Violent and abusive behaviours towards pupils or staff is unacceptable. Schools should be safe and consistent learning environments for all.

Since May 2023, we have responded to schools’ concerns about relationships and behaviour in a number of ways. This includes the publication of new guidance on gender-based violence, updating our guidance on mobile phones and anti-bullying, and providing £900k to local authorities to support training of support staff.

The joint relationships and behaviour in schools action plan was developed in collaboration with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour, of which NASUWT is a member. The plan sets out 20 actions to be taken over the next three years at both national and local level to help support schools to improve relationships and behaviour. This includes a number of actions under the theme of reducing violence and harm in schools.

The Programme for Government 2024-25 contains a commitment to report annually on progress of delivery against the plan. The first progress report will be published in the coming weeks.

Recent population projections from National Records of Scotland indicate that high levels of positive net migration are projected to offset negative natural change, leading to Scotland’s population being projected to increase each year to mid-2047.

This demonstrates the importance of migration in driving population growth and is why we are using the full extent of our devolved powers to ensure Scotland is as attractive as possible, with a population profile which can support our economy, communities and public services. This includes delivering Scotland’s Migration Service and our Addressing Depopulation Action Plan, reflecting the strategic aims set out in our Population Strategy.

We will also continue to make the case for tailored migration schemes such as our Rural Visa Pilot and recently announced Scottish Graduate Visa. These are strongly supported by stakeholders, deliverable within the existing UK immigration system, and we urge the UK Government to engage substantively with the proposals to ensure that the UK immigration system can meet Scotland’s distinct demographic needs.

Data in relation to the housing circumstances and employment status of individuals released from custody is not available.

Individuals serving short-term sentences are not routinely subject to any form of post-release supervision or monitoring, and those that had supervision or monitoring requirements post-sentence were automatically excluded from both the Coronavirus specific early release process in 2020 and the Emergency Early Release process in 2024.

Pre-release planning, including in relation to housing needs, was a key feature of both of the emergency early release processes (2020 & 2024). The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) worked closely with representatives from Local Government – including housing departments, wider public bodies, and the third sector in the planning and operation of the processes.

In relation to the Coronavirus specific emergency early release process in May 2020, there were 348 individuals released early. This represented around 5% of the overall prison population at that time, which was 7,128 on 1 May 2020.

In relation to the emergency early release process in June and July 2024, there were 477 individuals released early, this amounted to around 6% of the overall prison population at that time, which was 8,232 on 21 June 2024.

In May 2020, it was necessary and proportionate to quickly reduce the prison population to a level that would enable the SPS and health services to maintain the public health measures within Scottish prisons to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.

In June and July 2024, it was deemed necessary and proportionate to quickly reduce the prison population, in response to a sharp and sudden rise in the prison population in the preceding months, in order to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of those working and living in Scottish Prisons, as well as ensuring that Scottish Prisons could continue to function safely.

Emergency release regulations have been utilised twice within the last five years (May 2020 & June/July 2024), and on both occasions the same conditions of release were applied for individuals granted emergency early release, as would have been applied at their original scheduled liberation date.

The individuals released in both emergency early release processes were serving short-term prison sentences, and were approaching the end of those short-term sentences. Individuals serving short-term sentences are not routinely subject to additional monitoring of any kind following their release from custody at their earliest date of liberation, and therefore were not subject to such monitoring as part of the two early release processes.

Individuals whose sentence included orders requiring post-release supervision and monitoring requirements were automatically excluded from early release on both occasions.

The Scottish Government currently provides over £3.4 million total in annual funding for the provision of voluntary throughcare to Shine and New Routes Public Social Partnerships (PSPs).

The Scottish Government and the partnership that will provide the new national throughcare service (consisting of Sacro, Access to Industry, Action for Children, Apex Scotland, Barnardo’s, Circle, Families Outside and Turning Point Scotland) are committed to delivering a smooth and supported transition for those currently receiving assistance through the Shine and New Routes programmes.

We are working closely with Shine and New Routes around the decommissioning process to ensure there is no gap in service provision resulting from the transition.

Where relevant, there are clear communication and engagement plans for those individuals who are currently accessing throughcare support and wish to be transferred to the new provision.

Additionally, where possible, staff across Shine and New Routes will be transferred to the new service, ensuring continuity of a skilled and experienced workforce.

At present, the existing Public Social Partnerships Shine and New Routes provide support to around 1750 individuals each year. It is anticipated that the level of funding provided to the new service will allow an additional number of people to be supported, including men leaving a period of remand, who will be eligible for throughcare support for the first time.

The number of people supported will depend on the volume of eligible population of prisoners, and an assessment of individuals’ required level and duration of support.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information

The measures and indicators which will be used to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and value for money of the new third sector national throughcare service are in the process of being developed. This work is being done in consultation with the partnership of organisations that will deliver the service (consisting of Sacro, Access to Industry, Action for Children, Apex Scotland, Barnardo’s, Circle, Families Outside and Turning Point Scotland) and Community Justice Scotland, who will be responsible for monitoring the new service on behalf of the Scottish Government.

This includes the consideration of what, if any, data will be made publicly available.