Hospital admissions rise as cases continue to increase
Justice Secretary Angela Constance chaired a resilience meeting yesterday to discuss the rising number of flu cases and the subsequent pressure on health services.
She was joined by the Health Secretary, the Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith and Public Health Scotland Head of Health Protection (infection Services) Jim McMenamin.
Flu cases have risen 24% in the past week, with hospital admissions up 15%. Ministers heard of measures being taken to alleviate the pressures on health and social care services and ensure they have enough resources.
This includes additional support to NHS24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service, as well as a £20 million investment to support social care and front door pressures to improve flow.
Yesterday, the Health Secretary Neil Gray convened a meeting of the Winter Pressures Oversight Group to ensure health and care services have the resources needed during peak demand.He said: “We are seeing an increase in flu cases earlier this year and we know flu hits harder for some people, especially the most vulnerable members of our communities.
“Vaccination remains the best protection against the virus and I encourage everyone who is eligible to come forward for theirs if they have not yet done so.
“New evidence from Public Health Scotland and early evidence from UKHSA shows that this year’s vaccine does a good job of preventing hospital admissions for the strains currently circulating.
“As of 7 December, over 1.2 million adult flu vaccines have been delivered – over 97,000 more than this point last winter. In addition, more than 470,000 children have had their vaccine, bringing the total number of flu vaccinations delivered this season to over 1.7 million.
“But as flu typically peaks in late December or January, driven by the socialising we do over Christmas and New Year, we are urging those eligible to get vaccinated before the holidays and help protect each other and our NHS this winter.
“We are taking a range of measures to ensure our health service is as resilient as possible over the next few months £20 million has been allocated for health board initiatives to increase social care capacity and relieve pressure on acute services.”
PHS found so far this winter, children in Scotland are 78% less likely to be admitted to hospital with flu if vaccinated; with vaccinated adults in Scotland aged 65 and over 37% less likely to be hospitalised.
As of 7 December, over 1.2 million adult flu vaccines have been delivered – over 97,000 more than this point last winter. In addition, more than 470,000 children have had their vaccine, bringing the total number of flu vaccinations delivered this season to over 1.7 million.
A Bill to raise funds towards Scotland’s cladding remediation programme carries “significant risk” to the housing market, says a parliamentary report published today.
Holyrood’s Finance and Public Administration Committee says it is “unconvinced” that the Scottish Government has fully considered the implications of the Bill on the nation’s ‘housing emergency’.
The committee has decided, therefore, to make no recommendation on the general principles of the Bill – a first time for this committee – and says it hopes the government will respond positively to its findings.
The committee is also calling on the government to carry out market ‘sensitivity analysis’ prior to deciding levy rates and reliefs, and to monitor the effect of the new tax on the housing sector.
Finance and Public Administration Committee convener Kenneth Gibson said:“Our committee understands the Scottish Government’s intent behind this Bill, but we believe the introduction of the levy carries significant risk.
“We have concerns regarding its potential impact on the housing market, and on the delivery of houses in areas where the viability of building sites is already challenging.
“We are unconvinced that the government has fully considered the implications for its self-declared housing emergency when designing the policy approach for this levy. We also believe the policy design has been focussed on the arbitrary figure that the levy could raise, and not sufficiently focussed on developing a good, well-structured levy that is sustainable.
“On the basis of the evidence received, our committee makes no recommendation on the general principles of the Bill. We trust that the Scottish Government will respond positively to our recommendations to inform further discussion of the general principles during the Stage 1 debate in the chamber in January 2026.”
Calling for regular reports on the housing market impact, Mr Gibson said:“Our committee recommends that the reporting requirements in the Bill be strengthened, so that the government is required to report every three years on how the levy is working. That report should include an assessment of how the levy is impacting the Scottish housing market in practice.”
Mr Gibson went on: “Our committee does not consider the levy to be fully reflective of the sensitivities of the housing market in Scotland.
“We therefore recommend the government undertakes a sensitivity analysis, to assess in more detail, the impact of the levy on the housing market – in particular on rural sites and on SME developers.
“The analysis should be published in time to inform the government’s decisions in setting levy rates and, where applicable, any reliefs, through secondary legislation.”
Other findings and recommendations:
there is a strong case for exempting remote rural areas from the scope of the levy. While recognising the challenges in developing an appropriate definition for remote rural developments, this should not be a barrier to introducing this important exemption.
the Bill should be amended to include a sunset clause to provide an opportunity to robustly review after 15 years how the levy is operating and for the Scottish Parliament to then decide whether the law should remain in place. This, we consider, should provide much-needed reassurance to the industry that the levy is not intended to become a permanent tax on housebuilding.
the committee is concerned about the potential for the levy to contribute to the loss of historic buildings in Scotland. It recommends the government considers a targeted broadening of this exemption for conversions, which will help to protect historic buildings that may otherwise remain abandoned.
