Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government’s running costs are reported in the annual consolidated accounts in note 5f Outturn Income and Expenditure - Operating Costs (2019-20: note 6f). The consolidated accounts can be found here: Financial reports and accounts - Government finance - gov.scot.

The table within the 2022-23 annual consolidated accounts restates the 2021-22 figures, therefore this should be used instead of the data in note 5f to the 2021-22 accounts.

Information is provided on a financial year basis which is consistent with our annual accounts publications. Therefore, the running costs for 2025-2026 will be published in the same location when available.

In 2019-20, a change in approach to operating costs was implemented, which means that comparable figures for earlier years cannot be provided. Previously, costs, including staffing, were held centrally as part of the administration budget and also as part of portfolio budgets for staff who were implementing and delivering specific public services. Since 2019-20, Total Operating Costs have been aligned with the portfolio budgets they support, replacing the dual system where both administration and portfolio budgets funded operating costs.

There is currently no projected underspend in the 2026-27 Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP).

The AHSP seeks to optimise the positive impact of spend and delivery, and does so by supporting local authorities to deliver fully against its Resource Planning Assumptions (RPAs). Where local authorities are unable to deliver against its RPA the programme will seek to move funding to other areas that are able to deliver. This process is taken forward as part of normal in year programme management, in discussion with local authorities and reported on through annual outturn reports.

The Scottish Government is delivering the strongest package of winter support in the UK. Child Winter Heating Payment is an automatic payment unique to Scotland that helps families and carers of disabled children under 19 with winter heating costs. It is paid to those who receive the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment or the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment.

Official statistics published on 19 May 2026 shows that as of 31 March 2026, over 44,000 Child Winter Heating Payments were made to eligible clients, with the vast majority paid automatically in December 2025. The information requested for April 2026 is not yet published.

Further details are available on Social Security Scotland’s website at: Winter Heating Benefits: Statistics for Winter 2025/2026 - Social Security Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00181 on 5 June 2026. 42 homes were delivered through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund between 1 April 2025 and 31 December 2025 in 7 local authorities. This data is based on management information and may be subject to change. Figures for 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026 are not yet available.

The Rural and Islands Housing Fund is a demand-led scheme open to a range of organisations, including community organisations, development trusts, private landowners, private developers, and traditional housing providers.

The Scottish Government has extended the Whole Family Wellbeing Funding Programme (WFWF) into 2026-27, this includes providing £38.1 million for Children's Services Planning Partnerships (CSPPs) to continue the transformation of holistic whole family support in local communities. To ensure funding is tailored to meet local needs, each CSPP is responsible for deciding how to spend their allocation.

Beyond this financial year, the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan: Next steps and timeline - Fairer Futures Partnership Programme: evaluation strategy - gov.scot sets out our intention to integrate the WFWF, alongside the Fairer Future Partnerships and Early Adopter areas, including Dundee, into a single Whole Family Support system change programme from April 2027.

Existing funding arrangements will continue during this transition year, during which, we are working closely with partners on the design of the newly integrated programme; to ensure it works for them and for the families who need holistic whole family support most.

The Scottish House Condition Survey provides a snapshot of the Scottish housing stock in each survey year including the construction age, built form and primary heating fuel of Scottish domestic buildings.

Local Authority level analysis uses a three year pooled sample in order to mitigate the smaller sample sizes involved when analysing sub-national geographies. In this case, survey data from the period 2022-2024 are averaged.

The total number of dwellings using Oil or LPG as their primary heating fuel by Local authority over the 2022-2024 period is presented in the following table.

Table 1: Number of dwellings using Oil or LPG as their primary heating fuel by Local authority 2022-2024.

The Scottish Government was not provided with detailed policy design details for the implementation of zonal pricing nor did the UKG provide a full assessment of the impact of this on consumers, communities and businesses in Scotland. We have been clear that reform is required now to address the immediate issue of high energy costs for consumers.

The Scottish Government recognises that there are health concerns linked with cats with extreme characteristics, such as the Scottish Fold. It acknowledges that breeds such as the Scottish Fold and Munchkin have been found to likely represent a breach in the licencing condition of no breeding should occur if it could have a detrimental effect on the cat’s health or wellbeing.

We will continue to work with industry stakeholders and engage with DEFRA in order to keep pace with advances in science and will be looking at issues of artificial insemination of cats, and the breeding of exotic/wild cat-hybrids in line with the recommendations from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission.

Consumer prices reflect the energy mix and market arrangements across Great Britain rather than the output of any individual generating station.

Any small business owner who experiences harassment or online abuse can report these matters to the police for consideration of investigation. There are a range of laws which operate that may be relevant depending on the specifics of any harassment and online abuse the business is experiencing such as the threatening or abusive behaviour offence. Operational decisions on criminal investigations are an independent matter for Police Scotland.

All businesses – wherever they are in the country – can access support from a wide variety of public sector organisations through the Find Business Support website.