Official Report 1081KB pdf
The first item of business is general question time. In order to get in as many members as possible, I would be grateful for succinct questions, and answers to match.
Police Scotland (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs last met with the chief constable of Police Scotland. (S6O-03677)
I regularly meet the chief constable and other members of Police Scotland’s executive team. My most recent meeting was on 20 August. Although the chief constable is accountable to the Scottish Police Authority, our meetings provide an opportunity to focus on matters of strategic importance and the key priorities for policing.
The cabinet secretary will be aware of a spike in antisocial behaviour across the bus network in Scotland. In East Lothian, that has included young people lobbing rocks at buses and assaults on passengers. Last week, a pregnant woman was allegedly pushed off a bench while waiting at a bus stop in Tranent. She was left bleeding and in pain and, tragically, after waiting in an ambulance, she later miscarried. Her husband has appealed to parents and family members to speak to young people and to
“remind them everyday how to respect people and behave in public places.”
I therefore ask the cabinet secretary what discussions she has had with Police Scotland about policing on the bus network, particularly since the introduction of free bus travel for under-22s. Will she join me in calling for a policy of zero tolerance of antisocial behaviour on Scotland’s bus network?
The circumstances that Craig Hoy has narrated are truly shocking. We should be thankful that the vast majority of our young people are people to be proud of, and are excellent citizens and contributors to, the country in which we live.
I reassure Mr Hoy that I and the Minister for Victims and Community Safety, as well as our ministerial colleagues in transport, are very much engaged in the issue. He might wish to look at the programme for government, where we talk about the on-going work on violence reduction and the actions that will be taken to tackle antisocial behaviour.
Mr Hoy is right to suggest that people who work on our bus and other public transport networks should not have to put up with any kind of deplorable or violent behaviour.
Can the cabinet secretary provide an update on recruitment plans that the chief constable has with regard to increasing police officer numbers?
I am pleased to confirm that, this year, Police Scotland is set to take on more recruits than at any time since its inception in 2013. Since March, Police Scotland has welcomed around 680 new officers and, since the beginning of 2023, has welcomed more than 1,280 new recruits. Police Scotland has plans for further intakes throughout the year, with the chief constable confirming that our budget settlement will enable Police Scotland to recruit enough officers to increase numbers back to the region of 16,500 to 16,600 over the course of this financial year.
Derelict Buildings
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support communities to bring derelict buildings back into use as houses. (S6O-03678)
The Scottish Government has put in place an enabling policy framework, including national planning framework 4, which supports prioritising sites allocated for housing development and local development plans and encourages the reuse of brownfield, vacant and derelict land and empty buildings. Support is also available for viable projects through a variety of mechanisms, such as the rural and islands housing fund. Of course, it is for each local authority to determine its housing strategy and implementation with regard to the affordable housing supply programme.
Recently, I was in Raasay, discussing the massive impact of six new homes being built in the community. However, although the population is currently around 200, it is estimated that there are already enough homes in Raasay to support up to 500 people; they are just not being used as homes, and 46 per cent of them are empty.
Building new houses, especially in rural and island areas, can be cheaper than repairing and retrofitting, and lots of depopulating areas have significant waiting lists for housing and a significant presence on Airbnb. What more will be done to support rural and island housing providers to buy back, repair and retrofit existing homes?
I have had the pleasure of meeting representatives of the Raasay Development Trust twice online to discuss its carbon neutral island project, as well as its broader work. Officials continue to work closely with the trust.
I mentioned the rural and islands housing fund earlier, and the affordable housing plans in Raasay have been embedded, with an insistence that not just the housing situation but the energy efficiency of the current stock improves. I commend the trust on the work that it has been doing, and I am happy to discuss the issue further with Ms Roddick.
Benefits Reductions
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on mitigating any United Kingdom Government reductions to UK-wide benefits since 2019. (S6O-03679)
Since 2019, we have invested £750 million mitigating the impacts of UK Government policies such as the harmful bedroom tax and benefit cap, as well as shortfalls in local housing allowance rates. That includes almost £134 million this year through activities such as the discretionary housing payments and the Scottish welfare fund. That money could fund around 2,000 teachers or band 5 nurses each year, or it could fund further ambitious anti-poverty measures such as our game-changing Scottish child payment.
That brings home the costs of being in the union and under the UK economy.
I ask the cabinet secretary to focus on the bedroom tax, or spare-room tax, which we mitigate. Can she tell me how many homes are helped by the Scottish Government paying it, so that households do not have to meet it themselves?
Christine Grahame raises a very important point. It might, perhaps, be assumed that the bedroom tax has been scrapped, but it was not scrapped under the previous Conservative Government, and there have certainly been no announcements that Labour will do anything like taking such a measure.
We remain committed to mitigating the bedroom tax in full. That helps 92,000 households in Scotland to sustain their tenancies, which is an important aspect of our anti-poverty and housing policies.
