Chamber and committees

As a non-Ministerial office, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) is responsible for preparing a detailed budget for each financial year. Throughout the Budget process, the Scottish Government liaises with the SCTS to identify its budgetary requirements. These requirements are considered alongside the resource needs of the rest of the justice system in order to ensure the SCTS has sufficient resources to meet its statutory obligations. Compared to the opening 2024-25 budget, an additional £11.5m Resource funding and £2m Capital funding has been provided to the SCTS for 2025-26.

FAIs cover a wide range of policy areas and recommendations are equally wide-ranging. The Scottish Government expects that the relevant individual policy area or public body would take action in light of any recommendations.

The statutory framework for FAIs is the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc (Scotland) Act 2016. The legislation introduced a requirement for the Sheriff conducting the FAI to make a determination setting out their conclusions and recommendations as soon as possible. Recommendations from a Sheriff must be responded to by the body to whom they are directed. The 2016 Act sets out that the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is required to publish the determination and subsequent response from the party to whom the recommendations are directed. The response will normally detail what action has been taken or is proposed to be taken in light of the recommendations. These are published on the Scottish Courts and Tribunals' website and are therefore publicly available.

The Strategic Police Priorities (SPPs) are designed to provide high-level direction for the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Police Scotland, as set out in the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012. Prevention and detection of crime and working with key sectors is currently covered in the SPPs and the SPA and Police Scotland will use the SPPs to inform both their Strategic and Annual Police Plans, which will include putting in place objectives for the police service and the activities which will deliver them.

Police Scotland’s commitment to tackling retail crime has been underlined by last month’s launch of an action plan which includes a number of measures aimed at preventing such incidents and pursuing those responsible. This has been made possible through additional Scottish Government funding of £3 million for this year.

This information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government has acknowledged that there are concerns about the operation of fatal accident inquiries. In January of this year the Scottish Government announced a focussed, independent review of the FAI system. This review is to look at the efficiency, effectiveness and trauma-informed nature of investigations into deaths in prison custody.

The experience of families will inform the forthcoming focused review of FAIs in relation to deaths in custody.

The operation of FAIs is a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service rather than for the Scottish Government. The experience of families will inform the forthcoming focused review of FAIs in relation to deaths in custody.

The determination of an FAI will set out the Sheriff's recommendations, which will be aimed at the relevant public body. The Scottish Government would expect any public body to take cognisance of any recommendations.

As I have set out in my statement to Parliament earlier today, we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session. The consultation on the Bill included a range of proposals regarding the use of waste heat by heat networks. The final decision on the provisions of the Bill will be made collectively by Cabinet ahead of its introduction.