Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01848 on 7 August 2026. 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

I refer the Member to answers to the previous Parliamentary Questions: S6W-35719 published on 26 March 2025, and S6O-03838 published on 10 October 2024. All answers to Parliamentary Questions are available on the Scottish Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01848 on 7 August 2026. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01172 on 10 July 2026. 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 is continuing preparations for a consultation on electoral reform to be published in the autumn of this year.

There are a range of criminal offences that may be used to prosecute someone who disseminates false information either intending to stir up conflict, hostility or disorder or reckless as to whether their behaviour is likely to have that effect. Depending on the facts and circumstances of the particular case, these may include the common law offence of breach of the peace, the offence of threatening or abusive behaviour at section 38 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 and, where the information is disseminated using the internet or a mobile phone, communications offences at section 127 of the Communications Act 2003.

Where a person communicates a message which is threatening, abusive or insulting and either intends or is likely to stir up hatred against a group defined by reference to their race, or communicates a message that is threatening or abusive and intends to stir up hatred against a group defined by reference to their religion, sexual orientation, age, transgender identity, variations in sex characteristics or disability, the offences of stirring up hatred at section 4 of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 may be relevant.

Decisions about whether a person's behaviour would amount to any of these laws is a matter for Police Scotland, COPFS and, ultimately, the court, to determine in any given case.

The Scottish Government has no plans at this time to reform the law in this area but we keep the law under continual review to ensure it is effective.

The Scottish Government recognises the important contribution that co-operatives make to Scotland's economy and communities. Through the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Act 2026, Ministers are required to develop measures that promote and support the development of co-operatives, alongside employee-owned businesses and social enterprises, as part of our wider approach to building a fairer and more resilient economy. We will work with enterprise agencies, delivery partners, and representative bodies to support that ambition.

The latest figures for co-operatives, from 2025, indicate that there are 593 co-operatives now operating in Scotland, with 800,000 memberships and a combined turnover of £2.1 billion.

In terms of support with a particular focus on food production, the Scottish Government has committed to £6M funding over two years for the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme, which funds groups of growers, known as Producer Organisations, to encourage collaboration and increase competitiveness.

We considered both paying Carer Support Payment in full to carers receiving state pension and a recognition payment for those with underlying entitlement, including those receiving State Pension, as part a Multi Criteria Analysis that informed proposals in our 2022 consultation on Scottish Carer’s Assistance. It found that while such payments would have a positive impact on recognising the contribution of these carers, it would require significant investment not targeted at carers on the lowest incomes. Many carers with ‘underlying entitlement’ receive State Pension which is typically paid at a much higher rate than Carer Support Payment.

The 2022 consultation and our response considered a recognition payment for long term carers that could be available to those with underlying entitlement. No decision has been taken on this proposal to date. Any decisions on increasing support for carers will need to take affordability and sustainability into account.

Proposals announced by The Department for Education in April 2026 seek to implement major structural change to the system of support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

As part of the proposals, expert panels are being established to develop recommendations on the design, structure and content of the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages. These expert panels will establish the recommended level of support required for children and young people in both mainstream settings and specialist provisions as well as identifying the appropriate means of delivering this support.

Scottish Government officials are actively engaged with colleagues within the Department for Education on the ongoing reforms, and will engage with the Expert Panels for National Inclusions Standards and Specialist Provision Packages where appropriate.

Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies(LHEES) support local authorities to take a strategic approach to the delivery of heat networks. The Scottish Government has reviewed all 32 LHEES and found that all local authorities have assessed the potential for heat networks and identified any potential heat network zones in their LHEES. Where appropriate, local authorities have also identified actions to support heat network delivery in their LHEES delivery plans.