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The re-plan work underway will identify final costs of integration, however I have now announced that whilst our long term goal remains full integration we are currently exploring further options to deliver devolution of railway policing.

Police Scotland held two separate competitive tender processes in relation to BTP Integration. One for Programme Management Support and the other for specialist integration Due Diligence analysis. The successful bidder for both tenders was Ernst & Young who have been engaged through Police Scotland/SPA. The tenders are priced at £400,000 and £298,000 respectively and are being delivered on budget.

Scottish Government engaged an independent consultant through Harvey Nash Recruitment at a rate of £595 per day charged.

We have repeatedly guaranteed there would be no redundancies from the BTP transfer to Police Scotland. All officers and staff who transfer will do so in accordance with the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice which applies the principles of TUPE Regulations 2006.

The extensive re-planning work which has been underway has brought to light practicalities that were of concern to Police Scotland and in light of their recent advice, and as announced on 27 August, we now looking at further options available. We remain committed to full integration as legislated for in the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017, which we will keep under review in the intervening period.

The number of people convicted of criminal offences in Scotland's courts is one measure which can be used to assess trends in levels of crime. Other measures which help to provide a picture of levels of crime are the number of crimes recorded by the police in Scotland and the number of crimes experienced by adults in Scotland, including those not reported to the police.

For example, the latest Scottish Crime and Justice Survey, a large-scale social survey which asks people about their experiences and perceptions of crime, including crimes that haven’t been reported to, or recorded by, the police and captured in police recorded crime statistics, estimated there were 712,000 crimes experienced by adults in Scotland in 2016-17. This represents a reduction of nearly a third (32%) since 2008-09. Over the same time period, the proportion of the adult population that reported through the SCJS having been a victim of at least one crime fell from an estimated 20.4% to 13.4%.

Comparing the same years' figures for crime recorded by the police, in 2008-09, the police recorded 377,433 crimes. In 2016-17, they recorded 238,651 crimes, a reduction of 37%

The number of people convicted of criminal offences in Scotland's courts also fell over the same time period. In 2008-09, there were 125,893 people convicted of criminal offences. In 2016-17, there were 92,334 people convicted of criminal offences, a reduction of 26.6%.

Together, these statistics indicate that there has been a significant reduction in crime over this time period.

Other statistical information, for example concerning the proportion of crimes that are 'cleared up' by the police, the level of re-offending and the proportion of cases tried in court that result in conviction may help to provide a fuller picture of the effectiveness of the justice system as a whole.

The conclusion of any matter relating to the termination of employment of any NHS Scotland employee is principally a matter between the employing health board and former employee concerned. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to make any comment in individual cases.

In this case NHS Tayside have indicated that, upon leaving the board, Ms McLay received what she was contractually entitled to and nothing more. In concluding all employment matters, NHS Scotland health boards are guided by both national and local employment policies and the principles of UK employment law.

As you are aware in our submission to the Smith Commission in 2014 we said we planned to use devolved powers over railway policing to integrate it into Police Scotland. We are committed to the safe and seamless integration of BTP into Police Scotland following Parliament’s vote to pass the Railway Policing Act. This will deliver continuity of service for rail users and staff and a single command structure, with seamless access to wider support facilities and specialist resources.

Scottish Ministers have confirmed that our triple lock guarantee will protect jobs, pay and pensions for BTP officers and staff transferring to Police Scotland. We meet regularly with all partners involved in the integration and will continue to work closely with them on addressing issues that emerge.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-17526 on 26 July 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The full costs of integration have yet to be determined.

With the passing of the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017 both the Scottish Government and the UK Government have committed to the devolution of railway policing.

The Scottish Government will deliver that with appropriate governance structures to ensure accountability, access to specialisms and the integration into command and control.