Chamber and committees

Reported incidents of drink spiking are likely to be recorded by the police as either (i) crimes of administering a substance for sexual purposes under section 11 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009, or (ii) drugging (assault). The former is recorded when a person intentionally administers a substance, or causes a substance to be taken, with the purpose of stupefying or overpowering, to enable any person to engage in a sexual activity involving the victim. The latter is similar in that a crime is committed when drugs are feloniously administered with intent to produce stupefaction, however there doesn’t need to be further intent, and it is not necessary that any injury to the victim is caused.

It is not possible to track these cases through the Justice system as each organisation uses their own administrative database for operational purposes. However figures can be provided on crimes recorded by the police, charges reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and of those charges, the number resulting in a conviction. It should be noted that crimes recorded in any one reporting year may become charges/prosecutions in later years. Furthermore, in the most recent years, a large proportion of the charges prosecuted remain ongoing. As the cases involved progress and reach a conclusion, it is possible that further convictions may be recorded.

In Scotland, conduct amounting to spiking can be prosecuted using a range of common law and statutory offences. As well as the common law offence of drugging and the statutory offence contained in section 11 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009, common law offences such as assault or culpable and reckless conduct can be considered. This framework allows prosecutors to assess each case individually and select the charges that best reflect the facts and circumstances of the case.

Challenges in prosecuting cases often arise from evidential difficulties which can include delayed reporting, the rapid metabolisation of substances, and lack of forensic opportunities. In most instances, the Procurator Fiscal becomes involved in an individual case in a substantive way on receipt of a report from Police Scotland, or other reporting agency. When a report alleging “spiking” is submitted to the Procurator Fiscal, and there is sufficient credible, reliable and admissible evidence in law, prosecutors adopt a robust approach when deciding what action best serves the public interest.

Total recorded crimes of either Drugging or Administering a substance for sexual purposes, Scotland, 2020-21 to 2024-25

It is the project promoters, Winchburgh Developments Limited and West Lothian Council, who are currently responsible for setting the project delivery timeline for a new station at Winchburgh.

The funding application for capital construction costs submitted to the Scottish Government by West Lothian Council is under review and, as stated in our Budget 2026-27 statement, we are committed to working with partners to support delivery of a new station at Winchburgh.

This is a matter for the UK Government.

The Scottish Government is giving further consideration to the issues raised in the last session of the Parliament about the offence introduced by section 40 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and related matters.

Some Scottish local authorities had previously expressed interest in participating in the Department for Transport’s shared e-scooter trials, and we had planned to support them. However, the short application window offered by DfT for participation in the final round of trials did not allow sufficient time for the introduction of the necessary devolved legislation, meaning that Scottish local authorities are unable to participate.

Recognising the potential e-scooters and other micromobility vehicles have to boost local connectivity and reduce emissions, we continue to engage closely with DfT on their plans for legislation, including input to their forthcoming consultation on e-scooter regulations, and continue to develop the evidence base and policy position on e-scooters in Scotland. In the meantime, officials are exploring the potential for trials of e-scooter share schemes on private land in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has allocated £9 million over three years to the Mossmorran industrial site, with £3 million planned for each of 2026–27, 2027–28 and 2028–29. Funding in later years remains subject to the outcomes of the Scottish Spending Review and annual budget processes.

In 2026–27, up to £1.3 million has been allocated for a Mossmorran Skills Intervention, delivered by Fife College. This funding will support the workforce in gaining critical training support to transition to other labour market opportunities including training needs assessments, targeted reskilling aligned with labour market demand, progression into employment, and measurable uptake, completion and employment outcomes. It is disappointing that, to date, the UK Government has chosen not to join us in providing this critical support to the workforce.

Funding for 2026–27 will also support activity to identify and develop future opportunities for the site. ExxonMobil has committed to working collaboratively with the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise to explore viable future options for the site. Scottish Enterprise are also utilising the breadth of their experience to attract new investment and secure sustainable alternative uses for the site.

The management of the grid and the administration of constraint payments are reserved matters and are the responsibility of the UK Government and the National Energy System Operator. The Scottish Government has no role in setting or administering such payments.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with the UK Government and system operators on investment in transmission infrastructure which is required to reduce constraint costs.

The level of funding required to support any ferry service from Scotland to Europe will depend on the nature of the route, the strength of the commercial case and an assessment of value for money for the taxpayer.

To ensure capital funding is targeted effectively, we are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system NHS infrastructure plan for Scotland, which will inform future investment priorities.

As part of this, we are taking forward a primary care infrastructure investment strategy, as set out in the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline published on 13 January 2026. An initial tranche of 12 priority areas has been identified, based on health needs, population demographics and the condition of the existing estate, with work on three projects commencing immediately. This programme includes the development of a sustainable revenue funding model to support further investment in primary and community care infrastructure, including a network of local care and wellbeing centres across Scotland. To accelerate delivery, business case development and the revenue model will be progressed in parallel.

On current assumptions, construction is expected to begin from around 2031.

The Scottish Government has not identified any specific recipients of the proposed £3 million funding for ferry services from Scotland to Europe. A separate application has been received by a ferry operating company for funding through the Waterborne Freight Grant scheme, which is currently being assessed.