Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is carefully considering the findings and recommendations of Environmental Standards Scotland (ESS) contained in its report Protecting Scotland’s Seafloor: an assessment of Scottish Ministers’ implementation of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010, and will work constructively with ESS to seek to agree an appropriate action plan within the timescale suggested in the report.

The Scottish Government will set out its position on the report's findings and recommendations through that engagement and in its formal response, updating the Scottish Parliament as appropriate in this respect.

The Scottish Government is carefully considering Environmental Standards Scotland’s (ESS) report Protecting Scotland’s Seafloor: as assessment of Scottish Ministers’ implementation of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010, and will work constructively with ESS to seek to agree an appropriate action plan within the timescale suggested in the report.

We expect all women giving birth in Scotland, including those living in rural and island communities, to be supported and safe. The recent Healthcare Improvement Scotland inspection of acute maternity services at the Balfour Hospital in NHS Orkney showcased many areas of good practice and highlighted the resilience and adaptability of island boards.

On the 11th of June, the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Care made a statement to Parliament setting out the plan for an independent Review of Maternity Services. The principles of this Review include a focus on: maternity services in rural and island areas across Scotland and the experiences of women living there. This review will be fast paced and forward looking.

I have also commissioned a survey of all remote, rural and island maternity services earlier this year. The responses from this, alongside national audit data, will form part of the Review and ensure future service provision takes into account the needs of those living in rural and island communities.

Scottish Government is continuing to work with Defra on the UK wide PFAS Plan, published on 3 February 2026, which adopts an evidence-led approach based on understanding PFAS sources, tackling pathways and reducing exposure. It specifically recognises the potential environmental and human-health implications of PFAS and other emerging contaminants in sludge.

The Plan records existing Chemicals Investigation Programme monitoring of PFOS, PFOA and PFBS in treated sludge and provides for further work on the fate of contaminants, improved analytical methods, treatment options and wider evidence gaps. Findings from the current phase of the Chemicals Investigation Programme are expected from 2027.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges associated with emerging contaminants, including microplastics and pharmaceuticals, and intends to keep pace with developments in EU regulation.

Regulation of the practice of applying sewage sludge to land in Scotland was reviewed and amended with the introduction of the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025. No change to the list of regulated contaminants (“Potentially Toxic Elements”) was made at that time as evidence produced for the review did not support it. However, with the wider environment in mind, the Scottish Government is reviewing changes that the EU has recently made to the EU Priority Substance list under the Water Framework Directive; the contaminants PFAS, microplastics, bisphenol A and pharmaceutical products have all been added to the EU list for the regulation of the water environment.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of healthy soils for food production, climate resilience, biodiversity and Scotland's wider natural capital. We are developing soil indicators and options for soil monitoring through the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) Strategic Research Programme, including work towards a Scottish Soil Monitoring Framework. Proposals are also being developed for the next Strategic Research Programme (2027-2032) that will continue this work.

The Scottish Government remains committed to alignment with the European Union where possible and meaningful to do so. We are monitoring the implementation of the EU Soil Monitoring Law and will consider its provisions and underlying principles, alongside Scottish evidence and policy priorities, as we develop our approach to soil monitoring and assessment.

The Scottish Government does not have any duties under Section 8 of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003. The duties under section 8 in relation to monitoring of the status of the water environment are placed on SEPA.

The Scottish Government is responding to ongoing cost of living pressures being felt by households across Scotland. We are working towards a consultation on the price cap on essential food items within 100 days of the start of this Government.

The consultation will be an opportunity for interested parties to inform the further development of the policy and any future legislative proposals. Any proposals brought forward would be subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

The Scottish Government published an initial evaluation of Best Start Grant in December 2020 and Best Start Foods in July 2022, and a further assessment of both policies as part of the Five Family Payments evaluation in September 2025. Findings were based mostly on survey and interview research with recipients. They clearly show the benefits have positively impacted recipients’ finances and helped to reduce material deprivation for low income households. In turn, they are having a range of social and health impacts. For example:

• Most recipients said Best Start Grant helps their children participate in social and educational activities. Examples included family trips to the zoo and annual passes to activity centres.
• Most recipients said Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods improve their own mental wellbeing. Parents described how the payments reduced stress about affording essential items for their children, such as food and one-off larger purchases like prams and furniture.
• Most recipients said Best Start Foods helps their children to eat more healthy foods, and that the payments have meant they do not need to use food banks. Some parents said they would have to cut back on healthy foods without this assistance.

The findings also indicate the benefits have increased economic activity by facilitating additional spend. Some of the further potential economic impacts that were identified would accrue in the longer-term. For example, the benefits could contribute to positive health outcomes for children in later life, thereby lowering the costs of health services.

While house-building remains the cornerstone of our response to increase housing supply, we are using every lever at our disposal to ensure existing stock supports the housing needs of our communities. This is happening via three routes: action led by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership and local authority empty homes officers to support privately owned empty homes to return to use, the conversion of empty commercial/ retail properties into residential housing and a reduction in the number of empty local authority/ social housing units.

Privately Owned Empty Homes

• Our investment of £5.7m in the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership has helped return almost 13,000 privately owned empty homes to use since 2010 (a record 2,066 homes in 2024-25 alone – 10% more than the year before. Figures for 2025-26 will be available later this year).
• This investment has expanded the Partnership’s core service, boosted empty homes officer capacity (15 additional posts in 2025-26) and funded a number of national and local initiatives e.g. the new empty homes Compulsory Purchase Hub facilitated by Aberdeenshire Council and the Society of Lawyers and Administrators (SOLAR) that will support more local authorities to be able to use this power to bring empty homes back into use.
• A further £1.3m is being allocated in 2026-27 to continue the SEHP core activities, as well as to help local authorities to offer grants to empty homeowners to renovate and let their homes for affordable rents.
• We continue to work with partners to increase the delivery of more affordable homes through acquisitions, the majority of which will be for social rent. In 2025-26 90 privately owned empty homes were acquired and returned to use in this way.

Conversion of empty commercial/ retail properties

• Local authorities may choose to use Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) grant to convert empty properties into housing. A recent example is the Kingdom Group's redevelopment of New City House, a former office block in Dunfermline. This was supported by over £3 million from AHSP and transformed the building into 32 energy-efficient two and three bedroom apartments for mid-market rent.
• In addition, in 2026-27 we are providing up to £52 million in resource and capital programmes for community-led regeneration across Scotland. This may be used to transform empty buildings into homes. Some examples of this since 2019 include £800,000 to refurbish an empty commercial building in Airdrie Town Centre into four flats, £441,000 to acquire and convert a former YMCA building in central Motherwell (alongside development of adjacent vacant and derelict land) to provide 48 new town centre residential units and £400,000 to develop a vacant military site at Comlet Invergordon in the Highlands into 93 affordable homes.

Empty local authority/ social housing

• 620 void properties were supported back into use in 2024-25 and 2025-2026 through targeted use of £120m AHSP grant for acquisitions and voids.