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The Minister addressed the issue of executive pay and the need for restraint when he attended the Meeting of the Committee of Scottish University Chairs on 27 March 2025.

Universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own pay and remuneration decisions.

However, the Scottish Government expects universities to exercise restraint in setting senior pay, and senior pay packages should be in step with the salary, terms and conditions offered to other university staff.

Universities are also required to comply with the terms of the Scottish Funding Council’s Financial Memorandum as a condition of grant funding. This includes compliance with the principles of The Scottish Code of Good HE Governance, such as the expectation that universities’ remuneration committees seek the views of student and staff representatives in relation to the remuneration packages of Principals and senior executive teams, represent the public interest and avoid any inappropriate use of funds.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government and is a matter for individual public bodies. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is the body responsible for regulating and enforcing the Equality Act 2010. The Scottish Government is already undertaking a review of existing policies, guidance and legislation impacted by the recent Supreme Court judgment but will require to fully consider the revised Guidance and Code from the EHRC when it is issued, along with the Supreme Court judgment itself, before any changes could be made.

The Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 establishes an important separation of roles between the Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Government, whereby the statutory responsibility for decisions on funding to individual institutions sits with the SFC - not with government. However the Scottish Government continues to engage with the SFC and sector bodies on matters concerning funding allocations, including the SFC’s teaching grant.

Following discussions between the Scottish Government, SFC and Universities Scotland, the SFC’s indicative allocations for 2025-26 met an ask from Universities Scotland to remove 2,500 additional ‘SQA’ places introduced in academic year 2021-22 and repurpose the associated funding to enhance the teaching unit of resource – teaching subject prices for 2025-26 have therefore increased by 3.3% across all six subject price groups.

The Scottish Government is open to exploring the future funding model of our universities with the sector, from the clear starting point that we will not reintroduce tuition fees. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and I will continue to engage with Universities Scotland on the sector's future funding, and we welcome contributions from all stakeholders.

As set out in answer to question S6W-37425, which was answered on 2 May 2025, due to the short amount of time left in this parliamentary session, there is insufficient time for a Misogyny Bill to be finalised and introduced. Therefore, the Scottish Government has decided not to proceed with this Bill in this parliamentary session.

However, in order to allow for the protected characteristic of ‘sex’ to be added to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 so that women and girls have the same protections as other groups protected by that Act, we will lay before the Scottish Parliament in September a proposed draft of an SSI under the powers within the Act. This will allow for views to be offered on the approach taken before a finalised SSI is then subsequently laid which will, if agreed, result in new protections for women and girls being introduced.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research, published in 2023, identified a range of factors that staff identified as contributing to the rise in challenging pupil behaviour, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these factors included “wider societal changes such as a general lack of respect in society, the ubiquity of social media and changing approaches to parenting”. Staff suggested that greater engagement with parents could help to support staff’s efforts to promote positive relationships and behaviour.

We recognise the importance of schools and families working together to promote positive relationships and behaviour in schools. A strong partnership between home and school helps create a consistent, supportive environment where children feel safe, respected, and are better able to learn and thrive.

The relationships and behaviour in schools action plan 2024-27 emphasises the vital role of parents and carers in supporting positive behaviour. As part of the action plan, we are currently developing guidance on responding to behaviour in schools. The guidance will be available in the coming weeks and will include advice for schools on working with parents to support positive relationships and behaviour.

The total expected cost put forward by Falkirk Council in 2015 for the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme in 2015 was £108 million. The scheme as put forward includes a range of components providing protection to both residential and industrial areas.

Falkirk Council currently estimate the cost to complete the entire Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme as originally proposed is between £450 million and £672 million. This has increased significantly from the estimate of £108million provided in 2015.

The Scottish Government has provided almost £23 million to date to Falkirk Council to support them in development of the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The SPS seeks to be as open and transparent as possible, while also upholding our statutory obligation to protect the personal information of those in our care.

This information requested is not information held by the Scottish Prison Service.

I meet regularly with local authorities and key stakeholders to discuss a range of social care issues. Conversations I have include ongoing work to remove non-residential social care charges for vulnerable residents. These discussions form part of broader efforts to improve fairness, equity, and access within the social care system in Scotland.

While the Scottish Government does not maintain a central tally of all individual meetings by topic, many of my meetings particularly those with local authorities routinely include agenda items relating to social care reform. This includes meetings held through formal channels such as the Ministerial Strategic Group for Health and Community Care, and engagements with COSLA and other local government representatives.

Details of my meetings, are published on the Scottish Government’s website through the Proactive release schedule. This ensures transparency and allows the public to see when and with whom I have met. These records include information relevant to meetings where the removal of non-residential care charges may have been discussed.

I remain committed to making progress in this area. Discussions with local authorities, including on the topic of non-residential charges, are ongoing as part of social care reform work.

I have asked Stephen Pathirana, Chief Executive of the Scottish Public Pensions Agency, to respond. His response is as follows:

No retired police officers have died before receiving pension payments.

From 1 October 2023, officers who had retired before that date became entitled to make a choice of pension scheme provision in respect of their pensionable service between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2022, or their date of retirement if earlier.

This choice could be made after the provision of a remediable service statement, which were to be issued by 31 March 2025 or by such later day as the scheme manager considers reasonable in all the circumstances in the case of a particular member or a particular class of member.

In the last five years, three retired officers entitled to receive a remediable service statement died before making their choice. All three officers retired under the terms of their legacy final salary scheme.

Employment tribunal matters are independent and administered by HM Courts and Tribunal Service. It is for the Employment Tribunal to determine whether it is appropriate to restrict public scrutiny of a tribunal involving matters of significant public interest. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment.