Chamber and committees

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government and has responsibility for operation of prisons including staffing:

The Prison Officer staffing complement refers to the total number of Prison Officer posts across the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).

SPS does not record the number of occasions on which staffing complements are not met, as staffing levels fluctuate throughout the year and differ between establishments.

Based on staffing levels at the end of each financial year, Prison Officer numbers were below the agreed complement in two of the last five years. Over the most recent two-year period, the average vacancy rate was 0%.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government and has responsibility for operation of prisons including staffing.

The safety of all those who live and work in Scotland’s prisons is a key priority for SPS and this government.

SPS has a range of measures in place to support the safety of people working in prisons. These include robust recruitment and vetting processes, close partnership working with Police Scotland, mandatory professional boundaries training for all Prison Officers and a comprehensive Anti-Corruption Policy. Staff are supported to identify and report concerns through confidential reporting processes, with all concerns thoroughly investigated.

SPS is also introducing Body Worn Video Cameras (BWVCs), with implementation currently being rolled out across all establishments. The use of BWVCs will help enhance the safe and secure running of prisons across the estate, supporting both staff safety and any criminal investigations where appropriate.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government and has responsibility for operation of prisons including staffing.

Resources currently available to prison officers include Trauma Informed Practice training, access to NHS Education for Scotland’s Developing Your Trauma Skilled Practice online modules, and trauma-informed practice content delivered through the Officer Foundation Programme. The costs associated with developing and delivering these resources are incorporated within the overall SPS training budget.

Deployment of resources is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, (SFRS). As a national service it has the ability to strategically mobilise operational capabilities from across Scotland to meet operational risk and demand.

SFRS has established specialist wildfire capabilities, including Wildfire Tactical Advisors, dedicated wildfire support assets and specialist vehicles strategically placed throughout the country and have in place defined escalation arrangements for larger incidents.

The Scottish Government is assured that the SFRS continually reviews and develops its operational capability to respond to wildfire incidents, recognising that climate change is increasing both the frequency and complexity of wildfire events in Scotland.

Scottish Government officials regularly meet representatives from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) to discuss the implementation of the sexual offences court (SOC). Central themes of this engagement have included the increase in the number of sexual offence cases being prosecuted; the projected caseload for the SOC; and how to most effectively sequence the establishment of the SOC with wider reforms in the criminal justice system.

Scottish Government officials have also met a range of other stakeholders to discuss necessary preparations for delivering the court, I have discussed the SOC with the Law Officers, the Lord President and the Chief Executive of SCTS.

The Scottish Government has also engaged with the Scotland Office and the Ministry of Justice on the preparation of necessary secondary legislation to support the implementation of the SOC.

SFRS was formed in April 2013 and the Resource budget for its first year of operations in 2013-14 was £277.23 million. Adjusting that figure using the GDP deflators that are published by the OBR at UK fiscal events, means the equivalent annual budget for 2026-27 would be £399.99m.

The SFRS Capital budget for 2013-14 was £15.292m. Using the same adjustments means the equivalent annual budget for 2026-27 would be £22m.

The non-fiscal element of the SFRS budget has not been included for the comparison of the impact of inflation. For reference, this figure was £22.02 million in 2013-14. Whilst this element is included in the total budget allocated to SFRS each year, the amount is allocated on the basis of actual cost to SFRS to cover accounting elements such as depreciation. As such, this element of the SFRS budget is not subject to inflationary pressures.

This is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The information requested is not held centrally. The member may wish to contact the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service directly.

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government and has responsibility for operation of prisons including staffing:

SPS commissioned an independent review of organisational culture in November 2024 and, following a competitive tender exercise, appointed CROWE to undertake the review. During 2025, CROWE carried out site visits and engaged with staff, senior leaders and individuals in custody. SPS received the final report in March 2026. The report has been shared with senior leaders and engagement sessions are being undertaken to discuss the findings and recommendations ahead of its wider communication to staff and publication on our external website.

The Scottish Government is taking forward a range of measures aimed at improving continuity of treatment and support for people leaving prison, recognising that the period immediately following liberation carries a heightened risk of drug-related harm and overdose.

These include implementation of the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards, support for transitions between prison and community healthcare services, pre-release GP registration arrangements, and access to throughcare services that help individuals remain engaged with treatment and support following liberation.

Together, these measures are intended to support continuity of prescribing and reduce the risk of drug-related harm during the period following release from custody.

Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) covers the student contribution fee on behalf of eligible Scottish-domiciled students undertaking an approved first-degree course at specified higher education institutions in the Republic of Ireland.

Figures on the number of Scottish-domiciled students whose student contribution fees were paid and the total value of those payments in each year are provided in the following table.