Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02130 on 17 August 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.

We have commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland to work on the evaluation of the pilot, in conjunction with Public Health Scotland. The Scottish Government expects a final report to be received once the pilot has concluded.

Small and medium-sized abattoirs are a crucial part of Scotland’s red meat sector, including in remote rural areas and for smaller producers seeking private kill services, including rare breeds.

The Scottish Government is aware of the challenges in the sector through work with a number of national organisations and through direct contact with businesses. Issues include economies of scale, labour costs and shortages and capital investment.

The Scottish Government recognises these challenges, which is why we have supported the sector through the Small Producers Pilot Fund, to improve access to private kill, and to improve coordination of services. £1 million resource and up to £1.5 million capital is being made available through the fund this year. The Scottish Government also offers a Ministerial Discount, awarded to the Scottish meat industry for FSS Official Veterinarian charges, which very small abattoirs and game plants benefit from most, with 76.5% of the rate being discounted.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving laying hen welfare and in 2024 consulted on proposals to phase out cages in Scotland’s laying hen sector. Analysis of the responses received continues. More recently we agreed to jointly consult with the other devolved administrations on phasing out the use of cages for laying hens, pullets and breeding hens.

The analysis of the responses to both consultations will inform future policy to ensure that improvements in poultry welfare are achieved and that Scottish producers are not disadvantaged compared to their wider UK counterparts.

We will continue to listen and work with the industry and stakeholders on how best to achieve improvements in animal welfare as well as monitoring industry information to allow us to determine how to ensure best practice is delivered.

The Scottish Government keeps farm animal welfare legislation under review to ensure it reflects the latest evidence and maintains Scotland’s high welfare standards. We have recently updated the Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Regulations and continue to work with stakeholders to identify and implement further improvements where appropriate. Scottish Government has committed to update the Welfare Codes of sheep and cattle in partnership with Defra and devolved administrations and we have recently published updated Codes for pig welfare. We are working with devolved administrations and Defra on improving welfare of lambs undergoing castration and tail docking by promoting suitable anaesthesia and analgesia.

The Scottish Government is taking a range of actions to promote and support sustainable fishing practices in Scotland’s waters through the implementation of Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy 2020-2030 as set out in the Strategy's 2025 Delivery Plan . Scotland already has a strong fisheries management framework based on quotas, effort controls and technical regulations, and we continue to build on these foundations through measures that support sustainable fishing practices while balancing economic, environmental and social objectives.

We use quota management to encourage sustainable fishing, including dedicated allocations for the non-sector fleet such as 1,000 tonnes of North Sea mackerel for handline fishing. In 2025, we also introduced an initiative that provides access to additional west of Scotland cod quota for vessels using selective fishing gear and techniques or demonstrating a reduced environmental impact.

We are further strengthening sustainable fisheries management through the development of 21 of the UK’s 43 Fisheries Management Plans, the introduction of mandatory remote monitoring on high-risk fishing vessels, and work to improve fishing selectivity and reduce bycatch. The Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement Programme will also deliver a step-change for fisheries management — supporting a resilient, evidence-led and regionally tailored approach for the diverse and innovative inshore fisheries sector. All these measures demonstrate our commitment to ensuring Scotland’s fisheries remain productive, resilient and environmentally sustainable for future generations.

Transport Scotland has reviewed the Detailed Options Appraisal Report for the Newburgh Transport Appraisal produced for SEStran and the Newburgh Train Station Campaign.

I expect to receive official advice soon, which will determine further action and next steps.

The national minimum amounts for School Clothing Grant were agreed with local government. Local authorities are responsible for administering the School Clothing Grant, including setting eligibility criteria, and have the flexibility to pay families more than the national minimum. The Scottish Government is providing increased funding of £14.6m in 2026/27 financial year to support local authorities to maintain the School Clothing Grant. We have committed to uprating funding in line with inflation during this Parliament.

Our 2024 national guidance on school uniform and clothing makes clear that schools should consider their uniform policies in the context of the national minimum School Clothing Grant and design those policies on the basis that families can purchase all items needed for the school year within that budget. The guidance was developed in collaboration with key stakeholders and informed by a range of evidence and stakeholder engagement, including consultation with pupils, parents and carers.

Caledonian Sleeper and Transport Focus, the independent passenger watchdog, publish statistical information on passenger satisfaction. Recent survey results can be accessed here: Caledonian Sleeper_GSS_Dashboard_2027_RP03https://www.sleeper.scot/about/our-performance/#3; and https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/publication/caledonian-sleeper-guest-satisfaction-survey-25/.

Previous results of surveys undertaken by Transport Focus can be found in the ‘Publications’ section of its website: https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/publications/?hba_otd_searchable_posts%5BrefinementList%5D%5Bpost_year%5D%5B0%5D=2022.

Transport Scotland offers a subsidy through Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) to fund operational costs of the Caledonian Sleeper Limited (CSL), which are not met by other income, including passenger revenue. The information on level of that subsidy including capital funding is available publicly from various sources, including Caledonian Sleeper Ltd accounts submitted to Companies House: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC328825/filing-history. No loans are offered to CSL by the Scottish Government or Transport Scotland.