Scottish Government consultations

We held a public consultation seeking views on proposed operational changes to the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland, to ensure the scheme remains sustainable and efficient under financial constraints. In addition, we asked for more general views to help inform any future redesign of the scheme. Future changes will be subject to a further consultation.

The consultation consisted of 20 questions and ran from 23 June to 14 September 2025.

A total of 18 validated responses were received from 15 organisations and 3 individuals. A range of views were provided.

In relation to proposed operational amendments, the majority of respondents agreed that aid provided by the scheme should be based on production grown in Scotland. There was a split in opinion if funding should be permitted for those producer organisations (POs) who have members outside Scotland, however the responses weighted in favour of allowing members in other parts of the UK to be part of a Scottish PO, but not including their value in the calculation determining the level of financial assistance that would be provided. The majority of responses agreed that Scottish Ministers should have discretion over the total budget for the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland and supported that the funding cap should remain as a percentage of a PO’s value of marketed production (VMP). The majority of responses agreed there should be a statutory right to appeal within the scheme.

In relation to the potential future redevelopment of the scheme, common themes highlighted were around stability, collaborative working, simplification, investment, aligning with other Scottish Government priorities and policies along with support and funding for smaller-scale producers. All responses regarding the future of the scheme are noted and will form the starting point for further consideration and stakeholder engagement on more detail potential changes in due course.

We analysed responses to the consultation and publish the analysis report on the Scottish Government website: Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland: consultation analysis - gov.scot.

We published consultation responses (where permission was granted) on Citizen Space: Published responses for Call for input on the future of the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in Scotland - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space.

Following analysis of the responses, The Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products (Fruit and Vegetables) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 was laid, in draft, before the Scottish Parliament on Friday 21 November. The Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) will come into force on 30 January 2026, subject to Parliamentary approval, and will make operational changes to the scheme in Scotland in line with the consultation and responses received.

Longer term, there is need for further conversations on the redesign of the scheme in Scotland and how it can complement future agricultural and environmental strategies. Information gathered via this consultation will form the basis of further engagement and consultation.

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting the valuable fruit and vegetable sector in Scotland and we look forward to continuing to work closely with stakeholders in this area. 

We held a public consultation seeking views on the draft updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP) and associated assessments, as part of the process to update our existing SMP (adopted 2020). The SMP provides the spatial planning framework for the ScotWind and Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG) leasing rounds, and considers the potential environmental, social and economic opportunities and constraints associated with offshore wind development across Scotland and its seas.

The consultation ran from 30 May to 22 August 2025.  During this period, a total of 17 in person engagement events took place around Scotland, with a further three webinars held online.

A total of 304 responses were received, of which 70 were from organisations and 234 were from individual members of the public. A range of organisations responded including offshore wind developers, local authorities, community councils, public bodies and representatives from sectors such as fisheries, nature conservation, other marine energy and tourism and recreation

We commissioned an independent analysis of the consultation responses, undertaken by Arup. This analysis report has been published on the Scottish Government Website.

We have published the consultation responses, where permission has been given, on Citizen Space.

The Scottish Government is committed to producing an updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy in 2026. Consultation responses will be used to inform the scope of and implementation measures for the final Plan. A final Island Communities Impact Assessment will be prepared, for publication alongside the final Plan, to take account of specific feedback received from communities on proposed development in their area.

We sought views on how to approach cross-border taxation to support the introduction and effective operation of Scottish Aggregates Tax (SAT). The consultation also invited feedback on a range of issues to inform relevant impact assessments. The consultation opened on 23 June and closed on 18 August 2025. 

Eight responses were received to the consultation from a range of stakeholder groups. These included two individuals and six organisations – comprising a tax professional body, three stakeholders from the primary aggregates industry, and two sectoral interest groups.  

In terms of the direct supply scenarios set out in the consultation, respondents broadly supported the option of a tick box on sales tickets to indicate the destination of materials in a collection scenario. This approach was seen as proportionate despite adding some administrative burden for quarry operators.  

For indirect supplies involving producer-based deliveries, it was broadly agreed that the tax point should be kept with quarry operators for simplicity and continuity with current UK Aggregate Levy practices.  

An exemption option was broadly favoured for over-the-counter sales from middlemen due to their complexity and small scale, though concerns about tax avoidance were noted. Alternative options involving middlemen declarations were viewed as overly burdensome.  

Additional cross-border scenarios were flagged for further review to prevent double taxation and avoidance. 

The views gathered through the consultation activities have informed the development of SAT policy in advance of the proposed introduction date of 1 April 2026. The Scottish Government’s policy position, in response the consultation feedback, is set out in the consultation analysis report.