l Nearly 33,000 people were recorded missing in Scotland in 2011/2012.

Strathclyde, Central Scotland and Fife had particularly high rates of missing-person incidents relative to population.

l The level of missing-person incidents reported to the police in Scotland in 2011/12 was higher than in England and Wales, at 6.2 per thousand of population, compared to 5.0.

l Nine out of 10 incidents are resolved within 48 hours, usually because the person is found safe and well, while 99% of cases are resolved within a year. However, Missing People supports hundreds of families whose loved ones have been missing for more than a year, and some such families are not in touch with the charity.

l About two-thirds of reports to the police concern under-18s, with those aged 15-17 alone accounting for more than one-third of all missing reports. Girls are more likely to go missing than boys.

l Among adults, men are substantially more likely to go missing than women, with disappearances most common among those aged 18 to 30. Unemployment, disability and mental health issues are more prevalent amongst adults who go missing than in the general population.

Sources: Missing People and UK Missing Persons Bureau