Chamber and committees

The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) found that 30% of adults in 2024-25 said that people causing a nuisance with motorised vehicles was common in their local area. As this question was first introduced to the survey in 2024-25, figures are not available for earlier years. The SCJS does not provide breakdowns by local authority as the sample is not designed to be representative at that lower geographical breakdown.

The Scottish Government will publish and consult on a childcare transformation blueprint next year. When dates are set for this, I will be happy to communicate them to parliament. What is most important to me at this stage is that the consultation will engage stakeholders, childcare professionals, parents, carers and children across the country, and will help ensure that the transformation of Scotland’s childcare system reflects the needs of those families.

COPFS is committed to working with justice partners in exploring opportunities to improve witness citation arrangements, making use of technology in doing so, while ensuring the effectiveness and reliability required of the criminal justice process. While email has been a competent method of citation since 2007, its application raises practical, technological and legal considerations, including how receipt by the intended individual can be reliably established in order for effective enforcement action to be taken in the event of failures to attend court in response to citation and data protection considerations.

Email is not the only potential solution, nor would it be appropriate in every case. Consideration is extending to the opportunities that a wider range of digital solutions may offer. The approach taken must account for the needs and preferences of those receiving citations, the potential for greater choice, the operational and delivery implications of any future approach and, as recognised in the joint inspection, the need for witness citation processes to be trauma informed and use accessible language.

The Summary Case Management (SCM) model which commenced roll-out in January 2025 has enabled more cases to resolve before a trial diet is assigned, thereby reducing the number of victims, witnesses and police officers cited to attend trials, through earlier disclosure of evidence, early engagement between the Crown and defence and active judicial case management.

Where a trial is scheduled, earlier and more focused preparation has provided greater opportunity for evidence to be agreed and for those witnesses whose attendance is necessary to be identified before citations are issued.

The joint inspection recognised that SCM has significantly reduced the number of witnesses, including police witnesses, requiring to be cited or re-cited to court.

Work is underway to consider how the principles and learning from SCM can inform similar improvements to case management in solemn criminal proceedings.

While the findings of the Thirlwall Inquiry relate to services and regulatory arrangements in England, the Scottish Government recognises the importance of the report and will carefully consider its recommendations.

Scotland has established national arrangements for the handling of whistleblowing concerns within NHSScotland through the National Whistleblowing Standards and the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO). The INWO operates independently of both NHS Boards and the Scottish Government and has powers to review how NHS Boards have handled whistleblowing concerns where an individual remains dissatisfied after local processes have been exhausted.

NHS Boards are responsible for considering and responding to whistleblowing concerns raised within their organisations. Where an individual believes their concern has not been handled appropriately, they may ask the INWO to undertake an independent review of how the concern was managed.

The Scottish Government will next year publish and consult on a childcare transformation blueprint. We will continue to look at the existing evidence to understand what works for families, particularly those experiencing poverty and complex circumstances. The experience of the childcare sector will also be vital as we progress this important and exciting agenda.

We know that clear and open collaboration is critical, and we will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the process, listening to the voices of the sector, childcare professionals, parents and carers, and children themselves.

The Scottish Government has committed to transforming the childcare offer to provide support for children from nine months through to the end of primary school over the course of this Parliament.

The Scottish Government will publish and consult on a childcare transformation blueprint next year, which will set out proposals for future childcare provision. Decisions on the timing of support for children aged between nine and 23 months will be informed by the outcome of this work.

Delivery will be phased across the Parliamentary term, with families able to access breakfast clubs across Scotland from August 2027, and a new after school and holiday childcare offer for primary school children available from August 2029.

The Scottish Government is carefully considering the findings and recommendations of the Thirlwall Inquiry and their relevance to NHS Scotland. As part of that process, we will consider whether any changes to existing policies, guidance or contractual arrangements are required to strengthen safeguards and ensure the continued protection of patients.

Any decisions regarding changes to NHS Scotland employment, bank or agency staff contracts will be taken following engagement with NHS Boards, staff representatives and other relevant stakeholders.

The 2026-27 Budget and infrastructure delivery pipeline confirmed the Princess Alexandra Eye pavilion replacement as a ministerial priority project. The project is currently at Outline Business Case stage with current planning assumptions estimating that the full planning application will be submitted in late 2027/early 2028. There will be greater clarity on timeline once the business case process is complete.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03583 on 6 October 2026. 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.