The overall policy intention behind simple procedure is to provide a quicker, less formal, and more accessible route to justice for individuals involved in low-value civil disputes. It is therefore suitable for party litigants to raise or defend an action and conduct their cases to a conclusion themselves.

While the current monetary limit is £5,000, there are provisions for flexibility and case-specific considerations within the simple procedure framework. Even if the sum sought exceeds the monetary limit for simple procedure cases parties can agree to transfer a case to the Simple Procedure. In such cases, there is no obligation to lower the sum sought to meet the £5000 limit.

The Scottish Government considers the average value of simple procedure claims does not support an immediate need to increase the £5000 limit. We remain of the view that the current limit and flexibility within the simple procedure framework strikes the right balance between providing an accessible and cost-effective legal avenue while ensuring fairness and proportionality in resolving disputes.

The Government will continue to keep the monetary limit for simple procedure under review.

Under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, the Scottish Government is responsible for developing Strategic Police Priorities (SPPs), which it does in consultation with partners. Revised priorities are due to be published by the end of 2025.

Prevention and investigation of crime already feature prominently in the existing SPPs, and Police Scotland and its officers and staff remain focused on these aims.

The changing nature of policing and criminal activity will always be considered in any future changes to the SPPs.

It is for Police Scotland, which is accountable to the Scottish Police Authority, to determine the operational delivery of policing in Scotland. When setting priorities for the upcoming year, Police Scotland considers many factors, including demand analysis, emerging threat harm and risk, and futures and horizon scanning. Furthermore, many of the Local Police Plans , refreshed for 2023-26, include specific activities focusing upon acquisitive crime and engagement with partners and stakeholders, ensuring that focus upon the concerns of retailers is addressed at a local level.

The Scottish Government recognises the significant disruption and harm to both businesses and individuals from retail crime and continues to support the innovative Scottish Partnership Against Acquisitive Crime (SPAACE) strategy. The partnership is led by Police Scotland working with retailers and other organisations including Retailers Against Crime and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland, with a focus on the prevention, deterrence and where appropriate enforcement. The Strategy seeks to minimise opportunities for this type of crime, protect individuals and businesses, and deliver clear advice and guidance for prevention.

We will invest £1.55 billion in policing in 2024-25. Specific decisions on deployment of resources are a matter for the Chief Constable and the Scottish Police Authority.

The Scotland Act emphasises the Law Officers' independence from any other person as they undertake their prosecutorial and investigation of deaths functions, a principle they uphold in everything they do in an objective and professional manner.

The Scottish Government has commissioned expert research into the functions of the Law Officers which will be considered when determining next steps.

This research will ensure a detailed baseline understanding of the many distinct roles and functions of the Law Officers and will provide information on how the functions of Law Officers operate in other countries.

The Scottish Government recognises the significant disruption and harm to both businesses and individuals from retail crime and continues to support the innovative Scottish Partnership Against Acquisitive Crime (SPAACE) strategy.

The partnership is led by Police Scotland working with retailers and other organisations including Retailers Against Crime and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland, with a focus on the prevention, deterrence and where appropriate enforcement. The Strategy seeks to minimise opportunities for this type of crime, protect individuals and businesses, and deliver clear advice and guidance for prevention.

We will invest £1.55 billion in policing in 2024-25. Specific decisions on deployment of resources are a matter for the Chief Constable who is accountable to the Scottish Police Authority.

I would urge retailers and customers to continue to engage with Police Scotland and other partners to help safeguard their business, the people that work there and their community.

Police Scotland’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which can be accessed at: Grievance - Simplified Procedure V4.00 (scotland.police.uk), sets out the procedure to be followed should a grievance be raised against any officer or staff, including the Chief Constable. If a grievance concerns the Chief Constable, the issue should be referred to the SPA Board.

The Staff Governance Standard, which is applicable to all staff employed in NHSScotland, requires health boards to appropriately train and develop staff, as well as provide a safe working environment. The Scottish Government monitors compliance annually to ensure health boards, as employers, are meeting this standard. This includes providing the necessary training for staff according to statutory requirements.

This information is not held centrally. This is a matter for Public Health Scotland (PHS), which, through the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme (SVIP), is responsible for oversight and leadership of vaccine delivery in Scotland. The Scottish Government is part of SVIP and is working closely with PHS and NHS Boards to support increased uptake of both doses of the free MMR vaccine to keep people safe from measles by preventing the spread of this very serious disease.

Table 1 provides information on total number of inpatient, daycase and outpatient hospital episodes where an emergency eye surgery procedure was recorded, at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion by financial year from 2004-05. It is not possible to provide figures for 1999-2003, as prior to 2004 activity at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion was recorded under the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh along with activity from other facilities on the Lauriston Place site.

Table 1: Number of emergency Eye procedures at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, 2004-05 to 2022-23

In addition to the range of incentives the Scottish Government have put in place in the Highland area to support NHS dental provision; since August 2023, NHS Highland have:

• Increased capacity for patients within their evening PDS clinics through the recruitment of a new PDS Dental Officer in Dunoon.
• A new practice opening later this year, secured with the use of the Scottish Dental Access Initiative scheme in Inverness.
• Procured funding and resource for a mobile dental unit which is expected to be in operation by summer of 2024.

Data is not held centrally specifically on intentional paracetamol overdose . However, the following table shows the most recent data on inpatient and day-case admissions to hospital as a result of intentional paracetamol poisoning, which includes overdose cases.