I have undertaken an extensive programme of visits to Scotland’s prisons where I have met with Governors and/or Deputy Governors and other members of prison staff. Details of these visits are shown in the following table.

In response to the Manchester Arena Inquiry the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act received royal assent on Thursday 3rd April 2025 and has a 24 month commencement period before it will come into force.

The Scottish Government continues to work in collaboration with the UK Government in the development of Statutory Guidance that will support the legislation. The Scottish Government will consider how the regulation of ambulances and first aid provision in Scotland needs to align with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act as this guidance is developed and in response to the views of stakeholders.

The Scottish Government continues to encourage and signpost stakeholders to both the Protect UK and Gov.UK websites for further information and updates on the legislation. Materials and guidance to support duty holders is available on both websites over the commencement period.

The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 establishes a framework for the assessment and mapping of flood risks and the planning in relation to the management of such risks. Under section 9 of the Act SEPA must prepare a flood risk assessment for each flood risk management district providing an assessment of any flood risk for the district. This is commonly referred to as the National Flood Risk Assessment and was last published by SEPA in 2018.

In addition, section 13 of the Act requires SEPA to prepare and submit to Scottish Ministers a document identifying for each flood risk management district any area in the district for which it considers that significant flood risk either exists or is likely to occur. These are more commonly referred to as Potentially Vulnerable Areas.

Under section 14 of the Act SEPA is required to update the document provided to Scottish Ministers on a six yearly basis. Scottish Ministers approved the latest update of the document in December 2024 and it can found on SEPA’s website.

Under section 2 of the Act the Scottish Ministers may give directions or guidance to SEPA in relation to the exercise of its flood risk related functions.

Scottish Government Marine Directorate has two main fora for fishing industry engagement on inshore fisheries such as lobster. The first is the Regional Inshore Fisheries Group (RIFG) network which has existed in its current form since 2016. This network gives inshore fishers a strong voice in matters which affect them, while providing an environment for co-management of fisheries improvement projects. The second is our Fisheries Management and Conservation (FMAC) Group, this group and associated sub-groups provide a national platform for marine stakeholders to feed into strategic fisheries management discussions.

There is regular engagement with fishing industry stakeholders to discuss a variety of fisheries management issues, including technical measures such as the minimum landing size of lobster. For example, engagement through these two fora helped inform the introduction of interim measures for improvement of crab and lobster fisheries from May 2024 in response to stock assessment advice indicating that these fisheries were under pressure in the majority of areas. We expect this close engagement to continue as we develop our Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement (IFMI) Programme during 2025 and 2026.

Details of meetings conducted by the RIFG network as well as the FMAC Inshore Subgroup are hosted on the RIFG website at www.rifg.scot.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as it is not held centrally.

NHS Boards have duties under the Carers Act to involve unpaid carers in decision making and planning the return from hospital of the person they care for (or will care for). More specifically, the Core Mental Health Quality Standards state that a person’s support network should be involved in their care if they wish. Progress on implementing the standards is measured by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

To support Boards in discharging these duties we have funded NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop three training modules for the health and social care workforce to help them identify, include and support unpaid carers including young carers. In 2025 and 2026 NES will promote and support the use of these training resources across the health and social care workforce. We are also funding NES to develop carer awareness training for staff in mental health services.

The Public Health Scotland evaluation of MUP found some evidence of cross-border purchasing, but its extent was observed to be minimal. The evaluation also found online sales to be relatively minor at a population level.

Public Health Scotland holds alcohol retail sales data for both the on-trade and off-trade, which includes all electronic point of sale data for the main supermarkets and a representative sample of smaller retailers and independent stores. Detailed information on cross-border online alcohol sales is not available and such information is likely to be commercially confidential and would require businesses to supply this on a voluntary basis.

The Scottish Government has no current plans to make any changes to the collection of online alcohol sales data.

Since the publication of the Scottish Government’s response to the final report by the Independent Expert Group for the Unlocking the Value of Data programme, in January 2025, an Industry Data Access Steering Group has been established to oversee the development of an operational framework, as outlined in the Scottish Government response.

This project supports the aim of the Unlocking the Value of Data programme to realise greater value from public sector personal data when used with, or by, the private sector, for public benefit. The framework will facilitate private sector access to public sector data, in collaboration with the Scottish Safe Havens Network and through citizen and stakeholder engagement. This project aims to promote transparency, efficiency, and alignment with public expectations, ensuring the safe, secure and ethical use of public sector data by private organisations.

Action 1:1 of our Health Visiting Action Plan 2025-2035, the establishment of an online health visiting site, is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.

Public inquiries are independent of Government, and each inquiry is responsible for publishing its own financial information. This can be found on the website of each respective Inquiry. For inquiries established under the Inquiries Act 2005 there is a statutory duty on the Chair to “act with regard to the need to avoid any unnecessary cost” (s.17(3))

The Edinburgh Trams Inquiry reported in September 2023. The costs for the Tram Inquiry from 2015 until it reported are £13,007,617.02. The salary paid to Lord Hardie as Chair of the Inquiry from 2015 until conclusion was £1,128,468. Information relating to the total costs of the Inquiry and the Chair’s fees were previously made publicly available in the media in articles published in June 2023 and September 2023, albeit the information previously published covered a different time frame.

In respect of the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry, overall costs are published on the Inquiry website Inquiry costs | Sheku Bayoh Inquiry From the date that this Inquiry was established to the date your question was lodged, the Scottish Government has provided the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry with £711,680 to pay Lord Bracadale for his role as Chair to the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry.

In respect of the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, overall costs are published on the Inquiry website Inquiry Costs | Hospitals Inquiry. From the point when the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry was established in 2020 to the date on which your question was lodged the Scottish Government has provided the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry with £727,040 to pay Lord Brodie for his role as Chair to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry.

In respect of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, overall costs are published on the Inquiry website Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry | Cost of the Inquiry. From the point when the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry was established in May 2015 the cost of salaries for the Chairs is £2,216,613 (initially Susan O’Brian then subsequently Lady Smith). Lady Smith’s appointment began on 1 August 2016. From her appointment until March 2022 the sum was paid to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service as Lady Smith was a sitting judge and President of the Tribunals in Scotland as well as her role as Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

With regard to the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry, overall costs are regularly published on the Inquiry website Inquiry costs | Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry. The Chair of the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry is Lord Brailsford. As a sitting judge, Lord Brailsford is remunerated by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. The terms of the Chair’s appointment have been published on the Inquiry website. Any questions on judicial appointment terms are for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to answer but salary scales can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/judicial-salaries-and-fees-2023-to-2024

In respect of the Eljamel Inquiry, overall costs will be published on the Inquiry website Inquiry costs | The Eljamel Inquiry. In relation to the Eljamel Inquiry, the salary of Lord Weir for his role as the Chair for the year 2024-25 was £196,199.