Minister Ivan McKee announced in November 2025 that introduction of the levy rates will be pushed back by more than a year to April 2028.
The Stage 1 debate on the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill is expected to be debated by Parliament in the new year.
Scotland’s first confidential helpline for victims and survivors of economic abuse has been launched by Financially Included, an organisation that supports women to recover from a controlling and often hidden form of gender-based violence.
As the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign draws to a close, Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan visited East Renfrewshire to find out more about Financially Included’s Purple Phone Helpline, part of a new economic abuse pilot project supported by Scottish Government funding.
The helpline provides advice, emotional support and financial guidance to women experiencing economic abuse. She heard about the help they gave to one woman, Caroline*. After leaving an abusive relationship, the mother of four was supported by Financially Included to claim a range of benefits and payments she was entitled to, helping Caroline to work towards financial independence and a stable future for her family.
Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Financially Included’s pioneering Purple Phone Helpline will be an invaluable source of advice to women across Scotland who need help to escape or recover from economic abuse.
“Tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms is one of our key priorities, with investment of £21.6 million this year through the Delivering Equally Safe fund, to support specialist services like Financially Included, making a real difference to women’s lives.”
Councillor Katie Pragnell, Chair of East Renfrewshire Integration Joint Board said: “We’re proud to lead the way in collaboration with other local organisations as part of the East Renfrewshire Violence against Women and Girls Partnership and we are committed to making sure no one faces abuse alone.
“This helpline is more than a phone number – it’s a lifeline. It means women and children trapped by financial control now have somewhere to turn.”
Amber Cully, Project Manager at Financially Included, said: “We are delighted to be entering into this partnership in East Renfrewshire to build on the vital work in tackling economic abuse and to strengthen specialist support for women affected across the area.
“Through this partnership, we will deliver training on recognising and responding to economic abuse, provide a second-tier advice service for frontline workers supporting victim-survivors.
“Using additional funding from the Scottish Government this year, we are expanding our work nationally, with East Renfrewshire the first area to commit to working with us in this way.
“Our vision is to grow this into a Scotland-wide network, ensuring a consistent, sustainable and trauma-informed response for victim-survivors across the country.”
The confidential and free Purple Phone Helpline number is 0343 841 0132. It is currently open Monday 16:30–19:30, Wednesday 10:00–13:00 and Thursday 13:30–16:30. Translators are available on request.
Financially Included is a pilot project led by Greater Easterhouse Money Advice Project in partnership with Glasgow Violence Against Women Partnership.
The project focuses on improving the provision of money advice across gender-based violence sectors through training and toolkit resources.
Caroline’s story
Caroline* was referred to Financially Included by Glasgow Women’s Aid two years ago. A survivor of sustained physical, emotional and economic abuse, Caroline is a single mother of four children, two of whom have since been diagnosed with autism. When she first came to the service, Caroline was a full-time student, working part-time and managing multiple health conditions linked to years of trauma and injury.
Despite the abuse, Caroline remained financially tied to the perpetrator through a jointly owned home, shared benefits and mounting debt. She faced benefit complications, mortgage insecurity, damaged credit, and serious housing disrepair including damp and mould. Her situation was made even more complex by ongoing stalking, threats from her former partner, and significant barriers to accessing affordable legal support.
Financially Included provided intensive, trauma-informed support across benefits, housing, debt and energy advice and supported Caroline to secure disability benefits for herself and her son, challenged incorrect benefit decisions and assisted with a Criminal Injuries Compensation application.
They also provided emotional support to Caroline while she completed these processes, acknowledging the trauma involved in revisiting her experiences. She was also supported with council tax exemption, rising mortgage pressures, household debt directly linked to economic abuse, and energy advice to address unsafe living conditions.
While Caroline continues to face serious challenges around housing security and legal protections, she now feels more confident managing as a single parent and navigating complex systems. She continues to receive multi-agency support, including from Women’s Aid, schools, health services and her employer.
The number of pupils reaching expected levels of literacy and numeracy in Scotland’s schools is at the highest level on record, latest statistics show.
In primary schools, expected levels in literacy have increased to the highest level ever (74.5%), while for numeracy the figure of 80.3% is the same as last year’s record high. In secondary, the proportions of S3s reaching the expected level in literacy (89.8%) and numeracy (90.9%) are also the highest on record, according to the Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2024-25.
The last year has also seen a narrowing of the poverty-related attainment gap to a record low at all levels.
Meanwhile, attendance rates increased in schools to 91% in 2024-25, up from 90.3% the previous year, while absences, both authorised and unauthorised, are down, according to separate figures published today.
Teacher numbers have also increased nationally in 2025, with the pupil-teacher ratio improving, while average primary class sizes also reduced, according to the latest Pupil and Teacher Characteristics 2025.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “The Scottish Government has been determined to drive forward educational improvements in Scotland’s schools and these statistics show clear progress is being made across several measures.
“Attainment levels are at record highs in literacy and numeracy following Scottish Government investment of £1.75 billion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge over the past decade – aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty.
“We know that better engagement leads to better outcomes, so it’s hugely encouraging to see the improvement in attendance and a fall in absences, including a noticeable reduction in persistent absence levels, after the work being done to address this since the pandemic.
“The rise in teacher numbers reflects our investment in the workforce, which means that Scotland continues to have the lowest pupil-teacher ratio and the best paid teachers in the UK.
“We recognise there is more work needed to return these numbers to their 2023 levels and we will continue to work with councils towards this.
“This evidence further underlines the strong recovery we are seeing in schools following the pandemic, after this year’s national exam results showed the poverty-related attainment gap narrowing at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels.
“It is testament to the hard work of pupils, teachers and staff in schools and I am committed to working with them to deliver further improvements.”
The Educational Institute of Scotland has noted yesterday’s flurry of education statistic releases from the Scottish Government, and highlighted that the figures confirm the Scottish Government’s failure to meet its commitments on the employment of additional teachers as a means to tackle excessive teacher workload.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “Scottish Government education statistics releases are increasingly like buses – you wait a long time for one to turn up, then five arrive all at once.
If this is an attempt to bury any bad news in a quagmire of statistics, it does not appear to be a successful tactic.
The figures released today confirm that the Scottish Government has absolutely failed in the delivery of their 2021 manifesto commitment to recruit 3,500 additional teachers into Scotland’s schools during the term of this parliament – we now have almost a thousand fewer teachers than when the pledge was made, so we are more than 4,000 teachers down on the level that was promised in that 2021 manifesto commitment.”
Ms Bradley continued, “The Scottish Government’s associated pledge to reduce teachers’ class contact time, supported by the recruitment of the additional teachers, was a clear recognition of the need to tackle excessive teacher workload in our schools.
“The failure of government and local authorities to recruit additional teachers, and the failure to deliver any meaningful progress on the commitment to reduce teachers’ class contact time, has led to the current workload dispute.
“The EIS is currently running a statutory industrial action ballot over these failures, and encourages all our members to use their vote in this important ballot and to vote Yes to both strike action and action short of strike.
“We must send a very clear message to the Scottish Government, and also to local authorities, that class contact time must be reduced, as promised, as a means to reducing excessive teacher workload.”
Ms Bradley added, “Compounding this, the high level of employment precarity for newly qualified and recently qualified teachers is a national scandal, with large numbers of new teachers offered only unstable short-term contracts, if they are fortunate enough to be offered teaching work at all.
“Scotland needs more teachers in our schools, to deliver an enhanced learning experience for students, to help reduce excessive teacher workload by delivering the Scottish Government’s commitment to lower teachers’ class contact time, and to ensure that the increasingly diverse learning needs of all students can be met.
“There are now 43% of pupils in our schools with an identified Additional Support Need, and this huge increase has not been matched by an increase in resource to meet those needs. We desperately need more teachers in our schools.”
Ms Bradley concluded, “The newly and recently qualified teachers are available for permanent employment to help to address all of these issues , but they are not being offered secure teaching jobs, with the result that many will either look to other countries for employment or opt, reluctantly, to leave teaching entirely and pursue other career options.
“It shouldn’t be this way, and it doesn’t have to be this way – the Scottish Government and local authorities must ensure that many, many more newly and recently qualified teachers are employed in Scotland’s schools.”
Supporting communities to generate their own power
Communities on the island of Mull, the V&A Dundee and King’s Church in Aberdeen are amongst 23 local projects being awarded a share of £1.8 million to deliver renewable energy projects.
Two Edinburgh projects – one from Porty Energy and the other from Edinburgh Leisure – are among the successful applicants.
The funding will enable community groups to generate their own power through renewable energy projects such as wind turbines and solar, while giving successful applicants the ability to earn money from their projects by selling excess energy generated.
Supported through a combination of Scottish Government and Great British Energy funding, the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme’s (CARES) Community Energy Generation Growth Fund will provide grants for equipment, installation and feasibility work for projects including:
Emmaus Glasgow – to install renewable energy in a homeless centre
the decarbonisation of Robert Gordon University’s sports hall in Aberdeen
the installation of Solar PV energy generation at Saints Community Football club in St Johnstone
This year, the Community Energy Generation Growth Fund has made a total of 71 funding offers – totalling more than £7.3 million – to community energy projects across the country.
Speaking ahead of the CARES conference, Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Community-led energy projects are at the heart of Scotland’s journey to net zero.
