Chamber and committees

Through the Coming Home Action Plan, jointly owned by the Scottish Government and COSLA, we are taking forward a number of actions to reduce delayed discharge and inappropriate out-of-area placements for people with learning disabilities and complex support needs. This includes the dissemination of Housing Options Guidance and Training Guidance to local areas, the development of a Complex Support Needs Pathway and a National Support Panel pilot.

We are investing up to £20 million to implement the Coming Home Action Plan this year and the Independent Living Fund Scotland’s Coming Home Fund opened for applications on 3 August 2026.

The latest quarterly Dynamic Support Register data (25 June 2026) shows that nationally, 67 adults with learning disabilities and complex support needs were delayed in hospital, reducing from 74 in the same quarter of the previous year. Over the same time frame, individuals in out of area placements they had not chosen also reduced from 43 to 29.

Local data is collected by Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCP). Due to the small numbers involved and in order to protect patient confidentiality, we cannot publish a breakdown of this information by HSCP.

Health and safety, including enforcement of the prohibition on asbestos, is a reserved matter. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for customs declarations at the border while the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the main enforcing authority for asbestos regulations in Great Britain. The Scottish Government expects all developers constructing and operating windfarms and associated infrastructure to comply with all relevant health and safety legislation in line with the in line with the law.

As set out in the SPS Framework Document 2024, SPS Collaborative Working Framework Document - July 2024.pdf the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) Chief Executive, Linda Pollock is personally accountable to the Scottish Ministers for the economic, effective and efficient operation of Scottish Prisons.

SPS has well-established mutual aid plans for operational incidents when required. This ensures appropriate response to significant operational incidents whilst continuing to manage the daily operations of other establishments.

SPS will continue to assess lessons from significant incidents to ensure it can respond effectively while maintaining safe and secure operations across all establishments.

The most recent review of Community Justice Scotland's Learning, Development and Innovation Strategy was completed on 16 March 2026. Community Justice Scotland has advised that the next review is scheduled for December 2027.

Non-Domestic Rates income (NDRI) is retained in full by Local Authorities in Scotland. Distribution of NDRI and the General Revenue Grant for local authorities is carried forward under a needs-based formula, including population and deprivation indicators, which is kept under review.

There is no current assessment of removing any aspect of NDRI from the distribution arrangements agreed with local government, and no commitment has been made to ringfence NDRI from onshore wind developments. As engagement continues on local governance reform, one aspect that will be open to consideration is future tax and funding models.

Free personal and nursing care is underpinned by the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, which places a duty on local authorities to secure the provision of personal and nursing care, without charge, for individuals who are assessed as eligible. Once eligibility has been confirmed, local authorities must put arrangements in place as soon as reasonably practicable. Operational factors such as care planning and provider availability can affect timescales, but financial pressures or resource constraints do not remove or suspend the underlying statutory duty. The entitlement is not discretionary and applies equally to those who are self-funding their accommodation costs in care homes.

The Scottish Government recognises that access to appropriate supported housing is an important factor in enabling people with learning disabilities to live independently and to avoid unnecessary hospital admission or prolonged stays in hospital.

Responsibility for assessing local housing need and planning service provision rests with local authorities and Integration Joint Boards. As such the Scottish Government has not carried out any assessments. However, we continue to work closely with partners across health, social care and housing to support the development of suitable accommodation and support services.

There are a number of contributing factors involved in delayed discharge for people with learning disabilities and complex support needs, including housing, which we addressed in the Coming Home Action Plan, published by the Scottish Government and COSLA on 19 March 2026.

The plan included the publication of a Housing Options Guide. This resource is designed to ensure local authorities and Integration Joint Boards can provide the best support to people with learning disabilities and complex support needs to help them live in their communities, with the right support and housing.

The Scottish Government has also funded Housing Options Scotland to work with local areas to embed the guide, which can be accessed here: https://housingoptionsscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Coming-Home-Guide.pdf.

The Scottish Government does not routinely hold information on the number of prison healthcare staff in each prison, broken down by role, or the associated staffing budgets for each establishment.

Responsibility for the delivery of prison healthcare services rests with NHS Boards, and workforce planning, staffing arrangements and associated budgets are managed locally. Information of the type requested may therefore be held by the relevant NHS Boards.

Scottish Government previously undertook a survey of day and respite services, last published in June 2025 Day and respite services survey 2024: results - gov.scot , which noted 223 services for learning disabled people to be in operation.

In addition, Public Health Scotland published Care home census for adults in Scotland - Statistics for 2012 – 2022 - Care home census for adults in Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland 10 year statistics (2012-2022) of the Care Home Census for Adults in Scotland. This include figures for short stays or respite, for learning disabled people. On 31 March 2022, the estimated percentage of residents aged under 65 years in care homes for learning disabilities on a short break or respite stay was 11%[1], although this must reflect the fact that care home respite had dropped by 71%[2], likely in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, these figures only capture responses to the survey and while all care homes are invited to participate, it is not mandatory, nor does it capture other forms of respite allocation. Of the 1,051 care homes open on 31 March 2022, 737 (70%) submitted data for at least part of the Census.

Local authorities have existing responsibilities to promote a variety of short breaks in their areas. Under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, authorities are also required to produce and publish Short Breaks Services Statements to help inform carers and cared-for people in their area about available break opportunities. Further information on these responsibilities is available in the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016: statutory guidance at paragraphs 3.2.75 - 3.2.77 and 6.2.1 - 6.2.21. https://www.gov.scot/publications/carers-scotland-act-2016-statutory-guidance-updated-july-2021/pages/1/.

[1]Care Home Census for Adults in Scotland, page 38, Figure 24

[2]Care Home Census for Adults in Scotland, page 21, Table 1

For this Parliament, the Cross Portfolio Ministerial Group on Prison Health and Social Care has been replaced by the Cross Portfolio Ministerial Group on Justice Health, Care and Substance Use. In line with the recommendation by the Criminal Justice Committee in the last Parliament, it will be jointly chaired by Cabinet Secretaries for Health and Care and Justice.

Actions arising from meetings (both the new and previous CPMG) are shared with relevant partners and stakeholders through established governance arrangements and are progressed through the appropriate delivery and oversight groups. These actions cover a range of issues relating to prison healthcare, social care, service improvement and implementation of agreed priorities across the prison estate.