Official Report 406KB pdf
Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Finance and Local Government, Parliamentary Business and Veterans
Good afternoon. The first portfolio is Deputy First Minister responsibilities, finance and local government, parliamentary business and veterans. If a member wishes to ask a supplementary question, they should press their request-to-speak button during the relevant question.
United Kingdom Budget (Discussions with UK Government)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government in advance of the UK budget. (S7O-00347)
I met the Chief Secretary to the Treasury last month at the finance interministerial meeting in Cardiff. Following that, I wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, setting out our priorities for Scotland in the United Kingdom budget.
I can confirm that the UK Government has not given any undertaking to address the points that I raised. It has not made us aware of any plans to take action on the cost of living; reverse its planned real-terms reduction in Scotland’s block grant; or give a commitment to provide greater powers for this Parliament.
Last week, alongside Mike Duncan from the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland, I visited the fantastic Harbour Lights cafe in Lossiemouth. We discussed with Evelyn, the owner, the challenges that the hospitality sector faces and the need for support from the UK Government in the upcoming budget.
Now that the Scottish Government has publicly backed the campaign calling for a 10 per cent VAT rate for hospitality, what further representations can the cabinet secretary make to ensure that the UK Government takes that support on board?
I thank Laura Mitchell for her question and for highlighting the Harbour Lights cafe in Lossiemouth, in her constituency—I will have to visit it one day. The Scottish Government very much supports those calls for the hospitality industry, and I have urged the chancellor, in my letter, to listen carefully to the many businesses that continue to call for a reduction in VAT for the sector ahead of the UK budget.
The Scottish Government has repeatedly supported those calls since the temporary reduced rate ended, back in 2022, in order to secure some much-needed support for businesses facing ongoing cost pressures. Some of those challenges have been compounded by the increases in employer national insurance contributions and in energy bills. The Scottish Government is calling for direct action from the UK Government on VAT, particularly in support of our hospitality businesses this winter.
The Scottish Government has announced plans to provide financial support for the last pub or shop in a rural town or village. Can the minister say how much money will be put into that fund and when hospitality businesses in my constituency can expect to benefit from it?
Mr Hoy will be aware of the wider work that the Government has undertaken in relation to non-domestic rates. Ahead of the budget, I expect to bring forward plans in relation to the member’s question. I will be happy to engage with the member on the substantive detail around support for businesses in his constituency.
Local Governance Reform (Discussions with COSLA)
I refer members to my declaration of interest as a sitting councillor at Falkirk Council.
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its proposed local governance reforms, what discussions it has had with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other relevant bodies regarding the future of local government. (S7O-00348)
Over recent months, the Scottish Government has engaged with local government stakeholders through a range of different meetings and discussions on public service reform and local governance. On 11 September, the First Minister and I, and the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform, joined a special leaders’ meeting of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, which followed a series of meetings that I had with COSLA leadership over the summer. The recently published proposals are intended to be a starting point for discussion, and a programme of wider engagement with local authorities and other stakeholders is now under way.
I welcome the commitment to ongoing discussions, and I am encouraged that discussions are taking place. Local government has a strong record of innovation in public service delivery, and communities rightly expect high-quality local services on which they can rely.
Given that meaningful transformation should focus on outcomes rather than outputs, can the Deputy First Minister assure Parliament that that process remains at an early stage and that engagement with local government, COSLA, the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers and other partners will continue throughout the process? How will the Scottish Government ensure that any proposals are genuinely collaborative and deliver shared priorities for both national and local government?
Gary Bouse is quite right to say that local government has a track record of innovation, and we very much want to build on that expertise. The proposals that were shared with committees and COSLA on 21 September are a starting point for discussion, and no decisions have yet been made on future structures. That is an important point.
The Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform and I plan to meet local authorities over the coming weeks. Indeed, only on Monday we met Dumfries and Galloway Council and Scottish Borders Council. Of course, further engagement will be planned with a variety of partners and, importantly, the public. Through those discussions, we will develop a shared vision for reform, including in relation to how governance and service delivery can best support the needs of our communities all over Scotland.
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a member of South Lanarkshire Council.
In the light of cross-party support for the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the Government’s commitment to intensive engagement, can ministers assure Parliament that they will not proceed with any large-scale restructuring of local government if COSLA objects?
I cannot foresee a scenario wherein COSLA would object to local government reform. It is only through that partnership working that we will be able to take forward the proposals. We will continue that dialogue with COSLA and directly with local government as we take forward the necessary reforms, which are all about improving public services for the people we all represent.
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a sitting member of Highland Council.
Freedom to challenge those exercising public power is fundamental to our democracy. Councillors must be able to scrutinise officials and robustly challenge political opponents without the threat of a standards complaint becoming a means of silencing them. As part of local governance reform, will the Government review the councillors’ code of conduct and the operation of the standards regime to ensure that protections for legitimate scrutiny and political expression are effective and practised while maintaining public ethics?
I think that that issue was raised with the First Minister during First Minister’s question time yesterday. As the First Minister set out to Parliament, the Standards Commission would be a matter for Parliament to address.
