generator, for community resilience.
The minister gave Mr Simpson a very full response on the Government’s engagement around community resilience. Can she add to that with regard to how she envisages the Scottish Government supporting rural and island areas?
I welcome the event that Jenni Minto outlined and the support that SSEN has provided to many communities, including Glendaruel, where it is clear that it has made a real difference. Different communities will face different risks and circumstances, so generators may be an important part of the answer in some areas but will not be the right solution everywhere.
Building resilience starts with communities understanding risks and identifying the steps that will make the biggest difference locally. Those might include developing community resilience plans, identifying vulnerable residents, strengthening local communications networks, creating community hubs or improving emergency power or welfare arrangements. The Scottish Government supports that through guidance, practical advice and signposting to local and national funding to complement the work of Scotland’s emergency responder organisations. Ready Scotland also provides advice to help individuals, businesses and communities prepare for emergencies and periods of disruption.
Blue Badge Scheme (Older People)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to simplify access to the blue badge scheme for older people who are in receipt of pension-age disability payment who have significant mobility difficulties. (S7O-00418)
The administration and delivery of the blue badge scheme, including decisions on individual applications, are the responsibility of local authorities. Transport Scotland provides the legislative framework and non-statutory guidance and works closely with local authorities to support the effective administration of the scheme across Scotland.
As the pension-age disability payment does not include a mobility component, it does not provide automatic entitlement. However, recipients may still qualify if they meet the eligibility criteria. Local authorities can provide assistance throughout the application process to help ensure that those who are eligible are able to access the support that is available to them.
The blue badge scheme is extremely important to people who are in need of it. People can fall off a cliff edge in relation to that need because, even though they have had a blue badge, it does not follow on when they receive the pension-age disability payment. I have been contacted by several constituents who are over the age of 65 and who are experiencing difficulties reobtaining a blue badge, despite having held one previously.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that older people with significant long-term mobility difficulties should not have to navigate such a burdensome process? Will she undertake to speak to colleagues in the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, in the light of the review of local authority services, to see whether the process can be simplified, to ensure that those in need get the support that they rightly deserve?
The requirement to reapply for a blue badge every three years is set out in legislation and applies equally to all badge holders. Local authorities must periodically confirm eligibility and residency while they protect the integrity of the scheme. To reduce administrative burdens, Transport Scotland has provided shortened reapplication forms, and it continues to work closely with local authorities and Social Security Scotland to identify further opportunities for streamlining. This is the type of challenge that public service reform seeks to address by bringing organisations together to make services more seamless, efficient and person centred for those who rely on them.
Sudden Cardiac Death (Young People)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of, and improve access to, screening for young sudden cardiac death. (S7O-00419)
The Scottish Government, like all United Kingdom nations, follows the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendations. I recognise the important work being done by organisations such as Cardiac Risk in the Young and the DH9 Foundation to raise awareness of cardiac risk in young people.
Although the National Screening Committee has said that it recognises the devastating impact of sudden cardiac death, its most recent review found that evidence did not support the introduction of population screening. My predecessor wrote to the committee to ask whether it planned to review that recommendation; it is now doing so and its conclusions will be published.
Although there is no formal national screening programme, guidance from the network for inherited cardiac conditions Scotland supports the assessment of families after a sudden cardiac death, including, where appropriate, genetic screening of first-degree relatives. We will continue to work with the network to ensure fair and timely access to testing across Scotland, including through the national sudden cardiac death project.
Every week, there are at least 12 young sudden cardiac deaths in the United Kingdom. My constituent Ebony Morrice was just two days away from her 18th birthday when she died suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition while at a concert with her mum. A milestone that should have brought her family together in celebration instead became a birthday that they would have to face without her. Her parents, Melanie and Ally, are in the public gallery, watching, hoping and fighting for their daughter’s memory. Through the Ebs memorial fund, they are campaigning to prevent other young people from going undiagnosed, as Ebony was. Will the minister, along with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care, commit to meeting them to hear Ebony’s story and explain what more can be done on cardiac screening and awareness to prevent young lives like Ebony’s from being lost?
First, I give my heartfelt condolences to Ally and Melanie on the loss of their daughter Ebony. I can only imagine how devastating the impact of her loss has been. I am more than happy to commit to meeting them, and I am keen to implement throughout the country any learning that NHS Highland can share in relation to Ebony’s care.
The standard test for assessing the risk of a young person experiencing a sudden cardiac death is a basic questionnaire and a non-invasive electrocardiogram. In a sense, it is all about data and, as such, it is probably the perfect place for NHS Scotland to utilise artificial intelligence. What investment has the Scottish Government made in AI-enabled scanning so that diagnostic tests can become more routine and potentially more accurate?
I will write to Jackie Baillie on her question about AI.
It is important that we remember that we are talking about population-level screening. Although I absolutely understand the desire for a screening programme and I guarantee that, if evidence is found to support one, Scotland will waste no time in implementing it, we must recognise that all population-level screening has the potential to do harm as well as good.
