Chamber and committees

Before making a decision on a planning application, it is for the planning authority to interpret and implement all relevant planning legislation, policies and guidance as it deems appropriate, given the circumstances in each case, and to ensure that the provisions of the planning system are applied properly.

We do not anticipate any applications will be determined by planning authorities before our planning guidance on data centres is issued later this year. Through the notification direction we issued during the summer we are actively monitoring live applications and their intended timescales for determination.

We continue to support better standards of energy efficiency and performance across the built environment. Measures to improve energy efficiency in households will tackle fuel poverty and make clean heating systems more efficient to run.

Scottish Government has a capital budget for Heat in Buildings of £302.5 million for financial year 26/27, the details of which are published at Heat in Buildings Budget Allocations. Please note that the allocation for Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loans includes an allocation for the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan (c£500,000) and for WABS Loan (c£500,000), which offers funding for Warmer Homes Scotland and Area Based Schemes customers where a personal contribution is required.

The funding available for each delivery scheme for the installation of low-carbon heating systems is variable, as schemes are demand-led and installations are subject to assessment. Details of measures installed are reported in the Annual Progress Report: Heat in Buildings Progress Report 2026.

Homes by tenure for each delivery scheme by the most recent reporting are as follows:

• HES Grants and Loan: In FY25-26 supported installs in 4,059 owner-occupied homes.
• Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan: In FY25-26 supported installs in 48 private landlord properties.
• Warmer Homes Scotland: In FY26-26 supported installs in 6,027 owner-occupied homes, 93 life rent homes, and 150 private landlord properties.
• Area Based Schemes: In FY24-25 supported 3,645 owner occupier homes, 104 private landlord properties, and 1,482 social landlord properties.
• Social Housing Net Zero Fund: The scheme has supported improvements in over 13,000 social homes since 2021. These figures do not include FY25-26 and FY26-27, which will be available on receipt of project completion reports.

Transport Scotland is continuing to work with stakeholders, including bus operators and local authorities, to finalise the updated Code of Conduct and the supporting operational processes required for its implementation.

The updated code of conduct and associated suspension processes will be published when they are brought into operation. A commencement date for the operation of the Code of Conduct and the associated suspension processes will be confirmed shortly.

The Third Sector Partnership Agreement is an opportunity to build on progress made through Fairer Funding, recognise the vital contribution of the third sector, and strengthen how we work together to design and deliver policy. We are establishing a Steering Group to support the co-design of the Partnership Agreement. This will bring together representatives from the third sector, national and local government, and independent funders; membership of the group will be published shortly. It will provide strategic leadership, expert insight, and development oversight to guide the co-design of the Partnership Agreement and support its effective implementation.

The Scottish Government’s Family Law consultation closed on 21 April this year. It sought views on a range of matters, including whether we should legislate to raise the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership. The responses are being analysed and an independent report of the analysis will be published later this year. A formal response to the consultation will follow thereafter setting out our next steps.

The SPCB provides a wide-range of wellbeing services for the benefit of MSPs, their staff and SPCB staff.  This includes an online wellbeing platform which provides access to online fitness programmes, wellbeing podcasts and nutrition guides.  In addition to this, the SPCB provides access to discounts for staff via the Edenred MyLifestyle app, including discounts with a number of corporate gym groups.  Details of how to access these discounts can be found on the SPCB’s intranet.  The SPCB is always looking for ways to improve wellbeing services and welcomes feedback from MSPs, their staff and SPCB staff.

The SPCB offers a wide range of services and benefits which promote healthy living and wellbeing.  These are available to MSP staff as well as SPCB staff and include, for example, a free on-site gym for staff based in Holyrood, corporate gym membership discounts and the cycle to work scheme.  Staff also have access to an Employee Assistance Service which delivers 24/7 counselling as well as an online wellbeing platform.  This platform contains fitness programmes, nutrition guides and on-demand e-learning and podcasts on a wide-range of wellbeing topics.  The SPCB takes seriously its responsibility to support positive wellbeing for all members of the parliament community, including MSP staff.

The national minimum amounts for School Clothing Grant are £120 for eligible primary pupils and £150 for eligible secondary pupils. These amounts were agreed with local government in 2021. Local authorities are responsible for administering the School Clothing Grant, including setting eligibility criteria, and have the flexibility to pay families more than the national minimum.

The Scottish Government is providing increased funding of £14.6m in 2026-27 financial year to support local authorities to maintain the School Clothing Grant. This includes a £400k inflationary increase on the previous year’s funding and represents an increase of £2.8m since 2021-22. We have committed to uprating funding in line with inflation during this Parliament.

Addressing gender inequalities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a key priority within our Women's Health Plan.

The Plan adopts a life-course approach to cardiovascular health, recognising the links between heart disease and factors such as pregnancy, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and menopause. In particular, work is underway to test care pathways designed to reduce and manage the lifetime risk of CVD among women who experience hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

The Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme funded by the Scottish Government routinely disaggregates relevant data by sex, supporting a better understanding of sex-based differences in cardiovascular outcomes and care.