Chamber and committees

Planning and training for tackling fires are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to consider. SFRS continually reviews its operational response concerning emerging technology, including battery storage, to keep communities safe and has the ability to deploy a range of resources that can be utilised by highly skilled crews to successfully bring incidents to a safe conclusion.

Following the First Minister’s announcement on 22 January 2026, the then Cabinet Secretary for Housing, undertook extensive engagement with a broad range of stakeholders to inform the early design of More Homes Scotland. This included local government partners, industry experts, investors, developers, academics, and Scotland’s largest housebuilders.

The Scottish Government will continue this approach.

The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (the 2026 Act) introduces provisions that will make changes to the Code of Practice for Deer Management currently defined by the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.

We expect that the provisions in the 2026 Act will be enacted in a phased manner, and we will set out further details about the timetable for commencing and implementing the individual provisions in the 2026 Act in due course.

We will continue to engage with stakeholders during the commencement and implementation phases, and we will ensure stakeholders and members of the public have sufficient time to prepare before we commence any provisions that would directly impact on them.

Social Security Scotland uses data from its translation services provider to identify the languages most requested by clients. Proactive translations of factsheets are made based on this information.

The Scottish Government estimates that initial start-up costs of More Homes Scotland will be around £2 million from 2026-27 to 2027-28.

Projected annual budgets and agency running costs remain dependent on key decisions yet to be taken through the ongoing design and wider policy development process. Further detail and updates will be provided to Parliament after the conclusion of this stage.

The Government will bring forward such social security legislation as is necessary to continue to ensure the effective operation of delivery and improved outcomes for clients. That will include in due course the regulations required to introduce Scottish Child Payment for children under 1, which will increase the total payment amount to £40 per week during 2027-28, benefitting an estimated 12,000 children, to implement measures in the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2025, and to uprate social security benefits on an annual basis.

Ministers will always seek to engage openly and positively with all parties interested in strengthening the protection, preservation and maintenance of Scotland’s war memorials, including Members. Ministers will consider their position on the protection afforded to war memorials from damage by the criminal law. Ministers will give careful attention to any proposals brought forward in the Parliament for amendments to the law, examining their detail and practical implications before taking a view on support, in line with normal procedure.

It is the Scottish Ministers who determine applications made under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989. The Energy Consents Unit administers these applications on their behalf.

The Energy Consents Unit does not retain data on applications which subsequently become operational. This information is available in the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) quarterly extracts from their Renewable Energy Planning Database. The publication includes operational information pertaining to battery energy storage system (BESS) applications approved by Scottish Ministers: Renewable Energy Planning Database: quarterly extract - GOV.UK

My officials met with Scotland Office before the pre-election period to discuss next steps. At this meeting, Scotland Office officials confirmed that they have been actively engaging with the various UK Government departments with an interest in the Order.

Now that the Scottish election has concluded, Scottish Government officials will resume discussions with the UK Government to progress agreement on the proposed section 104 Order.

Large-scale, long-duration energy storage, such as pumped hydro storage, will play a critical role in lessening our dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation, supporting our net zero ambitions.

It will help to maximise our significant renewable energy generating capacity by providing flexibility to the grid ensuring there is a continuous resilient and secure supply of electricity to households and businesses.

Whilst the UK Government's proposals for a cap and floor mechanism for long duration electricity storage are welcome, it is vital they continue to engage with industry to ensure the finer details of this mechanism can maximise the generation and economic potential pumped hydro storage.