Chamber and committees

A note of the meeting was taken in accordance with section 11.14 of the Scottish Ministerial Code. A summary of the meeting was published on the Scottish Government website shortly after the First Minister met with President Trump. The statement can be found at: Talks at the White House - gov.scot

Yes, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office were engaged about the First Minister’s meeting with the President of the United States and fully supported the First Minister’s engagement with the President and the US Government on whisky tariffs. The First Minister was hosted at the British Ambassador’s residence in Washington D.C and was accompanied by the former UK Ambassador to the United States, Lord Mandelson, during his meeting with the President in the Oval Office.

Former UK Ambassador to the United States, Lord Mandelson, was present during the First Minister’s discussions with the President and was fully briefed on the First Minister’s objectives for the meeting ahead of their visit to the White House.

The First Minister did not raise Scottish independence during his meeting with President Trump and the US Secretary of State.

As previously noted to Mr Eagle on 4 September 2025, the First Minister and the President of the European Commission did not discuss Scottish Independence when they met on 26 July 2025.

The Scottish Government has considered this UK report with interest and recognises the importance of a range of factors including land use, yield, and population in planning future food security.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 similarly recognises the importance of these factors and requires Scottish Ministers to make a statement on food security at least every three years and to also have regard to food supply and security in the rural support plan.

The publication of Scotland’s 4th Land Use Strategy to be published next year will also allow us to further consider the multiple pressures on land and the benefits and opportunities presented by a more integrated approach to land use.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.

Spending on postage is an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider, as such, the information should be sought directly from each Board.

Police Scotland have advised that they are currently exploring how this information could be extracted and collated from their systems. My officials will advise on progress with this project, as and when it moves forward.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) is a multi-agency partnership which works across all Police Scotland divisions to deliver the SPARC strategy’s key rural crime priorities. The service’s National Rural, Acquisitive and Business Preventions Team (RAB-PT) has trained over 100 officers across North, East and West on rural machinery thefts. Through this partnership working, 12 officers will shortly enter through a stolen vehicle examiners accreditation course which is dovetailed with rural machinery theft training giving Police Scotland additional capacity for such investigations across Scotland. RAB-PT have also developed metal theft training with partners and will deliver this in areas most affected by renewables and metal thefts in the coming year.