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The Scottish Government continually works with stakeholders to understand the impacts of the many factors affecting Scotland’s high streets, including Scottish and UK taxes.

That is why in the draft Budget, published on 13 January, we announced plans to reduce the non-domestic property rate that retailers will be liable for, delivering the lowest Basic Property Rate since 2018-19.

We are, however, taking this course of action without the full economic powers needed to fully address the issues facing Scotland’s economy, and have called on the UK Government to take action to reverse its damaging decision to increase employers’ national insurance contributions, and to remove barriers for the re-use and re-development of town centre buildings through a review of the rate of VAT for the refurbishment of existing buildings.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the current and future skills needs of the economy, respecting that operational decisions such as course provision are a matter for individual colleges.

The Draft Budget 2026-27 invests over £2.4bn in post school education and skills. Scotland’s colleges will see a combined increase of £70m in resource and capital funding, equivalent to a 10% uplift on last year’s budget.

I will continue to work closely and collaboratively with Colleges Scotland, learners, and the wider sector, to support skills development and ensure a successful and sustainable future for our colleges.

The Scottish Government’s Housing Emergency Action Plan sets out a bold and co-ordinated response to tackling immediate pressures while laying the foundations for lasting, systemic change. The Plan looks to build on our existing policies whilst responding to the challenges of ending children living in unsuitable accommodation, supporting the needs of vulnerable communities and maximising investment in Scotland’s housing sector.

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme will invest £808 million in 2025-26 including £80 million targeted at acquisitions and voids, with a focus on family homes. Over the next four years, up to £4.9 billion of investment will be committed to affordable housing, delivered through a blend of public and privately leveraged investment to help deliver 36,000 affordable homes providing up to 24,000 children with a warm, safe home. This investment will support the delivery of Local Authority strategic housing priorities informed by their Housing Needs and Demand assessments.

Since 2007 we have helped deliver more than 141,000 affordable homes, of which more than 101,000 have been for social rent. In the year to end September 2025 we helped an estimated 2,172 households with children into affordable housing and, more broadly, keeping rents lower than market rents benefits approximately 140,000 children in poverty each year.

As outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question S6W-42740 on 15 January 2026, the Scottish Government regularly engages with STV on a range of broadcasting matters. Most recently, following my written correspondence with STV’s Chief Executive on 26 September, I met the broadcaster on 6 November to emphasise the critical importance of protecting jobs based in Scotland in the media industry and the vital outputs of regional news services.

A copy of the written correspondence is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/letter-from-the-cabinet-secretary-for-constitution-external-affairs-and-culture-to-stvs-chief-executive/

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting a sustainable, diverse and inclusive media landscape. We will continue to make these views clear through ongoing engagement with STV and Ofcom, including through Ofcom’s consultation on STV’s proposals to change its regional programming requirements.

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.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of locally produced content in reflecting Scotland’s diverse communities and supporting our creative economy. We maintain regular engagement with STV as part of ongoing dialogue on this and a range of matters impacting broadcasting in Scotland. Most recently, following my written correspondence with STV on 26 September, I met the broadcaster on 6 November to underline the critical importance of protecting jobs based in Scotland in the media industry and sustaining the vital outputs of regional news services.

The Scottish Government has consistently emphasised the cultural and economic value of regional programming and encouraged continued investment in Scottish content. We will continue to represent the interests of audiences and the creative industries in Scotland, including in our response to Ofcom’s consultation on STV’s proposals to change its regional programming requirements, to set out our strong opposition to proposals that put sustainable Scottish jobs and the outputs of vital news services at risk.

I will continue to work closely with STV, Ofcom, and other stakeholders to ensure that public service broadcasting remains robust and that audiences across Scotland have access to high-quality, locally relevant content.

Everyone has a right to support when experiencing homelessness and access to temporary accommodation if needed in the short term.

A person’s right to receive homelessness assistance and an offer of permanent accommodation from a local authority depends on their immigration status.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to offer a permanent home to anyone assessed as unintentionally homeless. However, there is no time limit for the local authority to offer a household a permanent home. The time it takes depends on the particular needs of the household and the availability of suitable housing in the area.

Allocation policies for social housing are determined by local authorities and housing associations, but there must be a reasonable level of priority for those who are homeless or threatened with homelessness, living in unsuitable accommodation, or in overcrowded conditions.

Much of the law on prosecution and punishment of road traffic offences is reserved to the UK Government (UKG). However, the Scottish Government continues to discuss the importance of implementing Road Traffic Diversionary Course (RTDC) which includes Speed Awareness Courses, with the UKG.

Scotland’s Road Safety Framework 2030 contains a commitment to implement speed awareness courses in Scotland as part of a broader roll-out of Road Traffic Diversionary Courses, which aim to divert ‘low-level’ road traffic offenders from punishment into education to prevent re-offending and help equip participants to change their behaviour towards speed and can also reduce pressure on the criminal justice system.

In August 2024, a multi-agency steering group, led by Transport Scotland officials, was convened to consider the implications and requirements of introducing RTDCs in Scotland. The group contains representation from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service and Police Scotland.

In November 2024, the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) published their thematic inspection of road policing in Scotland, making the following recommendation: Police Scotland should engage with UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd) and other key stakeholders to progress the full implementation of educational training courses for people who commit driving offences that may be appropriately addressed through learning.

Given that the legislation in this area is not devolved, Transport Scotland have been liaising with Home Office colleagues to confirm where we can assist with the laying of the required legislation in Westminster. The last meeting between Transport Scotland and Home Office officials took place on the 16th December 2025.

Further to this we are in process of discussing and agreeing with key partners areas of policy which will define the detail of legislation and this is unfortunately taking longer than anticipated and we are stressing to all partners the need conclude this.

The draft Budget, published on 13 January, does reduce the non-domestic property rate that retailers will be liable for, delivering the lowest Basic Property Rate since 2018-19. As a result of the decisions in the Budget, it is estimated the revenues raised from non-domestic rates will be 6% lower in real terms in 2026-27 than pre-COVID and 0.3% lower in real terms than the revenues collected in 2010-11, using the Consumer Price Index.

The draft Budget set out yesterday ensures the estimated revenues raised from non-domestic rates in 2026-27 will be 6% lower in real terms than pre-COVID, using the Consumer Price Index, and introduces the lowest Basic Property Rate for 2026-27 since 2018-19. It decreases the Basic, Intermediate and Higher Property Rates in 2026-27, delivering the lowest Basic Property Rate since 2018-19.