This consultation seeks views on the three verdict system in Scottish criminal trials and, if the not proven verdict were to be abolished, whether any accompanying reforms would be necessary to other aspects of the Scottish criminal justice system including jury size, majority required for...More
Read the consultation paper
This draft heat networks delivery plan sets out how the provisions of the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021, and related policies, will contribute to increased heat networks across Scotland. It also outlines the proposed regulatory regime for the heat networks...More
Scottish Ministers are committed to reviewing the effectiveness of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in Scotland. After months of research and engagement to identify issues within the Scottish Specific Duties (SSDs), it has become clear that more could be done to improve the regime....More
This consultation, which was drafted in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Scottish Environment Protection Agency ( SEPA), is seeking views on the aims, objectives and actions that will sit under, the new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy...More
The Scottish Crime Recording Board would like to consult users on the production and dissemination of Scotland’s recorded crime statistics. Questions are also asked on the possible development of new statistical products covering other types of policing activity.
Scottish Government...More
This consultation seeks views on a proposal to increase court fees by 2% on 1 April 2022, and on 1 April 2023 and 2024. This increase is in line with expected inflation. The consultation also seeks views on minor changes to exemptions from court fees and also some technical changes to the fees...More
On 9 December 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economy launched the Scottish Government’s first multi-year Resource Spending Review since 2011 . The aim of this Resource Spending Review is to set out spending plans for the remainder of the parliamentary term...More
The Scottish Government would like to consult users on the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) in the context of the forthcoming re-procurement. Details of the Consultation can be found in the Consultation Paper.
The SCJS is a large-scale social survey which asks people...More
The Scottish Government are committed to improving care for people with chronic pain. In support of this, we made a number of commitments in our Programme for Government, including the development of a new Framework for Pain Management Service Delivery.
This draft Framework set out a vision...More
The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms that the Scottish Government will develop a new regulatory framework for zero emissions heating and energy efficiency in non-domestic buildings by 2025.
The framework will build on the Scottish Government’s existing commitments to...More
The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019 set legally binding targets for Scotland to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, with interim targets requiring a 75% reduction by 2030, and 90% by 2040.
To achieve this requires transformational change in...More
Scotland has some of the best food and drink in the world, enjoyed around the globe and creating jobs the length and breadth of the country. Since 2007 the Scottish Government has dramatically improved the landscape for food in Scotland, from school lunches to whisky exports, from...More
The Scottish Government has now committed to replacing the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment (CWP) of £25 for every 7 day period of very cold weather, with a new £50 winter heating payment paid annually to those low-income households currently eligible for the CWP. This will be an...More
A consultation on draft regulations regarding the transfer of the functions of the Council Tax Reduction Review Panel and the functions of the Valuation Appeals Committees to the new Local Taxation Chamber in the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland, and transferring the relevant functions of the...More
Scottish building regulations set minimum standards applicable to new buildings and to new work to existing buildings.
Our recent draft Heat in Buildings Strategy sets out our vision for decarbonising heat and reducing energy demand across all buildings in Scotland, setting out the scale of...More
The Consumer Scotland Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament in June 2019, passed in May 2020, and received Royal Assent in June 2020. The Act now requires the Scottish Government to establish a consumer body – Consumer Scotland – to represent the needs of consumers.
Consumer...More
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for managing Scotland's national forests and land.
We are launching a public consultation on our next Corporate Plan which sets out the proposed direction of travel and priorities for our...More
As in previous years, we intend to create a new Scottish Statutory Instrument accounting for the target cost of operating the Scottish Road Works Register , for the financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24. The intention is to revoke the 2021 Instrument, and replace with a single Instrument in 2022...More
Following on from the period of simplicity and stability we are moving forward to put in place a successor to the Common Agriculture Policy that will guide farming, food production and land use for many years to come.
Our approach will support farmers and crofters to ensure their...More
The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 (“the Continuity Act”) introduces new duties on Ministers and other public authorities to have due regard to five guiding principles on the environment. The guiding principles sit alongside Scotland’s...More
We want to reassess what role prisons and the use of imprisonment should play in a just and fair society. We have the opportunity to take a transformative approach to the way some parts of the justice system operates in Scotland, delivering better outcomes for all. This includes a focus on the...More
Building Standards Division (BSD), is developing a national Compliance Plan approach to provide greater assurance that compliance with building regulations is achieved from design to completion.
This consultation seeks to obtain the views on the development of a new Compliance Plan...More
This consultation is seeking views and comments on the draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).
NPF4 will, when adopted, set out the Scottish Governments priorities and policies for the planning system up to 2045 and how our approach to planning and development will help to...More
As one of the steps to harness lessons from the Covid pandemic, the Scottish Government is committed to reviewing the impact of Covid on the Scottish statute book. The Government wants to remove measures no longer needed in order to respond to the pandemic whilst keeping those where there is...More
We welcome your views on the Draft Revised Cutaneous Melanoma Quality Performance Indicator Engagement Document.
Please provide comments whether they be on all individual Quality Performance Indicators (QPI) or only those relevant to you.
In particular...More
This consultation invites comments as part of the review of the National Strategy for Community Justice.
As per section 16 of the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 , Scottish Ministers must review the current strategy by 24 November 2021. Following this review, Scottish...More
This consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government’s proposals for delivering Anne’s Law in primary legislation, to ensure that people who live in adult care homes have rights to see and spend time with the people who are important to them.
The development of Anne’s Law...More
In September 2017, the Scottish Government published the first Scottish Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement (the Statement). This set out the principles for land rights and responsibilities in Scotland and was the first of its kind in the world. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016...More
Since 2001, a specific area in the Firth of Clyde has been closed to fishing each year between 14 February and 30 April, in order to protect spawning cod. The Scottish Government has responsibility for the closure via a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI). Exemptions have always been provided...More
This consultation sets out our proposals to improve the way we deliver social care in Scotland.
The importance of our social care services has never been clearer than during the pandemic. In future, we want to make sure that our social care system will consistently deliver high quality...More