To realise our climate change ambitions, we need to transform the way Scotland generates, transports and uses energy. We must seize the huge opportunity this presents and deliver maximum benefits to Scotland’s people, workers, communities and economy from our vast renewable energy resource.
The draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan was published on 10 January 2023 and was open for consultation until 9 May 2023.
As part of the process for developing the Energy Strategy...More
The closing date for responses has been extended to Friday 12 May.
The Scottish Government has committed to developing a strategy to support the international aspirations and potential of Scotland’s culture sector. Through this survey we want to understand views of all interested parties in this work to inform the shape the strategy takes. T he survey is likely to require about 30-45 minutes to complete.
Scotland’s culture sector undoubtedly has a strong...More
The Scottish and UK governments have worked together constructively to develop a Green Freeport model that reflects the unique conditions in Scotland, and ensures businesses, ports and communities across Scotland can benefit from the Green Freeport opportunity.
On 13 January 2023, following a rigorous assessment and selection process, the Scottish and UK governments announced that Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport had been selected as Green...More
Scotland’s peatlands have a critical role to play in responding to the twin crises of the global climate emergency and loss of biodiversity.
In good condition, peatlands are a significant natural carbon store. They hold around 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon, equivalent to around 145 years’ worth of Scotland’s total net carbon emissions. Covering about a third of our country, peatlands support important ecosystems and biodiversity, improve water quality and reduce flood risk. ...More
The Scottish Government has adopted the internationally recognised Community Wealth Building (CWB) approach to economic development as a key practical means by which progress can be made towards realising our wellbeing economy vision outlined in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) .
What is Community Wealth Building (CWB) More Information
CWB is an approach designed to tackle long-standing economic challenges and transform...More
Update
The Strategic environmental assessment of draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan is in a new location and has been externed to be open until 22nd May. All responses already collected as part of this consultation will be analysed alongside respones collected in the new survey - there is no need to re-submit any responses that have already been submitted.
Overview
To realise our climate change ambitions, we need to transform the way Scotland generates,...More
The Scottish Government is seeking views on a proposal put forward by the boards of management of North Highland College (UHI North Highland), West Highland College (UHI West Highland) and Lews Castle College (UHI Outer Hebrides) to merge into a single, incorporated college.
The merging parties have suggested a “host” model, whereby the assets and liabilities of West Highland College and Lews Castle College are transferred to North Highland College to create the...More
The providers of independent health care in Scotland and the UK are many and varied, and the complexity of this area of health care provision continues to increase. The Scottish Government wants all health care provided to people in Scotland to be safe, appropriate and carried out by those with the right qualifications.
To achieve this vision, we need to ensure that independent health care services provided in Scotland are effectively regulated. We want the regulation of independent...More
Adult Disability Payment is the twelfth payment now delivered by Social Security Scotland. It replaces Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Scotland, and it will provide support to over 510,000 disabled people by 2025.
In designing this new payment, we have carefully listened to the views of disabled people, stakeholders, and the public. We have made several improvements to Adult Disability Payment over PIP. These include substantial improvements to the application and...More
The Scottish Government’s vision for the marine environment is for clean, healthy, safe, productive and diverse seas, managed to meet the long term needs of nature and people. Through the Bute House Agreement , Scottish Ministers have committed to designate at least 10% of Scotland’s seas as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), by 2026. These sites will provide high levels of protection by placing strict limits on some human activities, such as fishing and...More
The Scottish Government wants to make sure that the protections relating to pitch fee uprating for residents of residential mobile homes remain fair, appropriate and in line with development of statistical measures. This is of particular importance in light of recent increases in the cost of living. We are therefore gathering views about a possible change from Retail Prices Index to Consumer Prices Index as the measure for pitch fee uprating under the Mobile Homes Act 1983 and options for...More
This consultation seeks views on proposed legislative amendments to the arrangements for the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS). The proposals seek to amend Schedule 2A of the Land and Buildings Transaction (Scotland) Act 2012 (“the Act”) and insert new Schedule 6A to the Act.
This consultation follows on from the Scottish Government’s call for evidence and views on the ADS.
The call for evidence and views closed on...More
Following a judicial review hearing at the Court of Session, the Court issued a decision in the case of Ola Jasim v Scottish Ministers [2022] CSOH 64 on 9 September 2022.
The Court declared paragraph 1(c)(ii) and (iii) of schedule 1 of the Students’ Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (“the 2007 Regulations”) (known as ‘long residence rules’) to be unlawful in light of Article 14 of, and Article 2 of the Protocol 1 to, the European Convention on Human Rights.
...More
We want to hear your views on the draft quality standards for adult secondary mental health services. We have asked a series of questions, and your answers to these will help us write the final standards and develop how we measure if these standards are being met.
Read the consultation paper
Read the easy read consultation paper
What are adult secondary mental health services?
Secondary mental health care services are usually services...More
We want to hear your views on the draft specification for psychological therapies and interventions.
A 'specification' is a document which sets out the standards that someone should expect when accessing or delivering psychological therapies or interventions. These standards are quite specific to psychological therapies and interventions. They are based on evidence about what should happen.
