The Dynamic Support Register (DSR) provides a mechanism for national data collection on people with learning disabilities and complex care needs. Out-of-area placements are those where the individual is accommodated out with their Health and Social Care Partnership area. Out-of-area placements can be an appropriate option, depending on an individual’s needs and preferences. The focus of the Coming Home Implementation Report is to reduce inappropriate out-of-area placements.

The DSR only collects data on adults (aged 18+ years) and, therefore, cannot provide data on children with learning disabilities who are in out-of-area accommodation. Additionally, as the DSR was established in May 2023, we do not hold data for adults before 2023.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) collect and publish quarterly data from the DSR, with the most recent collection from 7 March 2025 published on 17 June 2025. At that time, there were an estimated an estimated 1,264 people on the DSR, of which 842 were appropriate out-of-area placements, and 45 were inappropriate out-of-area placements.

Additionally, PHS publish monthly data on delayed discharges. The most recent figures for May 2025 can be found here. This data is broken down to Health Board and Local Authority level.

The finding that 21% of crime is reported to the police comes from the 2023-24 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) main findings report, which was published on 10 June 2025.

This figure is heavily influenced by the inclusion of fraud and computer misuse crimes, which were included for the first time in SCJS analysis in the most recent publication. Victims of these crimes only reported the matter to the police in 9% of cases, but were much more likely to report the incident to another body such as a bank. For example, in a significant majority (80%) of fraud crimes, the victim reported the incident to a bank, building society or credit card company in 2023-24.

More generally, the survey estimated that 31% of property and violent crimes combined were reported to police in 2023-24, which is a similar level to the prior survey in 2021-22. This included 24% of property crimes being reported, and 44% of violent crimes.

Where someone has been a victim of crime, we want them to tell the police so they can access the justice they deserve.

While the deployment of police officers is an operational matter for the Chief Constable, it is for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) to undertake risk assessments to identify and mitigate any potential risks to court users, court staff, Judiciary and justice partners. I can confirm that Police Scotland and SCTS to work in partnership to ensure that court security is maintained, whilst making best use of resources.

We intend to publish this report in autumn this year.

Non-compliance with the Economic Link licence occurs where a vessel has failed to meet the 55% landings threshold and failed to agree a quota payback.

Vessel owners are provided with the opportunity to query the landings data and the quota payback calculation.

There have been no instances of a vessel seeking to appeal the application of quota pay-back for not meeting the Economic Link compliance criteria since 2019.

No Scottish vessel has failed to comply with the economic link licence condition since 2019. Twenty-one different Scottish vessels have complied with the requirements by making a quota payback in the same period.

Those working in our retail sector should be lauded for the important work they are continuing to do during such challenging economic circumstances. They, like anybody, should be able to work without fear of abuse.

Retail workers (as well as all other workers) are protected by a wide range of criminal laws (i.e. the statutory offence of threatening or abusive behaviour; the common law offence of assault; and the common law offence of breach of the peace).

In addition, the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-Restricted Products) (Scotland) Act 2021(“the 2021 Act”) came into force in August 2021 and created a statutory offence of threatening, abusing, or assaulting a retail worker, adding to the offences that can already be used to prosecute those who abuse retail workers.

Scottish Government partners, like the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF), share best guidance and resources, such as the free GroceryAid helpline, and Victim Support, for victims of violence and abuse in a retail setting.

As part of its budget for 2025-26, the Scottish Government is making an additional £3 million available for Police Scotland to work with the sector to tackle retail crime.

The Scottish Government has conducted an evidence review on hybrid working to support decisions on hybrid expectations for its own staff but has not undertaken analysis on the economic impact of hybrid and remote working policies on city centre economies.

The Scottish Government regularly monitors evidence on the prevalence of home or hybrid working through our publication of data from the Office for National Statistics Business Insights and Conditions Survey(BICS). The most recent iteration of data on home or hybrid working (for 19 May to 1 June 2025) indicated that 13.8% of businesses in Scotland are using or intend to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model, rising to 68.5% of businesses in the Information & Communication sector. Around 4 out of 5 businesses (79.6%) that are using or intending to use increased homeworking are doing it because it improves staff wellbeing, while 43.9% indicated that it offered them the ability to recruit from a wider geographical pool in the UK, and 34.4% indicated it supported improved productivity.

Around two thirds of businesses (65.5%) indicated they were not using or intending to use increased home working as a permanent businesses model going forward, with 84.9% of these businesses giving the reason that homeworking is not suitable for their business.

The Scottish Government have no current plans to change the fine balance of rights and responsibilities in relation to access which was agreed by the Parliament and is set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. NatureScot work with the National Access Forum (NAF) to address access issues that do arise though providing new guidance, resources and advice.

The Scottish Government is working with law enforcement partners such as Police Scotland, the National Cyber Security Centre as well as the financial industry in combatting fraud.

Police Scotland has established a cyber and fraud specialist division to enhance their response in Scotland, working with UK law enforcement and partner agencies. They will develop capability through cyber and online training, ensuring support and guidance for officers and staff. We encourage everyone to report suspicious sites to NCSC using the reporting tool on their website. We also encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of a crime to contact Police Scotland.