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  • Voices in Justice: Parole Reform in Scotland

    Our Vision for Justice sets out the Scottish Government’s transformative vision to deliver a just, safe, and resilient country. We seek views on what areas of the parole system can be improved to contribute towards the delivery of this vision. This consultation builds upon previous reforms to parole and associated practice over the past six years, and marks the next step in the journey of continued improvement. We are committed to listening, learning, adapting and delivering change... More
    Opened 20 August 2025

  • Scottish Aggregates Tax - proposed approaches to cross-border taxation

    The Scottish Government is seeking views on options for approaching cross-border taxation for Scottish Aggregates Tax (SAT). The Aggregates Tax and Devolved Tax Administration (Scotland) Act 2024 (“the 2024 Act) provides for the key elements of a new devolved tax on the commercial exploitation of aggregates in Scotland - the Scottish Aggregates Tax (“SAT”). SAT is intended to replace UK Aggregates Levy (UKAL) from 1 April 2026. This is subject to the successful... More
    Closed 18 August 2025

  • Pathway Action Plans for Invasive Non-native Species

    We want your views on five Pathway Action Plans to reduce the risk of invasive non-native species spreading in Great Britain. What the plans cover The plans focus on stopping invasive species from spreading through: recreational boating and angling - preventing species moving between waterways horticulture - stopping invasive garden plants and soil contaminants spreading zoos - preventing animals escaping from zoos or wildlife parks pets - stopping released or... More
    Closed 18 August 2025

  • Update to the 2020 Offshore Wind Policy Statement: Scotland’s Offshore Wind ambition

    The outlook for offshore wind in Scotland has changed since the original Offshore Wind Policy Statement was published in 2020, which outlined an ambition that Scotland's 2GW of operational and under construction offshore wind capacity at the time could grow to between 8GW and 11GW by 2030. Since then, there has been a significant increase in the number of potential offshore wind developments due to the ScotWind and the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds. ... More
    Closed 13 August 2025

  • Process for determining electoral boundaries in Scotland

    This consultation will discuss some of the processes used to approve changes to electoral boundaries in the UK and around the world, and ask for your views on which of the models may be a best fit for Scotland. It will also ask whether any other changes should be made as a result of any change to the approval process. Read the consultation paper . The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while... More
    Closed 7 August 2025

  • Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research Strategy 2027-32

    The Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) Research programme is a multidisciplinary portfolio of research. It is structured in five-year cycles to enable long term strategic research and provide clarity on research priorities and programme structure. This is a draft version of the 2027-32 ENRA Research Strategy for public consultation. The programme covers a broad range of issues critical to Scotland's environmental and agricultural futures including: ... More
    Opened 4 August 2025

  • Draft Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan

    This consultation is on the draft Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan, the first plan of its kind in Scotland with a dedicated focus on the marine and coastal environment. The plan will work to address the growing pressures on our marine environment and set out how we intend to accelerate marine restoration in Scotland, including identifying actions to help prioritise habitats and locations suitable for restoration. Accelerating active restoration in Scotland’s marine... More
    Opened 29 July 2025

  • Northern Isles Ferry Services 4

    Ministerial Foreword I am pleased to launch this public consu ltation on the future of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract (NIFS4). The ferry routes linking Orkney and Shetland with mainland Scotland are essential not only for local communities, but for the wider economic, cultural, and social wellbeing of the Northern Isles. It is essential that these services are reliable, resilient and delivering to the needs of islanders, businesses and visitors alike and... More
    Opened 22 July 2025

  • Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Action Programme review

    We invite stakeholders to respond to our review of the Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2008. We are reviewing the measures in the current Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Action Programme to evaluate whether they remain sufficient to achieve the aims of the Nitrates Directive. The review considers the latest scientific research and new evidence affecting Action Programme measures - taking account of the variation in agricultural, soil and climatic... More
    Opened 21 July 2025

  • Health: Long Term Conditions Framework

    The purpose of this consultation Many people in Scotland live with the challenges of a long term condition; recently reported as 38% of our population. Long term conditions can impact a person’s whole life: their physical health, mental health, relationships, finance and work. The Scottish Government has a number of strategies and policies in place to improve care and support for a range of long term conditions and condition groups. The approaches taken focus on... More
    Closed 20 July 2025

