- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 14 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what work it plans to undertake following its report, Suspected drug deaths in Scotland: January to March 2025, published on 10 June 2025, which found that there were 76 more suspected drug deaths compared with the previous quarter.
Answer
Every death is a tragedy and through our National Mission we are determined to continue our efforts to reduce harm and deaths. The total funding for alcohol and drugs, including health board baseline, exceeds £160 million in 2025-26.
We are taking a wide range of evidence-based measures including opening the UK’s first Safer Drug Consumption Facility pilot, working towards drug checking facilities and widening access to treatment, residential rehabilitation and life-saving naloxone.
Quarterly reporting on trends gives services useful information on what types of support are needed. This report provides an indication of current trends in suspected drug deaths in Scotland. It uses Police Scotland management information so is not subject to the same level of validation and quality assurance as Official Statistics.
While this publication records a quarter-on-quarter rise in suspected drug deaths, it also notes a year-on-year fall. Between January and March 2025 there were 308 suspected drug deaths, 33% (76) more than during the previous quarter though 4% (12) fewer than during the same period of 2024. It is important to note that numbers of suspected drug deaths fluctuate from quarter to quarter. Care should be taken not to interpret movements between individual calendar quarters as indicative of any long-term trend.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 11 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the reported increase in violent crime committed by those aged 16 or under, in light of the finding in the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24 that 31% of violent crime offenders were under 16, while in 2021-22 the figure was 8%.
Answer
The Scottish Government is taking action with partners to address youth violence through prevention, early intervention, community engagement and punishment where necessary through the criminal justice system. We have invested over £6 million to support action to prevent violence and reduce the harm through the Violence Prevention Framework since 2023, and are providing £26 million through the latest phase of Cashback for Communities to deliver a range of diversionary and support activities for young people.
The National Relationships and Behaviour in Schools Action Plan 2024-27, sets out a range of actions which support improved behaviour and relationships in schools. On 17 June, we published new guidance to support schools on fostering a positive, inclusive and safe school environment, including the use of consequences, and on risk assessments for violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 10 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Recorded Crime in Scotland 2024-25 finding that only an estimated 21% of crime is reported to the police.
Answer
The finding that 21% of crime is reported to the police comes from the 2023-24 Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) , which was published on 10 June 2025.
This figure is heavily influenced by the inclusion of fraud and computer misuse crimes, which were included for the first time in SCJS analysis in the most recent publication. Victims of these crimes only reported the matter to the police in 9% of cases, but were much more likely to report the incident to another body such as a bank. For example, in a significant majority (80%) of fraud crimes, the victim reported the incident to a bank, building society or credit card company in 2023-24.
More generally, the survey estimated that 31% of property and violent crimes combined were reported to police in 2023-24, which is a similar level to the prior survey in 2021-22. This included 24% of property crimes being reported, and 44% of violent crimes.
Where someone has been a victim of crime, we want them to tell the police so they can access the justice they deserve.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 10 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what work it is engaged in to tackle the reportedly significant impact of bank and credit card fraud, following the publication of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24 results, which found that bank and credit card fraud constituted 47% of all fraud committed in the year.
Answer
The Scottish Government is working with law enforcement partners such as Police Scotland, the National Cyber Security Centre as well as the financial industry in combatting fraud.
Police Scotland has established a cyber and fraud specialist division to enhance their response in Scotland, working with UK law enforcement and partner agencies. They will develop capability through cyber and online training, ensuring support and guidance for officers and staff. We encourage everyone to report suspicious sites to NCSC using the reporting tool on their website. We also encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of a crime to contact Police Scotland.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 7 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that at least 16,500 police officers
will be employed by Police Scotland across the financial year 2025-26.
Answer
The recruitment and deployment of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable, who confirmed to the SPA Board on 27 March 2025 that the “Scottish Government funding allows us to continue officer recruitment for a full time officer establishment of around 16,500, while modernising the workforce to release experienced officers from roles which don’t need warranted powers so that we can prioritise, maximise, and support the frontline to deliver for our communities.”
The Scottish Government has increased police funding year-on-year since 2016-17, investing more than £14.6 billion since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013, with £1.64 billion being invested in policing this year. Scottish Government funding in 2024-25 enabled Police Scotland to undertake the highest level of recruitment since its inception and Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the new Police Scotland Interim Guidance - Searching of transgender persons and searching by transgender police officers and police staff, including that transgender detainees can ask for a separate area search, meaning that one half of their body will be searched by one biological sex officer and the other half of their body will be searched by a different biological sex officer.
Answer
The Scottish Government accepts the recent Supreme Court judgment on the definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010 and expects all public bodies, including Police Scotland, to comply fully with their legal duties. The Scottish Government is aware of Police Scotland’s interim guidance, which broadly follows the interim guidance issued by the National Police Chief’s Council. While operational decisions rest with the Chief Constable, all search practices must be lawful, respectful, and uphold the dignity of individuals.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reasons for public confidence in local policing having reportedly fallen, following the publication of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023/24 results on 10 June 2025, which found that less than half of adults believed that police in their local area were doing an "excellent" or "good" job, compared with 61% the previous year.
Answer
There are a complex range of factors and influences behind confidence in policing in Scotland.
However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the findings of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023-24, including those on public trust in policing is falling. Confidence in our police service is vital for a safe and just Scotland, but recent trends mirror those in England and Wales over the same period, suggesting the issues involved may not be solely specific to Scotland.
Police Scotland are already taking steps to respond – from strengthening community policing to improving how they engage with victims and local communities. That work is backed by record investment of £1.64 billion this year.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what work it is engaged in to address the increase of 16% in shoplifting incidents recorded in 2024-25 compared with 2023-24, and how it will work with local authorities to protect retailers and their staff.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the significant impact of shoplifting and retail crime on victims.
Our budget for 2025-26 includes an additional £3 million for Police Scotland to work in partnership with the retail sector to help tackle retail crime.
Furthermore, the government continues to back the Scottish Partnership Against Acquisitive Crime (SPAACE), led by Police Scotland alongside retailers and organisations like Retailers Against Crime and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland. The strategy focuses on prevention, deterrence, and enforcement, aiming to reduce crime opportunities, protect businesses and individuals, and provide clear prevention guidance.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the increase in employer national insurance contributions from April 2025, whether it will provide additional funding to Police Scotland in the financial year 2025-26 to mitigate the impact of this increase, and, if so, how much extra funding it will provide.
Answer
The UK Government’s failure to fully fund their increase to employer National Insurance contributions has left Scotland’s public services, including Police Scotland, with a total bill running into hundreds of millions of pounds which will undermine investment in the Scottish Government’s priorities.
Despite this, we are providing an additional £15.2 million in-year funding to support the impact on Police Scotland, as part of the record £1.64 billion investment in policing in 2025-26.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that there were almost 30,000 breaches of community payback orders in the last 11 years.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2025
