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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.

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, 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.

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.

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 and challenges, 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.

Neighbourhood Watch Scotland seeks to target its events and activities in areas of deprivation. NWS recently attended the Crime Prevention and Scam Awareness Day in Dundee.

At a national level, the Scottish Government has invested over £6 million since 2023 in our Violence Prevention Framework, supporting early intervention and diversion from violence. A number of programmes including No Knives, Better Lives, Medics Against Violence, and Mentors in Violence Prevention are reaching thousands of young people to support and empower them to make safer choices.

Through Curriculum for Excellence, children and young people learn about a variety of substances, including nicotine pouches.

The Scottish Government continues to work with Young Scot and other third sector organisations to ensure that young people, their teachers, parents and carers have access to accurate, evidence based, information on nicotine products.

In addition, the UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill (the Bill), if passed, will introduce new restrictions on age of sale for all nicotine products and the advertising, sponsorship, free distribution and nominal pricing of vapes and nicotine products across the 4 nations.

New powers in the Bill will also empower the Secretary of State to regulate (amongst other things) product features, packaging, ingredients and flavourings in relation to vapes and nicotine products across the UK, with the consent of Scottish Ministers. The Bill will extend the Tobacco and Vapes retailer register in Scotland to cover all nicotine products and it will give the Scottish Ministers the power to impose restrictions in relation to the display of nicotine products in shops.

An update on implementation timescales for the Bill will be provided following Royal Assent.

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.

Data from the Safer Communities and Justice Statistics shows that three in four adults said that they felt very safe or fairly safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark in 2023–24, a number which has been stable since 2016–17. This is an 11% increase from 2008–09.

During the development of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill (the Bill) the Scottish Government has had constructive discussions on new restrictions for all nicotine products. The Bill, if passed, will introduce restrictions on the age of sale for all nicotine products and the advertising, sponsorship, free distribution and nominal pricing of vapes and all nicotine products across the 4 nations. Some of these new restrictions will be similar to current restrictions on tobacco products. The Bill will also extend the Tobacco and Vapes retailer register in Scotland to cover all nicotine products.

New powers in the Bill will also empower the Secretary of State to regulate (amongst other things) product features, packaging, ingredients and flavourings in relation to vapes and nicotine products across the UK, with the consent of Scottish Ministers. The Bill will give the Scottish Ministers the power to impose restrictions in relation to the display of nicotine products in shops.