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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 assessing the impact of the condition of police buildings on staff morale, is an operational matter for the Chief Constable under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA).

It is for the SPA and the Chief Constable to allocate resources to meet their priorities and I expect they will be reflecting fully on any health and safety issues, and of course on the wellbeing of officers and staff.

I meet regularly with the Scottish Police Federation (SPF), where we discuss a range of issues which affect their members.

At our meeting on 19 December 2024, the SPF raised concerns about the condition of buildings in the Police Scotland estate, and we discussed the Police Scotland Estates Masterplan.

It is the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) role to monitor the institutional landscape, to ensure sustainable and coherent provision, and to engage with institutions as needed. The Scottish Government and the SFC are in regular discussions on issues affecting the sector.

While colleges are responsible for their own operational matters, such as their campus footprint, they must consider the needs of the people, region, and the communities they serve. This includes students and staff, for whom I recognise this is a worrying time.

As Forth Valley College’s campus in Alloa plays a vital role in providing access to services for the people in that community, Ministers are keen that everything possible is done to keep the campus open.

NHS patients requiring urgent care will be seen by practices based on clinical need. Unregistered patients can access emergency and urgent dental care via Public Dental Service clinics. The PDS are NHS Board-run services and therefore the responsibility of the health boards.

Forth Valley College’s campus in Alloa plays a vital role in providing access to services for the people in that community, and everything possible must be done to keep the campus open.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) have identified a route by which some funding could be used this financial year to support urgent feasibility studies to inform the SFC’s forthcoming College Infrastructure Investment Plan.

The Scottish Government and the SFC will continue to engage with Forth Valley College throughout this process to find a way to support the College decide on the best future for the campus.

While colleges are responsible for their own operational matters, such as their campus footprint, Ministers are clear that they must consider the needs of the people, region, and the communities they serve.

Forth Valley College’s campus in Alloa plays a vital role in providing access to services for the people in that community, and everything possible must be done to keep the campus open.

The college sector currently faces a number of high-level pressures and the Scottish Government acknowledges the extremely challenging operating environment in which they continue to deliver services.

In recognition of colleges’ vital role in our economy and wider society, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) allocations provide a 2.6% sector increase in teaching funding for 2025-26 compared to last year, and no college has had a reduction in teaching funding in 2025-26 when compared with 2024-25.

An increase of almost 5% in capital maintenance funding is helping colleges further invest in student’s learning experiences.

The Scottish Government is also working collaboratively with the SFC and Colleges Scotland through the Tripartite Alignment Group to identify and implement flexibilities to support colleges. To date, the Group has created the conditions to improve the financial sustainability of the sector with the introduction of the SFC’s College Transformation Framework, and the new asset disposals process; and is supporting colleges to maximise commercial income.

The Scottish Government has provided no funding to the Massage in Schools Association Scotland.

The Scottish Government believes everyone should be safe, and feel safe, in their home and community. Our communities are safer than they were a generation ago.

Community safety is not the responsibility of one organisation – it is a shared endeavour. Local authorities and Police Scotland have statutory duties to share intelligence and plans for antisocial behaviour strategies and local policing plans. The Scottish Government has increased the funding that local authorities receive in real terms by 5.5% for 2025–26, and Police Scotland receive a record £1.64 billion for 2025–26.

To address local needs, the Scottish Government is providing £150,000 for Neighbourhood Watch Scotland in 2025 – 26 to promote safety, resilience and community cohesion through their growing network of connected local community groups. NWS plays an important role in offering reassurance to local communities by sharing messages on potential criminal activities in the area, offering advice on keeping safe, and encouraging communities to look out for one another – especially the elderly and vulnerable. NWS has recently run events specifically targeted at older people such as a session with the West Lothian 50+ Network in Bathgate.

The Scottish Government also supports Crimestoppers Scotland through £182, 500 of funding for 2025 – 26. Crimestoppers aims to reach and support communities experiencing higher levels of crime, those who are at risk of harm, and the most vulnerable in our communities.