The Bill is designed to incorporate the ownership and transfer of digital assets into Scots law.
In recent decades, the use and importance of digital assets has become widespread. There is, however, little case law relating to new forms of digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, to help individuals, businesses and legal practitioners in their dealings with such assets.
The Bill confirms that digital assets can be recognised as incorporeal moveable property. If passed, the Bill would confirm how ownership can be established and acquired, providing greater legal certainty for tech developers, digital asset owners and the legal profession.
As of 2025, approximately 10% of adults in Scotland – around 540,000 people – own some form of cryptocurrency.
Economy and Fair Work Convener, Daniel Johnson MSP, said: “Scotland’s financial technology (FinTech) sector contributes £14billion to the Scottish economy.
“This Bill could help provide the answers needed about digital assets as objects of property and support ongoing innovation and investment in the sector.
“We are keen to hear from legal practitioners, academics and anyone with an interest in digital assets about whether they support the provisions in the Bill. We also want to hear what other actions could be required to support businesses and individuals in their dealings with digital assets.”
UK Parliaments Join Forces to Support Menopause Awareness
Staff from three UK parliaments – Holyrood, Westminster, and the Senedd – are coming together during World Menopause Month in a united commitment to supporting colleagues through every stage of life.
The three UK parliaments are hosting Menopause Cafés, supported by the Perth-based charity of the same name, and are backing its Menopause Awareness Ribbon campaign to spark open conversations about menopause and break down the stigma surrounding it.
Since forming in 2017, Menopause Café has sparked a global movement of informal ‘cafés’ worldwide, where people of all ages and genders get together either at work or in the community to discuss menopause. Since the first ever café in Perth that same year, the charity has supported over 1,800 Menopause Cafés worldwide, from the UK and the USA to Chile, Zambia, Bahrain and Portugal, empowering more than 18,000 participants to get talking.
The event at Holyrood today (Thursday 9 October 2025) was for all parliamentarians and parliamentary staff and hosted by MSPs Carol Mochan (South Scotland) and Monica Lennon (Central Scotland), representatives of the Cross-Party Women’s Health Group.
Carol Mochan MSP said, “The Menopause Café was a genuinely heartening event that gave lots of people the platform to put across their views on this vital issue.
“To be doing so in conjunction with colleagues in Cardiff and London offers hope that we can make significant progress on this issue in terms of substantial policy.”
Meanwhile, a bilingual Menopause Café for both English and Welsh speakers was held at the Senedd event on Friday 3 October and the Westminster event, hosted by the Scotland Office at Whitehall, will be held later this month on Tuesday 28 October.
Anna Daniel, Head of Strategic Transformation at the Senedd Commission, is one of the Welsh Parliament’s workplace Menopause Champions.
She said, “On World Menopause Day, 18 October 2023, the Senedd Commission proudly launched its ‘Peri/Menopause: Wellbeing in the Workplace Toolkit’, becoming the first organisation in Wales to adopt the British Standard – Menstruation, Menstrual Health, and Menopause in the Workplace: Guide.
“This October, in celebration of Menopause Awareness Month, we hosted two Menopause Cafés – an open, welcoming space to talk, listen, and learn. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to building a workplace culture that emphasises comfort, wellbeing and inclusivity.
“By raising awareness and creating space for honest, supportive conversations, we aim to make the Senedd a place where everyone is empowered to thrive.”
Rachel Weiss, Founder of Menopause Café, added, “We are thrilled that these Parliaments are holding Menopause Cafes and embracing the Menopause Awareness Ribbon campaign this month.
“Their eagerness to support both their parliamentarians and their staff sends a signal far beyond the walls of government, both symbolically and practically.
“By openly acknowledging and supporting menopause awareness, our Parliaments can help drive conversation across every workplace, inspiring a UK-wide commitment to improving workplace culture.
“This united front also sets the tone for future legislation and higher standards as, by embracing menopause awareness internally, they’re better placed to shape inclusive policies externally.”
Order a box of Menopause Awareness ribbons or single ribbons from:
FM: Scots should make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests
Independence would give the people of Scotland new opportunities to improve their standards of living, according to a new paper published by First Minister John Swinney.
‘A Fresh Start with Independence’ examines how an independent Scotland would be able to improve the economy and the NHS, and tackle issues such as household finances, pensions, social security, migration, energy and defence.
The paper states that the Scottish Government has worked hard to improve the lives of people living in Scotland using devolved powers but it would only be able to fully capitalise on the nation’s potential with independence.
The First Minister said: “I firmly believe that the people who live in Scotland are best placed to make decisions about Scotland. That is the fundamental democratic and practical argument underpinning the case that we make.
“Too many people in Scotland today do not have a decent standard of living and are finding it difficult to make ends meet. That is because standards of living in the UK have improved little in over 10 years, due to a failing economic system and Westminster decisions such as austerity and the disastrous decision to leave the European Union. Scotland did not support austerity and it did not support Brexit. The reality is Westminster is not working for Scotland.
“The Scottish Government works tirelessly to use the powers of devolution to deliver the very best for Scotland. Much good has been achieved through the expansion of early learning and childcare, the introduction of free university tuition, the expansion of the rail network, the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol, the creation of the Scottish Child Payment and many other measures.
“But Scotland needs to be able to improve the opportunities available to our people, our communities and our businesses. Scotland needs to build a stronger, more inclusive economy that works for all. Those possibilities would only be available to Scotland with the fresh start of independence.
“We have shown that when we have the power to decide for ourselves, we find solutions and make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests. I believe Scotland can and will become a successful independent country, with a more dynamic economy and a fairer society.”
The Scottish Conservatives don’t agree, oddly enough:
New review process will ensure lessons are learned from each case
‘a thousand words’ commissioned by Scottish Womens Aid and Zero Tolerance. Copyright Laura Dodsworth
Legislation to help reduce the number of domestic abuse-related homicides and suicides in Scotland has been passed unanimously by Parliament.
The Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill will legally require a new robust review process following the death of a partner, ex-partner, or child where abuse is known or suspected.
The reviews, which are expected to start next spring, will mean that where there has been a death of this nature, justice, health, social care, local government and third sector agencies must work together to identify and agree any areas for change and improvement so further deaths may be prevented.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance has commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland to work with partners, those with direct experience of domestic abuse and families bereaved in these circumstances, to develop national standards to support how the reviews are undertaken and the multi-agency and multi-disciplinary response to domestic homicide and suicide.
The Bill will also help to modernise the justice sector by supporting greater use of digital technology, including evidence-sharing, and efficient processes.
It will make permanent a number of temporary measures that were put in place during the COVID pandemic in 2020 which improved how the criminal justice system works. The reforms include allowing more virtual attendance at criminal courts, electronic signing and sending of documents in criminal cases, and greater use of digital evidence from crime scene to court room.
As well as benefiting victims and witnesses, these reforms will help efforts to support frontline policing – sparing officers from unduly waiting around in court buildings.
The Justice Secretary said: “Any death following domestic abuse is one too many. The new Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review Model, backed by national standards, will help to ensure lessons are learned following such deaths, so that services are improved and victims are better protected.
“I hope that identifying what needs to improve will mean there are fewer deaths of this kind.
“Legislation alone is not enough, though. The real change we need to see will only happen when those who perpetrate domestic abuse – the majority of whom are men – change their actions and behaviour.
“This Bill will also provide resilience to the criminal justice sector by embedding efficiency and modernisation in procedures – making sure Scotland’s criminal justice system can meet current and future demands.
“This includes greater use of digital technology, including evidence-sharing, and efficient processes such as allowing more virtual attendance at criminal courts and electronic signing and sending of documents in criminal cases.”
Fiona Drouet, who founded the EmilyTest charity in memory of her daughter, and who chairs the Domestic Abuse Related Suicide Group under the Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review Taskforce, said: “The introduction of statutory reviews into domestic abuse homicides and suicides is a hugely important step.
“Like so many families, we were left to piece together the devastating circumstances that led to our daughter Emily taking her own life, all whilst in the most painful time of our lives.
“Doors closed on us, and the desperation to make sure no one else ended up in Emily’s shoes felt all-consuming – a responsibility we should never have had to carry.
“Having comprehensive reviews in place means there’s less risk of lessons being missed and future tragedies prevented. Domestic abuse-related suicides now outnumber domestic homicides, which is why giving equal priority to these deaths is so vital.
“As Chair of the Group under the Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review Taskforce that is informing Scotland’s suicide reviews, I see firsthand the depth of expertise partners bring to the process, and am confident in a system that puts lived experience at its heart.
“The wider provisions in the Bill to strengthen existing practices and protections are also welcome, bringing greater consistency and safety across Scotland.”
