Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government takes seriously the contribution the whisky sector makes to our national economy and its strategic importance as the provider of high paid, skilled employment in many rural communities. This is particularly true of Speyside with the concentration of some of the most renowned distilleries in Scotland situated in the Speyside area. The previous Deputy First Minister saw first hand when opening the Cabrach distillery just how the whisky sector can provide the catalyst for local regeneration and bringing employment and tourism to some of our most rural communities.

Most recently, the First Minister was thanked by President Trump for making the case of the symbiotic partnership between the Scotch and US whisky industries. This helped in securing the commitment by the US President to remove whisky tariffs, in a significant boost for the Scottish whisky sector, helping to safeguard exports to this vital market. The US is the single most valuable country for Scotch whisky exports worth nearly £933m last year.

The Scottish Government has invested over £20 million to the “Sustaining Scotland Supplying the World” food and drink industry strategy since 2023 to drive growth across the entire food and drink sector, including whisky. This is supporting innovation, expanding market opportunities, and helping the industry accelerate progress towards our net-zero ambitions. In March 2026, we also launched the Food and Drink Processing Scheme Scotland as a key part of a £9 million package of capital funding to strengthen production and resilience across the country’s food and drink businesses.

The Six-Point Export Plan, delivered through the 2025-26 Programme for Government, strengthened support for businesses to access international markets, diversify their export destinations, and build global partnerships. These improvements now sit firmly within our export growth plan, A Trading Nation, as we continue to deliver and invest in the practical support that underpins export growth.

For the food and drink sector specifically, we have also provided over £7m since 2014 towards delivering the Scotland Food & Drink Export Plan, an SDI-led plan to help the industry exploit the most significant opportunities for Scotland with a team of food and drink specialists situated in our key markets around the globe.

Ministers and officials will continue to meet with the sector to understand the issues facing the industry and opportunities the sector can better leverage, in Speyside and across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has submitted a research access request to the Lord Justice General and awaits a decision.

Storage requirements for offshore wind are project-specific and vary depending on a wide-range of factors such as: the type of foundations, whether floating or fixed; project location; infrastructure availability; and deployment timelines. Each offshore wind developer will determine specific construction and storage solutions specific to their project.

Scottish Ministers are clear that island communities must have a strong and meaningful voice in the governance of Scotland’s ferry services. They have taken active steps to support this, including through representation on the boards of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) and CalMac Ferries Ltd. As a result, there are currently two island residents serving on the Board of CalMac Ferries Ltd.

Ministers will continue to use the public appointments process to actively encourage applications from individuals with lived experience of island communities, while ensuring that all appointments are made on merit and that boards have the skills required to deliver high-quality ferry services.

Work is ongoing with CMAL and CalMac Ferries Ltd to promote board opportunities within island communities and to support applications from individuals with direct experience of island life. Future appointment rounds, including the forthcoming CMAL campaign, will provide further opportunities to strengthen island representation on these boards.

The Scottish Government intend to deliver four further new major vessels, in addition to the two already deployed. These six major vessels in total along with the seven new small vessels will mean that this government has invested to renew over a third of CalMac’s entire fleet.

To improve services in the short term we have also extended the charter of MV Alfred to the end of the summer timetable.

The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan makes clear that the Acorn Project is essential to meeting Scotland’s emissions targets, while our Green Industrial Strategy highlights the significant economic benefits CCUS can deliver for Scotland, particularly in the North East.

The UK Government pledged close to £22 billion for the HyNet and East Coast Cluster projects in 2024, last month the East Coast Cluster confirmed it has already awarded £1.5 billion to UK supply chain firms. This is the type of economic boost that Scotland should be experiencing, but the UK Government has yet to provide a timeline for the £200 million development support for the Acorn Project that was announced last year.

The failure by successive UK Governments to provide a full funding package for the Acorn project is risking emissions reductions and denying the North East the job creation and economic benefits that would be realised if Acorn were funded comparatively with the East Coast Cluster and HyNet Cluster projects.

