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Emergency release regulations have been utilised twice within the last five years (May 2020 & June/July 2024), and on both occasions the same conditions of release were applied for individuals granted emergency early release, as would have been applied at their original scheduled liberation date.

The individuals released in both emergency early release processes were serving short-term prison sentences, and were approaching the end of those short-term sentences. Individuals serving short-term sentences are not routinely subject to additional monitoring of any kind following their release from custody at their earliest date of liberation, and therefore were not subject to such monitoring as part of the two early release processes.

Individuals whose sentence included orders requiring post-release supervision and monitoring requirements were automatically excluded from early release on both occasions.

The Scottish Government currently provides over £3.4 million total in annual funding for the provision of voluntary throughcare to Shine and New Routes Public Social Partnerships (PSPs).

The Scottish Government does not hold this information

The Scottish Government has utilised emergency early release legislation on two separate occasions in the last five years (May 2020 and June/July 2024).

Public and victim safety is central to our decision making, particularly when releasing individuals early from their prison sentence.

In each instance, the emergency action was necessary and proportionate to ensure prisons were able to operate safely, and to protect the health and wellbeing of prison staff and those held in custody. These decisions were not taken lightly, and on both cases strict eligibility criteria were set out, and agreed by Parliament.

In both cases, the number of individuals released was carefully limited to the level required. Only individuals who were close to their scheduled release date were eligible for release. There were important exclusions put in place for domestic abuse and sexual offences, long-term sentenced individuals were excluded, and Governors could veto the emergency early release of an individual, if this would present a risk to an individual or group.

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

The table below shows the average length of sentence reduction for prisoners released under either the 2020 COVID 19 Early Release Scheme or the 2024 Emergency Early Release Regulations within the last 5 years:

We publish an annual report of progress against our Heat in Buildings strategy. The most recent report was published in October 2024: . This includes estimates for number of domestic and non-domestic properties with heat pumps, as monitored through the Scottish House Condition Survey(SHCS) and the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

Data in relation to the housing circumstances and employment status of individuals released from custody is not available.

Individuals serving short-term sentences are not routinely subject to any form of post-release supervision or monitoring, and those that had supervision or monitoring requirements post-sentence were automatically excluded from both the Coronavirus specific early release process in 2020 and the Emergency Early Release process in 2024.

Pre-release planning, including in relation to housing needs, was a key feature of both of the emergency early release processes (2020 & 2024). The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) worked closely with representatives from Local Government – including housing departments, wider public bodies, and the third sector in the planning and operation of the processes.

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

The following table shows the number of prisoners who were released during the last 5 years under early release arrangements. The numbers provided relate to the 2020 COVID 19 Early Release Scheme and the 2024 Emergency Early Release Regulations:

a. Food Standards Scotland liaises extensively with the Food Standards Agency, who are responsible for food safety in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, before advising Scottish Ministers of the need to amend any food safety legislation in Scotland. This is undertaken in line with the provisionally agreed Common Framework for Food Safety and Hygiene.

b. The UK is an active member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), the body responsible for developing international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice. Codex standards aim to harmonise national food safety regulations to ensure safety, quality and fairness in international food trade and to protect consumers. Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency liaise with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the lead UK Government Department for Codex, to represent the UK position in Codex on food safety matters within our remit, such as food hygiene, food additives, methods analysis and sampling, food contaminants and imports import and export certification systems.

Food made from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is classed as a regulated product. Therefore, it must undergo rigorous pre-market safety and risk analysis before sale in Scotland. This analysis will inform Food Standards Scotland (FSS) risk management recommendations to Scottish Ministers who decide whether to authorise a product. The FSS Regulated Products Service monitors all GMO products, and all businesses are legally required to report any new/emerging information that may affect the safety of an authorised product. The FSS Website contains guidelines for GMO’s including labelling and traceability and links to the register of authorised GMO’s.