Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of visible policing for public confidence. However, perceptions of community safety are shaped by a range of factors, including falling levels of crime, local police engagement, and broader community support.

Crime in Scotland has fallen significantly under this administration.

Scotland is a safer place since this government took office. Recorded crime remains below the position immediately prior to the pandemic (2019-20), and is down 39% since 2006-07.

The proportion of adults who were a victim of violent and property crime has also fallen from one-in-five (20.4%) in 2008-09 to one-in-eight (12.1%) in 2023-24 and the Scottish Crime & Justice Survey (2023-24) showed more people feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark increasing from 66% in 2008-09 to 75% in 2023-24. Over the same time period the proportion of adults who thought violence between groups of individuals or gangs was common in their area fell from 26% to 13%.

The Scottish Government have increased police funding year on year since 2016-17, investing more than £14.6bn since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013. In 2025-26, we will increase the police funding to £1.64 billion , an increase of £90 million on 2024-25, to support police capacity and capability.

Our investment in policing enabled Police Scotland to take on more recruits last financial year than at any time since 2013, with further intakes planned throughout 2025. The latest official statistics show there were 16,427 full time equivalent police officers at 30 June 2025.

Police Scotland also has a healthy recruitment pipeline having welcomed around 1,500 new officers since the beginning of 2024 including a further 136 new recruits on 1 September 2025.

Specific Police Scotland officer number statistics by division, can be found by following the link.

The Scottish Government welcome’s Police Scotland’s commitment to providing a safe environment for officers, staff and the public.

Management of the Police Scotland estate, including contingency plans in the event that any of Police Scotland’s buildings are deemed unsafe, is an operational matter for the Chief Constable under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40762 on 9 October 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I, with officials, recently met with victims who have an interest in the regulations and changes that will be made to exclusions zones in licence conditions. The Government will also, and shortly, engage further with Victim Support Scotland, and other stakeholders to promote and encourage views on how best to develop these changes into operational practice.

The Government have held discussions with the Parole Board for Scotland (PBS) on the changes set out in section 29GD of the Bill. The Government will continue to engage with PBS, and other stakeholders, over the coming months to jointly develop robust operational plans to deliver upon this commitment.

The Government are taking forward work on the legislative requirements necessary to make changes to the Parole Board Rules, following the passing of the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. The Government intend to lay the required instruments in early 2026 with a view to the changes from section 29I coming into force in spring 2026.

I can announce that the refresh of this common core resource for everyone in Scotland working with Scotland’s children and young people has been completed and the updated resource is now available online Supporting Scotland's Children: Core Knowledge and Values

The relaunched resource is now called Supporting Scotland’s Children – Core Knowledge and Values and replaces the previous common core. It provides a clear framework and sets out the essential knowledge and values that everyone working with babies, children, young people and families should share, including children’s rights, wellbeing, safeguarding and partnership working. It reflects current policy priorities including GIRFEC, The Promise, and UNCRC incorporation, and is intended as a practical tool for induction, training, and ongoing learning across all sectors.

A refresh of the Common Core was highlighted as key to Keeping the Promise by 2030 and is set out as a priority in The Promise Scotland’s Change Programme.

The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) was established 20 years ago as an independent regulator and registrar of charities, ensuring that charity regulation remains free from political influence.

Decisions and inquiries undertaken by OSCR, such as those relating to the Clan Donald Lands Trust and the sale of its landholdings, fall entirely within its remit and are not matters for the Scottish Government.

Given the independence of both OSCR and the charities it regulates, it would be inappropriate for Scottish Ministers to comment on individual cases.

If a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, the Scottish Government wants them to be treated as close to home as clinically appropriate. As treatments for cancer become more complex and expensive however, it is not possible to deliver them in every location. We know that the best outcomes are often associated with specialist centres and patients should be fully supported in accessing these.

Where travel is necessary, the Scottish Government expects NHS Boards to work collaboratively with each other and transport providers to make suitable arrangements to ensure that the necessary treatment can be provided in a patient-centred way.

The Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF) was established to support families visiting children receiving inpatient care in hospital, for any health condition, to meet some of the costs of hospital visits. This includes providing a contribution to costs relating to travel, subsistence and accommodation. The YPFF was not designed to provide financial support to patients themselves.

Further to this, the Scottish Government provides the overall guidance to NHS Boards for patient travel expenses reimbursement. Several schemes are in place offering financial reimbursement for travel costs for treatment.

The Patient Travel Expenses Scheme (PTES) is Scotland-wide and provides support to those in receipt of certain benefits.

The Highlands and Islands Travel Scheme (HITS) reimburses the travel costs of everyone in the Highlands and Islands area required to travel more than 30 miles to a hospital by road or 5 miles by air or land, less the first £10 (unless in receipt of certain benefits).

Under the discretionary scheme, NHS Boards may also choose to reimburse patient travel expenses to those not eligible under PTES or HITS where it is viewed to be an extension of treatment costs and deemed to be clinically necessary.

