Chamber and committees

As required by section 111 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025, Scottish Ministers will undertake a review of the operation of the Act, which will include reviewing the operation of the provisions that abolished the not proven verdict and changed the jury majority required for conviction. That is separate to the Jury Deliberation Research.

Since the demand-led Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund was announced in April 2023, of the 43 homes approved 30 homes have been reported as completed through the scheme.

Decisions on the location and configuration of fire stations are a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Board and Chief Officer. SFRS conducted a full public consultation on the 23 options for change contained in its Service Delivery Review (SDR) and the responses to the consultation have been independently analysed. The SFRS Board will take decisions before the end of June 2026 on which of the Service Delivery Review options should be taken forward for implementation over the next 5 years. These decisions will be based on the SFRS evidence for change along with the responses to the consultation.

Should approval be received from the Lord Justice General, Scottish Ministers will publish a report on the findings as soon as reasonably practicable after the research is carried out, as required by section 68(2) of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025.

This would include details of the methodology used as well as reflection on the limitations of the research.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran are part of phase two of the GP walk-in services pilot and are leading the design and implementation of the East Ayrshire service. Phase two sites will be based in high street or former retail premises, similar to some vaccination clinics. These locations require longer lead times, as converting retail spaces into clinically compliant facilities must meet strict safety standards, particularly for vulnerable patients. Further details on the pilot site will be shared once commercial and clinical agreements are finalised.

We recognise there are workforce pressures across A&E and unscheduled care; however, these reflect wider whole system challenges, and our focus is on improving patient flow and reducing avoidable demand through the Operational Improvement Plan and early priorities this Parliament, including the expansion of community based alternatives to hospital care.

There have been substantial increases in the number of Emergency Medicine Consultants working for NHS Scotland, with the number increasing by 49% over the last decade, to stand at 313.4 Whole Time Equivalents as at 30 September 2025.

Local authorities hold statutory responsibility for managing and maintaining their school estate, and have guidance and procedures in place to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of children and young people.

In June 2025 the Scottish Government published guidance on risk assessments for violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour. This supports schools to manage situations where there is considered to be a foreseeable risk of harm occurring or a pattern of behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause harm to self or others. Evidence-based risk assessments support the understanding of the behaviour and inform planning of appropriate control measures and mitigations. Decisions on specific risk-mitigation measures are matters for individual schools.

The Scottish Government committed to implement 20mph speed limits on those roads where it is appropriate to do so across Scotland. Assessment criteria were prepared in conjunction with the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), Police Scotland, Transport Scotland and various local authorities to identify which roads can be considered as ‘appropriate’

A total of 104 locations were assessed by Transport Scotland for introduction of 20mph speed limits in line with the assessment criteria. Of the 104 locations, 75 were identified as being suitable for a 20mph speed limit. It has been agreed that implementation of one of the two sections of 20mph speed limit on the A78 in Greenock will be delayed until completion of major roadworks in the area.

Of the remaining 74 locations, all are currently operating with a 20mph speed limit in place.

Section 67 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 amended the Contempt of Court Act 1981 to allow for more detailed research into jury deliberations, where research has been approved by the Lord Justice General. During Stage 3, the former Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs committed to commission research into jury deliberations as a priority, highlighting the need to better understand the impact of rape myths on jurors’ decision making. The 2025 Act introduced landmark changes to the justice system and there are no current plans to introduce anything further.

Since the fund's launch in April 2023 to 21 May 2026, a total of £4.489 million has been spent through the Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund. The Fund is demand-led, with expenditure dependent on project progress and delivery milestones. 

The Scottish Government continues to work with local authorities to encourage further applications and ensure the fund is used effectively to meet local housing needs for key workers. The fund is in addition to our core Affordable Housing Supply Programme and our demand-led Rural and Islands Housing Fund. From April 2016 to March 2025 through all these funding routes we have supported delivery of more than 13,000 affordable homes in rural and island areas many of which will have provided homes for key workers.