  • Housing (Scotland) Bill

    This consultation seeks views on how powers within the Housing (Scotland) Bill ("the Bill") could be used to exempt certain types of properties from rent control and the circumstances where rents could be increased above the level of any introduced rent cap. The Bill, as introduced to Parliament on 26 March 2024, creates a power for Scottish Ministers to introduce rent control areas. This would only be done following an assessment of an area’s rents by the local authority and a... More
    Closed 18 July 2025

  • Developing an ecosystem restoration code for Scotland

    In the 2024 Natural Capital Market Framework, the Scottish Government (SG) committed to supporting the development of an Ecosystem Restoration Code (ERC) for Scotland as a new high-integrity market mechanism that could attract responsible private investment into nature restoration and biodiversity projects. This commitment is being delivered in 2025 via an SG-NatureScot partnership project. SG has published an Engagement Paper which summarises the results of the Discovery Phase of the... More
    Closed 7 July 2025

  • Qualifications for teachers of children and young people who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, or deafblind

    This consultation seeks to capture views on proposed changes to the guidance on appropriate qualifications and teacher competencies for teachers who teach children and young people who are blind or partially sighted, deaf, or deafblind. The proposed changes take into account developments in sensory impairment education since 2007, with the overall aim of enhancing attainment for children and young people with these specific learning needs. We would like to hear your views on the... More
    Closed 4 July 2025

  • The Scottish Register of Tartans: fees review

    We want to hear your views about the fees associated with the Scottish Register of Tartans (the Register) . Since 2009, National Records of Scotland (NRS) has maintained and overseen the Register. It is internationally recognised as the pre-eminent repository for the promotion and preservation of tartans. With more than 10,000 tartans, the Register promotes and protects information about one of Scotland’s most recognisable cultural assets. NRS is a non-ministerial... More
    Closed 29 June 2025

  • The Scottish Bus Open Data Consultation

    In 2019 the Scottish Government brought in new primary legislation for transport (the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019), which included new provisions to better define bus open data, and to require it be shared for the new purpose of directly informing passengers (or potential passengers) about services. We believe that bus open data is essential to make travel on public transport more accessible, and to increase patronage of public transport in Scotland. We intend to introduce new... More
    Closed 21 June 2025

  • Herring in the Firth of Clyde: recommending the total allowable catch for 2025

    This consultation relates to the 2025 Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for herring in the Firth of Clyde The Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government is carrying out this consultation on behalf of the UK Fisheries Administrations to seek views on the level of the 2025 TAC. Read the consultation paper . The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding. The consultation questions are... More
    Closed 20 June 2025

  • Scotland's Census 2031 - Topics

    The National Records of Scotland (NRS), on behalf of the Registrar General for Scotland, is responsible for conducting Scotland’s census. These statistics are of national strategic importance and bring a wide range of benefits to Scotland. Census statistics provide an accurate picture of Scotland’s population including its size, distribution, and demographics. Our statistics inform policy making, enabling government agencies to make decisions regarding funding for services... More
    Opened 17 June 2025

  • Changes to waste management services

    The Scottish Government is launching the Changes to Waste Management Consultation and the Call for Evidence (CfE) on the potential extension of the upcoming ban on landfilling biodegradable municipal waste. The first of these consultation topics is a review of the rural food waste exemption that permits local authorities not to collect food waste from locations classified as being rural if collections are not economically viable. We want to know if the exemption, which has existed since... More
    Closed 17 June 2025

  • Future of the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund

    The Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SLCF) is a voluntary tax credit scheme linked to the Scottish Landfill Tax (SLfT). The fund was established to mirror the UK Landfill Tax Communities Fund when SLfT was introduced in 2015 and provides funding for community or environmental projects in recognition of the dis-amenity of landfill activity. The continued reduction in landfilled waste in Scotland means that SLfT revenue is declining. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency... More
    Closed 6 June 2025

  • Potential cruise ship levy (Scotland)

    The Scottish Government is seeking views on giving local authorities in Scotland the power to introduce a cruise ship levy in all, or part, of their area if they choose to do so. We want to hear your views on the benefits and problems a cruise ship levy could bring, the potential impacts (both positive and negative), and practical questions about how any such levy could best work. Throughout this consultation we have used the term ‘cruise ship levy’ to refer to a... More
    Closed 30 May 2025

