As an amendment to motion S6M-20730 in the name of Pauline McNeill (Community Policing), leave out from "regrets" to end and insert "acknowledges that Scotland is a safe country with recorded crime having decreased by 38% since 2006-7 and that homicide is at its lowest level since comparable records began in 1976; recognises that in 2025-26, the Scottish Government increased police funding to a record £1.64 billion, investment which enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits in the last financial year than at any time since 2013, and that the draft Budget has a further record investment in policing of £1.7 billion in 2026-27; condemns the UK Government’s employer national insurance increase, which is costing Police Scotland over £25 million every year; commends the hard work, dedication and commitment of all the officers and staff of Police Scotland; is pleased that police officers in Scotland receive the best basic pay in the UK at the minimum and maximum of each rank, and that there are around 30 full-time equivalent (FTE) officers per 10,000 population, compared with around 24 FTE officers in England and Wales; notes that Police Scotland has an important role to play in addressing community concerns or tensions and there should be no tolerance for hate crime in a modern society; recognises that, whilst the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey shows a long-term increase in the proportion of people who report feeling safe in their local area, perceptions of safety can vary significantly between communities; further recognises that, in September 2025, Parliament agreed the landmark Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Act, which will introduce reforms to place victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice and courts system, establish a Sexual Offences Court, improve the Victim Notification Scheme and parole system, and introduce a Victims Commissioner, and calls on the Scottish Government to continue its focus on reducing crime and reoffending and supporting victims."
Submitted by: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Monday, February 9, 2026
Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Submitted by: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, February 11, 2026