Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. You should request this directly from the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The intention of National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2), as set out our Planning Position Statement (PPS), is to support the development of spatial management measures through dedicated policies, some specific to fisheries, as well as working to build a stronger evidence base to inform future spatial planning and management where possible.

It is essential that we consider the outcomes from current consultations, the literature review referenced, and issues raised via our PPS consultation. We have therefore made the decision to postpone our consultation on a draft NMP2 to allow for further consideration of the feedback received.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40140 on 24 September 2025. The assessment of condition is being prepared in line with our duties, and will include the impact of human activity and pressures on the marine area. 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.

The Scottish Government currently employs four civil servants in its AI Policy Team, with plans to increase this number in the coming weeks. However, this Team does not represent the full range of staff who currently work on, or have an interest in AI. This complement extends across the Scottish Government and its agencies to other publicly funded organisations and beyond. That is why the Scottish Government has committed to launching AI Scotland, a new national transformation programme founded on a partnership of business, academia, agencies and government, to operate as a focus for our collective effort to harness the full potential of AI to drive sustainable economic growth.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects data on the destinations of graduates 15 months after graduation via the Graduate Outcomes Survey. The survey is voluntary and hence does not represent the outcomes of all graduates from each year.

Scottish NHS Health Board of Clinical Medicine graduates, from Scottish providers, who said they worked in the NHS 15 months after graduating, 2020-21 to 2022-23

Data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 provides some insights into the use of digital devices and mobile phones in schools for learning. The evidence shows that moderate use of digital devices in lessons is positively linked with performance in the PISA assessment of maths, reading and science; but that overuse and/or misuse of digital devices can be negatively associated with performance.

Scotland's Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to 2030 confirms the Scottish Government’s commitment to develop further measures to tackle consumption of problematic single-use items and promote uptake of reusable alternatives , prioritising action on single-use drinks cups, as part of wider work to promote responsible consumption, production and reuse.

The Scottish Government has consulted on proposals to introduce a minimum 25p charge on single-use drinks cups, to tackle their significant environmental impact. The findings from the independent analysis of the consultation, published in June 2025, indicated there was support amongst the public for a charge. We are now working closely with stakeholders to develop an approach that is deliverable, taking on board the views of businesses and consumers and giving them ample time to prepare. We are taking time to fully consider the issues raised in the consultation to ensure the charge is effective, proportionate, and fair.

The Scottish Government is also committed to matching or exceeding the standards set out by the EU Directive on single-use plastics where we are able to do so and in a manner that contributes towards maintaining and advancing standards, and is committed to building on the work done to ban on some of the most problematic single-use plastic products through the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021.

For example, on 1 June 2025, the Scottish Government introduced a ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes in Scotland.

Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging is also being implemented this year on a four nations basis across the UK. It will incentivise businesses to reduce excess packaging, to design and use packaging that is easily recyclable, and encourage use of reusable and refillable packaging.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39149 on 22 July 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.

To ensure transparency and accountability, the Scottish Government commissioned an independent evaluation of the Techscaler programme following my committee appearance in 2024. EKOS were formally appointed in December 2024 to carry out this evaluation. The findings will be published in full and made publicly available by early 2026.

There has been no direct assessment made about the impact of early release of prisoners on knife crime rates.