Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S7W-03827

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland Custody inspection report - Highland and Islands finding that four children were held overnight in police cells for social work pick-up after relatively minor crimes, how many children have been held overnight in police custody in each year since 2021.

Presentation at a Police Custody Centre is often necessary to prevent further offending, facilitate investigations and capture samples such as fingerprints, photographs and DNA. However, police custody is not a suitable place of safety for children.

The Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 strengthened safeguards for children in police custody, with provisions commencing on 30 March this year meaning that nobody under the age of 18 should be kept unless the alternatives are deemed, unsafe, inadvisable due to the person’s mental or physical health, or impracticable.

In 2021, 3,730 children and young people were arrested and taken to a police station. Out of these, 568 were held in police cells to appear before courts.

However, the operation of police custody services, including decisions about the detention and release of children, is an operational matter for Police Scotland under the direction of the Chief Constable.

The Scottish Government does not hold the requested information.

Question reference: S7W-03830

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and Audit Scotland Best Value in Policing Thematic Inspection of Road Policing in Scotland finding that efforts to tackle drug driving are constrained by shortages of trained personnel and forensic services capacity, what action it is taking to address those constraints.

Operational decisions regarding road policing resources, officer training and the deployment of forensic services are matters for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority. However, the Scottish Government recognises the importance of maintaining effective arrangements to support the investigation and prosecution of drug driving offences.

The Scottish Police Authority's Forensic Services Committee has recently advised the Authority's Board of the importance of delivering a sustainable long-term operating model for forensic services and continues to oversee work designed to ensure future capacity and resilience across the service. The Scottish Government continues to engage with the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland on this work, including in relation to forensic toxicology services which support the investigation of drug driving offences, with the aim of ensuring forensic services remain effective and capable of meeting current and future operational demand.

Question reference: S7W-03994

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NHS England’s July 2026 guidance on preventing unlawful access to patient records, whether it has reviewed, or plans to review, NHS Scotland’s arrangements for preventing, monitoring and independently detecting the inappropriate use of patient information.

The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland maintain a commitment to continuous improvement. Relevant guidance and developments from across the UK, including NHS England, are routinely considered to assess whether enhancements to existing guidance, standards, assurance arrangements or supporting controls should be adopted.

NHS Scotland Boards are responsible for ensuring that access to patient information is appropriate and monitored in accordance with data protection legislation, professional obligations, and established information governance and security policies. Existing safeguards include role-based access controls, system audit trails and user activity monitoring solutions that support the detection and investigation of potentially inappropriate access.

Question reference: S7W-03919

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will give appropriate time and communication to Police Scotland to adjust for any operational changes caused by local government reorganisation.

The public sector reform creates an opportunity for national renewal and simplification of the service delivery landscape to best deliver for the people of Scotland. This will require strong leadership from within local government and commitment from delivery partners to look beyond individual, institutional and sectoral interests to focus on the collective outcomes we seek to achieve for Scotland.

Any proposals will be developed through engagement with local government, public bodies, trades unions, and relevant delivery partners, which includes Police Scotland.

Ensuring the continuity of frontline services and maintaining public safety through visible community policing remains a Scottish Government’s priority.

Question reference: S7W-03921

Asked by: Joe Fagan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with COSLA since the publication of the Programme for Government regarding its plan to replace Integration Joint Boards.

The First Minister, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform attended a special meeting of COSLA Leaders on 11 September 2026 to discuss the Programme for Government's commitments on reform to our public services. Our focus over the coming months is to build a shared understanding of how governance and service delivery can best support the needs of diverse communities across Scotland. As the Programme for Government set out, we will be undertaking a three-month intensive period of engagement with local government on local governance reform. Any reform of health and social care integration will include engagement with NHS Boards, staff, trade unions, local government, Integration Authorities, social care partners and the public.

Question reference: S7W-03920

Asked by: Joe Fagan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its Local Governance proposal, whether it will publish its starting point proposals to replace Integration Joint Boards.

No decisions have been taken on the future of Integration Joint Boards (IJBs), and the existing integration statutory arrangements currently remain in place. However, integration arrangements are part of the wider dialogue on health, social care and public service reform. As the Programme for Government set out, we will be undertaking a three-month period of engagement on local governance reform. Any reform of health and social care integration will include engagement with NHS Boards, staff, trade unions, local government, Integration Authorities, social care partners and the public.

Question reference: S7W-03832

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and Audit Scotland Best Value in Policing audit finding that strategic workforce planning remains underdeveloped, what action it is taking to support the development of a long-term workforce plan for Police Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-03835

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Police Scotland’s Annual Workforce Report stating that workforce capacity continues to be a concern, what assessment it has made of the number of police officers and staff available for operational deployment.

Question reference: S7W-03826

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland Joint Review of Police Custody recommendations, which noted that 45 recommendations had been made to Police Scotland across 10 custody inspection reports, what assessment it has made of progress in implementing those recommendations.

The operation of police custody centres, including decisions relating to risk assessment, observation levels, the management of detainees and release arrangements, are operational matters for Police Scotland under the direction of the Chief Constable.

Furthermore, under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, the Chief Constable is responsible and accountable for the policing of Scotland to the Scottish police Authority (SPA), who are independent of the Scottish Government.

Within this context, Ministers expect Police Scotland and SPA to respond constructively and promptly to recommendations made through relevant inspections and independent scrutiny.

Police Scotland is progressing a programme of reform through its Custody 2030 transformation programme. This programme is expected to define a new operating model that takes account of legislative, operational and technological changes and challenges.

Question reference: S7W-03840

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Police Scotland's Annual Workforce Report identifying concerns regarding assaults, injuries on duty, stress-related absence and grievances, what action it is taking to improve the wellbeing of police officers and staff.

Workforce management is an operational matter for the Chief Constable, with oversight by the Scottish Police Authority.

Attacks on our police officers are unacceptable, and the courts have extensive powers to deal robustly with them. Scotland’s police officers do an outstanding job in challenging circumstances, and the Scottish Government recognises the unique pressures and mental health risks associated with policing.

We welcome the work being undertaken by Police Scotland to support the wellbeing of its workforce, as they continue to strengthen prevention, early intervention and access to treatment through a range of measures.

Since 2024, Police Scotland has invested around £2m per year in an occupational health contract to support the health and wellbeing of its workforce.