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As part of our over-arching Just Transition approach, key sectors are taking steps to support our rural and island communities as we work to reduce our carbon emissions, in particular providing equitable access to funding, ensuring anyone who meets the eligibility criteria can access the financial support they need. Examples include:

• The Small Producers Pilot Fund, where we are helping producers regardless of location to access vital services such as private kill facilities at abattoirs. This approach is part of our broader commitment to empowering small producers to contribute meaningfully to the Vision for Agriculture, ensuring that support is inclusive and regionally balanced.
• The Forestry Grant Scheme, available across Scotland, with over half of the applications being for small woodlands, many from farmers and crofters. A small woods loans scheme is available to help those developing small scale applications access grants, and the level of support for smaller woodland projects has been increased to help counter inflationary pressures. There are also targeted grants with enhanced rates to support crofters for native woodland creation in the crofting counties, including the Western and Northern Isles.
• Peatland ACTION funding, which primarily supports on-the-ground peatland restoration activities and is open for applications from eligible land managers who have peatlands that would benefit from restoration. There are no geographical restrictions or target areas for Peatland ACTION funding.
• The Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, which supports projects that are planning and delivering on the ground activity to protect and restore Scotland's biodiversity while helping us build resilience to climate change. There are no geographical restrictions for the Nature Restoration Fund.
• The FIRNS grant scheme, to support projects that shape and grow the use of private investment and market-based mechanisms to finance the restoration of Scotland’s nature.

Forecasts for the Scottish economy, including inflation, are produced by the independent Scottish Fiscal Commission. Their most recent forecasts were published on 29 May (https://fiscalcommission.scot/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Scotlands-Economic-And-Fiscal-Forecasts-May-2025.pdf).

The Scottish Government has costed the one percentage point above inflation that the Agenda For Change pay deal for 2025-26 and 2026-27 guarantees and is monitoring monthly.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The Care Inspectorate report data publicly on their Data Store which may be able to assist with this question or alternatively the Care Inspectorate could be approached directly for a response.

The Scottish Government is working with local authorities and other partners to develop long-term workforce plans that address retention issues and support staff wellbeing across the ELC sector.

In 2025-26, we are providing £9.7 million to local authorities to enable payment of the real Living Wage to childcare workers in private and voluntary services providing funded ELC. Building on last year’s recurring investment of £16 million, this funding for the further increase to at least £12.60 per hour demonstrates our commitment to the Fair Work agenda. The Scottish Government remains the only part of the UK to fund the payment of the real Living Wage to ELC staff in the private and third sectors.

In addition, we have worked with partners to develop a range of new resources for the childcare workforce, including a new continuous professional learning portal which features a mental health and wellbeing resource specifically for early years professionals. We are working with Skills Development Scotland and funded partners in the private and voluntary sector to pilot ways of working that support efficiencies in services and allow practitioners to prioritise their professional learning within working hours.

The information requested is not held centrally. Building management responsibilities are a matter for the owners and managers to ensure the safety of their premises. Statutory requirements for the fitness of premises to be used for the provision of early learning and childcare (ELC) are set out in Section 10 of The Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011. The Scottish Government does not routinely collect or hold data about the closure of ELC settings as a result of building safety concerns.

Scottish Government centrally purchased 25,000 Chromebooks at a cost of £6m in 2020-21. A further 47,000 devices were centrally funded at this time but purchased locally. Decisions on device types were taken by each authority in line with their needs, and so SG does not hold this information. A total of £25m was provided for this investment. Additionally, we have allocated £10m in 2025-26 to continue improving digital access for learners.

The Scottish Government does not have all the information requested because it does not retain data in relation to office usage for a period of time greater than 24 months. Furthermore, the Scottish Government can only provide data on those buildings where its own data systems are in place. Some locations have landlord data systems in place and the Scottish Government does not have access to that data.

Average occupancy levels are shown in the following table for the buildings where we hold this data, these are taken as an average of attendance levels for a full day every second Tuesday. Bothwell House closed for use by SG core staff in April 2025.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting rural employment and providing ongoing opportunities for those involved or wanting to be involved in our land-based sectors, which each contribute to climate action. We do this through many different initiatives.

As set out in the Land Based Learning Review Implementation plan, which was published on 29 January 2025, acting on the recommendations of the independent review will contribute to attracting and equipping more people with the right skills and knowledge that are vital for economic growth, building sustainable communities and addressing the nature and climate crises.

We fund LANTRA Scotland, to contribute to increasing the number and diversity of skilled employees in the land-based, aquaculture and environment sectors by promoting the diverse and rewarding careers available and the economic and environmental benefits of investing in skills.

We support initiatives such as the Farm Advisory Service, the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund, the New Entrants programme, the Next Generation Practical Training Fund, and the Land-based Pre-apprentice Programme.

Within the forestry sector, examples include: supporting the Industry Leadership Skills Group to establish Forestry Training Services (UK); the delivery of the Women in Forestry and Future Foresters practical training funds; and the Working Woods Scotland course available through the Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers.

Through the publication of our upcoming Land use and Agriculture Just Transition Plan and Rural Delivery Plan, we also seek to cover a wider range of key areas that impact on rural employment, such as agriculture, marine, land reform, transport, housing, skills, digital connectivity, economic development, and health and social care.

As the way we use our land evolves and adapts to meet the climate challenge, these activities will ensure the people who work in our agricultural industry and other land-based sectors are supported to continue to deliver both sustainable food production and improved integrated land use.

All social care workers are registered with the Scottish Social Services Council and are therefore subject to their fitness to practise rules and requirements. Social care practice is clearly complex and it is for employers and the regulator to assess whether conduct is inappropriate or otherwise in any given circumstance. Scottish Ministers and Parliament have provided legislation that allows the relevant parties to carry out their functions in accordance with best practice and the law.

For young people who may decide to seek medical support related to their gender identity, a range of support is available and is currently provided in NHS Scotland via NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Young Person Gender Service.

Individualised assessment for, and potential treatment of, gender dysphoria is carried out by clinicians in this NHS service in consultation with their patient, as informed by patient need. Assessment will be carried out in line with relevant best practice. For example, guidance set by the General Medical Council (GMC) which, as the independent regulator of doctors, publishes a range of documentation to help clinicians fulfil their professional duties.

The Scottish Government remain committed to publishing its Medium Term Finance Framework and are working towards a publication date of late 2025-26.