The Scottish Drug Tariff contains information regarding the prescribing, dispensing and reimbursement of medicines and appliances. It lists the reimbursement prices paid by the NHS for approved prescribable items. Gluten-free food products are reimbursed in line with this process. Any price updates are imported directly from the UK Dictionary of Medicines and Devices price files by Public Health Scotland, who supply this monthly to PSD to support accurate reimbursement.

Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will support at least 880,000 pensioners with their heating bills this winter.

As of 14 December 2025, more than 568,000 Pension Age Winter Heating Payments had been made.

A release of Official Statistics on Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will be published on 19 May 2026 which will include payments made each month.

Further details are available on Social Security Scotland’s website at: Winter Benefits management information release to 14 December 2025.

Section 75 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 was commenced through commencement regulations and came into force on 12 January 2026.

Separately, the Scottish Government intends to lay regulations later this month which, subject to Parliamentary approval, will remove the existing legislative cap on Council Tax premiums. If agreed, this would meet the Programme for Government 2025 commitment and enable local authorities to determine the level of Council Tax premium that applies from 1 April 2026 to second homes and long-term empty homes, reflecting local housing pressures and circumstances.

The Scottish Government’s Housing Emergency Action Plan sets out a bold and co-ordinated response to tackling immediate pressures while laying the foundations for lasting, systemic change. The Plan looks to build on our existing policies whilst responding to the challenges of ending children living in unsuitable accommodation, supporting the needs of vulnerable communities and maximising investment in Scotland’s housing sector.

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme will invest £808 million in 2025-26 including £80 million targeted at acquisitions and voids, with a focus on family homes. Over the next four years, up to £4.9 billion of investment will be committed to affordable housing, delivered through a blend of public and privately leveraged investment to help deliver 36,000 affordable homes providing up to 24,000 children with a warm, safe home. This investment will support the delivery of Local Authority strategic housing priorities informed by their Housing Needs and Demand assessments.

Since 2007 we have helped deliver more than 141,000 affordable homes, of which more than 101,000 have been for social rent. In the year to end September 2025 we helped an estimated 2,172 households with children into affordable housing and, more broadly, keeping rents lower than market rents benefits approximately 140,000 children in poverty each year.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of locally produced content in reflecting Scotland’s diverse communities and supporting our creative economy. We maintain regular engagement with STV as part of ongoing dialogue on this and a range of matters impacting broadcasting in Scotland. Most recently, following my written correspondence with STV on 26 September, I met the broadcaster on 6 November to underline the critical importance of protecting jobs based in Scotland in the media industry and sustaining the vital outputs of regional news services.

The Scottish Government has consistently emphasised the cultural and economic value of regional programming and encouraged continued investment in Scottish content. We will continue to represent the interests of audiences and the creative industries in Scotland, including in our response to Ofcom’s consultation on STV’s proposals to change its regional programming requirements, to set out our strong opposition to proposals that put sustainable Scottish jobs and the outputs of vital news services at risk.

I will continue to work closely with STV, Ofcom, and other stakeholders to ensure that public service broadcasting remains robust and that audiences across Scotland have access to high-quality, locally relevant content.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the current and future skills needs of the economy, respecting that operational decisions such as course provision are a matter for individual colleges.

The Draft Budget 2026-27 invests over £2.4bn in post school education and skills. Scotland’s colleges will see a combined increase of £70m in resource and capital funding, equivalent to a 10% uplift on last year’s budget.

I will continue to work closely and collaboratively with Colleges Scotland, learners, and the wider sector, to support skills development and ensure a successful and sustainable future for our colleges.

As outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question S6W-42740 on 15 January 2026, the Scottish Government regularly engages with STV on a range of broadcasting matters. Most recently, following my written correspondence with STV’s Chief Executive on 26 September, I met the broadcaster on 6 November to emphasise the critical importance of protecting jobs based in Scotland in the media industry and the vital outputs of regional news services.

A copy of the written correspondence is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/letter-from-the-cabinet-secretary-for-constitution-external-affairs-and-culture-to-stvs-chief-executive/

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting a sustainable, diverse and inclusive media landscape. We will continue to make these views clear through ongoing engagement with STV and Ofcom, including through Ofcom’s consultation on STV’s proposals to change its regional programming requirements.

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.

On 28 May 2025 the Chief Executive and Accountable Officer of Historic Environment Scotland informed the Scottish Government that her absence from work which had begun on 2 May 2025 would be greater than four weeks, and that she expected to be absent for a further period. In doing so she also confirmed that during this period there would be no major events or matters planned which would require Accountable Officer approval.

Regarding the continued absence of the Accountable Officer at Historic Environment Scotland, I wrote to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Convenor on 17 December following publication of Audit Scotland’s Section 22 Report about Historic Environment Scotland, setting out the circumstances around this extended absence of an Accountable Officer. That letter is now on record and published on the Parliament website. Historic Environment Scotland Accountable Officer | Scottish Parliament Website

As stated in my letter to CEEAC, the Historic Environment Scotland, Chief Executive and Accountable Officer (Katerina Brown) resumed her Accountable Officer duties on 20 October 2025.

On 28 May 2025 the Chief Executive and Accountable Officer of Historic Environment Scotland informed the Scottish Government that her absence from work which had begun on 2 May 2025 would be greater than four weeks, and that she expected to be absent for a further period. In doing so she also confirmed that during this period there would be no major events or matters planned which would require Accountable Officer approval.

The Historic Environment Scotland, Chief Executive and Accountable Officer (Katerina Brown) did resume her Accountable Officer duties on 20 October 2025.

As you are aware, regarding the continued absence of the Accountable Officer for five and a half months at Historic Environment Scotland, I wrote to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee Convenor on 17 December following publication of Audit Scotland’s Section 22 Report about Historic Environment Scotland, setting out the circumstances around this extended absence. That letter is now on record and published on the Parliament website. Historic Environment Scotland Accountable Officer | Scottish Parliament Website

I can assure you that during the five and a half month period that the Chief Executive and Accountable Officer was absent the Scottish Government continually monitored the situation and engaged with the then Chair and Board. Additionally at my request Sponsorship Officials attended and continue to attend all Historic Environment Scotland Board meetings.

In October 2025, the Scottish Government published its updated Government Response to the 2023 Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reform consultation. This set out that the reformed domestic EPC will include three main ratings: