Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government notified key stakeholder organisations of the upcoming commencement of the ban on using, supplying or possessing rodent glue traps on 2 March 2026.

Follow-up correspondence was issued to Amazon, Ebay and the Post Office to confirm receipt of the notification. Further notification was sent to Scottish Wholesale on 20 May 2026 asking them to issue a reminder to Scotland’s wholesalers to ensure the removal of their stocks of rodent glue board traps, prior to the ban coming into force in Scotland on 1 July 2026.

We know that the impact of climate change means that summers in Scotland are likely to get drier which may impact summer water scarcity. As a result, it is vital that we take action both to limit further climate change and to adapt to the challenges it is already creating.

Scotland’s National Adaptation Plan sets out the actions that the Scottish Government and partners are taking to respond to the impacts of climate change, and Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan sets out how water resources are managed during periods of scarcity - including for users in agriculture and food production.

The Scottish Government supports farmers in efficient water management and to adapt to a changing climate, for example through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme and through the Agricultural Reform Programme and monitors overall impacts on food production through the Food Security Unit.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01334 on 13 July 2026. 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.

The Scottish Government is aware that, as a result of the changes announced by the UK Government in its Budget in November 2025, Motability Operations announced in March 2026 that it would adapt its offer for new and renewing lease customers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1 July 2026. The 1 July commencement is not set to apply in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has been working at pace with Motability to understand how any changes Motability makes to its customer offer as a result of the UK Government Budget announcements might affect the AVE Scheme and Motability customers in Scotland. Customers will be notified as soon as possible about changes that will apply in Scotland and the timeline for these.

The Scottish Government fulfilled a Programme for Government commitment by publishing its first International Education Strategy (IES) on 7 February 2024. British Council Scotland plays an important role in supporting its implementation as a member of the International Education Strategy Governance Group, providing strategic oversight and advice on the delivery of the Strategy’s objectives.

Through its extensive global networks and expertise, British Council Scotland supports Scottish colleges and universities in a range of areas, including transnational education, international student recruitment and access to seed-funding opportunities.

British Council Scotland also collaborates with sector partners to produce evidence-based research and analysis. This includes Scotland’s Higher Education: Partnering for Global Impact, published in partnership with Universities Scotland, which showcases the global reach and impact of Scotland’s higher education sector.

The Scottish Government provides funding to the British Council (BC) to deliver their Language Assistants Programmes, supporting both the placement of Modern Language Assistants from overseas in Scottish classrooms and universities, and Scotland-based students to travel and teach English abroad as English Language Assistants.

The British Council is set to become the National Agency for Erasmus+ in the UK. This will enable Scotland to achieve its vision of becoming more active internationally, forming connections and partnerships across the globe with countries who share our ambitions to alleviate poverty, achieve net zero and be an attractive place to live, work, visit, study and do business.

The Scottish Government supports the Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians (HESPAL), a British Council UK scholarship programme developed in partnership with Palestinian universities. The programme aims to strengthen the Palestinian higher education sector by responding to its needs and priorities.

HESPAL seeks to nurture the next generation of senior academics who can uphold international quality standards within Palestinian universities, while also fostering renewed and sustainable partnerships between institutions in Palestine and the United Kingdom.

The Scottish Government looks forward to continued collaboration with the British Council, creating a lasting legacy for scholarship students who have arrived and settled in Scottish Universities from Palestine.

CMAL, in collaboration with CalMac and Transport Scotland as part of the project working group, are currently reviewing the design and scope of the upgrades required to support the continuation of ferry services to Arran. Based on the current stage of the project; minimal spend is expected within this financial year (2026-27) with increased spend expected within future years from 2027-28 onwards.

Under current international development priorities, Scottish Government has identified Pakistan and Malawi as key countries for collaboration with British Council. Notably through Scotland Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and Girls 2025 | British Council administered by British Council team in Pakistan and the Scotland Malawi partnership.

Scottish Government support for the British Council-run Scotland–Pakistan Scholarships for Young Women and Girls scheme has been in place since 2013, reflecting Pakistan’s status as a long-standing country of focus. As the Scottish Government’s longest-running international development programme, the scheme aims to remove barriers for women and girls to pursue and complete secondary education and transition to higher education.

A 2025 British Council evaluation found the programme has expanded girls’ access to education and improved their prospects of entering the labour market. By easing financial barriers and promoting inclusivity, it is driving long-term academic and professional growth and benefiting families and communities.

The British Council is set to become the National Agency for Erasmus+ in the UK.

The Erasmus+ Programme is the European Union’s flagship funding programme for education, training, youth and sport. With a budget of approximately 26 billion, it allows individuals of all ages and backgrounds to study, train, volunteer, or gain work experience abroad while providing organizations with grants to build international partnerships.

The Scottish Government will continue to collaborate closely with the British Council Scotland to ensure that Scotland’s learners, students, apprentices and education staff fully benefit from the opportunities arising from association with Erasmus+ from January 2027.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving outcomes for people living with dementia, their families and care partners, through delivery of Scotland’s Dementia Strategy. The Scottish Government has provided funding to the Care Inspectorate to support the development of a new toolkit for frontline staff, designed to reduce stress and distress among people receiving care. The toolkit, launched earlier this year, includes practical guidance to help staff identify and implement small changes to an individual's care approach that can prevent distress from escalating. Where appropriate, these interventions may also contribute to a reduction in the use of antipsychotics and sedatives for dementia patients.

The Scottish Government has also published updated ‘Polypharmacy Guidance: Appropriate Prescribing - Making medicines safe, effective and sustainable’. Written by a Short Life Working Group (SLWG) consisting of experts from NHS Scotland, the Care Inspectorate and experts by experience, the guidance updates the previous 2018 edition and aims to ensure appropriate prescribing of medicines to optimise treatment outcomes and achieve the best care, whilst applying the principles of value-based healthcare and realistic medicine. The updated guidance also incorporates the Care Inspectorate's work on reducing the use of antipsychotic medication.

The updated polypharmacy guidance continues to place the individual at the centre with greater emphasis on shared decision-making to actively engage them in safe and effective care.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01058 on 13 July 2026. 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.