On the substantive point regarding the councillors’ code of conduct, I am happy to take the matter to COSLA in relation to the cross-party discussions that we are having. I am not ruling anything out at this stage. However, in the round, we should be mindful that this is not a one-way conversation between ourselves and local government, and we should also be engaging with the public.
I hear the points that the member makes, and I will take them back to COSLA in our engagement with it throughout this period.
Local Governance Reform (Council Elections)
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the council elections scheduled for May 2027 could be postponed to align with its local governance consolidation. (S7O-00349)
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a member of Aberdeen City Council.
Any such report is inaccurate. We have already made it clear that the 2027 local government elections will go ahead as planned.
I think that such uncertainties are evidence that there has simply not been enough engagement with local authorities. I note that many local authorities are now writing to ministers to request meaningful engagement and time to digest any proposals, because they are extremely fearful of policy by diktat. How can the Scottish Government assure councils that they will get that meaningful engagement?
I fail to see where the confusion is. I could not have given a clearer answer to Mr Massey if I had tried. However, let me reiterate the point: the 2027 local government elections will go ahead as planned. I hope that that is clear enough for Mr Massey, everyone in the chamber and anyone else who is watching.
In terms of the process of engagement, we have just heard the Deputy First Minister set out the clear commitment that, of course, there will be engagement with local government. We are at the start of the process, and it is vital that we engage with local government as we consider the reforms.
I refer to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a sitting member of Angus Council.
Given that the Scottish Government has already been very explicit, including today, that the local elections will not be postponed, does the minister share my concern that misinformation about the elections may lead to a reduced turnout?
Whether we are talking about confusion or misinformation, let me be abundantly clear that the 2027 elections will go ahead. I hope that that reassures Mr Melville, and I am sure that he, Mr Massey and everyone in the chamber will be able to make it clear that the 2027 local government elections will go ahead.
I remind the chamber of my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a member of South Lanarkshire Council.
Following that abundant clarity from the Government, why is the date of the next council election an impediment to creating end-of-office payments in line with the independent recommendations of the Scottish local authorities remuneration committee, even though it has been two and a half years since its report was published?
The Government has given careful consideration to that issue, and that has already been communicated to the Parliament. The election, in and of itself, is not necessarily the impediment. We must carefully consider the astute management of public finances. That is one of the considerations.
Local Authority and Ward Boundaries
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a sitting councillor at Fife Council.
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any reviews since 2007 regarding the functionality of local authority area and ward boundaries. (S7O-00350)
I feel that I should declare that I am not a councillor. [Laughter.]
The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 sets out the requirements for Boundaries Scotland to conduct a review of the boundaries of all local authority areas every eight to 12 years. Boundaries Scotland is also obliged to consider requests from local authorities or interested persons for it to conduct reviews of boundaries between local authority areas.
Since before 2007, Boundaries Scotland has been under a ministerial direction not to conduct regular reviews of the external boundaries of local authority areas. However, some reviews of council boundaries, when fewer than 500 electors are affected, such as the Cardowan review in 2019, have been carried out.
Boundaries Scotland is the public body that is responsible for reviewing local government boundaries and ward boundaries. It most recently concluded a review of local authority wards and the numbers of councillors in all Scottish councils in 2016, and the next review is required by 30 October 2030.
When it comes to local government reform, a key slogan of the Government is that some councils are too big to be local and some are too small to be effective. Given that there is a lot of confusion about the Scottish Government’s plans to address that, will the minister begin by at least telling us which of our present councils are too big or too small, in his view, and whether some local authorities will be spared from mergers?
As Ms MacDougall knows, I will not comment on her final point, because we are at the outset of a conversation about that.
In relation to councils that I consider to be either too large to be truly local or too small to be strategic, I refer to my local authority area. I frequently find that that is the case in North Lanarkshire—my constituents certainly report that to me.
It is perfectly sensible for us to consider such matters. I am sorry that Ms MacDougall is often confused by the process, but I think that most people are not.
The Fraser of Allander Institute has rightly noted that current local authority boundaries do not always align with the geographical scale of economic activity or the reality of how public services are best delivered. How will the Scottish Government’s proposed restructuring of local government seek to address that?
The Fraser of Allander Institute’s point is well observed. That is a key reason why we are undertaking the exercise. We are considering economic activity that takes place across wider regions, but we want to ensure that there is local involvement. That is exactly why we have begun the exercise, and we look forward to all MSPs contributing positively to the discussion.
In the previous parliamentary session, there were proposals to change ward boundaries, particularly in the Highland Council area, but they did not command the support of the Parliament, so the Government did not take them forward. That seems to have led to a campaign of automaticity whereby boundaries are automatically approved. Will the Government give the assurance that that will not go ahead, given the fact that a cross-party committee in the previous parliamentary session—the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee—unanimously opposed that?
I will not give that commitment. I understand Mr Griffin’s question, but automaticity is part of the approval process in many other jurisdictions for the very reason that it removes those involved in the process of standing in elections from determining the boundaries themselves. Therefore, there is a strong case for automaticity.
