Chamber and committees

As per Historic Environments Scotland’s (HES) established annual approach, a number of sites across the HES estate are currently closed for the winter season, or will close in November, in line with sector best practice. Further information on closures can be found at https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/check-for-closures/.

As indicated in my earlier reply day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to any repair and maintenance works of any specific site, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.

We recognise the pressures facing the college sector, which have been set out clearly by both Audit Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), and I will continue to work collaboratively with the college sector on those challenges.

Despite the challenging financial climate during the current financial year, the Scottish Government is investing more than three quarters of a billion pounds in our 24 colleges to support a wide range of skills and qualifications, including apprenticeships. The most recent SFC allocations provided a 2.6 per cent increase in teaching funding for 2025-26 and an increase of almost 5 per cent in capital maintenance to help colleges to invest in the learning experience of students and in the skills that Scotland needs for the future.

a) As a result of the Government’s investment and our approach to the education system, 93 per cent of young people who leave school go on to positive destinations such as work and further training, 9 months after the of the school year.

b) Faced with the most unprecedented financial pressures since devolution, we have maintained a responsive and agile college workforce, which is critical for adapting to evolving demands and ensuring long-term sustainability. Throughout recent periods of challenge and change, college staff across Scotland have upheld a strong reputation for professionalism, adaptability and commitment to learner outcomes.

c) Decisions made by the UK Government since the financial crash in 2008, and their overall austerity policy position since 2010, continue to have a profound and negative impact on the finances available to the Scottish Government, the economy, and to the college sector. In recent years this challenging scenario has been exacerbated by increased national insurance costs, high energy costs and high inflation. Rising national insurance contributions have added over £11 million of extra cost on to our colleges. The Scottish Government is seeking to mitigate the impact of these costs by providing an additional £5.5 million in this current financial year, but the added costs to our public sector from increased national insurance contributions are not helping us to realise our potential for economic growth.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring Scotland’s pathway networks are accessible and safe by investing in high-quality active travel infrastructure and supporting behaviour change programmes. We are investing £188.7 million in 2025–26 to support high-quality active travel and bus infrastructure, sustainable travel integration, and behaviour change programmes.

This year over £11 million is being provided to maintain and improve the National Cycle Network, alongside support for the Places for Everyone programme and the Iain Findlay Path Fund. In addition to these programmes, the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund and our tiered funding model, enable local authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships and National Park Authority’s to deliver safe, inclusive walking, wheeling and cycling routes.

It is not possible to provide such information because in line with usual practice, details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on them are not routinely recorded as there is no business need to do this. Civil servants across a range of different business areas contributed to this publication as part of their normal duties supporting the Scottish Government.

FLS does not have a policy of exclusive use of paid contractors for deer management.

FLS currently achieves its annual deer cull via:-

• FLS Wildlife Rangers (x 50), delivering 24% of cull.
• Professional Culling Contractors (x 115), delivering 74% of cull.
• Recreational Stalkers (x 50), delivering 2% of cull.

This model was developed over several years and has helped FLS facilitate a 35% increase in its cull from 30,700 deer in 2015/16, to 41,500 deer in 2024/25.

Higher culls result in reductions in deer numbers and associated deer damage impacts.

Across SNFL there are currently 23 recreational deer leases and permissions covering 24,700 hectares.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has evolved its current deer management model, that has increased the annual cull by 35% since 2015/16. This model—delivered through a combination of Wildlife Rangers, professional contractors, and recreational stalkers—has proven more effective in reducing deer impacts on Scotland’s national forests and land (SNFL), while supporting broader land management goals and protecting public investment.

Sporting leases, often lacked the flexibility and responsiveness needed to manage deer populations effectively, the current model allows year-round culling across varied terrain using specialist equipment. Professional Rangers and contractors ensure a targeted and efficient approach.

Additionally, increasing sporting leases would significantly raise the cost of sporting rates payable by FLS to local authorities along with the increased administrative burden, especially compared to more direct delivery models.

The Scottish Government has consistently proactively published information on costs for independence papers, once all costs have been incurred.

Costs associated with the publication of the A Fresh Start with Independence paper will be available in due course.

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) provides guidance for the public on how to exercise their access rights responsibly. Having a fire or BBQ is an activity covered by access rights in certain circumstances. However, the circumstances are limited and the SOAC clearly sets out when and where it would not be considered responsible to have a fire, including:

• when - such as periods of high or extreme fire risk; and
• where - such as in woodlands, on peat soils, and on farmland;

and guidance on how to have a fire responsibly.

NatureScot, the National Access Forum (NAF) and the national Visitor Management Co-ordination Group also undertake other activity to promote responsible behaviour with respect to fires and BBQs, such as:

• A fires messaging framework to ensure national consistency in messaging which includes very clear “no fires” at times of high or extreme fire risk.
• Fires and BBQs in the outdoors guidance for managers, rangers and land managers
• Media campaigns annually promoting the SOAC and fires messaging at times of high or extreme fire risk.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Wildfire Forum also provide Wildfire Danger Assessments which help prioritise communication and engagement activity.

International negotiations and membership of organisations such as International Whaling Commission (IWC) are a reserved matter for the UK Government. However, the Scottish Government is fully committed to the protection of iconic marine wildlife such as whales, dolphins, and porpoise. We therefore fully support the UK Government and IWC in seeking to secure a permanent worldwide ban, and in continuing to call on all countries who practice any form of whaling, to cease these operations and enforce the worldwide ban.

As part of the annual UK-Faroe Islands fisheries negotiations, officials continue to work with the UK Government and raise this topic with Faroe Islands officials.

As outlined in the UK/ Faroe Islands Fisheries Framework Agreement ‘The Contracting Parties shall cooperate with a view to achieving the objective of ensuring the long-term conservation and sustainable use of marine living resources and, in doing so, safeguarding the ecosystems in which these resources occur’

As part of the annual fisheries agreement, when Faroese vessels fish in the UK waters they must comply with all relevant UK/Scottish legislation. This includes compliance with legislation governing Marine Protected Areas and Future Catching Policy, and the protection of cetacean populations.

The Scottish Government has previously released the following information regarding court fees, counsel's fees and judicial expenses paid in relation to court action in which the Scottish Information Commissioner, as regulator for Freedom of Information law, was the opposing party:

Similar information to that in the above table has previously been published by the Scottish Government on our website and is accessible through the following links:

• Cumulative costs of Scottish Government legal fees from 2020
• External legal fees for Court of Session appeal XA10/23
• Scottish Government legal fees contesting Scottish Information Commissioner