Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has not itself carried out any economic modelling regarding the economic impact of nuclear in Scotland. The Scottish Government position remains that new nuclear under current technologies is very expensive and takes decades to deliver, creating a legacy of radioactive waste which is difficult and costly to manage. Instead, we are focussed on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland’s immense renewable energy capacity rather than expensive new nuclear.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40561 on 29 September 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-40561 on 29 September 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.

There is no record of the Scottish Government having met with Rolls Royce SMR, Westinghouse or any other international nuclear power developers to discuss potential investment in Scotland, as we do not support the building of any nuclear power stations under current fission technologies.

Since 2021, the Scottish Government and Ministers have not met with the Nuclear Industry Association.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that Transgender young people are supported in Scotland’s schools.

I confirm that the Scottish Government has published revised guidance for education authorities and schools on Supporting Transgender Pupils in Schools. This concludes the detailed work which was been undertaken since the Supreme Court Judgement in April to consider the guidance for schools.

The revised guidance for schools will be available from https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806432097

In relation to prisons, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and the Scottish Government are aware of the negative impact of drones being used to introduce illicit items into the prison estate and the threat that has for the operational stability of prisons across Scotland.

Covert technology to detect when a drone is approaching or entering SPS airspace has been piloted. In addition, SPS is implementing low tech solutions such as window grilles, which have been fitted to 3 establishments so far, are also part of SPS’s response to this ongoing threat. SPS continue to analyse the marketplace as well as consult with other jurisdictions to keep pace with this ever-evolving environment.

Many sensitive secure sites in Scotland relate to defence and national security and are as such the responsibility of the United Kingdom Government. The legislative, physical and electronic defence of these sites are varied and the responsibility of the owner/operator.

Perimeter defence systems can form one of a number of physical and/or electronic defensive measures. It is for the site owner/operator, in co-operation with the National Cyber Security Centre and National Protective Security Authority to determine whether drone defences are appropriate, proportionate and effective for their site.

In relation to Critical National Infrastructure sectors, some of which are reserved, some devolved and some a mix of both, security risks will be assessed and appropriate mitigations developed.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40510 on 29 September 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.

Decisions to attend the scene of a reported crime and follow-up investigations are operational matters for Police Scotland.

All reports made to the service are assessed under THRIVE (Threat, Harm, Risk, Investigation, Vulnerability and Engagement) to gauge how they should be prioritised. THRIVE enables call handlers and officers assess whether there is a threat or potential harm, how likely it is to happen, whether there are investigation opportunities, whether the person is vulnerable and how best to engage.

Police Scotland have confirmed that, under the THRIVE model, reports of burglary, either in a retail setting or a private residence, would result in attendance from local officers.

In terms of retail crime, Police Scotland have used the £3 million additional funding provided this year to establish a Retail Crime Taskforce made up of uniformed officers, detectives and specialist analysts. The team is targeting repeat offenders of retail crime by using analytical data and intelligence to carry out proactive enforcement activities in areas most heavily impacted.

As highlighted in Police Scotland's recently published Quarter 1 performance report, their dedicated Edinburgh team has delivered significant results for the capital’s retailers, including 234 charges brought against retail crime offenders in the first three months of operations.

The Digital Front Door programme has progressed over the summer to ensure we launch the Health & Social Care online app this year. In recent months, the programme has worked collaboratively with stakeholders on technical delivery, organisational readiness and branding of the service.

Following the conclusion of the work on branding, I am pleased to confirm Scotland’s app will be called MyCare. Like any digital service, good practice means the first version of MyCare will be evaluated thoroughly in Lanarkshire before it is rolled out across Scotland for the population from April 2026. With the delivery of MyCare, Scotland’s app will go further than other models proposed elsewhere in the UK and will support services in both health and social care.

Furthermore, today the Scottish Government has published an update on our approach to rolling out MyCare.scot across Scotland and the anticipated timelines. Members can read this publication at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806431717