As outlined in our pledge over the first 100 Days of a new government and as set out in the Scottish Budget 2026-27, Scottish Spending Review 2026 and the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline 2026, published on 13 January, the Scottish Government is fully committed to dualling the A9 between Perth and Inverness and the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen.

The Scottish Government provided an update to Parliament on the A9 Dualling Programme in January 2026 and will be providing a further update to MSPs at the upcoming MSP Engagement Briefing in Parliament to which you will be invited. I can confirm that delivery of the A9 Dualling is currently on track as per the 2026 Delivery Plan, with 11 miles currently under construction.

The A9 Dualling Programme is estimated to cost £3.97 billion at April 2025 prices and the Scottish Government remains committed to completing the A9 Dualling programme by the end of 2035.

In terms of the A96, the Scottish Government supports the full dualling of the route. As part of this commitment the Scottish Government is already starting the dualling process from Inverness to Nairn, including Nairn Bypass.

With the land acquired for the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) in 2025, funding is included in the 2026-27 Budget to commence the delivery of advanced works. In parallel to the advanced works, investment in 2026-27 will also allow Transport Scotland to continue to take forward the work to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme and further develop the Business Case.

The Scottish Government’s preference would be to deliver the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) as one project. However, due to the continued fiscal challenges, it is planned that the Scottish Government will take forward a phased approach to delivery, starting with the Nairn Bypass, followed by the remaining sections of the scheme, from Seafield, east of Inverness, to Balloch and then on from Balloch to the Nairn Bypass.

Completion of the preparatory work, including approval of the Business Case, will enable a firm timetable for delivery to be set as part of the annual budget setting process, with a view to commencing procurement of the main works contract for the Nairn Bypass within this Capital Spending Review period.

The Capital Spending Review also allows for the commencement of construction of the Nairn Bypass in 2029-30, subject to business case approval and confirmation of funding beyond the spending review period.

Despite the current fiscal position and following the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) scheme, the Scottish Government will continue to progress dualling of the A96 eastwards, including an Elgin Bypass.

Local authorities hold statutory responsibility for managing and maintaining their school estate, and have guidance and procedures in place to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of children and young people.

In June 2025 the Scottish Government published guidance on risk assessments for violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour. This supports schools to manage situations where there is considered to be a foreseeable risk of harm occurring or a pattern of behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause harm to self or others. Evidence-based risk assessments support the understanding of the behaviour and inform planning of appropriate control measures and mitigations. Decisions on specific risk-mitigation measures are matters for individual schools.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the lease arrangements for Shettleston Police Station.

The management of the Police Scotland estate is an operational matter, and is the responsibility of the Chief Constable under the scrutiny of the Scottish Police Authority.

The 2026-27 Scottish Police Authority budget is over £1.7 billion. This includes £86.3 million capital budget, an uplift of £16.3 million compared to the published 2025-26 Autumn Budget Revision budget, which will ensure that Police Scotland can continue to invest in essential infrastructure and to deliver its Estates Masterplan.

The Scottish Government has supported the development of Men’s Sheds across Scotland for over a decade, recognising their important role in improving health, wellbeing and social connection. We have invested more than £1 million in the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA) to support the growth and sustainability of the movement, which has helped expand the network from a small number of Sheds to over 200 groups across all 32 local authority areas, with new Sheds continuing to form.

As part of this overall investment, the SMSA received £72,264 from the Social Isolation and Loneliness Fund to support the development of Sheds in the Highland area.

The SMSA provides guidance, and advice on all governance and infrastructure matters to both new and existing Sheds. The SMSA also helps Sheds secure appropriate insurance, health and safety compliance, develop sustainable funding models, and access training, resources and peer support networks. In addition, it offers practical assistance to allow Sheds to operate effectively and remain viable over time.

Individual Sheds are however responsible for securing their own funding and, collectively, have received £452,819 through the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults in the first four years of the Fund.

The Scottish Government has confirmed funding of £75,000 for financial year 2026-27 to the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association in Scotland.