We asked Andrew Kerr to undertake work in that regard, and he has provided a report. We are preparing a response to his review, which will set out in more detail our position on his specific recommendations. Of course, any changes would require the involvement of the Parliament, so Mr Griffin can be reassured that his role as a legislator will be respected and included as part of that process.
Veterans Strategy (Kirkcaldy)
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in implementing the commitments set out in its veterans strategy across the Kirkcaldy constituency. (S7O-00351)
Mr Torrance takes a keen interest in such matters, which is understandable, given that the Fife area has one of the highest percentages of veterans in its population compared with other areas of the country.
The Scottish Veterans Commissioner published her annual progress report in September, which highlights the progress that we have made in supporting veterans during the past year, as well as the areas that require further focus. I also intend to publish a new Scottish veterans action plan, which will outline how we will deliver the new strategy’s priority outcomes for our veterans and how we will track and measure those outcomes.
I welcome the work that has been delivered through the veterans strategy, particularly the Scottish veterans fund, which has provided vital support to projects that make a real difference to veterans and their families all across Scotland.
In 2025, the Scottish Government committed to a review of the Scottish veterans action plan. Can the minister provide an update on the review and confirm whether the plan will be refreshed to ensure that it continues to reflect the needs that veterans have today?
I give Mr Torrance that confirmation. We are developing a new approach for an action plan for Scotland that will seek to bring together more clearly all the different threads of work on how we best support veterans in Scotland—in particular, the work of our veterans commissioner and the outcomes set by the new United Kingdom veterans strategy.
We are approaching the plan slightly differently than we have in the past, but it will give a clearer direction of travel to all those who support or celebrate veterans, which includes all of us in the chamber. It also includes the active and close-knit veterans and armed forces charity sector, which we are very fortunate to have in Scotland.
Veterans and People Granted Asylum (Support)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of differences in the support available to military veterans and people granted asylum in Scotland. (S7O-00352)
The Government seeks to support all people residing in Scotland and tailors that to the specific needs of specific groups where required. Our veterans community makes a valuable contribution to our society.
Most veterans make a successful transition to civilian life, but we are committed to ensuring that all our veterans get the support that their service deserves. That is why, where a specific need is identified, tailored provision will be put in place. For example, our £600,000 Scottish veterans fund supports hundreds of organisations to provide veterans and their families with services and other assistance.
Veterans in Scotland receive a dedicated Scottish Government spend of around £4.6 million per year. Migrants in this country receive a dedicated £6.7 million per year from the Scottish Government. That has a real-world consequence. While speaking to a local veterans charity, I heard of a man who had been left to sleep behind local shops and use food banks for two years. He spoke of loving his country, but said that he felt that his country did not love him back after all that he had sacrificed to protect it.
How does the minister justify prioritising people who have invaded the country over people who have fought to protect it?
That is a ridiculous question. Of course we focus on supporting our veterans community. I greatly value our veterans community, and any incident of the nature that Senga Beresford mentioned is one that I deeply regret. I would not seek to weaponise it in the fashion in which she did, however; I would not use the bad experience of a veteran to come into Parliament and stir up the type of nonsense that she stirs up.
However, I recognise that we need to do everything that we can for veterans. We are working on how we can support veterans who experience homelessness. In line with the points that I made, which show that we have broadly positive outcomes for veterans, I make clear that veterans are no more likely to be homeless than the general population.
Local Government Finance (Early Learning and Childcare)
I refer members to my entry in the register of interests, as I am a councillor for West Lothian Council. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on local government finances of decisions by certain local authorities to restrict cross-boundary funded early learning and childcare placements. (S7O-00353)
The Scottish Government invests about £1 billion a year to fully fund the 1,140 offer, and local authorities should be working together to provide cross-boundary places wherever possible. The number of ELC places is one factor that informs each local authority’s general revenue grant alongside a range of indicators such as population, rurality and deprivation.
The distribution methodology is agreed between the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and is kept under review. We will continue to explore cross-boundary provision with COSLA in the context of wider reform and our ambition to transform childcare during this session of Parliament.
Does the Deputy First Minister agree that, where local decisions significantly reduce parental choice or alter access to funded early learning and childcare, families and providers should be able to understand the evidence base for those decisions and see a transparent assessment of their financial and educational impacts?
I agree with the substantive point that Pauline Stafford has rightly made. Flexibility and choice are fundamental to our funded ELC offer.
Local councils have a duty to consult families in their local area about how they should make the ELC available. We expect our councils to work with families to ensure that they have access to high-quality funded early learning and childcare that meets their needs.
Although it is ultimately for locally elected members to make decisions on how best to deliver services in their area, I entirely agree that meaningful and transparent engagement with the public is essential and will improve outcomes for families and our children.
This morning, I met staff at First Adventures Nurseries in Linlithgow, who told me of the impact of the loss of cross-boundary placements on the nursery and families in the community. Ministers have repeatedly referred to the guidance on cross-boundary placements, but so far the Scottish Government seems unwilling to make that guidance mandatory or provide support for councils to implement it. What will the Deputy First Minister do to ensure that cross-boundary placements are available across the country?
I will take away the specific issue that Jenny Young has raised about engagement with local authorities. It is clear that members from all parties are disappointed when local decisions reduce flexibility and the cross-boundary opportunities that placements provide in other parts of the country.
