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The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) was established 20 years ago as an independent regulator and registrar of charities, ensuring that charity regulation remains free from political influence.

Decisions and inquiries undertaken by OSCR, such as those relating to the Clan Donald Lands Trust and the sale of its landholdings, fall entirely within its remit and are not matters for the Scottish Government.

Given the independence of both OSCR and the charities it regulates, it would be inappropriate for Scottish Ministers to comment on individual cases.

I can announce that the refresh of this common core resource for everyone in Scotland working with Scotland’s children and young people has been completed and the updated resource is now available online Supporting Scotland's Children: Core Knowledge and Values

The relaunched resource is now called Supporting Scotland’s Children – Core Knowledge and Values and replaces the previous common core. It provides a clear framework and sets out the essential knowledge and values that everyone working with babies, children, young people and families should share, including children’s rights, wellbeing, safeguarding and partnership working. It reflects current policy priorities including GIRFEC, The Promise, and UNCRC incorporation, and is intended as a practical tool for induction, training, and ongoing learning across all sectors.

A refresh of the Common Core was highlighted as key to Keeping the Promise by 2030 and is set out as a priority in The Promise Scotland’s Change Programme.

I understand and acknowledge that communities in the North East may have concerns regarding proposed electricity transmission infrastructure in their areas. It is vital that communities can have their say on proposed developments and Scottish Ministers are clear that major energy infrastructure requires meaningful and substantive consultation and engagement with the local communities before a developer submits an Electricity Act application.

There are established routes for constituents and community groups to make their views on developments known, and the Scottish Government is working with the UK Government to further strengthen these.

The Ministerial Code states that "the Planning Minister or any other Minister involved in the planning decision, must do nothing which might be seen as prejudicial to that process, particularly in advance of the decision being taken. Action that might be viewed as being prejudicial includes’: ‘expressing an opinion publicly on a particular case which is before, or may subsequently be referred to, the Minister(s) for decision”.

I understand constituents and community groups may wish to discuss infrastructure development with me. However, I do not believe it is possible to have a meaningful discussion without speaking about specific projects and, given the guidance which I have set out above, any discussion on specific projects would risk a breach of the Ministerial Code.

On 8 October 2025, the Scottish Government will publish a new paper setting out why Scotland should become an independent country, and what an independent Scotland could look like.

It explains how independence offers the potential of transformational change, building a new economy to boost living standards, making the most of our energy resources, protecting our NHS, creating a migration system that meets Scotland’s needs, and rejoining the European Union.

The proposals set out in this publication feature analysis of the evidence that informs them, as well as references to sources.

A Fresh Start with Independence will be available to view on the Scottish Government website from 8 October 2025 at Building a new Scotland - gov.scot

It is the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) role to monitor the institutional landscape, to ensure sustainable and coherent provision, and to engage with institutions as needed. The Scottish Government and the SFC are in regular discussions on issues affecting the sector.

The School Estate Statistics reflect information reported to the Scottish Government by local authorities.

In the case of Beath and Queen Anne High Schools, both were rebuilt in the early 2000s under Public Private Partnership (PPP) contracts and remain within their contract periods.

In situations where schools were built under PPP which included school maintenance contracts, local authorities report that the buildings are monitored and maintained by a third party. It is the Scottish Government’s expectation that condition surveys are carried out as part of this monitoring and maintenance programme.

It is local authorities’ responsibility to ensure schools built under PPP contract continue to be maintained to a sufficiently high standard, given the maintenance contract that will be in place.

We recognise the distress and pain that migraines cause in so many people and we take the issue of migraines seriously. We know that migraine attacks can be debilitating and significantly impact a person’s daily life.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40778 on 7 October 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 relevant documents will be published shortly and will be available on the Scottish Government website -Publications -gov.scot

Responsibility for dealing with day-to-day land use planning matters generally rests, in the first instance, at the most local level. The Scottish Government does not hold information on applications which are being or may be considered by planning authorities.

On 28 August 2025, 22 applications from SSEN Transmission to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit were live. We expect further applications to be submitted over the next 12 months.

Planning applications did not form any part of the joint visit by the then UK Secretary of State and Cabinet Secretary to HAD Fab.