George Adam

Answer · Jamie Hepburn · 7 Jul 2026

Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a Special Adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers.The total cost of Special Advisers employed during the financial year 2025-26 was £2,160,036.Total cost includes all salary costs, employer NI, and employer pension contributions. The level of employer NI, and civil service pension contribution is reserved and is not a matter for the Scottish Government.The cost of Special Advisers during 2025-26 was based on the following Pay Bands and Pay Ranges:Pay BandPay Range (£)Number of Special Advisers in Band2£67,565 – £81,868103£84,364 – £107,38574£114,242 – £121,0931Information on current Special Adviser appointments for 2026-27 is available on the Scottish Government website and costs for the year will be reported after the end of the current financial year.The First Minister has appointed a more streamlined Special Adviser team after the election who are supporting ministers to deliver on the things that matter most to the people of Scotland. As of the date of this response, there are 13 Special Advisers within the Scottish Government.

Answer · Neil Gray · 23 Jun 2026

Following careful consideration of Lady Ross’s judgment the Scottish Government has decided not to appeal.This case involved important considerations regarding Ministers’ legal obligations under the Scotland Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 and the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as the serious practical implications arising from the issues before the Court, including the risk of suicide recognised in the judgment.The focus now moves to implementing the law, as clarified by the court maintaining a clear focus on the safety, wellbeing and rights of all those living and working within Scotland’s prisons. The Scottish Prison Service withdrew their Transgender Policy on 22 June, and work is underway to implement transfers of prisoners on 23 June.The safety, wellbeing and rights of all those living and working within Scotland’s prisons and the welfare of affected individuals will be the primary consideration and operational changes will be taken forward carefully, lawfully and in a managed way.

Answer · Natalie Don-Innes · 28 Jan 2026

The Scottish Government recognises and values the importance of social workers and social work education. I am pleased to announce that we are investing, through the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) in a Local Learning Partnership (LLP) approach.Additional funding of up to £600,000, will support key sector partners to work collaboratively to help address some of the challenges around social work workforce recruitment and retention. We will be trialling this model across a small number of areas, with an initial focus on strengthening quality practice learning arrangements for student social workers.This investment will support collective efforts to improve the design, structure and delivery of practice learning opportunities, underpinning improvements in professional knowledge and skills. Over time, the Partnerships will provide greater insight for educators on local employer needs and a space within which people with lived experience can meaningfully participate in the development and evaluation of qualifying programmes.