Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally as local authorities are responsible for the delivery of education. Local authorities may hold this information.

You asked about how many offenders with electronic tags have breached their orders in the past five years.

In answering your question, we have taken this to mean orders of the court (as opposed to those monitored on a release licence) and by offenders, we have taken that to mean those convicted, so not those monitored on electronically monitored bail.

In the following tables, data on all restriction of liberty orders (RLOs) and community payback orders (CPOs) and drug testing and treatment orders (DTTOs) which have an electronically monitored restricted movement requirement imposed since April 2020 is provided. The data set out below shows “status at order end”, either: revoked or expired. This is what is known by the Scottish Government at the time of order end, as the decision making on whether something is an established breach of an order, sits with the court.

Compliance with an order is reported back by the monitoring provider to a court, and the court then determines what actions they wish to take in relation to that order, which may include continuing, varying or revoking that order, including to impose a further order or an alternative disposal such as custody.

An order can be revoked by the issuing court for a number of reasons including: on appeal, on breach of a concurrent order, because a new offence had been committed or a breach of an order has occurred.

The category of “expired” orders, includes orders where the outcome of any court consideration may not yet be known at the point the order ends. It will also include orders that were not being actively monitored at order end. Active monitoring could cease for reasons including: absence of the monitored person without consent, householder consent to monitor at that address being withdrawn or as the individual is otherwise absent for example they are already in custody or are in hospital.

Revoked Orders April 2020 to March 2025

The following table shows the Social Security Assistance final outturn for each financial year since 2018, when the Scottish Government began to deliver devolved Social Security benefits, split by category.

The Scottish Government has supported councils to eradicate unfair music tuition charges, investing £51.3 million in the policy since 2021. The most recent Instrumental Music Services Survey confirmed that more than 61,000 pupils participated in instrumental music lessons in the academic year 2022-23, which is the highest number since the annual survey began 11 years ago.

In 2025-26, Stirling Council will receive £239 million to support day to day services, which equates to an extra £15.1 million or an additional 6.7% compared to 2024-25.

It is for individual councils to make decisions about education provision in schools on the basis of local needs and priorities.

The Fostering a positive, inclusive and safe school environment guidance was published on 17 June.

This non-statutory guidance aims to support schools to foster a positive, inclusive and safe school environment through their approaches to positive relationships and behaviour. In particular, it provides clarity to all members of a school community – staff, parents and children and young people – on the use of consequences as part of relationships and behaviour policies.

We have also published new guidance for local authorities and schools on using risk assessment processes to mitigate or minimise violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviours exhibited by children and young people at school.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally, however, NHS Boards will have this information.

The financial arrangements put in place for Dispensing Appliance Contractors and community pharmacies for stoma products are separate from NHS pharmaceutical care service financial arrangements and, as such, are not subject to the same uplift or negotiating framework. The Scottish Government recognises the requirement to keep arrangements under review and will engage with representatives from the sector to explore changes ready for the next financial year, ensuring they are within the affordability of wider public sector finances.

The Care Inspectorate is the independent scrutiny body and regulator for care services in Scotland. It regulates and provides scrutiny of the quality of care in Scotland (including in Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings) to ensure it meets high standards and to promote the safety, protection and wellbeing of all service users including children in ELC settings.

The Care Inspectorate publishes an annual report with their national findings on the availability and quality of registered daycare of children and childminding services for children and families across Scotland. The most recent report was published on 24 September 2024: Early Learning and Childcare Statistics 2023.

Figure 14 on page 19 provides an overview of the number and percentage of services holding evaluations of weak or unsatisfactory in all assessed key questions or quality themes by service type, at 31 December 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The Care Inspectorate report data publicly on their Data Store which may be able to assist further with this question or alternatively the Care Inspectorate could be approached directly for a response.

No young person should not be discriminated against if they are a young carer and are entitled to claim the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).

Receipt of the EMA is linked to attendance - that is why we strongly encourage delivery partners to consider a young person’s personal circumstance and apply flexibility to their attendance pattern.

This approach is clearly highlighted in the EMA guidance document which gives local authorities and colleges the necessary guidelines to help them administer the EMA programme effectively and fairly by using their own discretion, and in line with both local and national policies.

We also advise that young people inform their school or Local Authority of their circumstances (such as those with caring responsibilities) in order for flexibility to be applied.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38451 on 20 June 2025.

The Care Inspectorate report data publicly on their Data Store which may be able to assist with this question or alternatively the Care Inspectorate could be approached directly for a response.