Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not hold this operational information. The member may wish to contact the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service directly, as the Service is responsible for the deployment and operation of its vehicles.

The Scottish Government does not hold this operational information. The member may wish to contact the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service directly, as the Service is responsible for the deployment and operation of its vehicles.

Under the Marriage (Scotland)Act 1977 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004, there are a number of different systems for religious or belief celebrants to be approved to solemnise marriage or register civil partnership. At the moment, Independent Humanist Ceremonies(IHC) nominate persons to the Registrar General to be registered as celebrants under section 9 of the 1977 Act.

The number of unpaid carers who receive short breaks or respite is reported in the Scottish Government’s Carers Census. This collection covers unpaid carers of all ages who have a support plan and/or those receiving support from local services, rather than the total caring population.

Information from the Carers Census is collected on a local level, however local-level figures are not published as, despite the increase in the number of organisations returning data, coverage remains incomplete across Scotland. Differences in local carer support arrangements and recording practices also mean the data is not sufficiently robust to allow direct local comparisons.

National-level data is reported in the Carers Census publications, however the results likely represent an undercount of the true number of unpaid carers being supported by local services in Scotland, given that not all organisations are able to provide submissions, and there is no non-response estimation. This is noted within the publications, where figures are framed as representing carers included in the Carers Census from submitting data providers, as opposed to being estimated Scotland-level totals.

Table 1: Number and percentage of people who received short breaks or respite in 2019-20 to 2023-24 (all areas submitted) (Source: Carers Census, Scottish Government)

The Scottish Government has not undertaken a feasibility study for a Demolition Levy. The Scottish Government currently has no plans to introduce a Demolition Levy and while the Scottish Government share concerns around carbon emissions from demolition and the preservation of the built environment, the Scottish Government believes the most straight forward response would be for the UK Government to address any VAT imbalances which disincentivise reuse, retrofitting and refurbishment.

In May 2025, UK Government officials made the Scottish Government aware that the UK Government intended to publish a consultation relating to licensing of the sale of knives. This was subsequently published in December 2025 with the consultation finishing in February 2026. As yet, the Scottish Government is not aware of specific proposals from the UK Government to introduce such a scheme following the consultation and will be happy to discuss with the UK Government as any such proposals are developed in terms of any impact for Scotland. In particular, the need to consider the operation of any licensing scheme in respect of the importation of knives will be required by the UK Government for Scotland as this area of law is likely reserved under the Scotland Act 1998.

There is long-standing knife dealer licensing in Scotland operated by local authorities that applies to all retailers including online retailers who sell weapons covered by the licensing scheme. This is unlike the situation in England and Wales.

The Scottish Government recognises that alcohol-specific deaths and drug related deaths can share a range of underlying social, behavioural and health-related risk factors. Understanding these interconnected factors is important to informing effective prevention, treatment and support services.

We continue to support and commission research and analysis on the causes and drivers of alcohol and drug-related harms through a range of programmes and partnerships with academic institutions, Public Health Scotland, Scottish Alcohol Research Network, Drug Research Network Scotland and other public sector organisations. This includes research examining severe and multiple disadvantages and the links between substance use, mental health, deprivation, trauma, social isolation, and patterns of help-seeking behaviour among different population groups, including men.

There are currently no specific plans for a standalone research programme focused exclusively on the interlinked sociobehavioural factors associated with male alcohol and drug deaths. We will, however, continue to support and encourage research that improves understanding of the complex and overlapping factors contributing to substance-related deaths and informs actions to reduce harm and save lives.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of understanding the factors that can affect men's health and wellbeing, including depression, separation from family and substance use. These issues can be complex and interconnected, and we continue to support research and evidence-gathering activity through collaboration with Public Health Scotland, academic institutions and other partners to improve understanding of their causes and impacts.

The Scottish Government invests in a range of services that support mental health, recovery from substance use, and people experiencing adverse life circumstances and trauma. This includes working with partners across the public and third sectors to improve outcomes for men.

Through the Delivering Equally Safe Fund, we are supporting the Men’s Advice Line, which provides practical advice and emotional support to men experiencing domestic abuse. More broadly, community-based organisations across Scotland provide targeted mental health and wellbeing support for men, including peer-support and suicide-prevention services. This includes funding the Changing Room: Extra Time programme, which uses football as a hook to help men learn about and understand their mental health and wellbeing together with their peers.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of robust evidence in understanding any relationship between domestic abuse against men, substance use and recovery. However, limitations in the available data mean it is difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding potential correlations or causative relationships between these factors.

Existing data sources that provide some insight into these issues include:

• National Drug Related Death Database – records, by sex, whether individuals who have died a drug death were victims of domestic violence prior to death. It also records details of social circumstances including who they were living with and whether individuals were a parent/parent figure. The database also records whether the individual had a psychiatric condition (including depression).
• Drug and alcohol information system (DAISy) – collects data on those presenting for specialist treatment for drugs/alcohol in Scotland. The data set includes some (limited) information on living situation, dependents, and existing medical conditions.

While these data sources can provide information on the circumstances of people affected by substance use, they do not currently provide a comprehensive picture of the relationship between men’s experience of domestic abuse, substance use and recovery outcomes. The Scottish Government will continue to work with partners across the health, justice and research sectors to strengthen the evidence base where appropriate and make the best use of available data to inform policy development and service delivery.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of supporting children and families where a parent is recovering from substance use and where reunification is in the best interests of the child. Support is available through a range of national and local services, including alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services, family support organisations, and children and family social work services. These services can help parents sustain recovery, strengthen family relationships and address any practical or emotional challenges that may arise during the reunification process.

Through the Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention Fund and Adult Learning and Empowering Communities Fund the Scottish Government is supporting organisations such as Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, Relationships Scotland and The Spark. These organisations deliver services such as family mediation, relationship counselling, and family support, which can help families strengthen relationships and navigate challenges that may arise during recovery and reunification. We also provide funding to Shared Parenting Scotland, who provide advice, assistance and other support to separated parents experiencing difficulties in having contact with their children.