I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42807 on 19 January 2026. 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 prevention and enforcement of vehicle crime, including engagement with NaVCIS, intelligence and the use of crime codes are operational matters for Police Scotland.

The budget invests over £2.4bn in post school education and skills and reinforces our steadfast commitment to free education. It includes a significant real terms increase in our investment in Scotland’s College and University sectors so that people of all ages have the opportunity to fulfil their potential, while also ensuring that priority workforce needs are met.

The Scottish Government is working to identify a shortlist of sectors for focused skills planning. Beginning in February, my officials will engage employers, colleges, universities, and regional partners to help refine this work. We will also share further details with the Education, Children and Young People Committee, including our emerging findings. Our intention is to formally publish this work in the Spring.

Police Scotland has been clear from the beginning of the rollout of Body Worn Video (BWV) in March 2025, that it expected the first phase of 10,500 officers to be equipped by spring 2026. This remains the case, with the remainder of officers expected to be equipped over the course of 2026-27.

The approach to rollout is a matter for Police Scotland, with oversight from the Scottish Police Authority. However, the Scottish Government engages regularly with both bodies and no significant issues have been identified. Police Scotland has been clear that an incremental rollout to divisions was the preferred means to ensure that any emerging issues could be picked up quickly and dealt with at scale in line with the industry standard approach.

The Scottish Government considers BWV a game changer for police officers/staff and for those coming into contact with the service, enhancing public confidence by promoting transparency and accountability as well as providing clear evidence of incidents. The halfway point of the first phase rollout was reached in October 2025 , with around 1,800 officers in Edinburgh and in Lothian and Borders, including road policing officers and dog handlers equipped. A full evaluation on benefits to officer safety, court efficiency and public trust will be undertaken as part of the standard delivery model in due course.

Police Scotland’s annual workforce survey has shown an appreciation for the advancements in technology and support systems within Police Scotland. Officers and staff have emphasised the positive impact of new technologies such as DESC (Digital Evidence Sharing Capability) and Body Worn Video (BWV), which have improved efficiency and officer safety.

Police Scotland’s Transformation Board meets around every two months and BWV is a standing item. The Scottish Police Authority's Resources Committee receive quarterly updates on the Transformation Portfolio which include BWV progress.

We welcomed the publication of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report on pre-pandemic preparedness and resilience on 18 July 2024. We published our initial response on 16 January 2025, where we set out the actions and steps we are taking to address the Inquiry’s recommendations.

Today we publish our second progress report, setting out the steps taken over the past twelve months to make effective, practical and measurable improvements in pandemic planning and preparedness.

During Autumn 2025, the Scottish Government participated in the UK-wide pandemic exercise, Exercise Pegasus, to test our national and local preparedness for future pandemics. This is the first exercise of its kind in almost a decade and the learnings identified will inform our future plans and actions.

In September 2025, the Scottish Government laid before the Scottish Parliament titled, “the Scottish Government Report on Whole System Civil Emergency Preparedness”. The is the first report in a series, which will follow every three years and on 12 January 2026, we submitted a close out report to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Chair, stipulating that we consider this recommendation closed.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that Scotland is as resilient as possible to future risks, and we continue to taking the necessary steps to achieve this. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners and stakeholders to deliver these recommendations.

A copy of the progress report is available online at: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806436248

Our next progress report will be provided within six months.

The total number of Scottish participants in the ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey was:

(a) 760 (677 aged 11-17) in 2024

(b) 856 (755 aged 11-17) in 2025

Information on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) is not available for this sample. Data are collected on social grade and grouped into ABC1 and C2DE categories, which are not directly comparable with SIMD. The sample is unlikely to be representative in terms of deprivation as it leans towards higher social grades. The data are not weighted to account for this, and this limitation should be considered when interpreting the results.

The aim of the booster sample is to enable monitoring of progress against key indicators 4(i) and 4(ii) of the Tobacco and Vaping Framework (i.e. smoking and vaping behaviours in children and young people), while balancing cost, analytical value, and timeliness.

Information on the methodology (including sample size) and results for 2024 and 2025 are available on the Scottish Government website (https://www.gov.scot/publications/vaping-smoking-scottish-adolescents/pages/1/;https://www.gov.scot/publications/vaping-smoking-scottish-adolescents-results-ash-smokefree-gb-youth-survey-2025/).

As per my recent updates to Parliament in the answer to question S6W-40574 on 30 September 2025 and S6W-38373 on 7 June 2025, I will provide an update to Parliament once this work has reached an appropriate stage. This work is complex and officials will work with Environmental Standards Scotland to take forward a scope of work that is practical in advance of a full understanding of the emerging recast EU Urban Wastewater Directive.

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.

We are committed to exploring options to reduce the use of microplastics and reducing plastic pollution in general by supporting the growth of the circular economy.

The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 bans certain single-use plastic items including plastic cutlery, plastic plates, and plastic straws, which will reduce the amount of microplastics formed in the environment due to plastic degradation.

In addition, we are committed to helping address microplastic pollution from pellets, flakes and powders that are used to make plastic products. Our work has been key to informing international policy that aims to reduce pellet loss from across the entire supply chain, and led to the first standard for pellet handling and management. We are learning from the application of best practice in industry and considering how best to progress this issue following the introduction of regulations in the EU.

The proposed redevelopment of the site is subject to a live planning application which has been called in for determination by Scottish Ministers. As such, it would not be appropriate to comment while this case is under consideration.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42760 on 16 January 2026. 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