The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S6W-43908

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that its employees who live in rural and island communities have equitable access to (a) promotion, (b) redeployment and (c) career development opportunities.

The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has responsibility for the operational running of the organisation, including the workforce related location and resourcing policies.

All internal Civil Service vacancies within the Scottish Government are advertised through the internal jobs portal and are open to all eligible staff on a lateral move or promotion basis. While posts may indicate a preferred location, there are no restrictions preventing employees from applying for any internal role, regardless of their current place of work.

Work to clarify a location policy for Scottish Government core staff will consider a range of relevant factors and benefit from consultation with trade unions and engagement with staff and diversity networks across the organisation. Until the location policy has been reviewed, interim arrangements are in place for people who live distant from their contractual work location.

In relation to redeployment, the Scottish Government applies a consistent, centrally managed approach to matching staff to suitable alternative roles. This includes assessing vacancies against employees’ skills, experience and circumstances, ensuring location does not disadvantage those affected by organisational change.

In relation to career development our learning offer is delivered primarily through our digital learning platform and Microsoft Teams, enabling colleagues in rural and island communities to participate fully in training and career development without the need for travel.

I would encourage the member to direct any further questions on this matter to the Permanent Secretary.

Question reference: S6W-43904

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in determining its hybrid working policy for Scottish Government employees, what specific consideration has been given to (a) rural and island employment, (b) rural and island population retention, (c) rural and island sustainable development, (d) the Public Sector equality duty, (e) the Fairer Scotland Duty, (f) the Action Plan to Address Depopulation and (g) the National Islands Plan.

The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has responsibility for the operational running of the organisation, including the workforce related hybrid working policy.

The Scottish Government’s hybrid working policy was developed following a detailed internal review and engagement with recognised trade unions, staff networks and colleagues across all Directorates. In developing the policy, a broad range of social, economic and equality considerations were taken into account.

The hybrid working policy is an internal operational matter that does not alter staff contractual terms and conditions. We will continue to monitor the policy in practice, including any impacts on colleagues across Scotland.

I would encourage the member to direct any further questions on this matter to the Permanent Secretary.

Question reference: S6W-43906

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in determining its hybrid working policy for Scottish Government employees, whether (a) an assessment of the commuting impact on employees, (b) an assessment of the financial impact on employees and (c) an islands communities impact assessment was undertaken.

The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has responsibility for the operational running of the organisation, including the workforce related hybrid working policy.

The Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) for the Scottish Government’s hybrid working policy drew on a wide range of evidence, including feedback from staff networks and findings from the hybrid working policy review, to ensure the policy remains accessible and inclusive.

As the hybrid working policy is an internal operational matter that does not alter staff contractual terms and conditions, a formal Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) was not required. We will continue to monitor the policy in practice, including any impacts on colleagues in island communities.

I would encourage the member to direct any further questions on this matter to the Permanent Secretary.

Question reference: S6W-43907

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the potential impact of its hybrid working and location policies on the geographical distribution of its employees.

The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has responsibility for the operational running of the organisation, including the workforce related location policy.

Scottish Government recognises the important contribution made by colleagues based across the country and benefit this brings to communities and the Civil Service as a whole. In developing and implementing our hybrid working policy, specific consideration was given to our dispersed workforce, particularly colleagues living in rural and island communities. Work to clarify a location policy for Scottish Government core staff will consider a range of relevant factors and benefit from consultation with trade unions and engagement with staff and diversity networks across the organisation.

I would encourage the member to direct any further questions on this matter to the Permanent Secretary.

Question reference: S6W-43905

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether an equality impact assessment of its hybrid working policy for Scottish Government employees was published after the hybrid working policy was determined, and if so, what the reason was for this.

The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has responsibility for the operational running of the organisation, including the workforce related hybrid working policy.

A full Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) was undertaken during the internal review of the hybrid working policy (June 2024–March 2025) to inform policy development for core Scottish Government staff in roles compatible with hybrid working. The EQIA was published on the Scottish Government’s intranet on 28 July 2025 and is maintained as a live document. Engagement with Staff Equality Networks helped ensure the needs and experiences of colleagues were reflected.

I would encourage the member to direct any further questions on this matter to the Permanent Secretary.

Question reference: S6W-43909

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that its employee recruitment and progression remains (a) based on merit and (b) unconstrained by proximity to work location.

The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has responsibility for the operational running of the organisation, including the workforce related location and resourcing policies.

All internal Civil Service vacancies within the Scottish Government are advertised through the internal jobs portal and are open to all eligible staff. While posts may indicate a preferred location, there are no restrictions preventing employees from applying for any internal role, regardless of their current place of work.

Work to clarify a location policy for Scottish Government core staff will consider a range of relevant factors and benefit from consultation with trade unions and engagement with staff and diversity networks across the organisation. Until the location policy has been reviewed, interim arrangements are in place for people who live distant from their contractual work location.

I would encourage the member to direct any further questions on this matter to the Permanent Secretary.

Question reference: S6W-44156

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray funding on (a) air quality, (b) water quality, (c) soil quality, (d) public transport and (e) active travel.

Question reference: S6W-44157

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided for (a) local authority-owned, (b) worker-owned and (c) cooperatively-owned projects in the round of the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray that opened on 2 March 2026.

Question reference: S6W-44158

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) full-time equivalent jobs, (b) total jobs, (c) training positions and (d) apprenticeships the round of the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray that opened on 2 March 2026 is anticipated to create.

Question reference: S6W-43898

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential closure of the butchers in Inverurie, Donald Russell, when it last met with the affected (a) trade unions and (b) employees to discuss this.

The company has indicated that there is no trade union involved in the consultation process. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands and myself met with Donald Russell’s Interim CEO on 19 February to understand how the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise can work with the company to explore all options to support a positive outcome for the business and the workforce.

The local Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) Team has contacted the company to make them aware of the assistance available to employees if a positive outcome cannot be found and they are facing redundancy.

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