Chamber and committees

Teacher numbers increased by 12 between 2021 (2020 census baseline) and 2024. Teacher numbers for 2025 will be published with the teacher census statistics in December 2025.

The Scottish Government commissioned the report: Pupil projections and implications for teacher resourcing needs: education workforce modelling and research, which was published on 7 May 2024. This independent research has informed our engagement with partners on the commitment to reduce class contact time for teachers.

The Scottish Government regularly meets with representatives of teacher trade unions, including the Educational Institute of Scotland.

The Scottish Government reached a budget agreement with COSLA in December 2024 which included a commitment to make meaningful progress towards the implementation of a 90-minute reduction in teacher class contact time.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the challenges teachers face, including in managing excessive workload.

That is why we are working with COSLA and the teaching unions to develop a plan to reduce class contact time for teachers, which is supported by increased funding for councils of £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels.

In addition, we are undertaking a range of additional measures including plans to commission independent work to examine how reducing unnecessary bureaucracy in Scottish education can improve teacher workload, and how greater use of digital technology can be utilised to help free up teachers’ time.

In recent years, we have also allocated more than £2m to specifically support the wellbeing of the education workforce and address a range of support needs, including teacher burnout.

The Scottish Government has increased police funding to £1.64 billion in 2025-26, an increase of £90 million on 2024-25.

As Public Inquiries are independent of Ministers, it is for the Chair to direct how an Inquiry carries out its duties whilst being mindful of their responsibilities under section 17(3) of the Inquiries Act 2005 to avoid unnecessary costs.

While this particular issue has previously been raised by Police Scotland, it is for public bodies to determine whether to apply to be core participants in a public inquiry and the extent of legal representation required.

Police Scotland is operationally independent of the Scottish Government, and decisions on the allocation of resources are for the Chief Constable, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. This includes the allocation of budget and staff to support the work of Public Inquiries.

Public inquiries are set up when no other avenue is deemed sufficient given the issues of public concern. In many cases, such as the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry and the Emma Caldwell Inquiry, they are set up with the support of, or in response to calls from, the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government are awaiting the outcome of the Scottish Parliament Finance and Public Administration Committee (FPAC) inquiry on the cost-effectiveness and timescales of public inquiries in Scotland before making any legislative and non-legislative commitments.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The figures recently reported in the media stem from a Freedom of Information request made to Police Scotland and relate to a single day snapshot of the situation as of
3 September 2025. Police Scotland do not publish the figures as a matter of course, given the day to day fluctuation around the number of outstanding warrants.

Police Scotland have been clear that they prioritise all arrest warrants according to threat, risk and harm, deploying national specialist resources and intelligence techniques to locate and apprehend those who pose the greatest risk to communities.

Execution of warrants is a matter for Police Scotland, who remain focused on the investigation of crime and keeping our communities safe. The service has been clear that they prioritise all arrest warrants according to threat, risk and harm, deploying national specialist resources and intelligence techniques to locate and apprehend those who pose the greatest risk to communities.

The Scottish Government is investing a record £1.64 billion for policing this year, and our continued investment enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, including an intake this month. Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales and recorded crime has fallen by more than half since 1991.

The figures recently reported in the media stem from a Freedom of Information request made to Police Scotland and relate to a single day snapshot of the situation as of 3 September 2025.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41530 on 11 November 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41532 on 11 November 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.