The Scottish Government is supporting our farmers and crofters to maintain and enhance their soil health

By understanding their current soil health, farmers and crofters can identify and action opportunities for improvements that work for their businesses. That is why agricultural businesses claiming Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) must now undertake a minimum of two of the Whole Farm Plan full guidance audits and plans, one of which can be a Soil Analysis.

Soil analysis is required if permanent Region 1 land is claimed and fertiliser/manures are applied. It is very positive that 56% of BPS claimants for 2025 have reported that they are analysing their soil. The intention is for all businesses to have completed their relevant plans and audits through the Whole Farm Plan by 2028 at the latest.

Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF) (PSF) is also delivering transitional support for businesses to prepare for the future. One option currently being funded through PSF, includes funding for soil testing and analysis. To date 4,805 Scottish farmers and crofters have taken up the support for their soil analysis through PSF.

Sustainable and regenerative agriculture: code of practice - gov.scot launched on 19th June 2025. It sets out the principles of regenerative agriculture and provides guidance and practical examples on the types of sustainable and regenerative activities that can be adopted on farms or crofts, including many measures on soils. We recognise many farmers and crofters throughout Scotland are already adopting numerous sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices, including with their soils, and The Code doesn’t seek to replace those existing practices, but offers some suggestions that could contribute to wider efficiencies, profitability, climate adaption and mitigation, biodiversity, soil health and sustainability targets.

The government remains committed to embedding the importance of Scotland’s soil health in government strategies and plans, for example the Biodiversity Strategy, Climate Change Plan, Soils Route Map, and Land Use Strategy.

We also continue to offer advice and guidance through the Soils resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service which offers impartial advice on managing and the importance of soils to farmers, crofters and land managers, including on reducing erosion, fertiliser costs and nutrient losses, as well as improving soil structure and health, soil carbon sequestration potential, and crop productivity.

The Curriculum Improvement Cycle is currently reviewing and strengthening Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. Guidance, professional learning and resources on a wide range of matters will be considered as part of that process.

Education Scotland hosts and shares a range of guidance Outdoor learning resources | Resources | Education Scotland to support outdoor learning provision through the curriculum. Schools and local authorities can also access the GOING-OUT-THERE-PRINT-V3.pdf guidance and associated interactive toolkits online, which have been key to supporting delivery of safe and legally competent outdoor learning experiences.

It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate and the Scottish Government engages regularly with the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Property Services networks, including to share the School Grounds in Scotland 2025 report.

The Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Strategy (LES), which was produced in collaboration with COSLA, makes clear that outdoor learning and the use of outdoor learning environments should be maximised. The LES also highlights that good consultation about learning environments, and direct engagement with learners and communities about their needs, should lead to better outcomes for everyone.

School counselling services are available to all pupils aged 10 and over, including primary and special school pupils.

The Scottish Government engaged with professional counselling bodies prior to establishing counselling services who advised that therapeutic counselling is not appropriate for younger pupils.

Counselling is just one of a range of mental health supports available for children and young people.

We are also providing local authorities with £15 million per annum to fund community-based mental health and wellbeing supports for children, young people and their families, which includes younger primary-school-aged children.

The current The Chief Financial Officer David Dishon has confirmed to the Scottish Government that there are no informal pay arrangements at Ferguson Marine.

Should any pay settlements be required, Ferguson Marine have to go through the Remuneration Committee, the FMPG Board, and also Scottish Government officials for clearance.

Through the first phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) operating companies were awarded £62 million capital from the Scottish Government to buy 273 zero emission vehicles and their charging infrastructure. The following table sets out the manufacturer. The Scottish Government does not collect data on the locations in which vehicles are manufactured.

The actual cost of the five-month extension will depend on where the vessel is deployed and the level of service provided. This will be known at the end of the charter period.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on the impact of training for healthcare professionals on women and girls with a diagnosis of PMDD.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) published an eLearning module for healthcare professionals on Menstrual Health in September 2024. The module is available on TURAS, the education platform for NHS Scotland. To date, 211 learners have completed the resource with 59% of those completing the module evaluation. A further 728 learners are in progress.

Specific impact data for the section on premenstrual dysphoric disorder(PMDD) is not available. Initial evaluation data of the module as a whole suggests increased empathy and compassion, as well as practitioners reporting plans to change their communication and consultation styles because of the learning.

There are a complex range of factors and influences behind confidence in policing in Scotland.

However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the findings of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2023-24, including those on public trust in policing is falling. Confidence in our police service is vital for a safe and just Scotland, but recent trends mirror those in England and Wales over the same period, suggesting the issues involved may not be solely specific to Scotland.

Police Scotland are already taking steps to respond – from strengthening community policing to improving how they engage with victims and local communities. That work is backed by record investment of £1.64 billion this year.

Through the actions in our Women’s Health Plan there is now a Women’s Health Platform on NHS Inform, to help women find the information they need on a range of issues relating to their health, including conditions like PMDD.

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) has also delivered a series of women’s health webinars, with accompanying resources, which included a session on PMS and PMDD, PMS resource pack - Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland.

We have taken steps to raise awareness and support better understanding of PMDD among healthcare professionals by commissioning NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to create a bespoke training package and framework on menstrual health, which includes PMDD, for general practice and others working in Primary Care, which is available on TURAS, the education platform for NHS Scotland.

We remain committed to our ambition is that women and girls enjoy the best possible health, throughout their lives as we develop the second phase of the Women’s Health Plan with the aim of publishing by the end of this year.