Scottish Women’s Aid CEO Dr Marsha Scott said: ““Scottish Women’s Aid warmly welcomes this legislation.
“We have been calling for a Scottish response to domestic abuse deaths for almost a decade, and this new law delivers a unique approach that was developed in an inclusive, thoughtful, and evidence-based process.
“Implementation, as always, must be resourced supported by the expertise of specialist services, but this law gives us the tools to make a difference.’’
Victim Support Scotland Head of Communications and External Affairs Carol Eden said: “Victim Support Scotland welcomes legislation in both parts of this important Bill.
“Much of what is being put into legislation reflects what has been in practice for several years now as a result of COVID. Victims and witnesses have become accustomed to and expect the level of flexibility this offers, and to not make permanent these powers would be a retrograde step.
“Equally, Victim Support Scotland is supportive of legislation to underpin a Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review model to help to develop a better understanding of how domestic abuse impacts communities in Scotland.
“We have been heavily involved in these developments as an active member of the Domestic Homicide and Suicide Review Taskforce and associated sub-groups, with our work informed by our Support for Families Bereaved by Crime service, which provides practical and emotional support to families bereaved by murder and culpable homicide.”
The Bill would place a duty on all local authorities to work with public bodies to adopt a community wealth building (CWB) partnership approach. According to the Bill, this would help communities to generate and retain wealth locally and give communities a greater stake in Scotland’s economy.
However, the Committee’s Stage 1 report says that, although the Bill creates an obligation to act, it may not, on its own, enable or necessarily drive implementation.
Success will depend on the strength of the accompanying statement by Scottish Ministers that clearly sets out the intended policy outcomes, and the provision of clear and consistent Scottish Government guidance that helps CWB partnerships to produce action plans.
Under the Bill, CWB partnerships will be required to publish and report on the measures being taken, or which will be taken, to empower communities and strengthen local economies. Examples include buying locally, supporting job opportunities, and including fair work criteria in procurement contracts.
Complementary legislative and policy reforms to shift economic power to local communities will also be crucial, such as compulsory purchase orders to support the acquisition of land or property for community use.
As part of the Committee’s scrutiny, members visited Alloa and Irvine to observe different local CWB approaches in practice. MSPs heard about the many benefits, including safer and more vibrant neighbourhoods, improved facilities and transport links, increased employment opportunities, and a stronger sense of community pride and wellbeing.
Committee Convener, Daniel Johnson MSP said: “Our Committee recognises the transformative potential of community wealth building, when supported by local authorities and other public bodies.
“The Bill is a significant step toward empowering communities and promoting inclusive economic development across Scotland.
“But an obligation to act imposed by the legislation may not, on its own, drive implementation. Quality guidance to support action plans, and a clear policy statement from Scottish Ministers will help to support that.”
Further legislative and policy changes will also be essential to fully realise the Bill’s aims, the Committee heard. During evidence, stakeholders consistently highlighted the importance of reforms in areas such as compulsory sale orders, procurement practices, community empowerment and asset transfer.
The Convener added: “The Committee agrees these changes are vital and asks the Scottish Government to outline how the broader policy landscape will be adapted to support the Bill’s success.”
Scotland’s first legally-binding targets to improve biodiversity must be accompanied by meaningful actions and reinforced by sufficient public resources, says Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in a new report.
The Committee’s Stage 1 report on the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, sets out its recommendations as to how statutory targets should be set, monitored, reviewed and reported on.
In its report, the Committee also calls for a clear timetable for introducing the statutory targets and for clarity on how the Scottish Government would respond to instances where they are not achieved or are significantly off-track.
The Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill places a duty on Ministers to set the first legally-binding biodiversity targets in Scotland, recognising that previous non-statutory approaches have failed to halt nature decline.
The Bill also provides Scottish Ministers with powers to amend environmental impact assessment legislation and the habitats regulations; make changes to National Parks legislation to modernise how they are managed; and make detailed changes to wild deer legislation, to reduce the impacts of deer on Scotland’s natural environment.
Committee Convener Finlay Carson MSP said: “The rate of nature loss in Scotland over recent decades is deeply concerning and it’s clear that the current approach being taken to halt or reverse biodiversity declines has failed.
“Following our detailed scrutiny of this Bill, we support the introduction of statutory targets as a means of galvanising action on the societal-wide changes needed to improve biodiversity and tackle the nature emergency.
“But we are also clear that statutory targets will not have the success we want to see unless they are underpinned by action and investment, via both finance and expertise, to make sure their aspirations are delivered.”
Part 2 of the Bill gives Scottish Ministers powers to amend environmental impact assessment legislation and the habitats regulations. Following widespread concerns from stakeholders about the broad scope of the proposed powers and the lack of sufficient safeguards in place, there were mixed views within the Committee regarding whether Part 2 in its current form is required or whether it should be revised.
In relation to National Parks (Part 3), the Committee says it is in broad agreement with the proposals set out in the bill to make changes to National Parks legislation to modernise how they are managed. This includes public bodies taking account of National Park Plans and giving Scottish Ministers the power to set up a fixed penalty notice regime to enforce park byelaws.
On deer management (Part 4), the report agrees it would be helpful for NatureScot to have additional ‘intervention’ powers ‘in its toolkit’, to address nature degradation on land as a result of wild deer populations.
But the Committee was clear this should not be at the expense of voluntary deer management and called on the Scottish Government to make sure it “does not erode the trust and consensus that has been carefully built within the deer management sector in recent years”.
Furthermore, the Committee encourages the Scottish Government to continue to support the wild venison sector, especially by exploring opportunities to expand consumption through local supply chains and public procurement.
The Convener continued: “Notwithstanding the recommendations in our report about how some of the Bill’s provisions could be strengthened and improved, we support the general principles of this Bill.
“Having sought to hear from a diverse range of stakeholders throughout our inquiry, I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to consider and support our scrutiny.”
Public bodies are failing to deliver on their duties of advancing equality of opportunity and fostering good relations between different groups, according to a new report from Holyrood’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.
The Public Sector Equality Duty is a legal requirement for public bodies and organisations that was issued following the passing of the UK Equality Act in 2010. It aims to make sure that these bodies and organisations think about how they can improve society and promote equality.
In its report, the Committee finds that fundamental reform to Scotland’s approach to the Duty is required so that it can have the impact that it was intended to have.
Evidence heard by the Committee demonstrated that public authorities lack the genuine understanding of the protected characteristics and the interrelationship between them that can improve people’s lives.
One issue was that understanding of the duty is not being cascaded down from senior staff to those on the front line. The Equality and Human Rights Commission told the Committee that this meant that delivering the Duty effectively could be more “hit and miss”.
In response, the report calls for the Scottish Government to provide leadership, direction and investment to embed the Duty; to deliver significant societal and economic benefits; and to improve outcomes for people with protected characteristics.
As part of its inquiry, the Committee also considered reforms proposed by the Scottish Government, but found these would not deliver enough change to improve outcomes. Instead of waiting for reforms, which should be accelerated, the Committee’s report calls on public bodies to act now, with Ministerial direction on priorities, to implement the duty fully.
Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, said: “This is a time of significant funding challenges for public authorities. We recognise that this means that capacity to focus on delivering the Public Sector Equality Duty can be severely restricted.
“However, our view is that this makes it even more vital that this is a priority, not an add on or tick box exercise, for public authorities.
“We ask that the Scottish Government provide leadership, direction and continuing investment to ensure that the Public Sector Equality Duty can deliver on its aims and effectively promote equality in Scotland.”
Legislation to simplify the funding system for learners at college, university and apprentices in Scotland has been given in-principle backing by MSPs.
They voted by 62 to 39 to endorse the general principles of the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill, ensuring it passes Stage 1 and proceeds to Stage 2 in the Scottish Parliament.
If passed, the Bill will see responsibility for funding national training programmes and apprenticeships move to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) from Skills Development Scotland (SDS). This will consolidate responsibility for provision of tertiary education and training within a redesigned SFC.
The Bill would also strengthen the SFC’s governance powers to allow for more effective oversight of colleges and higher education institutions, including a greater focus on their financial sustainability and the needs of learners.
Higher and Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson said: “At its core, this Bill would better enable funding to go where it matters most, supporting the skills, services and innovation that our economy and learners need to thrive.
“The Bill has been publicly backed by key sector organisations including the Scottish Training Federation, Federation of Small Businesses, Universities Scotland and Colleges Scotland.
“This legislation intends to help build a more coherent, collaborative, flexible system where colleges, universities and training providers all play a collaborative role in delivering high-quality education and training.”
The Scottish Government’s response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee report into the Bill shows a revised highest cost estimate of £21.6 million, a reduction of almost £12 million.