Between 15 and 19 September, I led a trade delegation from Scotland’s world-leading offshore wind sector to Japan to support Scotland’s participation at Expo Osaka, participate in Wind Expo, and lead a programme of key business and Government engagements. To support the Expo programme overall a set of key objectives were agreed focusing on:

• transforming our diplomatic and business connections with Japan;
• ensuring Scotland is seen as a place to do business, trade and invest with;
• showcasing Scottish businesses and their innovation in key sectors aligned to Scotland and Japan’s global priorities.

My overseas travel in September 2025 was approved in line with ministerial travel policy.

Planning, development and delivery of Scotland’s presence at the Expo Osaka was led by the Directorate for International Trade and Investment. For the September visit specifically, officials in the Offshore Wind Directorate provided required briefing, programme and Ministerial support. Planning, development and delivery of my visit to New York Climate week was led by officials in the Directorate for Culture and External Affairs. Both programmes were one element of officials’ wider roles day to day therefore it’s not possible to attribute total staff time to the planning and delivery of my overseas engagements in September 2025.

I was supported in Japan by three Scottish Government officials and the SDI sector team based in Northeast Asia. SDI officials also provided support for the accompanying trade delegation and delivery of the Expo event in the UK Pavilion. Scottish Government officials provided required policy support to myself at all inward investment engagement meetings, the signing of the MoU between EMEC and FLOWRA, hosted panel sessions with myself and members of the trade delegation in both Tokyo and Osaka, presented to delegates at Wind Expo as well as further developing key stakeholder relationships.

My visit promoted Scotland’s Offshore Wind sector and supported Scottish companies with proven capabilities in offshore wind to connect with Japanese stakeholders actively seeking international partners. The mission delegation consisted of leading supply chain companies and energy supply chain projects ready for engagement, investment and partnership:

• Enerfloat,
• Eodex
• OEG Renewables
• James Fisher Renewables
• The Energy Transition Zone
• Eyemouth Harbour,
• Fraserburgh Harbour,
• Highland Deephaven
• Orkney Harbour.

I also undertook key engagements with:

• SSE Pacifico
• Mitsubishi Electric
• Marubeni Itochu Steel
• Marubeni
• Musubi
• TEPCO
• Eurus Energy
• Hitachi

Some of the companies listed have planning applications currently under consideration. As it is inappropriate for a Minister to engage on a live planning application I did not engage in any way on applications of any description. Due to commercial sensitivities, we are unable to provide fuller details of those applications at this time.

Growing Scotland’s offshore wind sector presents enormous economic opportunities for our country. The trade mission was an opportunity to deepen our relations with Japanese investors and innovators in renewable energy, giving the potential to create thousands of well-paid, green jobs, contribute to lower energy bills over time and accelerate our journey to net zero. During the visit, Hitachi Energy announced Glasgow will be the home of their new UK Engineering Centre of Excellence which will create high-value jobs and support a significant investment in Scotland of over £3m. Outcomes from the September visit will be published in a full evaluation of Scotland’s Expo programme. However early feedback from the first two Activations in April and June suggest planned export sales for participating companies of more than £23.5m. My impact in terms of investment will be analysed and quantified.

From September 20-24 I took part in events at and around Climate Week NYC and the UN General Assembly. My programme included leading events with networks that Scotland has leadership roles in: the Regions4 network, of which Scotland is President, and the Under2 Coalition, of which Scotland is European co-chair. Individual meetings with Ministers and representatives from Quebec, Catalunya, South Australia, Western Cape, Lombardy and California were also facilitated in the Climate Week programme. Attendance at these meetings positively demonstrated Scotland’s commitment to climate action and drove forward our collaboration with international counterparts. Climate Week NYC is not a hybrid event, so remote participation is not possible.

I also met with climate justice partners from a range of countries, including Kenyan climate leader Elizabeth Wathuti where she announced Scotland’s contribution to the Green Generation Initiative; and with businesses including Apple and Clean Energy Terminals to discuss investment opportunities in Scotland. I was also invited to speak and contribute to UN side events on climate adaptation, human rights and the environment, including with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change and the Brazilian COP30 CEO and High Level Champion. These opportunities strengthened Scotland’s reputation and standing – leading to a deeper level of engagement and ensuring future opportunities at COP and other multilateral forums will be offered to Scotland.

The following objectives were determined for the trip, which are linked to the Programme for Government:

• Strengthen Scotland’s climate finance and justice leadership through meaningful engagement and advocacy in order to maximise Scotland’s potential reach and impact at COP30;
• Position Scotland as a leader in the just transition to net zero and renewables by exploiting opportunities to showcase Scottish ambition and expertise to international audiences;
• Build recognition of and strengthen the voice of devolved, state, and regional governments within international climate policies and processes, by convening stakeholders and agreeing shared positions;
• Enhance Scotland’s diplomatic and economic standing by engaging in meaningful dialogue with strategic partners and agreeing on concrete actions and next steps.

Further information on the engagements that delivered these objectives will be released via ministerial proactive release in due course.

Parliamentary Business and costs:

All Parliamentary coverage required for the Climate Action and Energy portfolio is formally recorded in the Scottish Parliament’s Official Report, including details of the minister leading the proceedings.

Associated costs and details of all Ministerial engagements and expenses are proactively published by the Scottish Government, including the costs of travel and accommodation. The proactive release covering September 2025 will be published in due course. Associated costs for supporting officials in both Japan and New York were: