Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification will be updated following the release of the next Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland publication by National Records of Scotland. This is currently planned to be released in 2028, based on the 2026 mid-year population estimates. A revised version of the Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification will then be produced using the new settlement population figures.

The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2022, based on the 2022 Census settlement population figures, was published in December 2024:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-urban-rural-classification-2022/

Heating oil and liquified petroleum gas supply chains and energy price regulation are reserved matters. The Scottish Government continues to engage constructively with the UK Government on a regular basis, including on the need to ensure that all energy consumers are suitably considered and protected in matters of regulation and use of reserved policy powers.

High energy prices remain the single greatest driver of fuel poverty. The Social Tariff Working Group recommended that all fuel types should be covered by a social tariff mechanism. This should include support for those using alternative fuels with off-grid consumers treated equitably to those on-grid. This support may be more appropriately delivered via a separate scheme.

We have consistently offered to work with the UK Government to ensure that adequate support is provided to those that need it the most.

There are currently 80 Scottish registered fishing vessels and a further 21 vessels from other UK and Isle of Man administrations targeting scallops and fitted with Remote Electronic Monitoring equipment. Between 14 June 2024 and 13 August 2025 analysis has been carried out on approximately 1240 fishing voyages targeting Scallops and as a result of this analysis, two infringements are currently under investigation.

Today the Scottish Ministers have laid a draft of a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) in Parliament which adds the characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 ("the 2021 Act") and published a consultation paper seeking views on the draft instrument. The consultation can be viewed at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806430857.

The effect of the SSI is to add the characteristic of sex to the list of characteristics covered by the offence of stirring up hatred and the statutory aggravation concerning offences aggravated by prejudice. This will ensure that women and girls have the same protections as victims of hate crime targeted because of their religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, age, disability or variations in sex characteristics. The provision will also provide protection to men and boys.

There is a requirement in the 2021 Act for the draft SSI to be laid in Parliament for at least 40 days, excluding any period where the Parliament is in recess for more than 2 days. The consultation will run until 10 October 2025. The responses to the consultation will help inform consideration of the SSI to be laid in Parliament after the end of the consultation.

I refer the member to the recent meetings of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on unimplemented legislation, including the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (the 2020 Act), where updates on implementation of the Act were discussed – on 10 December 2024 [see Official Report columns 11 to 15] and 24 June 2025 [see Official Report columns 10 to 14].

The Scottish Government letter to the Committee on 11 March 2025 sets out the position on commencement and implementation of key provisions of the 2020 Act: Letter from the Minister for Victims and Community Safety.

Since that letter we have made a further set of commencement regulations: The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 3 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2025 relating to section 1(2), on the views of the child being considered when parents are making major decisions; and section 30(1), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7), on delay in children’s hearings and adoption and permanence proceedings.

A number of other provisions are already in force or have already been commenced for certain purposes:

?The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 1 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2020

?The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2021

We plan to make a further set of commencement regulations in October 2025 of provisions set out in the letter to Committee. This commitment was made at the meeting of the Committee on unimplemented legislation on 24 June 2025.

Sections 4, 5, 7 and 8 of the 2020 Act are considerably amended by provisions in Part 3 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Bill, therefore commencement of those sections will follow enactment of the Bill. In addition, since we intend to regulate child contact services using powers in the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, we won’t commence further provisions in section 10 of the 2020 Act at this time.

I refer the member to a meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on 24 June 2025 on unimplemented legislation, including the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, where the Scottish Government provided an update on implementation of the register of child welfare reporters and child advocacy services in contact and residence cases: Official Report (columns 10 to 14).

We recognise the importance of section 21 of the 2020 Act and the need to ensure child advocacy is available to children in contact and residence cases. However, we are not in a position to implement this provision until other areas of implementation work (e.g. child contact services regulation and child welfare reporters) are further advanced. Therefore, we have not yet commenced section 21, but we will gather views of key bodies on what they would like to see in this area.

There have been four meetings of the working group on child welfare reporters to date with a focus on looking at what changes can be made to the system and how we will establish the register. We plan to publish minutes from those meetings in due course.

Yes. Section 30(1), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 came into force on 22 June 2025 as set out in:

The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 3 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2025.

Section 30(1), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, on delay in children’s hearings and adoption and permanence proceedings, came into force on 22 June 2025:

The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Commencement No. 3 and Saving Provision) Regulations 2025.

Section 30(2), relating to delay in cases under section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (e.g. contact and residence) is not yet in force. It will be included in the next set of commencement regulations planned for October 2025. Since it is linked to the commencement of other provisions where there will be operational implications, there will be a 12 month lead-in period before the provisions in the next set of commencement regulations will come into force.

I refer the member to a meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on unimplemented legislation (including the 2020 Act) on 24 June 2025 regarding this commitment: Official Report (see columns 10 to 14).

There has been no formal assessment of how many children have been affected by delays in implementation of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, but the Scottish Government recognises the need to implement the Act to ensure the best interests of children are at the centre of any family proceedings.

The Scottish Government remains committed to implementing the Act, and I refer the member to the recent meetings of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on unimplemented legislation where further commencement and implementation of the 2020 Act was discussed – on 10 December 2024 [see Official Report columns 11 to 15] and 24 June 2025 [see Official Report columns 10 to 14].

City of Sanctuary UK is registered as an independent charity working across the UK and I can confirm that no funding has been provided from Scottish Government to City of Sanctuary in the last 5 years.