2021: a registered slaughter facility that was owned and used specifically on an individual farm closed.

2022: no closures

2023: a small commercial abattoir that dealt mainly in private kill closed

2024: no closures

2025: no closures

The Scottish Government recognises the vital role English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) plays in supporting people whose first language is not English, equipping them with the communication skills necessary to contribute and integrate economically, culturally and socially in Scotland.

Scottish Government funding for college based ESOL provision forms part of the Scottish Funding Council’s grant allocation. Colleges are responsible for decisions on course provision and are best placed to respond flexibly to local ESOL need alongside partners including local authorities and the third sector. Local authorities themselves play an important role in delivering their community learning and development (CLD) plans, which supports the provision of community based ESOL.

Recognising ESOL’s importance, the former Minister for Higher and Further Education wrote to the Scottish Funding Council with supplementary guidance: Letter to Mike Cantlay from Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans - 04.03.25 to ensure ESOL remains a priority for colleges in the academic year 2025-26.

Additionally, the Scottish Government has directly made £1.2m available for ESOL provision in Glasgow since 2024-25. This funding has been provided in response to the Learning: For ALL. For Life report: Learning: For All. For Life. A report from the Independent Review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) - gov.scot which called on the Scottish Government to take immediate action to address high levels of need for ESOL, which disproportionately impacts Glasgow. There have been recent spikes of demand, for example, following the war in Ukraine.

A further £200,000 has also been invested in a nationwide online ESOL and employability pilot in 2025-26 for up to 1,800 learners which is administered by ESOL Scotland and focused on gaps in provision.

In response to the Learning: For All. For Life report following the independent review of CLD, Scottish Government and COSLA accepted report recommendation 1.1 to establish a joint CLD Strategic Leadership Group (SLG). The SLG will play a central role in developing our detailed response to the remaining 19 recommendations. The SLG, which includes the Scottish Funding Council as a member, has met on four occasions and identified taking action on ESOL an immediate priority.

The Scottish Government recognises the critical role that colleges play in delivering high-quality education. The 2025-26 budget provided almost a 5% increase in capital maintenance funding to help colleges further invest in student’s learning experiences. In collaboration and with agreement from the college sector, SFC retained £2.5m of its 2025-26 capital budget for high priority needs (including health & safety issues).

The Scottish Funding Council’s College Infrastructure Strategy (CIS) describes the SFC’s approach to determining future investment in Scotland’s college estate and other college infrastructure. The CIS sets out the collective approach between the SFC and colleges to develop a 10-year Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) for Scotland’s colleges. The plan will identify future infrastructure investment needed for a sustainable sector and is due to be published in autumn 2026.

At this point in the budget cycle no decision has been made on the funding that will be made available for colleges in financial year 2026-27. The Scottish Government is aware of the pressures colleges are facing and remains committed to working constructively with the sector and the Scottish Funding Council. The College Tripartite Alignment Group has membership from a range of colleges, SFC and the Scottish Government and provides strategic direction on the pressures and opportunities facing colleges. You can read more about the Group’s activities here Colleges: Tripartite Alignment Group - gov.scot.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on staffing levels and future workforce plans: operational decisions are for individual colleges to determine.

The Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) funding model operates alongside with its Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model - Scottish Funding Council (OF&AM) to ensure that college courses align with the needs of employers and communities.

Through its OF&AM, SFC engages with colleges to ensure they are engaging with employers to respond to industry and sector needs.

In order to increase the capacity and capability of the legal aid profession in Scotland, the Scottish Government is planning to create a new Legal Aid Traineeship Fund. This new fund will build on the success of the first fund announced in December 2020 which provided funding of up to £1 million to support 40 new legal aid trainees across Scotland. The 2020 fund was managed by the Law Society of Scotland and supported new talent through the duration of their traineeships.

The Scottish Government is committed to taking on feedback from an evaluation of the 2020 fund. My officials are closely engaging with the Law Society of Scotland and the wider legal profession, and discussions on the specific design of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, are ongoing. A commitment has been given to funding up to 20 traineeships in the first instance.

As our national skills body, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) have operational responsibility for managing apprenticeship funding and delivery in Scotland. SDS regularly monitor demand throughout the year to maximise apprenticeship opportunities, in line with key policy priorities.

The number and range of apprenticeships available are informed by industry demand and training capacity, within the constraints of available budgets and affordability. This involves close consultation with employers, employer groups and training providers, as well as priorities identified through reformed national and regional skills planning.

We are providing around £185 million for apprenticeships this year and are committed to working with the Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland to understand the extent of demand, and in which sectors. Our aim is to ensure that funding is targeted most effectively to support sustainable economic growth and vital public services and provide best value for public investment.

The reason behind the withdrawal of £26m transition funding in 2023 is on record.

The funding was originally announced as part of the 2023-24 Budget to support strategic change and transformation in the college sector. That it had been necessary to take this as a required saving given new portfolio pressures was communicated in this letter to the Education Children and Young People Committee on 2 May 2023 found here: Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans.

The Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) funding allocation to Scotland’s colleges for the current academic year (2025-26) equates to a 2.6% increase in funding for teaching activity, and a 4.8% increase for capital maintenance funding, to support colleges to continue to invest in student’s learning experiences.

The SFC provides regular advice to the Scottish Government on the pressures facing the college sector. This is based on the regular financial returns received from colleges.

It is important to live in a society where human rights are sacrosanct. Hate crime is the term used to describe behaviour which is both criminal and rooted in prejudice, or which is intended to stir up hatred. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 provides greater protection for victims and supports people to feel safe. Its commencement was welcomed by the UN Human Rights Committee, in their 8th review of UK performance under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The Hate Crime Act includes rigorous safeguards on free speech, and protection for freedom of expression is embedded in the Act. It does not criminalise anyone who wishes to debate, discuss or criticise any matters in a non-threatening or abusive manner, and is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, including Article 10 which protects everyone’s right to freedom of expression.