Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government routinely publish data for Scotland on the number of social rented dwellings as a share of the total number of dwellings on an annual basis, and it is available Housing statistics: Stock by tenure tables. The latest data shows that 23% of the total housing stock are social housing (2024), it has been 23% since 2014.

The collation of equivalent data across the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) states can be found here on tab ’Figure PH4.2.1’. The data is available from 2022 or latest year available. The OECD average is 7% in 2022, further data is available for other countries/areas can be found in Table 1 below.

From the information provided by the OECD, there are differences in definitions of social housing, as well as country level differences in collecting data on social housing, and time periods to consider when making comparisons – all of which might make these comparisons not like for like. For example, the Netherlands included some private rented housing below market rent in their data return to the OECD, whereas the Scotland data only includes housing owned by a housing association or a local authority.

Table 1: Number of social rental dwellings as a share of the total number of dwellings, 2022 or latest year available, published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Legislation and regulations relating to electricity transmission and distribution networks are reserved to the UK Government, with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) responsible for the strategic development of the electricity system across Great Britain. The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP), which the Scottish Government has co-commissioned, will set out a long term, whole system view of how our future energy system should look, helping inform a more strategic approach to future grid connection offers.

In 2028 NESO will publish the Centralised Strategic Network Plan which will help to deliver the SSEP and set out a whole system view of future network requitements across Great Britain.

The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 (“the 2026 Act”) includes provisions that will allow local authorities to make by-laws in connection with the prevention of wildfires.

The 2026 Act is being brought into force on a phased basis, with the first provisions commencing in June 2026, and we will set out further details of the timetable for commencing and implementing individual provisions in due course.

We will continue to engage with stakeholders during the commencement and implementation process and will ensure that local authorities, other stakeholders, and members of the public have sufficient time to prepare before any provisions that affect them are brought into force.

The Scottish Government engaged with mortgage lenders, representative bodies and key partners in the development of the First Homes Fund. This helped to identify and address potential barriers, with clarification of processes and early sharing of guidance facilitating support and a consistent approach across the sector. We will continue this engagement and work closely with partners through phase one of the Fund to inform successful future phases and ensure the scheme delivers as effectively as possible for those seeking to access home ownership.

We have also published Information for Lenders and Independent Financial Advisers.

The Scottish Empty Homes Partnership publishes data on their key performance indicators in their annual report. The data on the National Matchmaker Scheme will be included in the annual report for 2025-26 which is due to be published in the autumn.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges faced by seasonal workers and their employers are complex, and further work is required to develop bespoke national standards. Local authorities are expected to use existing powers to introduce byelaws suited to their geographical area, and in response to the specific circumstances relating to seasonal workers. Officials recently met with key stakeholders to further discuss key aspects of this issue. Officials have been in discussion with local authorities regarding their responsibility to introduce byelaws that maintain accommodation standards for seasonal workers. This work with local authorities will continue as they take up that responsibility.

Escaped farmed fish are in no one’s interest.

This new agreement, developed by Fisheries Management Scotland and Salmon Scotland, builds on the ambitions of the Salmon Interactions Working Group to introduce a proportionate scheme with the ultimate aim of redistributing funds to support conservation and research projects.

Stakeholders considered how to scale payments linked to the size of escapes, in line with Scottish marine legislation, to deliver a practical way for farmers to support conservation work where escapes occur, while also establishing additional contributions in subsequent years where evidence shows a clear impact on wild fish populations.

The scheme will be embedded in the sector’s Code of Good Practice, which is independently audited and treated as a requirement by salmon farming companies and retailers. The efficacy of the scheme and the need for more formal measures will be kept under review.

The Scottish Government fully supports cooperative working between the aquaculture sector and wild salmon conservation interests to deliver positive change.

The scheme is in addition to, not in place of, Scotland’s existing regulatory framework which works to reduce the risk of fish farm escapes. The Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) has powers to inspect fish farms to consider the measures in place to contain farmed fish, prevent escapes and recapture farmed fish if they do escape. Where the FHI concludes that ‘satisfactory measures’ are not in place for the containment, prevention of escapes and the recovery of escaped fish, they may serve an enforcement notice to the fish farm operator under the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007 requiring specific action to be taken. It is an offence to fail to comply with an enforcement notice; failure to comply with the requirements of the enforcement notice may result in a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale (£2,500).

We’re committed to working with the fish farming sector to reduce the risk of escapes further through the delivery of an updated Technical Standard for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture containment in 2027-28.

The majority of legislative duties pertaining to the delivery of allotment services are for local authorities including provision of sites, management of waiting lists and annual reporting of site numbers.

Section 112(4) of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 states a local authority must have regard to the desirability of making available allotments that are “reasonably close” to the residence of a person on the waiting list for an allotment.

While there is no statutory definition of “reasonably close”, the Scottish Government has issued guidance to local authorities on Part 9 of the Act which states that as a guide, allotments within a 3 mile radius, or within a 20 minute journey on public transport from where people on the waiting list reside should be considered “reasonably close”.

Local authorities may however opt to apply different travel-time or distance criteria, where appropriate, based upon local geography, particularly in remote and rural areas (where there is, for example, limited public transport provision in that area).

Ultimately, it is for locally elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to deliver and fund services, including allotments, based on local needs and priorities.

The purpose of these new powers is to enable social landlords to apply to the court for an order on the new ground to enable certain victim/survivors of domestic abuse to remain in the family home where it is their wish, and where it is safe and appropriate for them to do so. The new powers also encourage social landlords to take a more proactive role in supporting and protecting victim/survivors of domestic abuse.

While there is no specific requirement for social landlords to notify existing tenants individually of the change to the law around their tenancy arising from the commencement of section 22 of the 2021 Act, the guidance on the use of the new measures published in June encourages social landlords to publicise these new provisions to their tenants and reinforce zero tolerance of domestic abuse. This could be done in a range of ways such as on their website, in tenants’ handbooks and via newsletters.

We will continue to work with social housing providers and other stakeholders who provide support to those experiencing domestic abuse to assess how the new measures are operating in practice.

Local authorities have the autonomy to determine how best to fulfil their duties under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. In exercising this autonomy, the Scottish Government expects local authorities to act lawfully and is committed to supporting local authorities in this.

Although legal proceedings could, in theory, be pursued where statutory duties are not met, the Scottish Government’s strong preference is to work collaboratively with local authorities and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) to achieve constructive progress.

Maintaining open dialogue with local authority partners remains a key priority, particularly in supporting them to meet their statutory duties relating to allotments. As part of this approach, the Scottish Government has worked with APSE Scotland (Association for Public Service Excellence) to establish a national partnership forum. This forum aims to facilitate the sharing of expertise and good practice in community growing. APSE Scotland is now engaging directly with local authority members to advance this work.