Chamber and committees

Published in March, the Scottish Government’s Strategic Action Plan on wildfires set out a coordinated approach to preventing, preparing for and responding to incidents of this nature. During the Cairngorms wildfire, an urgent review of the plan was commissioned to ensure that any necessary actions identified from this move forward at the appropriate pace to ensure we are prepared in light of the increasing risks we face. The Scottish Government Wildfire Strategic Oversight Group met on 26 August and there is ongoing engagement with SFRS and other partners.

Following the conclusion of operational activity associated with the Cairngorms wildfire, a multiagency and partner debrief was also commissioned by the joint sponsors of Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

This multi-agency debrief and lessons learned review will identify opportunities for improvement across the themes of preparedness, response, recovery and resilience arrangements and those findings will be used to strengthen Scotland's strategic approach to wildfire risk and resilience, including national resilience policy.

The Scottish Government recognises and greatly values the commitment of on-call firefighters and the flexibility of their primary employers in allowing them time off to provide the essential fire and rescue cover across Scotland.

On-call firefighters have contracts of employment with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and receive an annual retainer fee together with additional payments for incident attendance, training and other approved activities. These payments are made directly to the firefighter rather than to their primary employer.

The Scottish Government is providing Highland Council with £3m to provide support to business affected by the fire and this funding will support their immediate recovery while also contributing to the longer-term economic recovery and resilience of the area.

The Scottish Government has well-established and tested processes for preparing for and responding to severe weather. We are also monitoring the potential impacts of a more severe El Niño. Our central resilience operation can be activated in advance of severe weather and ensures Ministers are kept fully updated on any developing issues. Officials work year-round with key partners, including the blue-light services, councils, health boards, transport operators, the voluntary sector and others to support shared understanding of risks, plans and processes.

We are supporting our partners through the autumn/winter period, and providing practical advice to the public on preparing for and responding to emergencies, including the impacts of severe weather, including through our Ready Scotland website (ready.scot) and social media channels. In addition, the Scottish Government stands ready to activate its Ready Scotland media campaign in response to amber or red Met Office weather warnings. The campaign uses social media and, where available, local radio to provide warning and advice to audiences in affected areas.

With respect to transport, Transport Scotland colleagues work with our contractors and Scottish Government partners to plan, prepare and respond to both planned and unplanned events which impact the transport network. Whilst bad weather and its associated disruption cannot be prevented, Transport Scotland works year-round with partners to prepare for those conditions to minimise disruption and ensure the transport network can recover as quickly as possible. Additionally, a dedicated Met Office advisor to Transport Scotland commenced on 1 September 2026 at the Traffic Scotland National Control centre, and will provide specialist meteorological advice to support operational decision-making.

The Scottish Government is supportive of ensuring there is an effective fire safety regime for wildfire prevention and preparedness in natural and rural environments. This will help shape a more resilient and coordinated national approach to wildfire prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Action Plan sets out a coordinated approach to preventing, preparing for and responding to wildfires and was published on 5 March 2026. The plan represents a call to action for government, public services, land managers owners, rural businesses, community groups and individuals alike, to work together in partnership – which is key to its successful delivery.

As part of the recent multi-agency response to the Cairngorm’s wildfire a review of the strategic plan was commissioned and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have commissioned an independent review at a wider partner and multi-agency level to identify issues arising from the wildfire and to maximise organisational learning and public confidence. These reviews will provide an opportunity to explore issues and experiences from this incident involving partners that participated in the response and ensure that future arrangements are informed by operational experience and the expertise of those at the forefront of wildfire management.

Referrals to Tier 3 adult weight management services are not currently monitored through the Referral to Treatment (RTT) standard, following the suspension of RTT statistics publication in 2025. Instead, these services are subject to the New Outpatient and Treatment Time Guarantee waiting times standards.

There is no further update at this time as work continues to a standardised approach to delivery across the programme. As set out in the answer to S7W-00342 on 5 June 2026, a further announcement on programme priorities and funding approach will be provided once available to follow. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers..

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of attracting and supporting new entrants into the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) workforce and ensuring clear progression pathways into employment and professional development.

We are working with Skills Development Scotland, training providers, local authorities and ELC sector representatives to promote careers in ELC and to strengthen workforce pathways. This includes supporting school-based vocational learning opportunities, Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships, and work-based learning that helps young people gain relevant experience and progress into employment.

The sector does not currently operate a single nationally mandated recruitment pathway. Rather, multiple routes exist to reflect the diverse nature of the workforce and differing employer needs.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with partners to consider how pathways into the sector can be further strengthened and better connected, helping to ensure that learners can progress from school-based learning and workplace experience into employment and subsequent qualification pathways that meet the workforce needs of the sector.

The Scottish Government is aware of concerns raised by some stakeholders regarding unintended consequences of the proposed price cap on essential food items.

That is why we are engaging constructively with all relevant stakeholders to support considered and informed discussion on this. We are consulting on draft proposals before any decisions are taken. The consultation seeks views and evidence from consumers, retailers, producers and other stakeholders on the potential benefits, risks and issues of any food price cap scheme.

Since 2016, the Scottish Government has provided £612 million to local authorities to support flood resilience. This includes flood protection schemes and wider flood resilience activity. Local authorities are responsible for managing flood risk and delivering flood protection schemes in their areas.

The Scottish Government has made clear to the UK Government that any move away from digital terrestrial television services must be guided by the principle of universal access. Television remains an important source of news, information, cultural content and social connection for many people, and we have emphasised that any decisions should take full account of the potential impacts on audiences, particularly those who may be at greater risk of exclusion, including people living in rural and island communities, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The Scottish Government recently responded to the UK Government’s consultation on the future of media, including next steps on the future of TV distribution, setting out that any transition must be evidence-led and informed by assessments of affordability, accessibility, broadband availability, network resilience and audience readiness. We have urged the UK Government to ensure that no household loses access to television services because of any future changes to distribution models, and that appropriate support and mitigations are put in place.

The Scottish Government continues to help extend the reach of fast, reliable broadband infrastructure across Scotland through our £600m investment in the Reaching 100% (R100) programme and our key role in delivering Project Gigabit in Scotland. Alongside this investment in connectivity, we continue to work with Ofcom and partners to raise awareness of affordable connectivity options, including social tariffs.