Meeting of the Parliament 11 February 2026 [Draft]
We cannot fix a problem if we do not first acknowledge that it exists. That is why the Pollyanna contribution that we have just heard from the cabinet secretary is so concerning, because the fact is that crime is rising and people out there know it. Recorded crime is up by 2 per cent; non-sexual violent crime is up by 3 per cent; and sexual crime is up by 7 per cent. Nearly one in every five adults in Scotland was a victim of at least one crime in 2023-24. Given that the cabinet secretary is so fond of comparisons, it is surprising that she omitted to mention that people are more likely to be a victim of violent crime in Scotland than they are in England and Wales.
The cabinet secretary’s amendment would completely delete any reference to police numbers. I remind her that there are around 1,000 fewer officers today than there were in 2020. Despite nearly 20 years of manifesto promises, warm words and targets, there are basically the same number of officers as there were in 2007. Since police officer applications show steep falls, while resignations and retirements are rising, the situation shows no sign of reversal.
What is the impact of that? Police Scotland has over 900 fewer police officers who have a decade or more of experience than it did in 2019. Of the officers who are in post, one in seven—more than 2,300—are on light or modified duties due to illness or injury. It is no wonder that Audit Scotland reported last month that there is “no evidence” that the current complements of officers and staff represent the right numbers for future policing demand.
What about the cabinet secretary’s proud boasts about funding? David Kennedy of the SPF recently said:
“If ministers want a police service that prevents crime, supports victims and responds when communities need it, they must fund policing at the level required”.
What is that level? The chief constable told us that the sum in her budget request would strengthen the front line by funding 850 officers and 348 staff. What was this Government’s response? It was £15 million less than the amount that was requested.
I credit the Labour motion for not only identifying the problems but for proposing solutions, because there is a need to restore community policing. In October, we set out in our justice policy the need for that to boost confidence in the police, keep people safe, reduce antisocial behaviour and crack down on crime. However, I worry that the call in the Labour motion for
“the creation of community and crime prevention officers in every council ward in Scotland”
might risk stretching already limited police resources and force policing into a rigid structure that might not match the level of local need.
In my amendment, I have proposed a further solution. The SPF has warned that officers are spending between 40 and 60 per cent of their operational capacity dealing with health-related incidents. That means that a huge amount of police time is being diverted away from tackling crime because of wider public sector challenges that the Scottish Government is also refusing to address.
In my amendment and my justice paper, I addressed that issue by recommending the adoption of a right care, right person model, which is about focusing police time on crime and public safety. In brief, police will attend if there is risk, but health professionals will take the lead if there is a health issue. Here is a comparison for the cabinet secretary—such a model has saved nearly 19,000 hours every month for the Metropolitan Police and nearly 5,000 hours every month in Essex.
The Scottish Conservatives agree with the motion that, before identifying solutions, we must recognise the problems that have been caused by nearly two decades of a failing SNP Government. Once we have done that, the solutions become clear. We would back our police officers, stop wasting their time, ensure that they are visible in their communities and give them the powers that they need to do their jobs. That is what the amended motion would deliver.
I move amendment S6M-20730.2, to leave out from “for the creation” to end and insert:
“on the Scottish Government to reduce non-crime demand on Police Scotland and accelerate delivery of a ‘Right Care, Right Person’ style model.”
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.