Chamber and committees

Scotland’s food, farming, and marine sectors have been beset by a range of challenges in recent years – not least as a result of Brexit - and we know that there are increasing risks to Scotland’s food security, including from climate change and ongoing conflicts globally.

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’s Food Security Unit works closely across policy areas, with external partners and other UK nations to ensure food security concerns are reflected strategically. The unit also monitors overall food security in Scotland (including fertiliser, fuel and food supply) working closely with industry through our Food Sector Resilience Group to share intelligence, identify risks and support co-ordinated responses.

Alongside this, the Scottish Government continues to support active farming and food production through direct payments, including bringing forward payment dates to support cash flow. The 2026-27 budget allocates more than £665 million for the purpose of supporting farmers, land managers, rural communities, and rural businesses.

The consultation carried out as part of the compulsory purchase reform programme included questions on Compulsory Sale Orders and responses are currently being analysed. The Scottish Government will publish a summary of responses to that consultation and associated analysis report, as well as an update on the compulsory purchase reform programme shortly.

Operational matters, including health and safety, remain the responsibility of individual institutions, with regulation and enforcement undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Scottish Government engages regularly with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) on matters relating to the college sector.

In this instance, the SFC has engaged directly with City of Glasgow College and continues to monitor progress through its ongoing monitoring and assurance processes. The Scottish Government understands that City of Glasgow College has accepted the Health and Safety Executive’s findings in full and are implementing all corrective actions identified, which has resulted in the HSE’s intervention being closed.

The SFC will continue to engage with the College and seek updates as part of its ongoing oversight role.

As set out during the passage of the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Act 2026, the Scottish Government is considering amendments to the Healthcare Improvement Scotland (Requirements as to Independent Health Care Services) Regulations 2011. Assessment of the options and engagement with affected businesses and Healthcare improvement Scotland will begin over the coming months.

Any amendments to the Regulations will be made in advance of the offences in the Non-Surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Act coming into force. We intend that those offences come into force on 6 September 2027.

The evaluation of the recent pilot is being finalised. This will help determine if the pilot supported people seeking asylum to integrate into society in line with the New Scots refugee integration strategy, and understand how free bus travel has impacted the daily lives of people seeking asylum in Scotland. I will consider these findings in determining next steps.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Responsibility for health and safety in colleges rests with individual institutions, with enforcement of legislation undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

As the statutory regulator, the HSE is responsible for investigating concerns, determining compliance with health and safety legislation, and taking any enforcement action where necessary.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) on oversight of the college sector, including governance and institutional performance.

Operational matters, including health and safety, remain the responsibility of individual colleges. Regulation and enforcement are undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Within this framework, the SFC expects colleges to comply with their legal duties and seeks assurance on this through its ongoing monitoring and engagement, helping to ensure that appropriate standards are maintained across the sector.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01099 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.

Clinical guidelines are intended to support and inform professional clinical judgement, not to replace it. Decisions regarding any specific clinical procedure or treatment must always be made on the basis of the individual patient’s clinical condition, personal circumstances, and expressed preferences, alongside the professional judgement of the responsible healthcare team.

The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs announced the Pig Producers Scheme on Friday 10 July. This is a £2 million scheme for independent pig producers in Scotland to help with the significant market challenges facing the sector. The funding aims to support farms most at risk from a prolonged drop in pig prices, and those eligible will be able to claim the difference between the price they received for their pigs and 85% of the Standard Pig Price (SPP). The scheme will open to applications from 15 July, and the support will apply retrospectively to losses incurred since March, with provision for the scheme to continue until the end of August 2026.