Sharon Dowey

17 Jun 2025 · Written Question

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 · Angela Constance: 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 undermin…

17 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that at least 16,500 police officerswill be employed by Police Scotland across the financial year 2025-26.

Answer · Angela Constance: 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 …

9 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the private company that expressed interest in taking on the Tarbolton Moss landfill site, and whether any outcomes or next steps have been identified from any such engagement.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has, for a number of years, engaged with the private company that expressed interest in taking on the site at Tarbolton Moss. Engagement continues to identify next steps.

9 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what lessons have been learned from the Tarbolton Moss case to inform future policy on the management and remediation of abandoned landfill sites.

Answer · Gillian Martin: There are provisions in the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012 and the Landfill (Scotland) Regulations 2003 to require companies to make adequate financial provisions for landfill aftercare and this requirement is also included in th…

9 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific steps are being taken to address the reported ongoing issue of land ownership at Tarbolton Moss landfill site.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government continues to pursue a long-term solution to the issues at Tarbolton Moss, engaging with partners, including South Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) around issues such as land ownership. We also rema…

9 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Tarbolton Moss landfill site, what mechanisms are being used to coordinate communications between SEPA, Scottish Government officials, and the local community, including the Tarbolton Tenants and Residents Association.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has had regular communication with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) regarding Tarbolton Moss, and remains open to engaging with the local community.

9 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered any legislative or policy options to address the reported legal and regulatory challenges posed by "ownerless" contaminated sites like Tarbolton Moss landfill site.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Scottish Government officials continue to consider the issue of ownership at Tarbolton Moss, engaging with partners, including South Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).There are provisions in the Pollution Prevention and Co…

5 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care's reported statement to the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee on 4 June 2025 in relation to the Thistle safer drug consumption facility that "[his] contention is that [...] were those service users not within the Thi…

Answer · Neil Gray: My statement to the Scottish Affairs Committee on 4 June 2025 is based on operational data and the clinical interventions of the Thistle Safer Drug Consumption Facility team.By the end of April 2025, staff had managed 30 medical emergencies requiring urgent i…

5 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost per patient is of (a) methadone and (b) Buvidal treatment over a 12-month period.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.Public Health Scotland publishes a yearly report named the ‘Prescription Cost Analysis’ which outlines annual total expenditure on all prescriptions from community pharmacy in Scotland. Britis…

5 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual cost is of providing Buvidal treatment.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.Public Health Scotland publishes a yearly report named the ‘Prescription Cost Analysis’ which outlines annual total expenditure on all prescriptions from community pharmacy in Scotland. Britis…

5 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual cost is of providing methadone treatment.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.Public Health Scotland publishes a yearly report named the ‘Prescription Cost Analysis’ which outlines annual total expenditure on all prescriptions from community pharmacy in Scotland. Britis…

5 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any assessment has been made of any long-term economic benefits of replacing methadone with Buvidal for eligible patients.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government has not made an assessment of any long-term economic benefits of replacing methadone with Buvidal for eligible patients

5 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to establishing youth education programmes raising awareness about retail crime.

Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Scottish Government recognises the significant impact that retail crime can have on businesses, employees, and communities. We are committed to working in partnership with relevant sectors to prevent offending and raise awareness of young people about the…

5 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many offenders with electronic tags have breached their orders in the past five years.

Answer · Angela Constance: You asked about how many offenders with electronic tags have breached their orders in the past five years.In answering your question, we have taken this to mean orders of the court (as opposed to those monitored on a release licence) and by offenders, we have…

2 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any proposal for a bypass at Girvan, South Ayrshire.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: A Girvan Bypass was considered as part of the transport appraisal that supported the second Strategic Transport Project Review (STPR2). However, this option is not one of the 45 STPR2 recommendations, which make up our long term framework for investment in tr…

27 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any further plans to widen its review into Creative Scotland.

22 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with the National Energy System Operator regarding the number of wind turbines in Scotland, and how many of these are currently connected to the grid.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government regularly engages with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) on a number of energy related matters in Scotland, including wind energy infrastructure and grid connection.In October, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments jointly co…

14 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure that prisoners receive adequate access to healthcare, in light of the April 2025 Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research report, which highlighted that 27 of the 64 deaths occurring in prisons in the last year were related to health conditions …

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that those living in prison have access to healthcare that is, as a minimum, equitable to that offered in the community.Within 24-hours of entering a prison establishment, all individuals have a face-to-face co…

14 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to (a) address the reported 60% increase in prison deaths in 2024 and (b) improve the safeguards in place to prevent (i) drug deaths and (ii) suicides in prison.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:Any loss of life in the care of SPS is tragic no matter the circumstances.The recently reviewed Death in Prison Learning Audit and Revie…

14 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Prison Service regarding the April 2025 Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research report and its finding that Scotland has one of the highest prison death rates across Europe, which has risen 60% in the last year, and how it will priorit…

Answer · Angela Constance: My deepest thoughts and condolences are with those families affected by a death in prison custody. The Scottish Prison Service cares for and supports some of the most complex and vulnerable individuals in our society, often at times of personal crisis.I regul…

14 May 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support dental practices.

6 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle any violence against teachers and school staff in South Ayrshire.

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to adapt to any shift in standard police case submissions from the occasional CCTV reference to routine body-worn video evidence.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: Body-worn video footage can be an essential part of a prosecution: providing a rich source of real evidence including exculpatory evidence. Provided promptly, such footage can:enable prosecutors to make an informed marking decisionfacilitate the early resolut…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any additional resource requirements for court services resulting from any increase in the volume of body-worn camera footage submitted as evidence by Police Scotland.

Answer · Angela Constance: Police Scotland commenced its rollout of body worn cameras on 26 March 2025. Dealing with the footage submitted as evidence to the courts is an operational matter for SCTS. The Scottish Government continues to support the roll-out of the Digital Evidence Shar…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address reported concerns raised by court staff regarding their safety in courtrooms where the police presence has been reduced under the dynamic policing model pilot.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has estimated any impact on the processing times for case marking and prosecution decisions as a result of any need to review body-worn camera footage.

Answer · Dorothy Bain: The introduction of body-worn video footage by the Police Service of Scotland is a significant development and has the potential to bring enormous benefits to the criminal justice system and beyond.Body-worn video provided promptly can enable prosecutors to t…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner regarding any implications of any increased use of body-worn cameras for its case preparation workload, and whether any operational support is being considered.

Answer · Angela Constance: Discussions with the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) have confirmed that the organisation welcomes Police Scotland’s roll out of body-worn cameras (BWC). BWC will provide valuable and incontrovertible evidence which will assist PIRC…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has conducted of the dynamic policing model pilot at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, and whether it included input from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, sheriff clerks, and other key stakeholders on its effectiveness and s…

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any safety implications for (a) court staff and (b) the public arising from the reported shift from static to dynamic policing in court buildings, as piloted at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address any need to balance the reported operational pressures and budget constraints of Police Scotland with the need to maintain a visible and adequate security presence in courtrooms to ensure safety.

Answer · Angela Constance: The operation of Police Scotland, including decisions on the allocation of resources and the deployment of officers and staff, is for the Chief Constable, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. This includes the provision of Police Officers in …