  • Animal Health Fixed Penalty Notice Scheme

    The Scottish Government is seeking feedback on proposals for the introduction of a Fixed Penalty Notice Scheme (FPN) issued for minor offences under the Animal Health Act 1981. Under the Animal Health Act 1981, Scottish Ministers have the power to make regulations allowing for fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to be used for certain animal health offences. FPNs are a financial penalty that can be offered to someone alleged to have committed an offence and may be used as an alternative to... More
    Closed 30 May 2025

  • Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission: Call for Evidence

    This Call for Evidence aims to gather written evidence and views to inform the work of the independent Commission on Sentencing and Penal Policy , which has been established to review Scotland’s current approach to sentencing and penal policy. The Commission will make recommendations for improvements t o achieve an effective, rehabilitative justice system, meaning less crime and fewer victims. The Commission is calling for evidence across four themes: Theme 1:... More
    Closed 25 May 2025

  • Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs)

    Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation – commonly referred to as SLAPPs – have been widely recognised as a growing threat to freedom of expression and particularly, but not only, to civil society actors such as journalists, academics, environmental defenders, and authors. SLAPPs are lawsuits or threats of legal action that engage abusive litigation tactics in proceedings which concern public participation on matters of public interest. Abusive litigation... More
    Closed 23 May 2025

  • Climate change duties - draft statutory guidance for public bodies: consultation

    The Scottish Government is gathering views to help inform new Statutory Guidance for public bodies, to support them in putting the climate change duties into practice. The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (‘the 2009 Act’) places duties on relevant public bodies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contribute to delivery of the Scottish National Adaptation Plan, and to act in the most sustainable way. These duties are known as the climate change duties, or the public bodies... More
    Closed 23 May 2025

  • Draft Just Transition Plan for Transport

    Between now and 2045, we need to transform how we travel in Scotland. Currently, transport accounts for the largest share of our greenhouse gas emissions. That needs to change, and the sector needs to decarbonise, in order for us to achieve net zero. We can and must cut emissions by changing how people, goods, and services, move around our country and beyond, but we aim to do so in a way that is fair and just. Therefore, we are consulting on the first draft Just Transition Plan... More
    Closed 19 May 2025

  • Contract Law - review of retention

    The Scottish Government consulted on the Scottish Law Commission (SLC) contract law review report in July 2024. The aim of the consultation was to establish whether the landscape around this area of the law has changed since the report was published in March 2018 and if so whether the changes are material to its recommendations. One of the issues tested in the consultation was the need for reforms around the principle of mutuality and, particularly, retention. ... More
    Closed 5 May 2025

  • Mitigation of the two-child cap

    This consultation seeks views on the Scottish Government’s proposed approach to mitigate the two-child cap policy applied by the UK Government. The two-child cap restricts support through Universal Credit (UC) to the first two children in a family except in some limited circumstances. The Scottish Government is committed to developing systems to alleviate the impact of the two-child cap in Scotland in 2026. The consultation paper sets out more fully the proposed approach which intends to... More
    Closed 18 April 2025

  • Community benefits from net zero energy developments

    This consultation is part of a review of the Good Practice Principles for onshore and offshore renewable energy, which seeks to ensure that our guidance helps communities and developers get the best from community benefits. Community benefits are additional benefits, that are currently voluntary, which developers provide to the “community”, and which sit independently of the planning and consenting system. They provide an opportunity to share in the benefits of the energy... More
    Closed 11 April 2025

  • A local authority General Power of Competence

    The Scottish Government would like to invite you to respond to this consultation on a local authority General Power of Competence. We are pleased to be taking forward this work as part of our commitment to joint partnership working with COSLA and Local Government and would like to ask for your views and perspectives on potential legislative changes to enable local authorities to more effectively deliver public services. A General Power of Competence A... More
    Closed 1 April 2025

  • Scottish Energy Performance Certificate Register Lodgement Fees and Penalty Charges

    This technical consultation builds upon previous Scottish Government consultations on EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) Reform in 2021 and 2023. The Scottish Government has issued its response to the 2023 consultation in January 2025, which sets out our final decisions on EPC Reform prior to laying new EPC Regulations in Parliament later during 2025. We plan to bring the new Regulations into force in the second half of 2026, to align with the introduction of the UK Home Energy Model... More
    Closed 28 March 2025
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