It is vital that our interventions in Scotland continue to be evidence led. That is why we follow the guidance of the UK National Screening Committee, which plays a vital role in ensuring that screening programmes genuinely improve outcomes. We must let its review progress independently.
Suspicious Deaths (Documentation)
To ask the Scottish Government what the policy and practice of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is regarding the provision of documentation relating to the death of a relative to members of the deceased’s family where the death occurred in suspicious circumstances. (S7O-00420)
The death of a family member is a traumatic time for bereaved relatives. Prosecutors recognise the importance of timely and effective communications, particularly in relation to deaths in suspicious circumstances. Our published family liaison charter sets out how prosecutors liaise with families. It outlines what information can be shared, the timeframes for communications and the commitments to bereaved families.
Precisely what information, including what documents, can be shared depends on the circumstances of each case. If criminal proceedings remain a possibility, disclosure of information may be limited to protect the integrity of the investigation and potential future court proceedings.
On her appointment, the Lord Advocate stated that her office was
“an office of significant responsibility”
and that she would
“discharge it with … a clear focus on serving the public interest.”
My constituent Mr Ian Riddel has been refused access to information to help him to understand the circumstances of his 19-year-old brother’s death, because Police Scotland decided that it was not in the public interest to provide that information. Mr Riddel is in the public gallery. Will the Lord Advocate grant him a meeting to discuss why important information is being withheld from the family and explain how it could possibly be in the public interest to withhold it?
As Lord Advocate, I expect the investigations of deaths to be thorough, independent and timely, and for bereaved families to be treated with sensitivity and to be kept informed. It would not be appropriate to discuss details of any ongoing investigations in relation to the specific case that has been raised, but I would be very happy for Max Bannerman to raise his constituent’s concerns directly with me or with my officials.
I note that a point was made in relation to Police Scotland. I cannot speak for Police Scotland, but I am sure that a meeting could be arranged between me and Police Scotland.
Civil Unrest (Prevention)
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent incidents of rioting and civil unrest across Europe, what action is being taken to prevent the same happening in Scotland. (S7O-00421)
The Scottish Government remains committed to upholding the right to peaceful public assembly and freedom of expression. However, those rights should never be used to justify any form of violent, intimidating or otherwise criminal behaviour, and we fully support Police Scotland taking appropriate and proportionate action in response to any such behaviour.
Although there are certainly elements in society that seek to divide communities and to cause unrest and division, as has been discussed in this Parliament, there are appropriate and robust plans in place to respond to any potential incidents, and those arrangements are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain effective. We work closely with partners, including Police Scotland, to monitor emerging risks and share intelligence as part of overall work to keep all our communities safe.
The answer did not really address the point of my question. The riots that have taken place across Europe have led to hundreds and thousands of police officers being injured, and officers’ families will be terribly worried about them with respect to upcoming demonstrations. I specifically want to know whether any actions are being taken with regard to demonstrations that are planned for 20 November and to know what might happen after that. Is anything being done specifically now to address that threat?
I am sure that the member would not expect me to narrate the specifics of Police Scotland’s operational deployment plans and nor would it be appropriate for me to do so.
Under the Public Order Act 1986, Police Scotland has powers to deal with any disorder that arises and to ensure that public safety and order are maintained. I am sure that other members will welcome David Smith’s focus on officers, but I say to him that the deployment of police officers and the use of tactical options for crowd management must be matters for Police Scotland. We fully support the police to put in place appropriate measures to manage any potential disorder, including the deployment of specialist public order officers, as required.
Public Transport Connections (Review)
To ask the Scottish Government whether, as part of its plans for franchising and regulation, it will review existing bus service provision to identify communities that are poorly served or lack adequate public transport connections. (S7O-00422)
Katie Hagmann rightly highlights the reason why we are seeking to bring the bus network back under public control. There are many areas across Scotland where services are poor and are inadequate for the people who rely on them. I reassure Ms Hagmann that the preparatory work for future legislation is very much under way, and I look forward to engaging with her and with colleagues from across the chamber on that issue.
I absolutely welcome any efforts to improve bus connectivity, particularly in rural areas. If a review is undertaken, will the cabinet secretary ensure that it specifically considers villages that currently have little or no bus provision? Sorn, in my constituency of Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, is located close to Mauchline and Catrine, through which local bus services already operate, but it remains without a regular local bus service. Does the cabinet secretary agree that rural communities should not be left isolated simply because they fall outside existing routes, and will he ensure that any review considers the opportunities to improve connectivity for villages such as Sorn?
I agree that rural communities deserve a standard of bus service that many do not have, and Sorn appears to be one of those villages. Indeed, members from all parties have, in recent months, outlined to me issues across Scotland’s bus network. That is why it is important that we continue to progress our plans to bring the bus network back under public control. I reiterate my initial remark that I look forward to working closely with Katie Hagmann on that.
Lengthy questions and answers meant that we were able to take far fewer questions and answers than usual at general question time.
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