Chamber and committees

Scottish Government continue to work with Food Standards Scotland and Public Health Scotland to review the available evidence and consider the potential impacts of the policy on public health, the hospitality sector and on people with lived or living experience of an eating disorder.

The Scottish Government is developing a Diet and Healthy Weight Plan as part of the delivery of our Population Health Framework. As part of this work, we will continue to keep our position on calorie labelling under review and consider any emerging evidence as part of the ongoing development of the implementation plan.

The Scottish Government recognises that proposed fisheries management measures for inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Priority Marine Features (PMFs) may have impacts on some fishers, businesses and coastal communities. As a result, the Marine Directorate is undertaking a mitigation programme to identify and consider appropriate support for those significantly affected.

No final decisions have yet been taken on the scope, funding or delivery of any mitigation package. However, the interim findings that the Scottish Government is exploring are a range of measures intended to support long-term adaptation, resilience and community sustainability, rather than relying primarily on short-term compensation payments.

In relation to:

(a) adaptation, the mitigation programme is considering targeted business resilience and advisory support, skills development, workforce initiatives, support for new entrants, diversification and innovation opportunities where appropriate, enhanced stakeholder engagement, and place-based support for communities experiencing the greatest impacts. The programme is also considering community-led initiatives and wider support to help fishers and communities adapt to changing circumstances.

(b) gear conversion and diversification, the Scottish Government is continuing to engage with industry representatives, fishers and coastal communities to understand what support may be most effective. Stakeholders have highlighted that diversification opportunities can be limited and location-specific, and the mitigation programme is seeking to identify barriers that may have reduced the effectiveness or uptake of previous diversification initiatives and explore how these might be addressed.

(c) exit from the fishing industry, stakeholders indicated a preference for measures that maintain viable fishing opportunities, strengthen business resilience and support long-term adaptation rather than compensation or measures focused on industry exit. The Scottish Government will continue discussions with affected stakeholders to understand whether there is support for measures such as vessel decommissioning or exit schemes, alongside wider measures focused on maintaining viable fisheries, supporting business resilience and helping communities adapt to change.

The Scottish Government will continue to engage with stakeholders, assess evidence and consider consultation responses before making decisions on any future mitigation measures.

The commercial decision announced in July of a sale of BPs North Sea assets has caused great uncertainty for their workforce and the wider energy workforce in Scotland.

The Scottish Government closely monitors and considers a range of evidence in relation to the energy transition. The First Minister and I met with energy leaders in the North East in the days after this announcement, and I continue to engage with BP and other relevant partners including the trade unions to understand the potential impacts of the sale.

Our immediate concern is for workers directly affected and the thousands more across the supply chain, and the UK Government – which has responsibility for these matters - needs to take urgent action to protect jobs and investment in our energy sector.

Scotland’s energy security and economic future depend on a fair transition, where North Sea oil and gas production is managed alongside increasing use of renewables. That future is built on the world-class workers of the North East, and their skills and expertise.

The Scottish Government does not centrally hold validated waiting times for weight management services. Health Boards provide the Scottish Government with a data return that reflects a snap shot of the previous year of activity such as the status of different pathways Boards deliver. These include Tier 2 and 3 Weight management, Gestational diabetes and Diabetes Type 2 remission and prevention.

I appreciate that the cost of childcare can be challenging for many families across Scotland, and that there can be an impact on family circumstances as a result of a multiple birth. Every child in Scotland deserves the best start in life, which is why the Scottish Government is committed to eradicating child poverty and giving families the support they need. Each year since 2021 we have invested around £1 billion in the delivery of high quality ELC to all eligible children and we are continuing to do so in 2026-27.

With respect to future plans, we are seeking to transform Scotland’s childcare offer to better support families with the cost of childcare, for children from 9 months to the end of primary school. As this Parliament agreed in May, this is a priority, and must be informed by learning from the expansion to 1140 hours and the voices of those who use and deliver childcare in Scotland. This includes families with multiple births.