I want all families in Scotland to benefit from that funding, which we have protected through successive budget agreements. The funding follows the child arrangements go back many years—they were rolled out when we rolled out the 1,140 hours of funded ELC, and they allow for that flexibility.
I will take away the member’s substantive point about engagement with local government, because it is a key principle that sits at the heart of the guidance previously agreed with COSLA.
Road Verge Management
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of local government action to improve road verge management, including by increasing native plant and pollinator habitat, improving ecological connectivity, increasing soil infiltration, reducing surface-water run-off and pressure on drainage infrastructure, and what were its findings. (S7O-00354)
Local authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of local roads, including roadside verges, within their areas. The Scottish Government does not routinely monitor the activities of local government in carrying out its normal functions, such as roadside verge maintenance and management.
Given the increasing pressure on local drainage infrastructure from surface water flooding, will the Scottish Government work with local authorities to explore the use of road verges as part of a wider flood prevention measure and assess the potential for that to reduce surface water run-off and flooding in communities?
I ask Hannah Mary Goodlad, when responding, to stick to her portfolio area.
The delineation is clear: the Scottish Government and Scottish ministers are responsible for the trunk road system and local authorities are responsible for local roads and verges. What the member suggests would represent quite a departure from the current division of responsibilities.
Local Authorities (Use of Vacant Assets)
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to communities seeking to take ownership of vacant or underused assets, including how it is working with local authorities to facilitate such projects. (S7O-00355)
I recognise that vacant and underused assets can blight communities, harm wellbeing and limit opportunities. That is why we are continually working closely with local authorities and other partners to support community-led regeneration across the country, with investment of up to £52 million in the previous financial year. That includes funding for the community ownership support service, which provides advice and support to communities seeking to acquire assets. That is complemented by the Scottish land fund, which offers grants of up to £1 million.
In my constituency, the Gartcosh Development Trust is pursuing the community asset transfer of Gartcosh public hall and Gartcosh primary school, but it is facing roadblocks.
What support can the Scottish Government provide to help resolve historical title and registration issues that affect community asset transfers? What discussions has it had with North Lanarkshire Council and Registers of Scotland to ensure that such issues do not unnecessarily prevent communities from taking ownership of assets that have long been in public use?
Mr MacGregor is a local champion for community asset transfer, and I thank him for raising that specific issue. The Scottish Government is not directly involved with specific community asset transfers unless an appeal is made, so I encourage those who are involved to work closely together to address those issues, including by engaging with Registers of Scotland.
The Scottish Government funds the community ownership support service, which gives community groups and relevant public bodies advice and guidance on all aspects of the community ownership and asset transfer process.
The minister might be aware of a similar issue in Finnieston in Glasgow, where the local community has very creative plans for the use of the currently derelict Corunna bowling club. However, as a result of the Scottish Government’s decision not to call in the planning application, the land is now massively overvalued compared with what it was previously valued at. The community has a right of first refusal, but exercising that right is unfeasible in the face of such a massive increase in the price tag, to more than 10 times the previous value, purely as a result of the planning permission.
Does the minister accept that that aspect of how the planning system works serves as a massive barrier to communities that look to take disused land into community ownership and only serves to benefit very wealthy land speculators and developers? What more can the Government do to ensure that that barrier is removed so that communities are able to exercise their rights?
I thank Mr Harvie for bringing that specific project to my attention. I was not aware of it and would be happy to write to him and engage on it further.
Planning is being reviewed at the moment, with a view to implementing changes in 2027. Additionally, purchase orders and selling orders on community purchase will be looked at in the round. I am happy to engage on the specific project that Mr Harvie has raised.
I refer to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a councillor in Fife Council.
The minister will be aware that many communities want to take an active role in bringing vacant properties back into use but are prevented from doing so by owners who have no intention of developing, selling or investing in those assets. Will the Scottish Government therefore consider giving local authorities stronger powers, such as introducing a compulsory sales order, to ensure that persistently vacant and underused properties can be brought back into productive ownership and use in cases in which the owners have failed to act?
That segues from Mr Harvie’s question. Local authorities have wide-ranging compulsory purchase powers to help bring vacant and derelict properties back into use. However, we are determined to modernise Scotland’s compulsory purchase system, including planning, and we will legislate to reform the system in this parliamentary session.
Following last year’s consultation, questions were raised about whether compulsory sale powers would offer any additional benefits beyond a reformed compulsory purchase order system. We will continue to engage on that issue with stakeholders across the board.
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a councillor in Aberdeenshire Council and chair of Kincardine and Mearns Youth Clubs charity.
Having participated in a community asset transfer for the charity, as well as having made decisions on other CATs as a councillor, I can attest that, in some instances, local authorities are not embracing the spirit of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. Rather than helping to facilitate genuinely good projects, there is a tendency to condescend and to place barriers in the way. Can the minister intervene to ensure that councils follow the act’s principle of presumption in order to help CATs move forward?
