Chamber and committees

a) The Scottish Government’s Counter Fraud Toolkit within the Counter Fraud Framework contains a range of processes for assessing risks associated with fraud and corruption in all areas of public sector spending. These are aligned with the UK Government's Counter Fraud Standards and international best practice on the effective prevention of public sector fraud and corruption.

b) The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) contains the requirements for assessing and responding to the risk of corruption in all areas of public finance and infrastructure spending. Where the risk of fraud or corruption of any kind is identified, the SPFM requires that appropriate measures are put in place to prevent these risks.

At the time of writing, the Scottish Government last met with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) on 4 February 2025. Scottish Government officials met with SSEN’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Head of Public Affairs and Policy colleagues to discuss recent regulatory and policy developments.

The Just Transition Fund has within the last three years provided £988k in capital funding support to the following projects:

• £361,767 over 2022-23 to the Cabrach Trust for development of the Cabrach Distillery. The project aimed to create permanent skilled employment opportunities in the area, attract tourism, and support local economic growth and regeneration.
• £626,734 over 2022-24 to Ripcell for its pilot Sustainable Solvent Recovery for EV Battery Recycling project utilising pot ale a whisky waste product.

The Scottish Government will submit its response to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee report, follow- up inquiry into ‘salmon farming in Scotland’ by 14 March 2025, in line with the usual protocol of responding to a Committee report within two months of publication. We expect the response would be published on the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee webpages soon thereafter.

a) Under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, the Scottish Government published information relating to consultancy spend. The return specifies how consultancy spend is defined and returns dating back to 2015-16 can be found on the Scottish Government’s website at.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/government-expenditure-2016-to-2023/

https://www.gov.scot/publications/government-expenditure/pages/2023-to-2024

Previous PQ’s (S4W-26410 on 11 August 2015 and S4W-02171 on 14 September 2011) requesting this information contain the Consultancy figures for years 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, and 2014-15

Unfortunately, data is not held for the year 2011-12, nor years prior to 2009-10 on a comparable basis.

b) Please see the following figures relating to consultancy costs from Education Scotland, Disclosure Scotland and SAAS from 2011.

Money spent on consultancy fees is included in the annual accounting reports for each organisation. This information is publicly available on organisational websites but is reproduced below for information.

Through Scotland’s Land Use Strategy, our Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement and Natural Capital Framework, we have in place an established set of principles, objectives, protocols, and guidance. This helps our farmers, crofters and other land owners and managers in their land use decision making, and provides strategic connections across multiple interests, including Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation, Environment Strategy and National Planning Framework 4.

The fourth iteration of Scotland’s Land Use Strategy is due for publication in early 2026 and as it is developed we will work closely with stakeholders to further discussion of the multiple pressures our land faces and the opportunities and challenges that an integrated approach to land use can bring.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. This would need to be requested from the NHS Boards directly.

It is for NHS Boards to ensure best use of available resources to support service delivery whilst prioritising patient safety and care.

As published in the Water Industry Commission for Scotland’s (WICS) Final Determination of charges for 2021-27, the maximum amount of charges that Scottish Water can levy on its customers is CPI+2% on average for each year of the regulatory period (equivalent to CPI+12.6% over the 6 year period). Charge increases in the first half of the regulatory period were significantly less than the charge cap, reflecting the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis on households.

Water charges are set by Scottish Water’s Board, with approval from the independent economic regulator WICS. The Board must balance affordability with funding critical investment needs to protect our drinking water quality and the environment. As recognised in Scottish Water’s Draft Long Term Strategy published on 4 February 2025, charges need to increase to fund the impacts of the climate emergency, the replacement of ageing assets and a growing population.

Flytipping is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, albeit one in relation to which a Fixed Penalty Notice can be issued to discharge any liability to criminal conviction. Through our National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, we are working with stakeholders to improve reporting, investigation, and enforcement. We will continue engaging with Local Authorities, Police Scotland, and SEPA to ensure they have the necessary tools to tackle flytipping effectively.

Discounts, exemptions and reductions for household water and sewerage charges are funded by the wider household customer base.

Roughly 50% of households receive a discount on the published rates. These include status discounts which apply to Council Tax (e.g. single occupant) and reductions for those in receipt of Council Tax Reduction. This helps to ensure that charges remain progressive and protect those on the lowest incomes.