Read the consultation paper and national specification
Read the easy...More
The Scottish Government's consultation paper on electoral reform considers possible improvements to electoral law. It sets out a number of areas where the Government has identified issues requiring action.
It includes whether there should be any change for those currently able to vote but not permitted to stand for election, such as 16- and 17-year-olds. It highlights a number of possible changes to assist candidates in Local Government elections.
The consultation also...More
This consultation follows the work of the Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee (PAPLS) in the fifth session of the Scottish Parliament, to undertake post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA).
The Committee’s report was published on 19 May 2020. The Scottish Government provided its formal response to the Committee’s report on 25 February 2021. In that response the Government accepted the Committee’s central...More
Through this consultation, the Scottish Government is seeking views on a proposed target relating to the combined supply of thermal energy through heat networks in Scotland in 2035.
The consultation is focused on this one topic, and covers Scotland only.
We are also taking the opportunity to ask an open question about any other issues relating to heat networks, to inform any future target considerations.
Background
Scottish Ministers must in...More
Restricting alcohol marketing is identified as one of the World Health Organization’s three ‘best buys’, the most cost-effective measures that WHO recommends to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm. Many our European neighbours have already taken action to restrict alcohol marketing including Ireland, France and Norway. This consultation sets out a potential approach for Scotland.
Alcohol is marketed through an integrated mix of channels including advertising on TV, on...More
The Scottish Government wants to ensure planning authorities properly involve the Gypsy/Traveller community in planning the future of their places. The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 therefore requires planning authorities to seek the views of Gypsies and Travellers in preparing Evidence Report for their Local Development Plans (LDPs) and to include a summary of the action taken by planning authorities to meet accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers.
A...More
We welcome your views on the draft revised upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancer quality performance indicator (QPI) engagement document. Please refer to this document (bottom of page) for full details of each QPI.
Please provide comments whether they be on all individual quality performance indicators or only those relevant to you.
In particular we are looking for comments on:
the appropriateness of the QPIs that have been developed ...More
Having a choice about which school your child will attend is a fundamental feature of our education system. Choosing which school your child will attend is one of the most important decisions parents/carers will make. Most parents opt for their local catchment school while others will apply for a place at another school.
There are times when a local authority rejects a placing request. Under such circumstances, and when families do not agree with such a decision, they may wish...More
The Good College Governance Task Group's report , published in 2016, made a series of recommendations to improve the governance of colleges, including adding trade union nominees to the boards of management of college institutions.
Following consultation in 2017 on the Good College Governance Task Group's recommendations, the Scottish Government committed to introducing trade union nominees to the boards of the incorporated colleges, the Glasgow Colleges’ Regional Board...More
Small landholdings are a part of our Scottish agricultural and national heritage, and we are determined to have them as part of our future. We are fully committed to modernising their truly unique legislative status to ensure small landholders have comparable rights with other types of land tenure, and the opportunity to contribute to our wider objectives.
In recent years we have seen a series of global shocks that have had, and continue to have, an impact on global food...More
The Independent Review of Inspection, Scrutiny and Regulation (IRISR) was announced on 23 rd September. The IRISR will make recommendations to ensure that social care support services are the best that they can be for those that use them and work within them. IRISR will ensure a human rights and person-centred approach is central to the inspection and regulation of social care and will consider how this can be applied across linked services.
Read more about the Independent...More
Why is there a need for an independent review?
Recognising the need to look to the future, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills announced in October 2021 the intention to reform qualifications and assessments.
This was influenced by:
recommendations in the OECD’s independent review of Scotland’s school curriculum
the COVID-19 pandemic and a renewed debate around assessment following the cancellation of National...More
In September 2022, the Minister for Higher Education, Further Education, Youth Employment and Training set out to parliament that he would be initiating an independent review of the skills delivery landscape in Scotland as part of work to ensure that the skills system is fit for purpose for delivering Scotland’s national outcomes and meeting future economic challenges including the transition to net zero.
James Withers has been appointed as Advisor to the Review. The Terms of...More
This Cycling Framework and Delivery Plan for Active Travel in Scotland builds on the progress made through three iterations of the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CAPS) between 2010 and 2020. It reflects our aim to progress from CAPS and to develop an ambitious plan for Scotland for the next 5-10 years.
The Cycling Framework for Active Travel sets out our strategic priorities and shared actions to maximise cycling’s contribution in realising the Scottish Government’s long term ...More
A Stronger & More Resilient Scotland: The Programme for Government 2022-23 which was published on the 8 September 2022 committed to introducing the following Bill:
“Wildlife Management (Grouse)
The Bill will implement the recommendations of the “Werritty Review” and introduce licensing for grouse moor management to ensure that the management of driven grouse moors and related activities is undertaken in an environmentally sustainable...More
This consultation has been extended.
The Scottish Government has made a number of commitments to the Gaelic and Scots languages. Among these there are four key commitments which can be regarded as particularly significant with the other commitments falling under these broad areas. The four key commitments are:
to establish a new strategic approach to Gaelic medium education (GME)
to explore the creation of a Gàidhealtachd
...More