Suicide Statistics
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of the most recent annual update on suicide statistics showing that people living in Scotland’s most deprived areas are 2.5 times more likely to die by suicide than those living in the least deprived areas. (S6O-03680)
Every life lost to suicide is an absolute tragedy, and my condolences go out to the families and communities who are behind those numbers.
Tackling the causes and effects of poverty is a key Government mission, and it is central to the ambitious programme of work that is being taken forward across government and within communities under our joint Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities suicide prevention strategy.
We are focused on reducing deaths by suicide while tackling inequalities and supporting deprived and marginalised groups who are at greater risk. Alongside our social campaign, increased peer support and targeted programmes supporting communities are critical. Since 2021 we have awarded nearly 5,000 grants to local projects, totalling £66 million, through our communities mental health and wellbeing fund for adults.
I agree that behind all those deaths is a person, their family, their friends and their loved ones—and a lot of heartbreak. When will the Scottish Government be reporting on the impact of the 2023-24 priorities in the suicide action plan? Does the minister agree that we must understand the impact of those plans and strategies if we are to move forward, and if we are to try to reduce the number of suicides in Scotland?
Just last month we had the first meeting of the leadership board for the mental health and wellbeing plan. I am more than happy to write to Alex Rowley to update him on the work that is on-going and on how the plan is likely to be implemented. The member will know that the suicide implementation plan will be carried out over a period of 10 years. Although there is currently a focus on the early stages of that plan, it is a long-term plan. I am happy to write to the member with more details about how we will keep Parliament aware of how the plan is progressing.
As the minister said, every life lost to suicide is a huge tragedy. My thoughts are with all those who are affected—as, I know, are those of members across the chamber.
Will the minister provide an update on the Scottish Government’s creating hope together year 2 delivery plan, which was published in July this year—in particular, the focus on strengthening Scotland’s awareness and responsiveness to suicide and people who are suicidal?
The two-year delivery plan builds on the considerable progress that was made during 2023-24. We are proud of the difference that we are making by improving suicide awareness, increasing the availability of peer support across our communities and using clinical evidence and our time, space and compassion approach to drive improvements in statutory services.
With continued focus on groups that are at risk of suicide, many of the actions are designed to reach and support people who are impacted by discrimination, stigma and the wider social determinants of suicide. Work is under way on expanding the campaign and learning activities, growing our social movement and engaging new audiences. We are improving responses that people receive in unscheduled care settings, such as accident and emergency departments. We are also developing a new portal to ensure that people who feel suicidal know where to go for help.
I am happy to update Bill Kidd in writing with the full suite of actions that we are taking, as was mentioned to Alex Rowley.
Organisations such as the men’s sheds and Andy’s Man Club in my region play vital roles in eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health, and in creating judgment-free confidential spaces where men can be open about the storms in their lives. What more can be done to ensure that those important organisations can carry on the work that is desperately needed?
I absolutely agree on the point about stigma. It is a challenge for all of us and one that all of us share. Stigma prevents people from accessing the help to which they are entitled and to which they have a right, so work to tackle it is vital.
Men’s sheds have had an assurance of funding from another portfolio in the Government. We have also contributed through a number of different programmes. We have invested in the Sam’s cafe project, Andy’s Man Club, the wellbeing on wheels service and the roll-out of our distress brief intervention programme. We are investing in a suite of other measures, as well as in men’s sheds.
Question 5 was not lodged.
Shoplifting
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported significant increase in shoplifting recorded in Scotland. (S6O-03682)
The Scottish Government absolutely recognises the disruption and harm to businesses from theft and other antisocial behaviour. Police Scotland and partners are taking action to tackle and reduce it.
We continue to support the innovative Scottish partnership against acquisitive crime—SPAACE—strategy. The partnership is led by Police Scotland working with retailers and other organisations—including Retailers Against Crime and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland—and focuses on prevention, deterrence and, where appropriate, enforcement. The strategy seeks to minimise opportunities for acquisitive crime, to protect individuals and businesses and to deliver clear advice and guidance for prevention.
Furthermore, each local area has a local police plan, which has been refreshed for 2023 to 2026. Many of those plans include specific activities that focus on acquisitive crime and engagement with partners and stakeholders, which focuses on addressing retailers’ concerns at a local level.
Shoplifting crimes across Scotland saw a dramatic 34 per cent increase between June 2023 and June 2024, with a 40 per cent rise in East Ayrshire and a 22 per cent rise in South Ayrshire. Those figures are only for crimes that are recorded.
Retailers are facing attacks on their livelihoods. With officer numbers at their lowest since the Scottish National Party came into power, response times are said to be unsatisfactory or significantly delayed. It is clear that the current approach is simply not working, with a high percentage of retailers saying that they also face violence and abuse. What specific steps is the Scottish Government taking to support retailers and improve police response times to better protect our local communities?