I stress that the presumption to grant must be upheld, and that is something that the Government encourages. As I mentioned in a previous answer, the Scottish Government is not directly involved with specific community asset transfers, unless appeals are made. However, I strongly encourage all relevant authorities that are involved in community asset transfers to allow the letter and, indeed, the spirit of the 2015 act to be followed.
Local Governance Reform (Timescale)
To ask the Scottish Government what timescale it anticipates for the implementation of its recently announced local governance reform proposals. (S7O-00356)
An implementation timetable for any reform proposals will be set out in due course following the end of the three-month period of dialogue and a decision about the direction of travel that emanates from that. However, urgency is required for public service reform across our public services, and that is why we are committed to coming to a shared agreement on the direction of travel to ensure that we move at pace.
The previous two major reorganisations largely involved the centralisation of powers and took up to eight years to design and implement. The current proposals suggest a large-scale devolution of powers, which is welcome but is likely to be much more complicated. How confident is the cabinet secretary that the proposed timescale will be less than the eight years that it took to design and implement the Wheatley commission proposals?
The member raises an important point. I do not want to prejudge the outcome of the consultation work that we are undertaking with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, but the agenda is about pushing power out of our current structures and into our communities, which is exactly why we have proposed moving towards a regional structure, with perhaps six, going right the way up to 10, regional authorities, and then from 120 up to 160 smaller community authorities. That would be pushing power down into communities.
It would be wrong of me to put a timescale on that final plan now, given that we are in the consultation period. However, I hope that it gives the member some assurance that the consultation is for a tightly focused period of three months, because we need to move at pace and with urgency on these matters.
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests and declare that I am a councillor on Dundee City Council.
It is 30 years since we did local government reform, and one of the most exciting elements of the proposed reform is the creation of the community authorities that the cabinet secretary has referred to. Will the cabinet secretary share her views on how those new structures can move power towards communities and how she hopes that they will help communities to shape and develop services in their areas?
Heather Anderson is absolutely correct that this is about community empowerment, and that will remain central to our position in driving forward local government reform. It is not about moving decisions further away from people; it is about ensuring that decisions are taken as closely to people as possible and in the most appropriate way, which is in accordance with the wishes of the people who we all represent.
Planning is under way for further engagement with local authorities and communities on the proposals, as has been mentioned during portfolio questions today. That dialogue will help us to reach the shared vision that I spoke about previously for the next steps on local government reform.
Public Service Reform, Europe, External Affairs and Energy
The next portfolio is public service reform, Europe, external affairs and energy. If a member wishes to ask a supplementary question, they should press their request-to-speak button during the relevant question.
Onshore Wind (Community Benefits)
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that communities hosting multiple onshore wind developments, including Tweedsmuir, receive a fair and lasting share of the benefits arising from those developments. (S7O-00357)
The Scottish Government is clear that communities hosting renewable energy infrastructure should see a fair share of the benefits that come from those developments. Where multiple developments are in the same area, we encourage a co-ordinated approach. Last year, around £40 million was offered in community benefits under our good practice principles. We are refreshing the guidance to reflect changes in the sector since 2019. That includes increasing the recommended fund level for onshore wind; introducing levels for solar and battery storage; strengthening expectations around co-located and multiple developments; and enhancing support for communities and developers alike.
I am an ardent supporter of renewable energy, but communities must have a real say in what happens around them. People in Tweedsmuir, a community in my region, are, to put it frankly, fed up. In their locality, they now have four wind farms built or under development, with more potentially on the way. When large infrastructure projects enter the planning system, the legal process and paperwork involved in engaging with and challenging developers can be prohibitively complex for a group of volunteers. What support can be made available to communities to access professional and legal expertise so that they can make their case and be involved on a level playing field?
I welcome the fact that Mr Dunlop supports renewable energy across Scotland, as do members across the Parliament. I acknowledge that there is fatigue in communities across Scotland in relation to the cumulative impact of that work and the planning applications that are coming forward at multiple levels across energy generation, transmission and storage. That is exactly why we are looking into the planning system in order to make reforms that will give communities and developers confidence about the pipeline of projects, and to step away from a piecemeal approach.
This Government has successively called on the United Kingdom Government to make community ownership or benefit mandatory. I hope that Mr Dunlop and his party will join us in those calls to the UK Government to ensure that community benefit is not voluntary but mandatory.
I assure the minister that my party has led the way in asking for a statutory community benefit. Will the minister explain what work the Scottish Government is currently doing with the UK Government to ensure that there is a statutory, index-linked community benefit framework that covers major renewable generation and the associated transmission infrastructure, with payments that reflect the impact on host communities?
The rate of onshore generation in Mr Baxter’s neck of the woods is as prolific as it is in mine. The Scottish Government continues to press for a mandatory approach to mature onshore renewable technology alongside a consistent Great Britain-wide approach for emerging technologies and offshore wind. The UK Government is consulting on that at the moment, and we have continued to press it in a cross-party fashion, which I welcome. The outcome of the UK process will be a key consideration in our considerations on the development of our good practice principles, which will emerge in the future.
