Chamber and committees

The current Muirburn Code: https://www.nature.scot/doc/guidance-muirburn-code is a non-statutory Code which sets out both the law and good practice relating to muirburn and applies to all moorland managers and includes farmers, crofters, shepherds and gamekeepers.

A new licensing scheme for muirburn, as introduced by the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 is expected to come in to effect later this year. NatureScot are currently consulting on a new statutory Muirburn Code that will accompany the licensing scheme. It will set out where and when muirburn can be carried out, the required notifications before setting muirburn and necessary safety measures.

As with all laws, enforcement is a matter for Police Scotland. NatureScot will also have statutory powers to modify, suspend or revoke a licence for non-compliance of the Act.

The Scottish Government has not received any requests from local authorities for funding for teacher self-defence training in each of the last five years.

Offshore oil and gas licensing, consenting and the associated fiscal regime are all matters that are currently reserved to the UK Government. As such, estimates of future production from North Sea oil and gas fields are a matter for the relevant UK regulator – the North Sea Transition Authority.

The Scottish Government has consistently called on the UK Government to approach decisions for North Sea oil and gas projects on an evidence-led, case by case, basis – with climate compatibility and energy security key considerations.

The Scottish Government published analysis of the impact of the Scottish Child Payment (SCP) on Scotland’s labour market in July 2024; Scottish Child Payment and the labour market - gov.scot and concluded it had not negatively affected labour market outcomes at scale in Scotland’s economy, while supporting the families of nearly 330,000 children.

The analysis also showed that the employment likelihood of Universal Credit (UC) clients in the planning for work regime – the majority of whom should be receiving SCP – was consistently higher in Scotland than in England, suggesting that interactions between UC and SCP are not materially impacting work incentives.

The Scottish Government continues to assess how SCP is interacting with the labour market. A further evaluation of SCP is due to be published this summer and will include a survey of recipients including questions about how and why SCP has affected their labour market activity.

We welcome the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s report which provides an independent assessment of how much the Scottish Government’s policies are likely to raise and cost. The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s forecasts are used to set the Scottish Budget, and Scottish Government officials work closely with the Scottish Fiscal Commission to provide the data necessary to inform its forecasts.

The Scottish Government’s "National Strategy for Economic Transformation" sets out our aim to make Scotland’s regions, businesses, industries, communities and public services more productive and innovative.

It is important to note that in Scotland, not everyone who is receiving Social Security benefits are out of work. Our data shows that 33% of people on Universal Credit are in employment.

However, the Scottish Government aims to improve employment opportunities for those who face barriers in the labour market. Our No One Left Behind approach delivers an all-age, place-based, person-centred model of employability support in Scotland. Services are designed local to ensure the needs of that particular demographic are met. Services are voluntary, aiming to support individuals towards the right job at the right time.

Scotland also has 2 Investment Zones designed to deliver economic growth, more high skilled jobs, investment, and future opportunities for local people, as well as 2 Green Freeports which will boost innovation and inclusive growth within communities and both will support economic transformation and stimulate employment opportunities.

Between the introduction of the Baby Box in August 2017 and 31 March 2025, 7,916 Baby Boxes have been delivered to families in NHS Dumfries and Galloway, and 5,948 in the Scottish Borders. Over the past six years, the uptake rate has been over 91%. The Baby Box is offered to all parents in Scotland and provides essential items for the first 6 months of a baby’s life worth around £400.

In 2021, Scottish Government commissioned an evaluation of the Baby Box by Ipsos MORI and a link to the report can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/baby-box-evaluation/

The evaluation highlighted the positive impact of the scheme on families, particularly for first-time, younger and low-income parents.

The latest Poverty and Inequality Statistics in Scotland publication can be accessed here: https://data.gov.scot/poverty/

The publication reports that 75% of children in relative poverty were living in working households in the period 2021-24.

In 2025-26 we will provide an additional £55.6 million in funding for NRAC parity, ensuring that all Boards remain within 0.6% of parity.

Since 2012-13, over £4 billion of additional funding has been committed to those NHS Boards below their NRAC parity levels.

Additional funding for NRAC parity, broken down by NHS Board, is provided below. Where no amount is stated, the NHS Board is within 0.6% of parity.

Transport Scotland and our operating company BEAR Scotland have held discussions with various local stakeholders regarding the A84 Teith Bridge and options for active travel improvement between Doune and Deanston. Transport Scotland is working closely with Stirling Council in regard to this matter.

Consideration has been given to widening the existing bridge. The existing structure is Category A listed, therefore options to widen the bridge or construct a new facility immediately adjacent to it cannot be taken forward. In addition, there would be a need to realign and widen the A84 and acquire land. The limited width on the bridge deck and the inability to widen the bridge means that any improvement to the active travel infrastructure must be either a new structure further away from the existing bridge, or restrictions to vehicular space on the existing bridge.

Restrictions to vehicular space will impact the movement of vehicles across the bridge introducing queuing and delay, including to public transport services. To assess the impacts of this, a vehicular traffic modelling exercise was undertaken considering the viability and merits of potentially introducing permanent traffic signals. The detailed traffic modelling simulates the operation of vehicles in one direction at a time across Teith Bridge with traffic signals on both north and southbound approaches. This would allow the vehicular space on the bridge to be reduced to a single lane and give more space for wider footways. A pedestrian phase in the signals would allow active travel users to cross the A84 on the south side of the bridge.

Two options have been modelled. The first used traffic signals to control vehicles on the A84 in one direction at a time across the bridge. A second option incorporated the adjacent B8032 into the traffic signals. This improves access and egress to and from the local road, however increases delay for traffic on the A84. Both options included the pedestrian phase for crossing the bridge. Traffic survey data was gathered in early 2024 to inform the modelling. To simulate peak visitor times and future years, appropriate factors based on existing and historical traffic data were applied to test a range of scenarios.

The exercise was completed in January 2025, ahead of schedule. The modelling showed that the three way operation incorporating the B8032 would result in unacceptable levels of delay and queuing. A simple vehicular shuttle operation on the bridge may operate with acceptable levels of delay and queuing for vehicles including in average traffic conditions in the summer. However, the modelling indicates that in the peak hours in the summer and easter periods there may be longer delays to vehicles which may not be acceptable. As a result, further investigation is required.

Transport Scotland and BEAR have shared the results of the modelling with Stirling Council and met with them to discuss it. Stirling Council has requested that a live exercise be undertaken to directly investigate the impact on delays to vehicular traffic.

Taking account of the requirements of all modes of travel, including public transport services, it is recognised that the best form of improvement may not be amendment to the trunk road and the existing bridge, or that these may only be a temporary measure. It may be more practical and effective to create an entirely new, offline facility. The results of the traffic modelling exercise will help to inform this. Alternative options would lie outwith the trunk road and therefore outwith the responsibility of Transport Scotland. Progression of these would be the responsibility of Stirling Council or the Regional Transport Partnership to take forward, and Transport Scotland has suggested that the Council continue to appraise the best means of active travel connection between the two communities.

Discussions are underway in Transport Scotland to establish the potential for bringing forward the live exercise, however this will be subject to available budgets and the prioritisation of active travel schemes across the country. Should it be possible to undertake the trial, following this, further discussions will be held with stakeholders, including Stirling Council, and a decision on any further steps balancing the needs of the users of all modes of travel will be made.