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I am pleased to announce that we have today published a consultation on a comprehensive package of proposals to modernise compulsory purchase in Scotland, to make it simpler, more streamlined and fairer for all parties. The publication of this consultation, which was a Programme for Government commitment, marks an important step towards the wholesale reform that many stakeholders have been calling for.

Compulsory purchase orders are a powerful tool which can help to deliver a wide range of projects, from major infrastructure developments to bringing empty homes and vacant land back into use. However, the legislation is complex and out of date, which can discourage public bodies from using it. The reform programme aims to overhaul the system so that it can fulfil its potential to drive change, as well as being fairer and more transparent for those whose property is affected. Following commitments given to parliament earlier this year, the consultation also includes some questions on compulsory sale orders and compulsory lease orders.

The consultation is available on the Scottish Government website and is open until 19 December.

We can confirm that security passes are not issued on the basis of gender identity. Our pass management system records the details necessary to ensure safe and secure access to the Parliament estate and gender identity is not a factor in the issuing of passes. 

The SPCB has a Flag flying policy.

The Flag flying policy is managed on behalf of the SPCB by the Facilities Management Office and they are guided by the SPCB on the appropriateness of any flags, which have been requested to be flown, on a case-by-case basis.

The SPCB last reviewed the Flag flying policy on 2May 2024 and confirmed it remained content with the current Policy, which includes flags which are to be flown annually.  The flag policy will be reviewed again by SPCB prior to dissolution and this request will be considered at this time.  Ad hoc requests can also be made to the SPCB to be considered each year, it is helpful to have these requests at least a month in advance to accommodate SPCB meeting dates.

Listening to stakeholders is a priority for this government. That is why the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government met with the Scottish Retail Consortium earlier this week on 16 September to discuss the upcoming Budget, amongst other matters. The Scottish Government will be setting out the timetable for the draft budget for 2026-27 in the near future. That budget will set out our policies on taxation, reliefs, and public spending for 2026-27.

The Scottish Government’s Tax Strategy, published alongside the Budget last year, has already set out our intention not to increase the number of bands, or their rates, of Scottish Income Tax for the remainder of this parliament. We will also continue to deliver on our commitment to protect lower income households, ensuring more than half of taxpayers pay less than they would elsewhere in the UK.

The Scottish Government has already set out its plans to manage the projected gap between funding and spending over the next five years in its Medium Term Financial Strategy and Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, with action focused across public spending, tax and economic growth. Under these plans, the Scottish Government will focus efforts on increasing value for public money and improving efficiencies and productivity across the public sector, underpinned by reform. This includes an action to reduce the public sector workforce by an average of 0.5% every year until 2030 while protecting frontline services. The Scottish Government’s Public Service Reform Strategy, published in June 2025, fully supports this setting out the detail on our vision and priorities for reform.

For the 2025-26 financial year, the Scottish Government have invested a further £125 million to enable adult social care workers in the third and private sectors to be paid at least the Real Living Wage rate, £12.60 per hour, which takes the estimated total investment to deliver this policy up to £950 million annually. This rate is already 39p higher than the National Living Wage rate of £12.21 per hour, which applies to many social care workers in England and Northern Ireland.

Uplifting pay in Scotland to £2 per hour above the National Living Wage rate would mean raising the Scottish minimum hourly rate of £12.60 by £1.61 per hour to £14.21. It is estimated that this would cost an additional £335 million annually.

The Scottish Government is proud to have led the way in supporting enhanced minimum hourly rates of pay for the adult social care workforce among the four UK nations. However, we are always happy to listen to serious proposals about how increases in pay for the social care workforce could be achieved in an affordable way.

The Scottish Government will continue to look at what we can do to increase rates of pay for social care workers, and our work to introduce sectoral bargaining arrangements for the sector is progressing. However, there has never been greater pressures on public finances, and we must balance the books while demand for government support and intervention is increasing.

The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.

Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider with the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).

The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer (AO). They are responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, this includes decisions regarding areas in which to make savings, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected.

The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.

Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider within the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).

The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer, responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected. However, Scottish Government are consistently clear that NHS Board savings should be sensible, proportionate, and minimise the impact on frontline services.

NHS Boards continue to work towards to 3% recurring savings target in 2025-26, and Scottish Government officials continue to work with all NHS Boards to enable savings where appropriate. Whilst the 3% recurring savings target is expected to continue, the level of savings required will depend on the budget settlement in each year.

The Scottish Government is taking seriously concerns that 16- and 17-year-olds may need more protection. Our consultation on a range of family law matters, including whether we should legislate to raise the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership to 18, is in the latter stages of preparation and will be published this Autumn. The responses to the consultation will, along with other available evidence, help inform our decisions on next steps.

An extra 20% discount was applied to the cost of all Season Tickets for 12 months from 27 September 2024 when the peak fares pilot ended. With peak fares gone for good season ticket pricing was reviewed to ensure frequent travellers benefit from the simplicity and ease of use a season ticket offers. From 28 September 2025, season ticket customers will save at least 5% versus the cost of five daily return tickets each week.

The pricing of Flexipass tickets have also been adjusted from 1 September, to ensure they continue to offer significant savings for those who travel less regularly.

Flexipasses, offer six return tickets with a 5% discount

ScotRail has a fare comparison tool on its website, to help passengers find the best ticket option for their travel needs — whether they’re travelling by train daily, or a few times a week.

ScotRail will continue to develop fare initiatives to attract more passengers while providing savings and additional value to existing rail users.