Our Programme for Government set out our intention to publish and consult on a blueprint for the future, building on learning from the last ten years of childcare design and delivery. This will be published next year. I would encourage anyone with an interest, including families with multiple births, to participate in this consultation.

Scottish Ministers welcomed the Competition and Market Authority's 2024 house building market study and considered its recommendations.

The Scottish Government is pleased to announce that the consultation on proposed fisheries management measures for inshore Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and proposed Priority Marine Feature (PMF) management areas in Scottish waters has today been launched: https://consult.gov.scot/marine-scotland/fisheries-management-measures-for-inshore-mpas/.

Scotland’s seas are a shared resource and protecting them means safeguarding marine habitats and species while supporting long-term sustainability of the industries and communities that depend upon them. This consultation seeks views on proposed fisheries management measures that will further protect the inshore MPA network and the 11 PMFs most sensitive to bottom-contacting mobile fishing gears, which are habitats and species of national conservation importance.

The development of these proposals has been informed by years of stakeholder engagement, scientific evidence gathering and discussion with representatives from the fishing industry, environmental organisations, coastal communities, local authorities, and other interested parties.

Given the scale and complexity of the proposals, covering more than 160 sites and areas across Scotland’s inshore waters, the consultation has been extended beyond the standard 12-week duration and will run until 18 January 2027, going beyond the intended sixteen week period due to the festive period. This extended consultation will provide stakeholders and members of the public additional time to consider the evidence, reflect on the proposals, and provide informed views to help shape the future management of Scotland's seas.

I recognise that these proposals are of significant interest to those who use and depend on Scotland’s seas. The Scottish Government remains committed to working closely with fishing communities, conservation organisations and local leaders throughout the consultation process to ensure that we achieve an appropriate balance between environmental protection and the social and economic wellbeing of our coastal and island communities.

The Scottish Government continues to engage closely with the Welsh Government on areas of shared interest and mutual benefit.

Today, I was in Cardiff to meet the First Minister of Wales for discussions on issues of common interest between our countries.

During the visit, I was pleased to sign a new bilateral framework - the Cardiff Agreement - which sets out areas of shared interest and cooperation between the Scottish and Welsh Governments.

The Agreement establishes a basis for closer collaboration on shared priorities, including tackling child poverty, addressing the cost-of-living crisis, supporting sustainable economic growth, and strengthening engagement with the European Union. It also reflects both governments’ commitment to ensuring that intergovernmental relations are founded on trust and mutual respect.

The Agreement provides a structured approach to sharing expertise and best practice, building on existing collaboration between the Scottish and Welsh Governments to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland and Wales. 

The Cardiff Agreement can be found on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/cardiff-agreement-cytundeb-caerdydd-agreement-between-welsh-and-scottish-government/.

Prison officers play a vital role in our justice system, helping to ensure our prisons are safe, secure and stable environments for all that live and work there. Unlike other uniformed groups, prison officers do not have a dedicated pension scheme as they are members of the Civil Service pension scheme which is a reserved matter for the UK Government.

The Scottish Government has strongly supported the position of the Prison Officers’ Association that the retirement age of prison officers be brought into line with armed forces, police, and firefighters who retire at 60. This reflects the operational environment and physical demands associated with the role which can be particularly challenging.

On 10 September 2026, I wrote to Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon John Healey MP urging him to give this matter urgent attention.

Where proposed development, whether pumped storage hydro or otherwise, is likely to affect a protected area, NatureScot will be a statutory consultee within the approvals process. When considering its response to such consultations, NatureScot will consider both direct and indirect impacts on the protected area of the development in itself and any potential cumulative effects. Amongst a range of considerations, NatureScot will evaluate the extent to which the proposed development could negatively affect the effective management for biodiversity on the site and therefore the ability of the protected area to contribute to achieving the 30 by 30 commitment.