Chamber and committees

Due to clear recommendations by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, and the fact that the last relevant consultation was undertaken 10 years ago, the Scottish Government is committed to a consultation on a proposal to ban remote controlled training collars.

In October 2018 we published advisory guidance on dog training aids, including remote controlled training devices using a static pulse, commonly known as shock collars. The Guidance on Dog Training Aids was developed in discussion with animal welfare organisations including the Scottish SPCA, Dogs Trust, Kennel Club and BVA. It provides important advice on aversive training techniques, including electric shock collars, for both dog owners and those enforcing the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

While the Scottish Government has not carried out its own assessment of the prevalence of the trade in exotic animals, we did fund the Scottish Rural College (SRUC) to undertake, under the direction of the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission, a comprehensive review of the evidence on the welfare of exotic pets in Scotland. The SRUC published its findings in November 2022. Additionally, in 2021 and 2022, the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission published interim and final reports on exotic pets in Scotland which included its findings on the trade and supply of exotic pets.

At this time, the Scottish Government has no plans to regulate this trade; however, we continue to consider the findings of the SRUC and SAWC reports and engage with relevant stakeholders to inform future policy, including the need for further regulation.

Not in the foreseeable future. The scoping work that we conducted supported the case for the creation of a Scottish Veterinary Service that could deliver quality improvements and could be financially sustainable.

However, in the current financial climate it is appropriate that we prioritise other key public services. The initial investment to create an SVS is too high given the ongoing financial pressures and the cost-of-living crisis.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the highest standards of animal health and welfare, as well as more highly trained veterinary staff, and continues to work with FSS, APHA and the Local Authorities to ensure that Scotland has the best possible animal health and welfare services.

The Scottish Government has recently taken multiple steps towards encouraging animal farmers to make transitions to improve animal welfare, such as our 2026 consultations on the proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages and proposed changes to lamb castration and tail docking methods (to improve welfare through usage of new methods with anesthesia and pain relief), which we held in collaboration with the UK and Welsh Governments. In 2024 we also updated the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations 2010 to include updated pig welfare guidance.

The Scottish Government is committed to reducing avoidable food waste across the supply chain and in households, to help work towards UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to halve food waste by 2030.

Our recent Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland, available on the Scottish Government website at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/circular-economy-strategy-scotland/, identifies the food system as a priority sector. Actions being taken to reduce food waste include the Government working with stakeholders on effective options to implement mandatory reporting of food waste and surplus by businesses. Requiring business to report on their food waste and surplus is intended to improve understanding on where and why food waste arises and what action can be taken to prevent it.

In addition, Zero Waste Scotland is developing an intervention plan to support long-term household food waste reduction. This includes identifying, testing and refining a range of interventions to help reduce avoidable food waste in households.

We have also commissioned research through ClimateXChange on circular economy opportunities in agriculture, including reducing on-farm food loss, and will explore how these findings can inform future action.

These actions will support Scotland's efforts to reduce avoidable food waste and make progress towards the 2030 UN target.

Local authorities are responsible for the development and delivery of flood protection schemes in their area. Since 2016, the Scottish Government has provided £612m to local authorities to support the delivery of flood protection schemes and wider flood resilience activities.

Funding for flood resilience is provided through the local authority general capital grant. This means that decisions related to it are agreed jointly by Ministers and COSLA Leaders following principle-based recommendations from the jointly attended Settlement and Distribution Group. Through this process, a new, more flexible, funding allocation was agreed for financial year 2026-2027. This means that local authorities can invest in local needs and priorities from their local Flood Risk Management Plans.

In parallel we have funded SEPA to develop a Flood Advisory Service that will improve the governance and delivery of high value flood protection schemes across Scotland, learning the lessons from delivery over the last 10 years. Work is ongoing with COSLA to ensure a new funding model is in place to support the delivery of the next programme of high value flood protection schemes once the Flood Advisory Service is operational.

The Scottish Government is committed to sustainable and resilient food supply chains and is taking a range of actions to support local producers and increase opportunities for Scottish and locally produced food to be enjoyed.

The Scottish Government has established a Public Sector Food Procurement Taskforce, which will consider how public procurement can better support local and sustainable producers. The Taskforce will work at pace to provide recommendations to Ministers.

This work supports the ambitions of our Local Food Strategy, “Local Food for Everyone: Our Journey”, particularly Pillar Three on harnessing public sector procurement to increase the use of quality, fresh, seasonal and locally produced food.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01913 on 3 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

This would be an operational matter for Scottish Water. It publishes information on its website at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/About-Us/What-We-Do/Urban-Waters-Routemap.

This would be an operational matter for Scottish Water. It publishes information on its website at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/About-Us/What-We-Do/Urban-Waters-Routemap.