Proposed Regional and Local Authorities
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects its proposed new regional and local authorities to be established. (S7O-00358)
The proposals that were shared with committees and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on 21 September are a starting point for a dialogue on local governance reform. Through those discussions, we will develop a vision for reform, including a timetable for implementation, and better understand the implications of change. The changes that are taken forward will be subject to the normal legislative process.
I take from that answer that there is no timetable. In fact, there is no consultation. It does not exist on the Scottish Government website—it is a ghost consultation. When will the consultation formally start? Will the cabinet secretary tell us—he will be the third minister to have attempted to answer this question today—what happens if COSLA and the Scottish Government disagree on what should happen?
We are engaging with a wide range of partners. That includes the process that is under way with COSLA as well as individual local authorities and a wide range of interested parties that are keen to input their thoughts into the process. There will be a process for wider engagement as part of that, which will be implemented shortly. We are keen that this will not just be an engagement between the Scottish Government and COSLA but that it will be much wider than that. As I said, we are seeking to develop a shared vision, which we can then take forward with partners.
The Scottish Government’s initial proposals on local government reform include a suggestion of separate arrangements for island communities, and I welcome the recognition of their unique needs. Will the cabinet secretary speak further on how such reforms will strengthen the representation of island communities, and will he commit to ensuring engagement with those communities, including in islands in Argyll and Bute, throughout the process?
The reform process is about moving decisions closer to people and ensuring that they are taken at the most appropriate level, in accordance with the wishes of communities. We are clear that, due to their unique geography, island authorities will require bespoke solutions, and we will engage with our partners in those areas that want to build on the existing dialogue to explore such solutions, including the single-authority model, to better understand how governance and service delivery can best support their needs.
Exports (Relationship with International Partners)
I refer to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am an elected councillor on Glasgow City Council.
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to strengthen Scotland’s relationships with international partners and multilateral organisations, including to support its target of increasing exports to 25 per cent of gross domestic product by 2029 as set out in its plan for growing Scotland’s exports. (S7O-00359)
The Scottish Government continues to work constructively with a range of international partners to enhance our international relationships and to support Scotland’s economic growth through increased exports, and we continue to press for Scotland’s interests to be fully represented on multilateral institutions.
“A Trading Nation” remains the Government’s export growth strategy, but, as is the case in many advanced economies around the world, growth in exports is a significant challenge due to continuing uncertainty in the global economy. We remain committed to growing Scotland’s exports and, in our programme for government, we confirmed that we will aim to secure more than £12 billion of planned export sales across the course of this session of Parliament. Building on the principles of “A Trading Nation”, we recently set out our approach to growing Scottish exports in the USA and India. Those critical steps in priority markets will help to support delivery of our planned export sales.
Given the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises across Cathcart and Pollok to the local economy, what opportunities does the Scottish Government believe exist for businesses in my constituency to benefit from its international trade and export strategy? How will it ensure that support reaches businesses at a local level?
The member is absolutely correct to highlight the importance of SMEs. As they are a critical element of Scotland’s business space, our export support and promotion efforts give them considerable attention. For example, through Scottish Enterprise, businesses throughout Scotland can access tailored support to identify international opportunities, enter new markets and grow exports. The fact that, in 2025-26, Scottish Enterprise supported companies in forecasting £2.15 billion of planned export sales demonstrates the positive impact of our support on businesses of all sizes in localities across Scotland.
Question 4 has been withdrawn and an explanation has been given.
Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage Project (Support)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding financial support for Acorn carbon capture and storage. (S7O-00361)
We engage regularly with the UK Government and continue to press it to ensure that the Acorn project receives, without delay, the £200 million development funding that was committed to in June last year. Scotland has waited too long and, after years of UK Government prevarication, the commitment needs to be turned into delivery.
While carbon capture projects in the rest of the UK have benefited from significant UK Government investment and are seeing that benefit, the Acorn project needs funding and certainty. The UK Government’s inaction is risking Scotland losing out on jobs and investment while slowing the decarbonisation of our industries.
The minister said that Scotland has waited too long. It is now 10 years since the Tory UK Government originally pulled the plug on funding for the Acorn carbon capture and storage project. The three clusters in England—two of which were amalgamated to form the East Coast Cluster—that were given the go-ahead ahead of Acorn are now able to access £22 billion of funding. Can the minister confirm that the Scottish Government will chase the UK Government on its pledge on reindustrialisation so that jobs can be secured on the Acorn project? Those jobs are vital, especially given the current position of the oil and gas sector and the decline in the number of jobs in the area.
I referred to the 2025 commitment, but Mr Brown is quite right to say that commitments were made to the Acorn project even longer ago, which were pulled by the then Conservative Government. We want to stand by the project and the Scottish industry. I assure Mr Brown and the rest of the Parliament that, in all our engagement with the UK Government, we will press it to meet the commitment that it made in June 2025 to provide £200 million of development funding.
In January 2022, the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport committed the Scottish Government to give £80 million to Acorn, without preconditions, to help it to progress and commit to jobs. That was recommitted to by the Government many times. Can the minister tell the Parliament, to the nearest £1 million, how much has actually been provided up to May 2026 and when the full £80 million will be paid over?
