Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-36532 on 29 April 2025. 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 information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as it is not held centrally.

Scottish Government officials and Ministers are in continuous dialogue with the UK Government about USA tariff barriers and we support all efforts to find mutually beneficial resolutions that are in the interests of Scotland. We have been clear that we need to see bold and decisive action from the UK Government that reflects the uncertainty that is being felt by business and families at this time.

We are also working closely with the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade on its programme of Trade and Economic Cooperation with individual US States, to reduce trade barriers and advance trade and investment opportunities for the UK and Scotland.

The Scottish Government has information on the proportion of 16-24 year olds who are economically inactive due to being long-term sick or disabled from the National Records of Scotland Census 2022 results and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Population Survey (APS).

The National Records of Scotland Census results show there were around 11,700 people aged 16-24 who were economically inactive due to being long-term sick or disabled in 2022, 5.6% of all economically inactive 16 to 24 year olds.

The latest data from the ONS Annual Population Survey, which continues to be subject to increased volatility due to lower survey response rates in recent years, reports that an estimated 12.7% of economically inactive 16 to 24 year olds in Scotland gave their reason for being inactive as long-term sick or disabled for the period January to December 2024.

This does not reflect Scottish Government policy, which is set out in our national guidance on exclusion ‘Included, Engaged and Involved Part 2: a positive approach to preventing and managing school exclusions.’

Information on assaults on teachers is not held centrally as, under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, education is the responsibility of local authorities.

The biennial Attendance, Absence and Exclusions data collection gathers data on the number and reasons recorded for temporary or permanent exclusions from schools. These data show that there were 1,281 cases of exclusion (temporary or permanent) from publicly funded schools in Scotland during 2022-23 where the reason recorded was either ‘physical assault using improvised weapon against staff’, ‘physical assault using weapon against staff’ or ‘physical assault with no weapon against staff’.

The Scottish Government continues to closely monitor and assess the direct and indirect impacts of new US goods tariffs, and is working closely with our enterprise agencies, the UK Government, and the business community, to assess the implications and consequences for the Scottish economy and businesses. Information for businesses on US tariffs can be found at https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/usa-tariffs

We will continue to promote the export growth of Scottish businesses in both current and emerging markets as they find a way through this challenging time.

In recognition of the significant impact of tariffs on both the Scottish and UK economy, the First Minister has called on the UK Government to provide additional measures and economic support in response.

There can be no doubt that the tariffs that have been imposed by the United States will cause damage to the global, UK and Scottish economies. The USA is the most valuable export market by far for Scotch Whisky, worth £971m in 2024 (18% of total Scotch Whisky exports by value). The USA imported nearly $12 billion worth of distilled spirits in 2024, with Mexico ($5.4 bn), France ($2.1 bn) and the UK ($1.8 bn) being the largest trading partners by value. Scotch Whisky is subject to the 10% baseline tariff which may be passed through to higher prices for US consumers and weaken demand. Additionally, the uncertainty in future global trading arrangements more broadly is widely expected to lead to weaker growth, higher inflation, financial market instability and increased borrowing costs which could impact consumer confidence generally and impact demand for Scotch Whisky. We will continue to closely monitor and assess the impact of US tariff policy on Scotland’s exports across key sectors, including Scotch Whisky.

The information requested is not held centrally. However, data are available on the number of businesses operating in Scotland that are rest of the UK owned and Abroad owned. These estimates, sourced from the Businesses in Scotland 2024 publication, are shown in the following table.

Table 1: Registered businesses operating in Scotland, Rest of the UK and Abroad owned, 2010 to 2024

ScotAccount meets the Scottish Government’s legal obligations and requirements under data protection law. Throughout the development of ScotAccount, we have engaged with the Scottish Government’s Data Protection Officer, who is responsible for data protection assurance and compliance. We have used Data Protection Impact Assessments as part of ScotAccount product development, which are reviewed regularly to monitor the use of data held within the system to ensure individuals’ rights are protected. We have also engaged with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), directly and as part of the Scottish Government’s Digital Identity Expert Group, which includes an ICO representative member.