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Good cyber resilience is essential for delivering secure digital public services. Staying ahead of cyber criminals is an ongoing battle; as technologies evolve, so do their tactics. Public sector organisations are responsible for their own cyber resilience and security arrangements, and must continually adapt to these emerging threats. However, the Scottish Government does provide assistance to the public sector to strengthen their cyber resilience posture and address areas for improvement.

Through the implementation of The Strategic Framework for a Cyber Resilient Scotland and the Public Sector Cyber Resilience Framework, supported by the new central function of the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre, the Scottish Government works with the public sector to help them to put in place robust security standards, controls and governance, maintain and regularly test incident response plans, train staff and learn lessons from past incidents.

Specifically, the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre plays a key role in coordinating effective multi-agency response to incidents which impact on the public sector. In September 2024, the Scottish Government published the SC3 Strategic Plan which sets out the strategic objectives for the next three years. SC3 is working with the sector to progress towards these objectives:

1. Create a data-driven operation that can track and evaluate actionable security metrics for every public sector organisation in Scotland.

2. Ensure that public sector organisations remain informed regarding current and emerging risks and threats so that they are equipped and prepared to manage them.

3. Reduce the prevalence and remediation timescales of exposed and exploitable vulnerabilities across the public sector.

4. Increase the level of preparedness for cyber incidents across the public sector, such that all organisations have current and well tested response plans and that major national cyber incident response processes are robust and effective.

5. Ensure that appropriate standards and good practices for cyber and information security are defined, reviewed, adopted, and adhered to across the public sector.

The Scottish Government continues to strive towards developing a sustainable healthcare workforce in NHS Scotland. This is why we have established a Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce (NMT), which works collaboratively with a range of stakeholders including the RCN. The NMT will publish its recommended actions early in the New Year.

It is worth noting that workforce statistics experience seasonal variation so looking at the data over the last 6 months will include figures from the end of the financial year where we expect to see a decline in the workforce as staff are more likely to retire at this time. This will be followed by an increase in the September release, as we have seen, following an influx of students joining the workforce.

The number of homeless veterans in Scotland remains low and homeless veterans are a relatively small proportion (2%) of homeless households. Official statistics shows us that veterans are no more likely to be homeless than the rest of the population and that the reasons for veterans becoming homeless are broadly comparable with the rest of the population.

However, we are committed to reducing homelessness for all, including some veterans who are at risk of encountering housing problems at particular transition points in their lives.

The Housing (Scotland) Bill, currently progressing through the parliamentary process, will build on the existing strong rights for people who are homeless. While there are no specific provisions for veterans, the homelessness prevention measures outlined in the Bill are designed to meet the needs of specific groups, including some veterans, who are at greater risk of homelessness than others.

We have allocated over £66 million of funding to Sustrans this financial year. This includes funding and support to Local Authorities and others to deliver infrastructure to help people walk, wheel or cycle, as well as support to upgrade and expand the National Cycle Network throughout Scotland. This is delivered by Sustrans’ Scotland based staff from their office in Edinburgh.

As part of our transformation of active travel delivery, the funding of the main Transport Scotland infrastructure programme, Places for Everyone, managed by Sustrans, winds down to December 2025.

The new Active Travel Infrastructure Fund which will see Transport Scotland directly award funding to Local Authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships and National Park Authorities.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering clean heat and improved energy efficiency whilst ensuring foremost that tenants are not negatively impacted by the costs of this clean heat transition.

Regulation of consumer protection remains a reserved matter, and Ofgem will be the future regulator of consumer protection for heat networks. In November, the UK Government and Ofgem jointly published a consultation on consumer protection proposals that would require heat networks to meet new consumer standards similar to those that already apply to gas and electricity customers. We welcome these standards as the major step needed to protect consumers, and are working with UK Government to help inform them.

Consumer Scotland will carry out consumer advocacy and advice services for Scottish Heat Network consumers from April 2025 ahead of the implementation of the regulatory framework, anticipated in January 2026.

Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) may also be able to procure fuel for their heat networks, such as natural gas, through public sector utility frameworks, which could result in lower fuel costs for tenants.

Statutory Harbour Authorities have a power under section 26 of the Harbours Act 1964 to levy charges on vessels, passengers or goods moving within their jurisdiction. Whilst an Authority does not require to consult with the Scottish Government on such matters, Transport Scotland officials have approached Peel Ports in order to gain a greater understanding of the proposed conservancy charges.

Improving the resilience of the Parliament’s IT systems is an ongoing endeavour. This includes a regular maintenance schedule of software updates on network hardware and end user devices. Hardware refreshes balance the risk of old components failing against cost and exercises to look at the design of the network and configuration of end user devices are commonplace to ensure that we are in the best place for the future and have resilience built into any solution.

During the period where Troon will temporarily be used to support the Arran service, LNG bunkering will be carried out by HGV tankers directly to the vessel. It is to be noted that an LNG facility is included as a permanent solution as part of the Ardrossan Harbour project, and that costs and technical requirements for permanent works should they require to be undertaken at Troon would be expected to be comparable to this.

Third Sector organisations play a key role in civil society and we welcome any insight and challenge they bring to public policy. The Scottish Government appreciates discussion around public policy and view it as an essential part of the democratic process.

To ensure funding is awarded on a fair and equitable basis by officials, The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) is issued by the Scottish Ministers to provide guidance to the Scottish Government and other relevant bodies on the proper awarding, handling and reporting of public funds. It sets out the relevant statutory, parliamentary and administrative requirements, emphasises the need for economy, efficiency and effectiveness, and promotes good practice and high standards of propriety.

Additionally, internal governance procedures are in place to ensure funding is awarded without prejudice or a single point of influence. These include an internal audit system, a governance and accountability team and accountable officer processes that ensure funding is awarded on the basis of value for money as well as outcomes and objectives that best serve the people of Scotland.

Post offices are a lifeline to local communities throughout Scotland.

The Scottish Government is therefore disappointed that Post Office Ltd is considering closing its directly funded branches as part of a strategic review. We understand there are a range of options being considered to reduce central costs and that no final decision has yet been made.

The Scottish Government has engaged with Post Office Ltd and makes regular representations on behalf of the people of Scotland in relation to the importance of the post office network, particularly for those in our rural and island communities.

While the Scottish Government has no functions on postal policy, there are already regular discussions with UK Government on post and postal issues, and we will continue to press the UK Government to make decisions which benefit consumers in Scotland.