- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 20 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what the uptake was of free school meals in 2025 for (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils in each local authority area.
Answer
Answer expected on 20 January 2026
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what policy, criteria and decision-making processes have governed the automatic rollover of Equality and Human Rights Fund awards in the last five years, and whether an automatic rollover will be implemented again for the next funding year.
Answer
The Equality and Human Rights Fund supports projects that work to promote equality and tackling discrimination and prejudice. It was originally intended as a three year Fund running from October 2021 to September 2024. The funding periods were amended to align to financial years to enable approvals as part of annual budget considerations.
The Fund Managers, Inspiring Scotland, assess and report on all organisations on a six monthly basis to ensure that projects continue to deliver. Ministers have continued to extend the Equality and Human Rights Fund as its original objectives continue to be relevant.
Decisions on grant funding for 2026-27 will be announced following the passing of the 2026 Budget Bill.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations that had previously received support from the Equality and Human Rights Fund in each of the last five years have since had their funding discontinued, broken down by the reason for the discontinuation.
Answer
The same 48 organisations have been funded from the Fund’s inception until the end of FY 2025-26, with the sole exception of The Scottish Older People’s Assembly. It is intended that funding will be provided to The Scottish Older People’s Assembly in 2026-27 following a period of reorganisation of its Trustees’ governance arrangements.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations have received support from the Equality and Human Rights Fund in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) the amount awarded, (b) the duration of the funding and (c) whether the award was (i) a new allocation or (ii) the continuation of an existing funding arrangement.
Answer
The Equality and Human Rights Fund supports projects that work to promote equality and tackling discrimination and prejudice.
The following table, which is available on the gov.scot website, shows which organisations have received support from the Fund in the last five years. It also provides a breakdown of the amounts awarded to each organisation for relevant periods.
Funding to each organisation from October 2022 onwards has been a continuation of the arrangements established at the outset of the Fund.
Organisation | October 2021-September 2022 | October 2022-March 2023 | April 2023-March 2024 | April 2024-March 2025 | April 2025-March 2026 | Total Award |
Age Scotland | £396,404.00 | £201,625.50 | £406,743.50 | £406,743.50 | £406,743.50 | £1,818,260.00 |
Amina – the Muslim Women’s Resource Centre | £207,839.00 | £102,183.50 | £207,019.00 | £207,019.00 | £207,019.00 | £931,079.50 |
BEMIS Scotland | £215,000.00 | £107,500.00 | £215,000.00 | £215,000.00 | £215,000.00 | £967,500.00 |
Boots and Beards | £59,102.00 | £36,968.00 | £75,660.50 | £75,660.50 | £75,660.50 | £323,051.50 |
British Deaf Association | £224,507.00 | £113,964.00 | £230,182.50 | £230,182.50 | £230,182.50 | £1,029,018.50 |
Central Scotland Regional Equality Council | £72,686.00 | £37,114.00 | £75,077.00 | £75,077.00 | £75,077.00 | £335,031.00 |
Civil Rights First | £48,574.00 | £35,917.50 | £70,560.00 | £70,560.00 | £70,560.00 | £296,171.50 |
Close the Gap (SCIO) | £216,307.00 | £114,774.50 | £226,539.50 | £226,539.50 | £226,539.50 | £1,010,700.00 |
Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights | £142,599.00 | £71,624.50 | £144,479.50 | £144,479.50 | £144,479.50 | £647,662.00 |
Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations - Scotland | £199,100.00 | £99,550.00 | £199,100.00 | £199,100.00 | £199,100.00 | £895,950.00 |
Deafblind Scotland | £71,391.00 | £36,880.50 | £74,979.00 | £74,979.00 | £74,979.00 | £333,208.50 |
Disability Equality Scotland | £170,357.00 | £81,458.50 | £164,821.00 | £164,821.00 | £164,821.00 | £746,278.50 |
DISABILITY INFORMATION SCOTLAND | £164,525.00 | £83,190.00 | £167,737.50 | £167,737.50 | £167,737.50 | £750,927.50 |
