24 education settings have received certification for their work using the LGBT Inclusive Education National Implementation and Evaluation Toolkit.

The Toolkit is an optional additional support resource, on top of the national professional learning course. The focus of schools and education authorities is on supporting completion of the professional learning course as set out in the National Approach to LGBT Inclusive Education. The Toolkit is intended to support staff in settings where they feel they would benefit from a more structured pathway, additional to the professional learning. Certification is also optional and not necessary to use the Toolkit, staff can take what they need from the resource to support their own professional practice as and when required. Therefore, there will be schools using the Toolkit without seeking certification, for which there are no records held.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36103 on 15 April 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

COPFS staff take into account the terms of Section 4 of the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 when identifying cases where it may be appropriate for a discretionary Fatal Accident Inquiry to be held.

In addition, detailed guidance is available for COPFS staff to assist them in identifying such cases. That guidance applies in relation to all deaths in Scotland that have been reported to COPFS.

To further ensure consistency in decision-making, decisions on Fatal Accident Inquiries are taken by a pool of experienced Crown Counsel.

The Scottish Government allocates specific National Mission funds via regional Health Boards, for onward disbursement by Integration Authorities, per local Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships’ (ADP) strategic planning. Local Authority Social Work Services provide broad holistic service coverage and support to individuals with a wide range of needs, and it is a matter for local authorities to allocate, and account for the allocation of, Local Authority funds to those services. Any decision to supplement social work services’ funding with National Mission monies is for the judgement of ADPs and is not currently reported to the Scottish Government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36103 on 15 April 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

The delivery of school education including the implementation of 2017 non-statutory guidance on religious observance (RO) is the responsibility of local authorities.

The Scottish Government's current proposals to amend the legislation on RO in schools propose to bring legislation into line with the current guidance regarding taking account of children and young people's views when a parent/carer is exercising their right to withdraw their child from RO.

In relation to concluded Fatal Accident Inquiries where the Determination was published in 2024-25, 74% featured public bodies as interested parties. The public bodies were as follows: Scottish Prison Service (53% of all FAIs), NHS boards (50%), Prison Officers’ Association of Scotland (17%), Police Service of Scotland (6%), Scottish Ambulance Service (4%), Health and Safety Executive, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, The British Army and the Office of the Advocate General for Scotland (all 2%).

In relation to concluded Fatal Accident Inquiries where the Determination was published in 2023-24, 80% featured public bodies as interested parties. The public bodies were as follows: NHS boards (51% of all FAIs), Scottish Prison Service (46%), Prison Officers’ Association of Scotland (20%), Police Service of Scotland (9%), Scottish Ambulance Service, Health and Safety Executive and Home Office (all 3%).

In relation to concluded Fatal Accident Inquiries where the Determination was published in 2022-23, 62% featured public bodies as interested parties. The public bodies were as follows: NHS boards (50% of all FAIs), Scottish Prison Service (45%), Prison Officers’ Association of Scotland (24%), Police Service of Scotland, Health and Safety Executive, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, Glasgow City Council, Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Orkney Islands Council and the Attorney General of the Republic of Cyprus (all 2%).

The number of exclusions in primary and secondary schools broken down by local authority from 2005-06 is set out in Table 1 and Table 2.

Statistics on the number of exclusions in primary and secondary schools broken down by pupil stage for 2002-03-2022-23 are published in Table 1.5 of the school exclusions 2022-23 statistics.

Table 1. Cases of exclusion in primary schools by local authority since 2005-06

The proposed changes to religious observance (RO) and religious and moral education (RME) in schools will bring legislation into line with existing RO guidance on taking the child’s views into account when their parent/carer exercises their right to withdraw the child from RO and RME.

The Scottish Government has noted the recommendations from the concluding observations of the periodic reports of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. We are confident that our proposal to amend the legislation on RO and RME in schools is in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and will strengthen our commitment to upholding children’s rights in all aspects of their lives, including education.

COPFS holds records of all concluded Fatal Accident Inquiries dating back to 1 April 2013.

For that period, the longest duration from the date of death to the conclusion of the Fatal Accident Inquiry was in relation to the FAI into the death of Boguslaw Kopec. The date of Mr Kopec’s death was 13 March 2011. A First Notice commencing the FAI process was issued on 24 August 2020 and the Inquiry commenced on 9 November 2020. Evidence was concluded on 3 December 2020 and the Sheriff’s Determination was published on 11 March 2021.

The investigation into Mr Kopec’s death was hampered by difficulties tracing and obtaining the evidence of essential witnesses. In addition, Inquiry proceedings could only be commenced after criminal proceedings had been ruled out. Nevertheless, the Crown at that time acknowledged that the time taken to conduct its death investigation in this case had been far too long and apologised for the fact that its investigation and the Inquiry proceedings were not concluded sooner.

COPFS has significantly reformed its processes in recent years to improve the quality of death investigations and reduce the time taken to investigate deaths and bring FAIs to court. However, in some cases FAIs have taken too long to commence and we understand the impact that waiting for investigations to conclude has on families.