Chamber and committees

New Entrants to Crofting:

As set out in answer S6W-41307 on 13 October 2025, improving access to primary care is a key priority for this Government. We recognise the vital role that GPs, community nurses, pharmacists, dentists and other members of the primary care team play as the foundation of healthcare in our communities.

We are committed to strengthening the whole primary care system, building on our ongoing commitment through the Service Renewal Framework to shift more care into community settings and make services more accessible for patients.

As part of this, we will develop options for new and innovative ways to improve access to primary care, including local walk-in models which will provide more flexibility for patients. It is our intention to develop proposals for a model would see these services open Monday-Sunday. We will develop these proposals first as a pilot model which will complement current core general practice and provide a range of same-day assessment and small-scale diagnostics. To do this we will work in collaboration with NHS Boards and primary care delivery partners to ensure they strengthen, rather than duplicate, existing primary care services.

The Scottish Government will set out further details as these plans develop.

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.

Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload broken down by both age and disability condition.

I am disappointed that, based on latest estimates, we have not met our target to reduce food waste by 33% by 2025. The reasons behind this are complex, and partly reflect changed consumer behaviour since the pandemic. Scotland is not alone in facing this challenge and higher food waste levels have been observed across the UK.

However, I am taking action to reset the Government’s approach and the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map sets out how we will deliver more targeted action to support householders and businesses.

The Scottish Government has considered impacts on cross border trade and there is no evidence to suggest that there will be any significant impact if ultra-high frequency (UHF) cattle EID is introduced. Electronic reading will not be mandated, and the ability to visually read an ear tag will remain. A Partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) was published as part of the consultation on bovine EID.

Ministers will develop an implementation strategy including expected delivery dates, for bovine EID, once the outcomes of the UK Government/EU trade negotiations have concluded.

Scottish Government contracts and frameworks which include clauses pertaining to Liquidated Financial Damages, KPIs and/or Service Credits are listed in the following table.

It is not common for contracts to include provisions that set out specific financial consequences for failure to perform as it can be difficult to quantify in advance an expected loss from such a failure. However, standard terms and conditions used when awarding Scottish Government procurement contracts do contain a number of important provisions. This includes provisions whereby, if the contract is terminated - including as a consequence of a material breach by the supplier, then the Scottish Government may deduct any costs incurred to complete the services from any amount due to be paid. If this exceeds amounts already paid, then provisions include that those sums can be recovered.

Additionally, for regulated procurements, the Scottish Government’s standard terms and conditions contain indemnity clauses requiring the supplier to indemnify the public sector body in respect of any loss suffered through that supplier’s negligent or wrongful act, or omission or defect in any goods/services supplied. Regulated contracts are currently those valued at £50k and above. Levels of indemnity are set appropriately and proportionally for each procurement exercise.

I have attached extracts from Scottish Government Terms and Conditions that pertain to repatriations as a result of termination, default and indemnities.

To underpin good practice, the Scottish Government sets out guidance for all public bodies on how to Manage and Improve the Performance of Contracts in the Procurement Journey, a national tool to support consistency of practice across Scotland. This includes appropriate use of KPIs, Service Levels, Incentives and Sanctions where it is proportionate and relevant to do so, for example, in regulated contracts.

Extracts from Standard Scottish Government Terms and Conditions that pertain to Performance Related Damages

26.6 The Service Provider indemnifies the Purchaser and any replacement service provider against all actions, suits, claims, demands, losses, charges, damages, costs and expenses and any other liabilities which the Purchaser or replacement service provider may incur in respect of the emoluments and outgoings referred to in clause 26.5.

52 Indemnity

52.1 The Service Provider shall indemnify the Purchaser against all claims, proceedings, actions, damages, costs, charges, expenses and any other liabilities which may arise out of, or in consequence of, any Default of the Service Provider.

52.2 The Purchaser shall indemnify the Service Provider in respect of all claims, proceedings, actions, damages, fines, costs, expenses or other liabilities which may arise out of, or in consequence of, a breach of the Data Protection Laws where the breach is the direct result of the Service Provider acting in accordance with the Purchaser’s specific written instructions. This indemnity provision shall not apply if the Service Provider-

1.acts on the Purchaser’s specific written instructions but fails to notify the Purchaser in accordance with clause 14.12(c) of this Contract;

2.fails to comply with any other obligation under the Contract.

53. Limitation of Liability

53.1. Neither Party is liable to the other Party under the Contract for any:

53.1.1. loss of profits, business, revenue or goodwill; or

53.1.2. indirect or consequential loss or damage.

53.2. But clause 53.1 does not exclude any liability of the Service Provider for additional operational, administrative costs or expenses or wasted expenditure resulting from the Default of the Service Provider.

