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A summary of the scoring mechanism has already been published on the scheme guidance webpages. This explains how applications were assessed through a combination of eligibility checks, verification of information provided, and merit-based scoring against the scheme objectives.

Variation in the accuracy and completeness of applications was a significant factor in the outcomes. Applicants were expected to provide clear and verifiable information, however a number of submissions contained inconsistencies or responses that could not be supported at inspection. For example, some applicants selected “Yes” to using the grant for electronic identification technology when applying for items such as creep feeders, hoof-trimming equipment, water troughs, or fencing, where EID was not relevant. Had these applications been awarded funding, they would have been unable to evidence how the investment delivered and the grant would have had to be recovered.

These issues may not indicate intent to mislead but demonstrated misunderstanding of the scheme’s contractual requirements. In contrast, applications that provided specific, accurate, and verifiable information were able to be scored properly and offered greater assurance of compliance with the scheme rules. This explains why some applications that appeared similar received different outcomes, and why robust assessment and verification were essential to the scheme

The Scottish Government provides support to individuals facing redundancy through our initiative Partnership Action for Continuing Employment, PACE. By providing skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time individuals affected by redundancy are out of work and it supports both individuals and employers.

PACE records are available from 2010, and figures requested are in the following table.

Information relating to the number of buildings which have had remedial works carried out as a result of a Single Building Assessment is published on the Scottish Government’s website as Official Statistics in development on a monthly and quarterly basis.

The Scottish Health Information Integrity Strategy is focused on supporting Scotland’s health and social care system, to help people access the best quality health information and make the best choices for their own health. For evidence-based and accurate information related to alcohol consumption, people should refer to Scotland’s national health information service, NHS Inform.

The Alcohol Framework published in 2018 sets out the Scottish Government’s approach to engaging with the alcohol industry in relation to public health policy.

The Scottish Government does not work with the alcohol industry on the development of health policy but engages on the potential impacts, effects and implementation of alcohol harm prevention policy, where appropriate.

Priority status alone did not guarantee funding; investments also had to demonstrate strong alignment with scheme objectives and deliver measurable outcomes. Variation in the accuracy and completeness of applications was also a significant factor in the outcomes.

Many island based applicants applied for standard items of agricultural equipment, mainly for general livestock management, which, while not deemed ineligible, when assessed against other capital investments did not demonstrate strong delivery against the scheme’s objectives. Examples included cattle clippers, sheep shearing machines, footbaths, water troughs, creep feeders, self-locking feed barriers, and feed storage bins.

Although these items are useful for routine livestock management, they were assessed as providing limited measurable benefit in terms of improving environmental performance, resource efficiency, or climate outcomes. For smaller businesses, these capital investments can represent meaningful improvements, however within a competitive assessment framework they did not score as highly as proposals that delivered more substantial benefits in line with the schemes purpose and objectives. This does however provide us with useful information about the kind of capital items that small and island based businesses need support with, and this information will be used to help inform how we develop future schemes moving forward.

This government has a strong record of delivering a range of support schemes to our island based farming and crofting businesses. From 2015 to August 2025, over £33.1 m in Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme funding has been committed, helping over 5,200 crofters with their businesses. Since January 2007, the Scottish Government has approved Croft House Grant payments of almost £26 million helping to build and improve over 1,160 croft homes. The Scottish Government also provides support through the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme and Basic Payment Scheme – demonstrating our commitment to continuing support and investment for the sector, all in stark contrast to support policy in other parts of the UK.

Supporting Scotland’s workforce to develop the skills needed for the transition to Net Zero is a key priority for this Government, with colleges playing a pivotal role.

To enable delivery, the Scottish Funding Council allocates an annual credit threshold to each college based on established pattern of provision. Colleges use this funding to offer learning opportunities that reflect regional priorities and align with their own business plans. The SFC have also introduced a Curriculum Transformation Framework to allow colleges to use credits flexibly to support skills priorities in their areas. The Scottish Government doesn’t hold information on credit distributions.

Alongside this, this Government funds a range of initiatives to strengthen the college sector’s capacity to deliver the skills required for a Just Transition. For example, the Energy Skills Partnership, the National Energy Skills Accelerator (NESA), and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Academy – supported through SFC funding – strengthening connections between colleges and industry, enabling colleges to embed cutting-edge green skills into their curricula and respond quickly to emerging workforce needs.

We are also investing directly in skills development though targeted programmes for a just transition to Net Zero. For example, the Just Transition Fund for the North east and Moray has provided £4.5 million for the Energy Transition Skills Hub in Aberdeen, which will equip North East Scotland workforce for the demands of the energy transition.

A core team of six RPID officials from the Agricultural Development and Area Office teams were responsible for assessing applications to the Future Farming Investment Scheme. They were supported by a further six members of staff from across the RPID area office network, who provided additional capacity during the assessment and verification process.

The scheduling of psilocybin in the UK is overseen by the Home Office and the regulation for the licensing, safety and efficacy of medicines is currently reserved to the UK Government and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The Scottish Government has no power to alter this.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is supporting psilocybin research via the NIHR King’s Clinical Research Facility, the NIHR Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility, and the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre. This includes developing and evaluating the efficacy and safety of psilocybin therapies.

We expect all women who experience pelvic floor trauma and post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) will have this recorded within the electronic maternity record. Rates of third- and fourth-degree tears for each Board are available on the Scottish Pregnancy, Births and Neonatal Dashboard: Scottish Pregnancy, Births and Neonatal Dashboard. Data on PPH is collected by Healthcare Improvement Scotland as part of the Scottish Patient Safety Perinatal Programme.

We have written to all NHS Boards identifying the Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury (OASI) care bundle as an approach which can be used by maternity services with a view to reducing the incidence of third- and fourth-degree tears. This will be one of several priorities for consideration by the expert members of the Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce.

The regulation for the licensing, safety and efficacy of medicines is currently reserved to the UK Government and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. As a result, the Scottish Government has not assessed any lessons learned regarding the Australian Government’s approval in 2023 for psychiatrists to prescribe MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder, and psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression.