This consultation is about guidance on effective community engagement in the local development planning process. It is for planning authorities and communities. The guidance forms part of the Government’s work on reform of the planning system and implementation of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. It supports the new approach to local development planning on which further new regulations and guidance are available.
Read the consultation paper and impact assessments .
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The Scottish Government is carrying out a review of permitted development rights (PDR) as part of our wider planning reform programme. The PDR review is being taken forward in phases, with each phase focussing on specific development types. Phase 3 of the review considers PDR in relation to renewables equipment, thermal efficiency improvements, development by electricity undertakers, reverse vending machines and the temporary use of land for shooting ranges. Read the consultation paper
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Local authority members (i.e. councillors) take strategic decisions that affect all our lives. They decide how best to use taxpayers’ money and manage local authority resources, including property, land and assets. They also have a leading role to play in building and preserving a society where the rights and freedoms of individuals are respected.
It is vital, therefore, that they have the trust of the communities they serve.
The Scottish Government considers that there should be...More
There is increasing global consensus around the urgent need to address the interlinked crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.
The natural environment underpins our economy and our society. It affects our jobs, our health, the food we eat and the water we drink. It supports food production and security and provides the blueprint for many modern medicines. Healthy biodiversity prevents soil erosion, purifies water and helps prevent and mitigate flooding. Nature...More
This paper sets out Scottish Government's directions to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) on the application of a new EQS for EmBz. This ensures that SEPA exercise its regulatory and river basin management planning functions. Emamectin benzoate is widely used in the fish farm industry to control sea lice in marine finfish farming.
The new standard for EmBz is lower than the standard SEPA has used previously to set discharge limits for marine finfish farms. We are...More
This consultation is seeking views and comments on the draft local living and 20 minute neighbourhood planning guidance.
The guidance is intended to assist and support local authorities, communities, and others with an interest in local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods. It is expected to be of particular relevance in the preparation of Local Development Plans (LDPs), Local Place Plans (LPPs) and to support planning decision making.
National Planning Framework (NPF4) ...More
Our aim is for everyone in Scotland to live in safe, secure and warm homes. We want your views on how local taxation and existing housing can help achieve this. Your responses will help inform policy development and what actions we take next.
The consultation asks whether councils should have additional powers giving them discretion to:
charge up to 100% premium (double the full rate) on council tax for second homes
charge more than 100% premium on...More
Scotland’s national events strategy, 'Scotland: the perfect stage (2015-2025)', is being reviewed and updated. This will extend its term to the end of 2035. The Scottish events sector, Scottish Government and VisitScotland are working together with trade unions and local authorities to do this.
Scotland: the perfect stage was first published in 2008 in response to Scotland’s burgeoning potential to be a global leader in the events industry. It was last reviewed and updated to...More
In February 2021, the Scottish Government established an Independent Working Group on Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland, chaired by Baroness Kennedy QC. The Working Group was tasked with considering how the Scottish criminal justice system deals with misogyny, including looking at whether there are gaps in the law that could be addressed by a specific criminal offence to tackle such behaviour.
The Working Group published its final report in March 2022. That...More
This consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government’s plans to set a legal minimum number of hours of school education school pupils should receive each year.
Traditionally, Scottish primary schools provide around 25 learning hours per week, and Scottish secondary schools around 27.5 hours per week. However, w hile local authorities are required to have their schools open for 190 days each year, the number of learning hours is not prescribed. Our schools have...More
The Scottish Government are undertaking a review of the National Outcomes. This is a requirement within every five years, under the Community Empowerment Act (2015).
The National Outcomes are laid out in the National Performance Framework. This is Scotland’s wellbeing framework, which sets out the type of Scotland we want to see, and measures progress towards the National Outcomes.
Find out more about the National Outcomes.
We want...More
The Scottish Government are undertaking a review of the National Outcomes. This is a requirement within every five years, under the Community Empowerment Act (2015).
The National Outcomes are laid out in the National Performance Framework. This is Scotland’s wellbeing framework, which sets out the type of Scotland we want to see, and measures progress towards the National Outcomes.
Find out more about the National Outcomes.
We want to know whether the existing National...More
This consultation relates to the 2023 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for herring in the Firth of Clyde.
Marine Scotland is carrying out this consultation on behalf of the UK Fisheries Administrations, to seek views on the level of the 2023 TAC, to permit the allocation of Clyde herring quota to UK fishermen.
Read the consultation paper
Stakeholder event
We're delighted to hold an open meeting for any stakeholders who wish to discuss the options included in the...More
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
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 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
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
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 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
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 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
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
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