Our commitment to the £80 million still stands, but Mr Kerr will know that it was always contingent on UK Government funding, and the UK Government has not delivered. He asks what we have delivered, and the answer is all of the funding requests that Acorn has made of us. I am sure that Mr Kerr will welcome the fact that the Scottish Government has met all the funding requests made by the Acorn project. In the past financial year, we provided £3.1 million directly to the project to support development of its business case, alongside what we have previously provided for the infrastructure that is required by the wider Scottish cluster.
Public Service Reform (Engagement with Workforce and Trade Unions)
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to engage with the public sector workforce and trade unions regarding its public service reform proposals. (S7O-00362)
Engagement with trade unions and the workforce is central to delivering public service reform. The public service reform strategy sets out our commitment to empowering those who work in public services to shape change, identify opportunities and develop better solutions, recognising that the most effective ideas often come from those closest to delivering our vital services.
As part of our ongoing strategic dialogue, the Deputy First Minister and I will meet representatives of trade unions this afternoon for a round-table discussion to ensure that the workforce that they represent have meaningful voices in shaping our approach to reform.
I hope that, when they meet this afternoon, they will discuss the subject of compulsory redundancies. Shona Robison, the then Deputy First Minister, could not have been clearer:
“we have a clear position of no compulsory redundancies in the public sector”.—[Official Report, 19 December 2023; c 23.]
No ifs, no buts.
Her predecessor as Deputy First Minister, one John Swinney, said that the Scottish Government remained committed to a no compulsory redundancy position that had been in place since 2007.
When did that change, and was that agreed with trade unions?
The Government’s no compulsory redundancy policy has not changed; it is exactly the same as it always has been. I have laid that out clearly, and I, the First Minister and other ministers have been very clear on that. The policy has not changed, and there is no intention of changing the policy.
The Sunday Times has reported on the £2.4 million annual bill for 32 civil servants who are presently on a so-called priority movers list. Is it not high time that those wasteful practices ended? Should the Government not make ghost civil servants redundant if their roles are no longer required? Is it not time for the cabinet secretary, when he meets the trade unions this afternoon, to stand up to them, as they appear to be running rings round him?
The Scottish Government civil service has reduced by around 12 per cent over the past four years, through a variety of measures, with the primary one being not replacing those who leave. The permanent secretary is tasked with the management of the civil service on a day-to-day basis. The permanent secretary is engaged on the specific issue raised and will take it forward.
As I have already indicated, at committee and elsewhere, there is scope within the policy to address the specific issues that have been raised by the member.
Public Service Reform (Subsidiarity)
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to embed the principle of subsidiarity into its proposed public sector reform. (S7O-00363)
The programme for government set out our commitment to a three-month period of intensive dialogue with partners, and we have subsequently published a set of proposals as a starting point for discussion. The proposals aim to get the balance right between those services that are best delivered at national and regional levels and those that are best delivered closest to communities. That recognises the principle of subsidiarity: that decisions should be taken at the level closest to those they affect, except where they can be taken more effectively at a different level.
Our focus over the coming months is to build a shared understanding of how governance and service delivery can best support the needs of diverse communities across Scotland. No decisions have yet been taken on future structures.
In April this year, the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2026 became law, following a long-standing campaign by the former member of the Scottish Parliament, Andy Wightman. Article 4 of the charter states:
“Local authorities shall be consulted, insofar as possible, in due time and in an appropriate way in the planning and decision-making processes for all matters which concern them directly.”
However, despite being openly discussed by the Government, the large-scale proposals could rapidly reshape all aspects of local government. There is no open consultation for councils or parliamentarians to actively debate and discuss the wide-ranging proposals. How does the Scottish Government plan to fully consult with local authorities and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities so that they are active partners, not merely the subject of public sector reform?
The member may not be aware, but there is extensive ongoing dialogue with COSLA. There have been a number of meetings with the organisation and we have had extensive conversations directly with local authorities. We are well aware of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which Mr Sweeney referenced, and which calls for engagement with local authorities. That will continue to happen intensively over the coming period.
We are receiving proposals, concepts, ideas and comments from a wide range of partners in the third sector and elsewhere that are interested in having input to the process. If Mr Sweeney and his colleagues have other ideas that they would like to bring forward, I would be delighted to hear from them. As I have already indicated, an open online consultation for all members of the public will be launched shortly. Further engagement with members of the public is planned as part of the process.
One of the advantages that is often cited for a country of Scotland’s size is that we have the potential to combine strong national leadership with genuinely empowered local government. Does the minister think that the public service reform review provides a pivotal opportunity to move Scotland closer to the models that other successful European nations use, where local authorities have greater influence over services, economic development and local priorities?
Reforming Scotland’s public sector is about delivering the best services for people across the country. As a starting point for discussions, the Government has published a set of proposals that aim to get the balance right between the priorities that are best delivered nationally, those that are best delivered regionally and those that are best delivered closest to communities. We will continue to work intensively with local government, communities, the Parliament and others to design reforms that improve outcomes while strengthening local democracy.
Local leadership is already emerging across Scotland. The collaboration between councils in Forth Valley or Ayrshire shows a real willingness to explore new ways of delivering services to make the best use of public resources.