The budget for police funding, even in these extremely challenging times, is £1.55 billion, which is an increase of £92.7 million. The chief constable has confirmed that Scottish Government investment will enable Police Scotland to recruit and increase police numbers.
Earlier this year, I met the retail industry leadership group and the Scottish Retail Consortium, which raised concerns about antisocial behaviour and an increase in theft. It may be interesting for the member to find out about an initiative that Police Scotland is piloting in Fife, where Police Scotland is coming together with partners and information technology providers to help to develop a platform that allows staff in stores to send details of crimes direct to Police Scotland. I hope that that initiative will be rolled out across Scotland.
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a member of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers, which is the shop workers union.
In 2016, USDAW’s freedom from fear survey found that 2 per cent of shop workers suffered violence. By 2023, that had risen to 18 per cent. Shoplifting is a key trigger for that. The minister mentioned information sharing; what steps can be taken to spread that across the country? Although we understand that the police cannot attend every incident, it is important to gather evidence so that those who repeatedly carry out such crimes are brought to book, prosecuted and punished for crimes that, ultimately, end up being violent, when shop workers suffer as a result.
As well as the SPAACE initiative with Police Scotland, it is important to recognise some of the good collaborative work that is happening across Scotland. I have visited several projects in Stirling and Inverclyde, where local authorities are coming together with Police Scotland, education providers and local businesses to tackle issues. It is important to reiterate the importance of local police plans.
Scottish Police Authority Budget
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any steps that it is taking to ensure that any increases in the Scottish Police Authority resource budget continue to support further police recruitment, in light of the challenging financial circumstances as a result of the United Kingdom Government’s proposed financial settlement. (S6O-03683)
As has been made clear this week, following the UK chancellor’s July statement, the Scottish Government continues to face the most challenging financial situation since devolution. Despite the UK Government’s cuts to our budget, we have provided Police Scotland with record funding of £1.55 billion this year, which is an increase of £92.7 million; £75.7 million of that is for resource, which allows Police Scotland to increase its officer numbers.
Police Scotland indicated that there were about 16,400 officers at the beginning of August, and more than 680 new officers have been recruited since March. I am pleased to say that the police will take on more recruits this year than at any time since 2013.
Although it is welcome that the Scottish National Party Government will do everything that it can to protect front-line services and the public from the Westminster attack on Scotland’s public spending, will the cabinet secretary expand on the potential impact that the Labour Government’s decision to stick to the Tories’ fiscal rules will have on delivering a fit-for-purpose Police Scotland service in the long term?
In the face of the financial challenges, the Government has made it clear that we will support people where that is needed most, including in our public services, such as policing. As we know, all roads lead to Westminster, and we have been told that things will only get worse. We need the UK Government to invest so that we can get our proportionate share. If it cuts, we will feel the brunt of that.
Cabinet secretary, I am conscious that a lot of conversation is taking place across the chamber. I would be grateful if members focused on the cabinet secretary’s response.
I conclude by saying that Labour austerity is as damaging as Tory austerity. This Government continues to call on the UK Government to invest in public services and crucial capital infrastructure.
General Practitioner Contract
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to take any action in relation to reported concerns regarding how the 2018 GP contract is working in the Highlands and Islands. (S6O-03684)
Under the 2018 GP contract, health boards and integration authorities are responsible for establishing and maintaining multidisciplinary teams, working closely with their local GP representatives and communities. In doing that, it is fundamental that those services meet the needs of local patients—none more so than in our rural and island communities. Although we have made good progress on implementation nationally, we know that implementation gaps and challenges remain. We continue to work with all partners that are involved in implementing the contract to further understand and tackle on-going challenges, including in the Highlands and Islands.
It is absolutely clear that, as a result of the 2018 GP contract, there are fewer GPs and fewer independent GP surgeries in the Highlands, and patients are having to travel hundreds of miles for immunisations. Getting primary care right is critical to avoiding expensive secondary care. Given that the contract is failing in the Highlands, will the Scottish Government undertake to review, and ultimately replace, the contract, as it is not working?
I agree with Edward Mountain that having strong and sustainable primary care services is critically important to avoiding people’s ill health escalating and their moving into more expensive and problematic secondary care services. That is why we are investing in the likes of the Scottish graduate entry medicine programme, so that more rural GPs come through the system, and why we are investing, through the contract, in multidisciplinary teams to ensure that we have a more sustainable general practice position, including in areas in the Highlands and Islands.
I saw some of that in action over the summer, when I visited the likes of the Western Isles and Islay, where I saw for myself the impact that the multidisciplinary teams are having. I would be happy to discuss that further with Edward Mountain.
That concludes general question time.
Air adhart
First Minister’s Question Time