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1033 results

  • 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
    Closed 20 October 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
    Closed 24 October 2025

  • Permitted development rights to support provision of new homes

    The Scottish Government is exploring whether permitted development rights (“PDR”) can play a greater role in helping to address the housing emergency. This consultation primarily relates to potential PDR changes that might help to address the housing emergency . It also seeks views on measures to support the deployment of heat networks and domestic air source heat pumps . Feedback from respondents will inform the formation and refinement of any proposals... More
    Closed 27 October 2025

  • Quality Prescribing for Chronic Pain 2026-2029

    We want to hear your views on the draft 'Quality prescribing for Chronic Pain: a guide for improvement 2026-2029'. Chronic pain, defined as persistent pain lasting beyond three months, can significantly impact quality of life, affecting physical and mental wellbeing. In Scotland, the Scottish Health Survey 2022 indicates that approximately 38% of adults live with chronic pain. The prevalence of chronic pain is significantly higher in areas of socioeconomic deprivation. ... More
    Closed 31 October 2025

  • 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
    Closed 11 November 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
    Closed 11 November 2025

  • 11 Proposed Joint UK Fisheries Management Plans for Demersal Fish Stocks

    The purpose of this consultation is to seek your views on the proposed 11 joint UK fisheries management plans (FMPs) for demersal fish stocks, their policies and proposed actions. FMPs are documents prepared and published under the Fisheries Act 2020 and they set out policies and actions for the demersal fisheries designed to restore or maintain relevant stocks of seafish at sustainable levels. They are evidence-based action plans that support delivery of sustainable... More
    Opened 20 November 2025

  • Forestry and Land Scotland Draft Corporate Strategic Plan 2026 - 2030

    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 Strategic Plan which sets out the proposed direction of travel and priorities for our organisation . The consultation paper contains full background information for this consultation. You may find it useful to read or refer to while responding. Read the consultation... More
    Closed 21 November 2025

  • School inspections are changing: the views of children and young people

    An introduction from His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education What is a consultation? A consultation is when people ask for your ideas and opinions before making decisions. It's a way for you to have your say and help shape what happens in the future. As part of this consultation, you are about to complete an online questionnaire so we can understand what you think about school inspections. School inspectors are thinking about making changes to the way schools... More
    Closed 26 November 2025

  • School inspections are changing

    An introduction from His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education Making education better for every learner As Scotland’s inspectorate of education, we have a duty to uphold the rights of children and young people and to ensure the education system delivers what they need to thrive. Why inspection matters Our role is to shine a light on what works, share effective practice, and support improvement across the system. But we also recognise that for some... More
    Closed 26 November 2025

  • NHS Delivery - a new national delivery organisation to lead transformation across our health and social care system

    We are seeking views on our proposals to reform national support and delivery services for our health and social care system. We believe such reform is necessary if we are to be able to provide continuing high-quality health and social care services to the Scottish public in the years ahead. The consultation paper seeks comments on our intention to combine the functions of NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) from 1 April 2026 as a first step in... More
    Closed 30 November 2025

  • Football Banning Orders

    A Football Banning Order (FBO) is a court order that restricts a person’s ability to attend football matches. FBOs are aimed at keeping football games safe for everyone. FBOs were introduced in Scotland as part of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006. This legislation has remained largely unchanged since then, and FBO legislation was last reviewed in 2011. The Scottish Government is seeking views and evidence on the current legislation and if it... More
    Opened 1 December 2025

  • Proposed amendment to the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006

    The Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (“the 2006 Regulations”) require the Scottish Government and some airport operators to meet a number of statutory requirements to bring about measures which are intended to avoid, prevent, or reduce, on a prioritised area basis, the harmful effects, including annoyance, due to the exposure to environmental noise. This public consultation applies to Scotland only and seeks the views of those interested in environmental noise pollution. ... More
    Opened 3 December 2025

  • Proposals to update the School Premises Regulations

    The Scottish Government is consulting on proposals to update the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967 to ensure they reflect the needs of modern education. The current regulations set minimum standards for aspects such as site size, lighting, and ventilation, but they are outdated and do not account for contemporary priorities like digital connectivity and wellbeing spaces. This consultation seeks views on what minimum standards should apply... More
    Opened 16 December 2025

  • Regulation of fish and shellfish farm deposits

    The Scottish Government Programme for Government 2025 to 2026 sets out the commitment to streamline the consenting process for aquaculture, to improve efficiency, and clarify the consenting process for aquaculture development between 3 – 12 nautical miles. Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are the responsible authority for the regulation of fish farm environmental discharges between 0-3 nautical miles, and Marine Directorate - Licensing Operations Team... More
    Closed 16 December 2025

  • Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review Statutory Guidance

    This consultation seeks views on the draft statutory guidance for undertaking domestic homicide and suicide reviews in Scotland. The Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Act 2025 creates a Statutory framework for undertaking domestic homicide and suicide reviews which look to learn lessons following a domestic abuse related fatality. To support the review process, the 2025 Act makes provision for the Scottish Ministers' to issue statutory... More
    Opened 17 December 2025

  • Compulsory Purchase Reform in Scotland

    The Scottish Government wants compulsory purchase to fulfil its potential as a tool for delivering projects in the public interest – one that encourages authorities to make positive and proactive use of their powers, including in partnership with third parties. We want to reform the system to make it simpler, more streamlined and fairer for all parties. Compulsory purchase is a powerful tool. It can help to deliver a wide range of projects – large and small – that would... More
    Closed 19 December 2025

  • Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction: Implementing Part IV

    This is a consultation regarding implementation of Part IV of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement concerning Environmental Impact Assessments in the high seas. The Scottish Government is looking for evidence on potential activities taking place in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) known as the high seas (beyond 200 nautical miles) and is seeking views on proposed amendments to the marine licensing regime under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010... More
    Closed 19 December 2025

  • Vision for Kinship Care

    This consultation is seeking views on the Scottish Government’s working draft vision for kinship care, published on 22 December 2025. The consultation forms the basis for wider engagement and the vision statement will be revised following analysis of consultation responses. What is kinship care? Kinship care refers to situations when a child cannot live safely with their parent(s) and instead lives with someone they already know—such as a relative, close family friend,... More
    Opened 22 December 2025

  • Family Law consultation

    This consultation seeks views on: Implementing the Scottish Law Commission's recommendations to improve cohabitants' rights following separation Cohabitant's rights where their partner dies without leaving a will Whether the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership should be raised from 16 to 18 and on extending the criminal offence of forced marriage or forced civil partnership Extending the simplified divorce and dissolution procedures in Scotland to include cases... More
    Opened 29 December 2025

  • Onshore electricity generation: increasing the threshold for applications under The Electricity Act

    We are consulting on increasing the 50 megawatt (MW) threshold which determines whether applications for onshore electricity generating stations are decided by Scottish Ministers or by the relevant planning authority. Background In Scotland, applications for onshore electricity generation projects are considered through two different routes. The Scottish Ministers are responsible for deciding applications to build, operate or modify onshore... More
    Opened 30 December 2025

  • Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland

    An Agglomerations Noise Action Plan is required, by The Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (“the 2006 Regulations”), to be produced on a five yearly cycle, based on the results of the strategic noise maps. The 2006 Regulations requires the Scottish Government to bring about measures which are intended to avoid, prevent, or reduce, on a prioritised area basis, the harmful effects, including annoyance due to the exposure to environmental noise. This... More
    Closed 31 December 2025

  • Extension of Freedom of Information in (Scotland) Acts 2002 (FOISA) to private and third sector providers of care home and ‘care at home’ services

    The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) gives people important rights to ask for and receive information from government and public services in Scotland. In doing so it places clear obligations on Scottish public authorities to provide people with information about their work. Through this consultation, the Scottish Government is seeking views on whether these rights and obligations should, where possible, be extended to private and third sector (i.e. voluntary and... More
    Opened 5 January 2026

  • Scottish Road Works Register Prescribed Fees Regulations 2026

    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 in the 2026-27 financial year. The intention is to revoke the 2025 Instrument, and replace with a new Instrument for 2026. This consultation seeks your views on making this change. As you complete your response, each page will provide the option to 'Save and come back later' at the bottom. This means you can save your progress and... More
    Closed 6 January 2026

  • Water services: investing in and paying from 2027

    Scottish Water supplies clean water to 97% of households and businesses in Scotland and provides wastewater services to 93%. Scottish Water is a public corporation accountable to the Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. It is regulated to ensure services are efficient, meet mandatory standards and operate in an environmentally sustainable way. Customers fund these services and ongoing investment through charges collected alongside council tax. Plans for water and... More
    Opened 6 January 2026

  • Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 thresholds

    This consultation seeks views on amending the goods, services, works and community benefit thresholds within the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act) . When public bodies buy goods, works or services they must follow certain rules set out in law. Which rules apply to the award of a contract is determined by the value of that contract. Public procurement in Scotland can be broadly divided into three categories, based on the value of the contract: ... More
    Closed 8 January 2026

  • The future of secure care and the single point of contact (SPOC) for victims in the Children's Hearings System

    Secure accommodation is a critical part of Scotland’s child welfare and justice systems. It is for a small number of children whose risks cannot be managed in any other setting and is one of the most intensive and restrictive forms of child care available in Scotland. This consultation seeks views on a transformative future for secure care, and for the children who may need its support, across the following inter-linked issues: The case(s) for the future... More
    Opened 8 January 2026

  • Environmental Standards Scotland - updated Strategy 2026-2031

    Environmental Standard Scotland (ESS) is an independent public body, established by the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 (the Continuity Act). ESS monitors compliance with, and the effectiveness of, environmental law in Scotland. Our role is to hold public authorities to account to improve the quality of the environment in Scotland and help achieve the highest environmental standards. ESS’ Strategy sets out how we will work to... More
    Closed 9 January 2026

  • Draft Infrastructure Strategy 2027-2037

    The Scottish Government wants Scotland's infrastructure to be planned and delivered in a way that supports net zero and environmental sustainability, inclusive economic growth and resilient and sustainable places. Our ambition is to create a system that makes best use of existing assets, embraces innovation, and ensures investment decisions deliver long-term public value. Why this matters Infrastructure underpins the services and systems we all rely on, transport, health,... More
    Opened 13 January 2026

  • Draft Circular Economy Strategy

    The Scottish Government is committed to moving from a linear “take, make and dispose” economic model to a circular economy where materials and goods are valued and kept in use for as long as possible. This draft circular economy strategy sets out the rationale and benefits of a more circular economy within the wider economic framework and describes our overall vision to 2045 and the outcomes that we are working towards. Read the consultation paper . The... More
    Closed 13 January 2026
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