Public Service Reform (Volunteering)
To ask the Scottish Government what role it expects volunteering organisations to play in the delivery of its proposed public service reform agenda, particularly in relation to prevention, health and wellbeing. (S7O-00364)
The public service reform strategy sets out an ambition to transform public services. As the member knows, the third sector already delivers the local, in-depth and relationship-based support that we aspire to. The public service reform strategy sets out our commitment to strengthening and building on the dedication, skills and expertise within the third sector. The vital contribution of volunteers should not, and will not, replace staffed services, but they are a key part of what makes our communities so special.
Following a recent meeting with Volunteer Scotland, I was struck by the excellent work that volunteers are already doing in our communities in Uddingston and Bellshill and across Scotland to support health and wellbeing. What practical support will the Scottish Government provide to build on that work? How will it ensure that volunteer organisations have a meaningful say in shaping and delivering the Government’s ambitions for prevention and public service reform?
I recognise the great work that volunteers do in Uddingston and Bellshill and, indeed, across the country. Through a variety of mechanisms, the Government supports the third sector and volunteers in their activities. As we have committed to in the strategy, we will work with those partners to make the mechanisms for support as streamlined, effective and focused on impact as possible.
I will be delighted to hear from any organisation that wants to submit its thoughts on its priorities and how we take the work forward. We have already heard from a number of third sector organisations, and I would encourage other organisations, volunteers, and others to contribute to the process.
Public Service Reform (Third Sector Funding)
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of its public service reform agenda on funding for third sector organisations. (S7O-00365)
The public service reform strategy aims to transform public services through prevention, early intervention and cross-sector collaboration. The third sector will be a key delivery partner, as those organisations are often best placed to provide person-centred, joined-up support that is rooted in communities and focused on preventing issues from escalating.
We recognise the financial pressures that the sector faces and are committed to improving its sustainability. The strategy includes an action to help develop a register of Scottish Government funded third sector grants to identify opportunities to align and simplify funding, making it more accessible for organisations to access.
Across my Central Scotland and Lothians West region, many charities are doing vital work. For example, Home-Start Falkirk provides essential support for families in the Falkirk area, and Dial-a-Journey provides door-to-door transport for people with mobility issues across the Forth Valley area.
I had the privilege of meeting both those organisations over the recess period. However, every organisation that I met warned of the existential funding pressures that they are currently facing. I am concerned that the proposed reforms to local government will place decision making yet further from communities, and that charities providing those vital services may lose out.
Can the cabinet secretary guarantee today that the Government’s plan to reorganise local government will not make it more difficult for third sector organisations to access essential funding?
Yes, I can. It is important to recognise the extensive engagement that we are having with third sector organisations to make sure that the reforms do precisely what the member hopes they will achieve. There is an absolute commitment that the third sector will be central to the process. We recognise that funding streams need to be made more accessible, more streamlined and easier to apply for, and also that their monitoring needs to be easier, in order to support third sector organisations that often have limited resource with which to engage.
The whole point of putting the community authority layer in the structure is to ensure that decisions on how local third sector organisations are supported happen closer to communities, not further away from them.
I again refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests.
I hope that we can all agree on the need to reform public services. However, it is important to acknowledge that any changes do not exist in isolation. Over the past nine years, and especially over the past six months, I have made contact with multiple third sector organisations, so it is important for me to ask about what role third sector organisations play in the shift towards preventative and collaborative spending.
The Scottish Government recognises the vital role that third sector organisations play in the shift towards prevention and collaboration. It is in the DNA of third sector organisations to join the dots locally and to make sure that the services that they provide are joined up and integrated in a way that, frankly, the rest of us can learn from. Through their strong connections with communities, they help to identify needs early and to tackle the root causes of inequality and disadvantage, and they provide support that can reduce future demand on statutory services. They also bring valuable expertise, innovation and lived experience to partnership working, helping to design and deliver services that improve outcomes for people and communities.
Public Service Reform (Assessment of Outcomes)
To ask the Scottish Government how it will assess whether its public sector reforms achieve their intended outcome. (S7O-00366)
We are committed to ensuring that there is transparent information on progress in relation to the public service reform work.
This year, we will publish the monitoring and evaluation framework. It will track progress against the outcomes set out in the public service reform strategy in order to ensure a more efficient, joined-up and preventative system and help us assess the impact of reform. Alongside that, I have committed to providing regular updates to the Public Service Reform Committee—the first of which was provided on 7 September—to ensure that Parliament can scrutinise our progress across all the actions that we are taking forward.
The Scottish Government is correct to focus on delivering greater efficiency across the public sector. How will it ensure that efficiencies do not result in transferred costs from one part of the public sector to another?
Colin Beattie raises an important point. The whole point of joined-up, integrated services, of budgets that support that and get the money to where it is most needed, and of the focus on prevention is all about making sure that we do precisely the opposite of that. It is about investing in parts of the system so that we are able to reduce cost and demand more extensively across the wider system.
That is a big focus of the Christie commission work, and it is a big focus of the work that we are taking forward as part of the public service reform strategy.
That is the end of portfolio questions. I will allow a moment for members on the front benches to change over.