Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to working collaboratively with other governments where it can accelerate progress towards Scotland’s economic and net zero targets. On 20 October 2024, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments jointly commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to produce a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) for the energy system, land and sea, across Great Britain (GB).

NESO has since consulted on a draft methodology for the SSEP, which closed on 17 January 2025. As co-commissioners of the SSEP, the Scottish Government welcomes the consultation and continued engagement with stakeholders on the plan as it develops. Key to the plan’s success will be ensuring that developer and investor confidence is maintained throughout.

The Scottish Government and its officials will continue to work closely with NESO, the UK and Welsh Governments on the plan as it develops, to ensure that it considers devolved powers and ambitions, delivers real benefits for the people and communities of Scotland and supports our ongoing efforts for a just transition.

Registers of Scotland is a non-Ministerial Public Body answerable to the Scottish Parliament.

The work of the Registers of Scotland is demand led, depending on the volume of activity in the housing market. RoS is continuously working to improve its efficiency and thereby keep its running costs as low as possible. The costs of running RoS are largely covered by the fees charged for its services, and that is expected to remain the position.

The allocation of medical specialty training places is made annually to ensure it meets the needs of the healthcare workforce, recognising that completion of specialty training can take a minimum of 3 to 8 years depending on the specialty. This process is overseen by a group of senior representatives from the Scottish Government, NHS Education for Scotland, professional bodies, and Health Boards. Based on workforce data and service demands, the group makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers regarding any changes needed, including the potential expansion of training places in specific specialties.

We are working in partnership with other stakeholders, including Police Scotland, to reduce the presence of public injecting and other antisocial behaviour (eg drug house or location) across Scotland including Glasgow, by offering safer alternatives, combined with strong law enforcement measures. This includes harm reduction initiatives, community engagement and enforcement actions by Police Scotland to ensure safer communities. We are committed to tackling all antisocial behaviour and want everyone to be, and feel, safe in their homes and communities.

Progression data from the General Medical Council shows that 90% of trainees have obtained a specialty training post in the UK within three years of completing the Foundation Programme. It is likely that overall numbers taking up a specialty training place for cohorts 2022, 2023 & 2024 (albeit not immediately after completing foundation training) will increase over the coming years.

The Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group undertakes an annual review of medical training establishments and makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers on the need to create additional training places in order to meet increased demand and future anticipated consultant need.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to the decarbonisation of its vehicle fleet. To support this, a replacement strategy has been in operation since 2015 to replace end of life vehicles with zero or ultra-low emissions vehicles where possible.

The Scottish Budget for 2025-26 has been set at £63.4 billion. The recent draft budget allocated and indicated a value of £4 billion for the Transport portfolio, which includes £188.7 million for Active and Sustainable Travel. This investment is intended to:

Make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle

Improve connections to our public transport network

Support resilient and efficient bus services

We cannot authorise allocations to specific programmes until the budget has passed. All values at this time are indicative, and we therefore cannot confirm the amount that may or may not be allocated to the specific projects mentioned until the new financial year.

It is not possible for FLS to maintain and hold data on the final destination of venison that it sells beyond keeping records of sales to meat processing establishments. Final destinations for venison is a decision for downstream businesses in the supply chain.

UK data from the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that the reported trend of Foundation Year 2 doctors delaying NHS specialty training in Scotland is similar to the trend in the UK as a whole. There are a number of possible (and complex) explanations for this trend but progression data from the GMC shows that 90% of trainees have obtained a specialty training post in the UK within three years of completing the Foundation Programme.