Financial sustainability reports launched
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has today (26 September 2025) published two reports that provide an aggregate picture of the financial health of Scotland’s colleges and universities.
Based on their annual accounts for academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24 and latest forecasts up to 2027-28 for colleges and 2026-27 for universities, the reports provide detailed information at sector level on the operating position, cash balances, sources of income, expenditure, liquidity, cash flow, borrowing and capital expenditure.
Both colleges and universities continue to operate in an extremely tight fiscal environment, with downward trends in cash balances showing both sectors under pressure.
While neither sector is homogenous, and the forecasts represent a snapshot in time, both colleges and universities face similar risks to their financial health, including:
Increasing staff costs.
Further flat cash settlements or unanticipated public spending cuts.
An uncertain macro-economic outlook, including rising inflation and persistently high interest rates.
Continuing high energy costs.
Infrastructure pressures, exacerbated by the impact of RAAC, impacting on the delivery of high-quality learning, teaching and research.
The requirement to invest in the achievement of public sector net zero targets.
The impact of UK government policies on maintaining international fee income.
The reports also outline the mitigating actions that colleges and universities are taking to adapt to challenges and uncertainties, including staff restructuring, vacancy management, freezing of non-essential spend, reviewing course portfolios, curriculum rationalisation and consolidation, moves to online and blended learning, delaying capital spend and reviewing estates strategies.
Commenting on the reports, SFC Chair, Professor Cara Aitchison, said: “While these reports represent a snapshot in time, the trends we’re seeing indicate the serious implications of the tight fiscal environment in which colleges and universities are operating and the need for action to address the challenges they face.
“We are encouraged by the proactive steps being taken by institutions as they adapt and build in resilience for this changing environment, recognising that this may include difficult decisions to secure long term financial sustainability which is a requirement of our Financial Memorandum.
“We continue to engage closely with Scottish Ministers on the case for investment in colleges and universities which are the drivers for economic growth, addressing child poverty, supporting the transition to net zero and delivering excellent public services.
“We are also increasing levels of engagement and monitoring activity for those institutions facing the highest risks to their financial health and are working with them to understand and assess plans to bring them back to a sustainable position.”
Principal of Edinburgh College, Audrey Cumberford said:“This report confirms what’s been known for a long time – that the financial situation facing colleges is dire.
“The status quo isn’t an option and urgent action needs to be taken before we see colleges fall further into financial trouble.
“Colleges have the potential to do so much more. By unlocking our potential, restructuring our funding streams and reforming our apprenticeship system we could deliver a brighter future for the whole sector.”
An Act that aims to promote the use of British Sign Language (BSL) in Scotland has significantly improved the daily lives of BSL users, according to a report by MSPs on Holyrood’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.
Stakeholders told the Committee that the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act has increased visibility of BSL, improved access to services for BSL users and delivered greater empowerment of the Deaf community. The report also concludes that national and local authority plans have helped embed BSL into public service delivery.
However, challenges remain, including a shortage of qualified interpreters, finite funding and resources for services and a lack of enforceability and accountability around BSL plans.
In its report, the Committee expresses particular concern regarding the experiences of Deaf children and young people who face challenges accessing their native language.
It is also concerned that Deaf children in mainstream schools may feel a lack of identity and sense of isolation from the wider Deaf community. In response, the Committee calls for more work to be done to increase the visibility of Deaf role models and increase the number of teachers with BSL skills.
Similarly, the Committee’s report highlights concern about access to justice. It calls for greater education for Deaf people on rights and how the justice system works, increases to the number of suitably trained Deaf experts to help survivors of crime and improvements to data recording on victims of crime to ensure that appropriate support is available for BSL users.
The report also calls for greater support for BSL users in the health service. Witnesses drew attention to Deaf people with mental health issues, calling for them to be able to communicate directly with an expert who can read their body language and understand exactly what they are saying and how that is being expressed.
Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, said: “In the 10 years since it became law, the British Sign Language Act has had a transformational impact on the lives of Deaf people, but this progress has been uneven and substantial challenges remain.
“For many Deaf people, BSL is not an additional language but their only language. That’s why we want to see the Scottish Government and public bodies continue with their commitment to consulting on and improving their support for BSL users.
“Our report makes a number of key recommendations that, if followed, will ensure that the excellent progress on implementing the BSL Act continues and that it fully achieves its aims.”
Free drop-in craft sessions, all ages welcome! 
