Chamber and committees

The public consultation on the draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) closed on 29 January 2026. The final CCP was published on Tuesday 24th March.

The ScotWind leasing round and the Supply Chain Development Statement (SCDS) process have been carefully designed and are managed by Crown Estate Scotland (CES). The process has produced a leasing round focused on quality and deliverability of bids, and long-term supply chain investment which promises to be transformational for Scotland’s economy.

We are building on the commitment of ScotWind developers to invest an average projection of £1.5 bn in Scotland per project by leveraging private investment in our supply chain through our offshore wind strategic investment. Working with our enterprise agencies, we continue to support companies in the North East and Moray - areas that have provided energy security through oil and gas for generations - to access opportunities emerging from offshore wind.

Crown Estate Scotland(CES)is responsible for the leasing of the seabed and provides the Scottish Government with regular updates on the progress of offshore wind projects.

The handing back of CampionWind’s lease option to CES was a commercial decision made by Shell UK. The Scottish Government was informed of this development by CES.

Individual developers and companies routinely reassess their commercial priorities. This is a normal feature of the offshore wind market and the wider industry.

Crown Estate Scotland (CES) manages all aspects of the ScotWind process and is responsible for monitoring compliance with, and enforcing the conditions of, the ScotWind leasing round.

We expect developers to deliver on their Supply Chain Development Statement (SCDS) commitments. Failure to do so can trigger remedies ranging from financial penalties to an inability to progress to a seabed lease.

If the conditions of an option agreement or lease are not met, CES will assess the circumstances of the breach on a case-by-case basis. Where a breach is considered material, CES may take appropriate action in line with the terms of the agreement. This can include, where justified, the termination of the option agreement or lease.

The Scottish Government is doing everything within its power to support the delivery of ScotWind projects and ensure that the offshore wind opportunity for Scotland is realised.

The Scottish Government does not have any plans to establish a genetic testing programme for feral pigs or wild boar.

Previous testing undertaken by NatureScot and Science and Advice for Scotland’s Agriculture (SASA), which assessed the DNA of shot pigs in Scotland, highlighted that feral pigs originated from a wide mix of wild boar, domesticated pigs and hybrids.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that investment through the Just Transition Fund delivers value for public money and supports environmental and economic outcomes across the North East and Moray. To that end, an independent evaluation of the first two years of JTF delivery (2022–2024) was commissioned, with the final report published in July 2025.

The evaluation found that the Fund has supported a wide range of projects contributing positively to environmental sustainability and community wellbeing across several domains:

(a) Air quality, (b) Water quality, and (c) Soil quality

Projects funded through the JTF have advanced nature-based solutions, environmental restoration, and community-led ecological management. For example, the Findhorn Watershed Initiative undertook large-scale riparian woodland restoration, carbon sequestration activity, and community environmental education. These efforts contribute to long-term improvements in ecosystem health, including enhanced water quality and more resilient soils, and support Scotland’s broader adaptation objectives.

(d) Public transport

The evaluation highlighted improved access to essential services, including public transport. In addition, transport-focused feasibility studies, such as the Buchan Sustainable Transport Study, were among the showcase examples featured in the evaluation. These projects aim to address rural connectivity challenges, inform low-carbon transport solutions, and improve mobility for communities across the region.

(e) Active travel

While active travel is not the primary focus of the JTF portfolio, several projects supported community engagement, place-based improvements, and environmental enhancement that complement active travel objectives. Wider participatory budgeting activities funded through the JTF also supported local improvements to community spaces and infrastructure, enabling healthier, low-carbon choices.

Overall, the independent evaluation concluded that the Just Transition Fund is supporting environmental sustainability, community empowerment, and improved access to essential services, while laying the groundwork for longer-term environmental and economic benefits across the North East and Moray.

The Scottish Government does not intend to establish a national forum comprising a broad range of stakeholders to provide advice on the management of feral pigs or wild boar.

The Scottish Government currently chairs the Feral Pig Co-ordination Group, which considers issues relating to feral pigs. The Group includes officials from the Scottish Government, Forestry and Land Scotland, Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, NatureScot and other external organisations as and when required.

This structure allows relevant expertise to be brought together as needed to support effective management of feral pigs in Scotland.

The Strategic Wildlife and Species Land Managers Forum brings together relevant Government departments and non-governmental organisations and meets regularly to discuss issues relating to wildlife management. The management of feral pigs could be considered by the Forum if appropriate.

The Scottish Government has allocated up to £10 million for commercial and public sector projects as well as £4 million for community and social enterprise projects, comprising of:

• our annual £1 million commitment to Just Transition Participatory Budgeting so communities can have a direct say on where money is spent
• £2.5 million is available to projects that tackle child poverty, fuel poverty, or support adaptation, biodiversity, or environmental goals.
• Up to £300,000 in resource funding is available for community and social enterprise resource grants.

Local authority-owned, worker-owned, and cooperatively owned projects are encouraged to apply. Applicants must pay the real Living Wage and provide effective worker voice channels. Applicants that are working toward additional Fair Work First criteria will be viewed favourably.

Up to £10 million capital funding is available for projects that create jobs, build skills, and boost economic opportunities in the North East and Moray. The Scottish Government will have clear expectations of how many (a) full-time equivalent jobs, (b) total jobs, (c) training positions and (d) apprenticeships this round of the Fund will create when successful applicants are selected.