Chamber and committees

The actual cost to the third sector of the increase in Employer National Insurance contributions is difficult to determine given the diversity in size and employment numbers across the sector. However, in the joint letter from the First Minister and President of COSLA to the Chancellor on 3 January, which was supported by SCVO and a range of third sector organisations, they refer to SCVO’s estimate that the third sector will face additional costs of £75 million per year, plus wider inflation. We will continue to monitor the impact on the sector through the longitudinal survey we support through SCVO.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information

The Scottish Government is carefully considering the report of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee’s ‘Follow-up inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland’ which was published on 17 January 2025, and which included a recommendation for welfare guidance for farmed salmon to be introduced. A response will be provided to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in due course.

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.

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).

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

When a prisoner is liberated from custody under emergency release arrangements such as the 2020 COVID 19 Early Release Scheme and the 2024 Emergency Early Release Regulations, they have no outstanding warrants, as such they are released back into the community with no conditions or restrictions having served their time. Therefore, they cannot be recalled back into custody, as there are no conditions attached to their release.

In the last 5 years, no prisoners have been recalled to custody following their release under either the 2020 COVID 19 Early Release Scheme or the 2024 Emergency Early Release Regulations.

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.

Information on the number of incidents involving illegal drugs in schools is not held centrally. The recorded crime official statistics include data on crimes of drug supply and drug possession, however this does not specify the type of location where the crime occurred.

Social Security Scotland recognises that clients have complex and varied accessibility needs for communicating with us. Clients have told us that they require a choice in how we communicate with them. For example, some clients may prefer to engage with us through paper-based communications and some clients may prefer digital communications to allow them to use assistive technology.

All of our applications can be made online, on paper, over the phone or face to face with our Local Services team. Clients can contact us to discuss their circumstances and payments by phone, face to face or via webchat. Communications are sent to clients by letter, email and SMS.

Plans are in place to expand the use of email and SMS as a communication channel as initial testing in this area has proven that this is something that clients want and need. The approach to how clients' communication preferences are captured is being carefully considered to ensure that digital communications are available to those clients who would benefit from this without excluding those for whom digital communications are not accessible.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The use of common good funds (CGF) within Scottish prisons aligns with the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) and is governed via the SPS Financial Policy and Guidance Manual.

The SPS Financial Policy Guidance Manual itself details accountability, sources of income and approved areas of expenditure on the use of the CGF.

Compliance with this guidance is mandatory and only Governors in Charge (GICs) are authorised to approve expenditure, which must benefit all, or groups, of prisoners within their establishment.