Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government is committed to enabling individuals/workers at all stages of their careers to retrain and enhance their capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology. This commitment is delivered through a comprehensive suite of interventions, including funding administered by Skills Development Scotland, strategic investment in colleges and universities, the expansion of digital apprenticeships, and targeted support for data and AI skills development through initiatives such as The Data Lab.

As set out in the Programme for Government 2025-26, the Scottish Government will establish AI Scotland — a national transformation programme underpinned by collaboration across businesses, academia, government, and public bodies. A central component of this programme is the development of a national AI adoption framework for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This will focus on building delivery capacity, assessing and addressing AI-related skills requirements, and strengthening Scotland’s AI talent pipeline to facilitate workforce reskilling and adaptation as AI technologies reshape employment and the wider economy.

I have no plans of modifying the franchising model in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019. Changing primary legislation would take time to deliver and any proposals to bring the Scottish powers in line with England would require us to revisit the entire approach to franchising.

Development of any new primary legislation in this area is likely to be a lengthy process and could not be undertaken before the end of this parliamentary session. Any changes to the legislation now could significantly impact Strathclyde Partnership for Transport’s (SPT) plans for developing its franchising proposals, as well as create uncertainty for all local authorities who may be exploring this option. Such a move would also push Scotland further behind England in delivering bus franchising.

The public sector provides a range of digital public services and it is critical that these are secure and resilient.

Local Authorities are independent corporate bodies, entirely separate from the Scottish Government, and it is up to each council how it plans for, manages, and mitigates its risks. However, the Scottish Government does actively support and help build the cyber resilience of our local authorities, through the provision of guidance, resources, networking and skills development.

The Scottish Government encourages public sector organisations, including local authorities to adopt a proactive, risk-based governance approach, with board-level accountability to build and improve their cyber resilience. We have set out a framework that includes guidance on how to:

• Assess their cyber resilience maturity,
• Align with minimum security standards,
• Benchmark performance, and
• Prioritise investment based on risk.

The Scottish Government has in place a Notifiable Scottish Public Sector Cyber Incidents Procedure. This is a voluntary process which encourages Scottish Public Sector bodies to report cyber incidents to the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre (SC3). The process also encourages reporting of cyber incidents to the UK Government National Cyber Security Centre and Police Scotland where appropriate.

The SC3 provides ongoing support to local authorities in the form of:

• 24/7 national incident response coordination
• Daily threat intelligence and early warning notifications
• Cyber exercising and preparedness programmes, and
• Guidance on standards and best practice.

This national support is helping to equip our public bodies with the tools, intelligence and skills needed to build and maintain strong cyber resilience.

The public sector provides a range of digital public services and it is critical that these are secure and resilient.

Local Authorities are independent corporate bodies, entirely separate from the Scottish Government, and it is up to each council how it plans for, manages, and mitigates its risks. However the Scottish Government routinely engages with and encourages public sector organisations to adopt a proactive, risk-based governance approach, with board-level accountability to build and improve their cyber resilience.

The Scottish Government has set out a framework including guidance on how to:

• Assess their cyber resilience maturity,
• Align with minimum security standards,
• Benchmark performance, and
• Prioritise investment based on risk.

It is supported by practical tools such as self-assessment templates and critical systems mapping resources.

The Scottish Government has in place the Notifiable Scottish Public Sector Cyber Incidents Procedure. This is a voluntary process which encourages Scottish Public Sector bodies to report cyber incidents to the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre the SC3). The process also encourages reporting of cyber incidents to the UK Government National Cyber Security Centre and Police Scotland where appropriate.

The SC3 also provides ongoing support to local authorities in the form of:

• 24/7 national incident response coordination
• Daily threat intelligence and early warning notifications
• Cyber exercising and preparedness programmes, and
• Guidance on standards and best practice.

This national support is helping to equip our public bodies with the tools, intelligence and skills needed to build and maintain strong cyber resilience.

During December the Director of Resilience in the National Cyber Security Centre will be briefing all CEOs on the importance of cyber resilience. The Scottish Government will also be meeting with all Chief Information Security Officers to reinforce the importance of extra vigilance during the festive period.

The Scottish Government encourages public sector organisations (including local authorities) to adopt a proactive, risk-based governance approach, with board-level accountability to build and improve their cyber resilience. The Scottish Government provides a range of resources and advice to help build public sector cyber resilience. It should be noted that local authorities are independent corporate bodies, entirely separate from the Scottish Government, and each must plan for, mitigate, and manage their own cyber risks.

There is no requirement for proof of age to use the app. There will be the opportunity for citizens to use the app with the digital wallet to prove their age if they wish to.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42174 on 9 December 2025. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42174 on 9 December 2025. 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 Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) undertaken for the continuation and uprating of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) found that the policy primarily affected low-cost, high-strength products and was not expected to significantly disadvantage Scottish businesses compared to those dispatching alcohol from outside Scotland.

As well as a BRIA, an Island Communities Impact Assessment was developed to assess the impacts of the continuation and uprating of MUP on those living in the Islands. No evidence was found during the five-year evaluation to show the implementation of MUP at 50ppu has had an effect on the island communities in a way that is significantly different from its effect on the mainland. The Scottish Government, therefore, concluded that the increased price of 65 pence per unit strikes the appropriate balance between achieving the public health aims of Ministers and minimising the potential effects on business, industry and consumers.

The Scottish Government remains committed to the ambitions set out in the Onshore Wind Sector Deal. Joint working with industry is central to delivering Scotland’s energy transition and achieving our climate change ambitions.

We will continue to work closely with industry partners to support investment, create skilled jobs, and ensure benefits are shared with communities across Scotland.

Working together, industry and government can achieve our shared long-term goals to the benefit of both Scotland communities and its economy.