53.3. The liability of either Party under the Contract for Defaults is limited to [x].

53.4. But neither Party excludes or limits liability to the other Party for:

53.4.1. death or personal injury caused by its negligence;

53.4.2. misrepresentation;

53.4.3. any breach of any obligations implied by section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 or sections 2 or 11B of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982; or

53.4.4. any breach of any obligations under Data Protection Laws

59. Termination Rights

59.1. The Purchaser may terminate the Contract by notice to the Service Provider with immediate effect if the Service Provider commits a Default and:

59.1.1. the Service Provider has not remedied the Default to the satisfaction of the Purchaser within 20 Working Days, or such other period as may be specified by the Purchaser, after issue of a notice specifying the Default and requesting it to be remedied;

59.1.2. the Default is not in the opinion of the Purchaser, capable of remedy; or

59.1.3. the Default is a material breach of the Contract.

59.2. «F68: The Purchaser may also terminate the Contract in accordance with any provisions of the Schedules.»

59.3. The Purchaser may terminate the Contract in the event that:

(a) the Contract has been subject to substantial modification which would have required a new procurement procedure in accordance with regulation 72(9) (modification of contracts during their term) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015; or

(b) the Service Provider has, at the time of contract award, been in one of the situations referred to in regulation 58(1) (exclusion grounds) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, including as a result of the application of regulation 58(2) of those regulations, and should therefore have been excluded from the procurement procedure.

59.4. The Purchaser may also terminate the Contract in the event of a failure by the Service Provider to comply in the performance of the Services with legal obligations in the fields of environmental, social or employment law.

59.5. The Purchaser may also terminate the Contract where, at any time before the term of the Contract, the Service Provider or any person falling within the description set out in paragraph (2) of regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 commits an offence referred to in paragraph (1) of that regulation.

60. Termination on Insolvency and Change of Control

60.1. The Service Provider shall notify in writing immediately, and the Purchaser may terminate the Contract with immediate effect by notice, where in respect of the Service Provider:

60.1.1. a proposal is made for a voluntary arrangement within Part I of the Insolvency Act 1986 or of any other composition scheme or arrangement with, or assignation for the benefit of, its creditors;

60.1.2. a shareholders’ meeting is convened for the purpose of considering a resolution that it be wound up or a resolution for its winding-up is passed (other than as part of, and exclusively for the purpose of, a bona fide reconstruction or amalgamation);

60.1.3. a petition is presented for its winding up (which is not dismissed within 14 days of its service) or an application is made for the appointment of a provisional liquidator or a creditors’ meeting is convened pursuant to section 98 of the Insolvency Act 1986;

60.1.4. a receiver, administrative receiver or similar officer is appointed over the whole or any part of its business or assets;

60.1.5. an application order is made either for the appointment of an administrator or for an administration order, an administrator is appointed, or notice of intention to appoint an administrator is given;

60.1.6. it is or becomes insolvent within the meaning of section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986;

60.1.7. being a “small company” within the meaning of section 382 of the Companies Act 2006, a moratorium comes into force pursuant to schedule A1 to the Insolvency Act 1986;

60.1.8. a debt relief order is entered into; or

60.1.9. any event similar to those listed above occurs under the law of any other jurisdiction.

60.2. The Purchaser may terminate the Contract by notice with immediate effect within 6 months of:

60.2.1. being notified that a change of Control has occurred in accordance with clause 33.1 (Change of Control); or

60.2.2. where no such notification has been given, the date that the Purchaser becomes aware of the change of control.

60.3. But the Purchaser may not terminate the Contract under clause 60.2 where approval of the change of control has been granted by notice by the Purchaser.

An industry led EID pilot has directly engaged with 18 auction marts, 14 abattoirs and 425 farms from across Scotland, as well as those across the border. The pilot has concluded its findings with a report published in 2023, highlighting improved Health and Safety as one of the many advantages of ultra-high frequency (UHF) due to reduced animal handling. The Scottish Government also meets regularly with the Bovine EID Industry Stakeholder group, which includes the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS).

2021: a registered slaughter facility that was owned and used specifically on an individual farm closed.

2022: no closures

2023: a small commercial abattoir that dealt mainly in private kill closed

2024: no closures

2025: no closures

The Abattoir Users Survey 2025 notes that the direct selling model referenced is heavily dependent on private kill and further processing services offered by small and local abattoirs. The Scottish Government is therefore proud to have committed to continuing support for small abattoirs and producers, through the Small Producers Pilot Fund (SPPF). In 2024-25 this provided almost £300,000 in resource funding for a number of abattoirs engaged in private kill, mainly the facilitation and co-ordination of small producer access to private kill services. This year, we are providing up to £1 million through our SPPF to support Scotland’s small producers, and Ministers remain open to receiving further grant applications.