Edinburgh Napier University - Equate Scotland | £311,596.00 | £169,871.50 | £355,626.00 | £355,626.00 | £355,626.00 | £1,548,345.50 |
Elect Her | £105,793.00 | £46,939.50 | £100,047.50 | £100,047.50 | £100,047.50 | £452,875.00 |
Engender | £346,980.00 | £177,623.50 | £359,806.50 | £359,806.50 | £359,806.50 | £1,604,023.00 |
Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland (ERCS) | £51,954.00 | £25,805.00 | £52,813.00 | £52,813.00 | £52,813.00 | £236,198.00 |
Equality Network Limited | £503,322.00 | £251,603.50 | £503,265.00 | £503,265.00 | £503,265.00 | £2,264,720.50 |
Ethnic Minorities Law Centre | £195,138.00 | £94,856.50 | £190,713.50 | £190,713.50 | £190,713.50 | £862,135.00 |
FENIKS Counselling, Personal Development & Support Service Ltd | £78,869.00 | £40,179.00 | £81,482.00 | £81,482.00 | £81,482.00 | £363,494.00 |
Generations Working Together | £201,388.00 | £101,887.50 | £206,930.75 | £206,930.75 | £206,930.75 | £924,067.75 |
Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector | £247,709.00 | £121,348.00 | £245,945.00 | £245,945.00 | £245,945.00 | £1,106,892.00 |
Glasgow Disability Alliance | £333,325.00 | £166,667.50 | £333,337.50 | £333,337.50 | £333,337.50 | £1,500,005.00 |
Glasgow Women's Library Ltd | £123,395.00 | £61,747.50 | £125,056.00 | £125,056.00 | £125,056.00 | £560,310.50 |
Grampian Regional Equality Council Ltd. | £28,667.00 | £14,160.00 | £28,445.00 | £28,445.00 | £28,445.00 | £128,162.00 |
Inclusion Scotland | £850,000.00 | £412,500.00 | £825,000.00 | £825,000.00 | £825,000.00 | £3,737,500.00 |
Intercultural Youth Scotland (IYS) | £203,379.20 | £104,985.60 | £216,095.70 | £216,095.70 | £216,095.70 | £956,651.90 |
JustRight Scotland SCIO | £95,567.00 | £48,450.50 | £97,442.00 | £97,442.00 | £97,442.00 | £436,343.50 |
Kairos Women+ | £50,754.00 | £21,520.50 | £46,444.50 | £46,444.50 | £46,444.50 | £211,608.00 |
Leadership Equality and Active Participation (LEAP) in Sports Scotland | £70,043.00 | £35,257.50 | £71,402.50 | £71,402.50 | £71,402.50 | £319,508.00 |
Legal Services Agency Ltd. | £129,748.00 | £66,367.50 | £137,156.50 | £137,156.50 | £137,156.50 | £607,585.00 |
LGBT Healthy Living Centre | £171,053.00 | £93,310.00 | £189,932.00 | £189,932.00 | £189,932.00 | £834,159.00 |
LGBT Youth Scotland | £281,930.00 | £143,982.00 | £290,870.50 | £290,870.50 | £290,870.50 | £1,298,523.50 |
Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project | £148,828.00 | £75,306.50 | £152,409.00 | £152,409.00 | £152,409.00 | £681,361.50 |
Multi-Cultural Family Base | £44,892.00 | £22,719.50 | £45,717.00 | £45,717.00 | £45,717.00 | £204,762.50 |
Neighbourhood Networks in Scotland | £94,461.00 | £46,512.50 | £93,956.50 | £93,956.50 | £93,956.50 | £422,843.00 |
Outside the Box Development Support Ltd | £56,995.00 | £29,422.00 | £59,027.00 | £59,027.00 | £59,027.00 | £263,498.00 |
Romano Lav | £82,583.00 | £38,421.50 | £73,597.50 | £73,597.50 | £73,597.50 | £341,797.00 |
Scottish Ethnic Minority Deaf Charity | £79,860.00 | £38,565.50 | £78,655.00 | £78,655.00 | £78,655.00 | £354,390.50 |
Scottish Trades Union Congress (Scottish Pensioners' Forum) | £47,819.00 | £23,831.00 | £48,913.00 | £48,913.00 | £48,913.00 | £218,389.00 |
Scottish Women's Budget Group | £72,062.00 | £37,127.00 | £74,383.00 | £74,383.00 | £74,383.00 | £332,338.00 |
Scottish Women's Convention | £196,666.00 | £98,333.00 | £196,667.00 | £196,667.00 | £196,667.00 | £885,000.00 |
STEP | £157,725.00 | £83,772.00 | £171,137.50 | £171,137.50 | £171,137.50 | £754,909.50 |
Stonewall Equality Limited | £103,992.00 | £52,594.00 | £106,505.00 | £106,505.00 | £106,505.00 | £476,101.00 |
The Poverty Alliance | £116,101.00 | £69,862.50 | £133,988.50 | £133,988.50 | £133,988.50 | £587,929.00 |
The Scottish Older People's Assembly | £49,100.00 | £24,550.00 | £49,100.00 | £49,100.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
West of Scotland Regional Equality Council (WSREC) | £140,906.00 | £73,440.00 | £147,660.50 | £147,660.50 | £147,660.50 | £657,327.50 |
YWCA Scotland | £107,477.00 | £83,782.00 | £144,652.00 | £144,652.00 | £144,652.00 | £625,215.00 |
Total | | | | £8,292,078.95 | £8,242,978.95 | £36,843,807.15 |
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the organisations that submitted applications to the Equality and Human Rights Fund in each of the last five years but were declined, broken down by (a) any information it can provide regarding the reason for refusal and (b) the assessment criteria or framework used in determining the decision.
