Chamber and committees

The offshore wind projects within Scottish territorial waters which are operational are detailed in the following table alongside the number of turbines in each. The Scottish Government doesn’t hold further detail on the number of turbines which are active at any given time.

(a) The following table below shows the number of cardholders, who had their entitlement to free bus travel suspended, each year from 2021 to 2025 (as of 31 October 2025), broken down by Scheme.

Local authorities are entirely separate entities from the Scottish Government. Their powers are set out in statute and, it is up to each local authority to manage its own day to day business, including their own parental leave policies. As such, the Scottish Government does not hold information on the provision or uptake of statutory or enhanced paternity leave and pay across local authorities.

Local authorities are responsible for the development, design, consultation and delivery of flood protection schemes within their jurisdiction. This includes full assessment of all technical, environmental, financial and ownership-related considerations.

The Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme was formally notified to the Scottish Ministers by East Lothian Council on 24 October 2025 under Schedule 2, paragraph 5(5) of the Flood Risk Management Act. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment on the merits of specific aspects of the Scheme at this stage or pre-empting Scottish government decisions.

Through the 2025-26 Scottish Budget the Scottish Government has provided £5 million for independent hospices. This is to help independent hospices achieve pay parity for staff supporting clinical care with NHS levels for 2025-26.

Subject to Parliamentary time being available, our intention remains to seek a debate on fisheries before the end of the year. It is recognised that the fishing sector is currently facing a range of challenges, and a Parliamentary debate would be a valuable opportunity to discuss these issues. Any proposals for Government business in Parliament are subject to consideration by the Bureau and approval by the Parliament.

The investigation and prevention of high-value or keyless car theft is a matter for Police Scotland. To support policing capacity and capability, the Scottish Government has provided £1.64 billion in funding for the year 2025-26. This represents an increase of £90 million compared to 2024-25.

The Scottish Government does not hold information specific to high-value or keyless car thefts. However, statistics on motor vehicle theft more generally are published in our quarterly Recorded Crime in Scotland bulletin, available here.

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, recorded crimes of Theft of a motor vehicle fell by 7%, from 5,090 to 4,753. Compared to 2006-07, this represents a 68% reduction. The standard data supplied by Police Scotland does not identify the type or value of vehicles stolen, nor does it capture specific items taken during housebreaking or robbery incidents where a vehicle may have been among the stolen property.

Police Scotland continues to tackle organised criminal activity through the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, which coordinates multi-agency efforts to disrupt networks involved in offences including vehicle theft.

The UK Government’s Crime and Policing Bill proposes new offences related to the possession of electronic devices used in vehicle theft, such as signal jammers and CAN bus exploit tools. The Scottish Government has lodged a Legislative Consent Memorandum recommending that these measures extend to Scotland, and is proposing that the offences be added to the list of Scottish Criminal Lifestyle Offences.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The Scottish Prison Service has a diverse workforce and is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for all.

Stonewall’s Diversity Champions Scheme provides a range of support for individuals and employers in respect of the entire LGBTQI+ community.

SPS continues to champion the diverse nature of its workforce by recognising and celebrating their diversity and achievements through wider initiatives such as the Butler Trust and PRIDE.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41059 on 4 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-41059 on 4 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.