Answer
The Fund has not been open to new applications following the original bidding process in 2021 which received 242 applications. The Equality and Human Rights Fund invests in a range of civil society organisations that deliver work focussed on tackling inequality and discrimination, furthering equality, and advancing the realisation of human rights in Scotland. Organisations were awarded funding based on assessment of their applications and how their proposed project would deliver against the intended outcomes i.e.
- People have greater awareness and understanding of their human rights, and how to access them
- People with protected characteristics have increased access to remedy where their rights have not been upheld
- People with protected characteristics have increased participation in public life
- People with protected characteristics have increased influence in decisions that affect them
- The Scottish Government has better access to data and depth of information about the experiences of people with protected characteristics
- Actors in civil society increasingly use Scotland’s domestic and international equality and human rights framework to influence and effect change
- The experience of people with protected characteristics is increasingly used to inform the policy and practice of public bodies
- Public services increasingly embed equality and human rights in their strategic planning and their day-to-day functions
Organisations whose applications were unsuccessful were advised to contact Inspiring Scotland, the Fund Manager, to receive individual feedback on their applications.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 19 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its consultation, which was launched on 28 August 2025 and concluded on 17 October 2025, with the Criminal Justice Committee taking initial evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs on 24 September 2025, what the reasons are for the reported delay in the laying of the proposed Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (Characteristic of Sex) Amendment Regulations 2026, and when an update on the current status and next steps in the process will be provided to the Parliament.
Answer
Answer expected on 19 January 2026
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its Equally Safe Delivery Plan, what discussions the Minister for Equalities has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the provision of sustained social and economic investment in prevention, housing, safety and long-term recovery for women and children currently in, or who are survivors of, the commercial sexual exploitation of prostitution.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what future commercial opportunities Scottish Water plans, and whether these include selling water for use in England.
Answer
As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:
Scottish Water Horizons drives sustainable growth by leveraging expertise and market position to maximise commercial, reputational, and carbon benefits. They support Scottish Water's strategic ambitions, contributing to Scotland’s prosperity by creating value from Scottish Water assets. Some examples include:
- Renewable energy (Solar, Hydroelectric, Wind) including large-scale battery energy storage schemes, which utilises Scottish Water’s land base.
- Heat recovery from sewers to help Scottish Water and other public sector organisations (e.g. NHS, Academia) to decarbonise their estate.
- Facilitating and delivering off site infrastructure (pipes & sewers) for Housing Developers.
- Commercial waste management, supporting business customers to dispose of their waste ethically via Scottish Water’s wastewater assets.
Scottish Water is not currently planning or exploring selling water for use in England as the bulk export of water is extremely expensive in terms of carbon and energy use. Additionally, climate change means that the availability of water in Scotland is changing, with periods of drought becoming more frequent and more prolonged as experienced in summer 2025. It is therefore important that water resources are managed carefully and more efficiently. As Scottish Water’s Long term strategy has noted, given the impacts of climate change, population growth and migration, the East of Scotland will face serious water deficits by 2050.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 18 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has consulted the National Drugs Mission Clinical Advisory Group regarding its position on the potential impact of the reclassification of psilocybin on the treatment of people in Scotland with substance abuse disorders.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not consulted the National Mission Clinical Advisory Group (NMCAG) regarding the potential impact of the reclassification of psilocybin on the treatment of people in Scotland with substance abuse disorders. The NMCAG is not a Scientific Advisory Group, it is a consensus seeking Clinical Advisory Group.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential treatment of certain mental health conditions, what its position is on the current scheduling of psilocybin as a class A drug, which means it is illegal to possess, supply or produce it, and whether the current scheduling presents any problems in relation to the NHS conducting clinical trials in Scotland.
Answer
The scheduling of psilocybin in the UK is overseen by the Home Office and the regulation for the licensing, safety and efficacy of medicines is currently reserved to the UK Government and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The Scottish Government has no power to alter this.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is supporting psilocybin research via the NIHR King’s Clinical Research Facility, the NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility, and the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre. This includes developing and evaluating the efficacy and safety of psilocybin therapies.