“By empowering local groups to generate their own clean energy with local solutions, we are not only cutting emissions but also reducing costs and creating resilient communities. These projects show what can be achieved when people come together with a shared vision for a sustainable future.
“This funding is giving communities the tools and confidence to take control of their own energy needs, keep money circulating locally, and build a fairer, greener economy.
“Scotland’s transition to net zero must be inclusive and fair, and community energy is a vital part of ensuring that everyone benefits from the opportunities of a clean energy future.”
UK Government Minister for Energy Michael Shanks said: ““Great British Energy is empowering communities in Scotland to take a stake in their own energy.
“This is our clean energy superpower mission in action – putting communities in the driving seat of energy generation and making sure working people and local businesses profit.”
Local Energy Scotland Manager Chris Morris said: “It’s great to see more community groups and charities developing energy projects and we’d like to congratulate all our successful applicants.
“We know how much effort goes into developing these inspiring proposals and we’re looking forward to working with them to deliver lasting impact – locally and across the country.
“This is a crucial time for community energy projects in Scotland. Through CARES, we’re helping local groups turn ambition into action, creating projects that not only reduce carbon emissions but also deliver long-term social and economic benefits for communities.”
Community energy projects allow local groups to participate directly in Scotland’s transition to net zero, delivering financial and social benefits while helping communities take control of their energy supply.
Up to £1.8 million of funding will be awarded through the latest round of the Community Energy Generation Growth Fund:
Applicant Name
Project Title
Total amount (£)
The Antonine Sports Centre, Clydebank
Solar PV and Battery on Antonine Sports Centre
£102,400
Islamic Education Trust, Cumbernauld
IETC Solar and Battery
£102,176
King’s Church, Aberdeen
King’s Church Aberdeen Solar PV Project
£102,334
Prestwick Tennis and Fitness
Prestwick Tennis Centre Solar Panel Project
£124,800
Loch Arthur Camphill Community
Micro-grid at Lochend
£159,576
McLaren Community Leisure, Callander
McLaren CLC Green Energy Pooling Sustainable Power
£241,275
Islay Energy Trust
Castlehill Solar Array Phase 2
£152,000
Rosewell Development Trust
Greener Communities Rosewell
£46,065
Porty Community Energy, Edinburgh
Porty Community Solar
£51,119
Emmaus Glasgow
Solar Panel Renewable Energy for Homeless Centre
£113,750
Design Dundee Ltd
V&A Museum- Net Zero Installation
£193,864
Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen
RGU Sport Decarbonisation of electricity
£23,600
Loch Arthur Camphill Community
Micro hydroelectric plant
£20,000
Winchburgh Community Development Trust
Winchburgh Solar- Commonwatt
£12,000
Birse Community Trust, Banchory
Hydro Power feasibility study
£20,000
Glasgow East End Community Carers Ltd
Project Green Space
£72,790
Blairgowrie Community Energy
Blairgowrie Community Energy
£5,470
Saints Community Football SCIO (St Cuthberts), St Johnstone
PV Energy Generation Scheme
£96,167
Edinburgh Leisure
Solar PV & feasibility Study
£74,208
East Lothian Climate Action Newtork Hub Ltd
Commonwatt 2
£20,000
Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT)
Scaling up community energy in Mull
£19,500
Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre Development Trust
Upscaled Orkney Site Feasibility Options Appraisal
£47,000
Coimhearsnachd Bharraidh agus Bhatarsaidh (Barra & Vatersay Community) Ltd
Communities across Scotland are to receive new funding to ensure everyone can benefit from the creative arts.
Eleven grassroots projects – including one involving pupils from Craigmillar’s Castlebrae High School – have been selected to receive a share of £320,000 from the Scottish Government’s Creative Communities Scotland fund, which supports organisations delivering activities such as dance, filmmaking, creative writing, music-making and storytelling.
The fund aims to support and empower communities to develop cultural activities that benefit individual and collective wellbeing, with a focus on reaching those who face barriers to taking part in creative activities
The programme will be managed by Inspiring Scotland, which will also provide project support to successful organisations while they plan, deliver and assess the impact of those activities.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “Creativity can transform lives and create confidence within communities – so I’m very pleased that so many projects, from Galashiels to Orkney, Aberdeen and Govanhill, have been successful in their applications.
“These grants will enable community-led organisations to develop and deliver projects that harness the power of creativity in supporting people and the communities they serve.
“The Creative Communities Scotland fund forms part of a £34 million increase in support to the culture sector this year to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take part in and benefit from the creative arts, no matter their background or location.”
Erica Judge, Director of Funds at Inspiring Scotland, said: “The high level of interest in Creative Communities Scotland shows the incredible potential of creative and cultural activities to positively impact people’s lives.
“By supporting 11 organisations working across 9 local authorities, this funding will help communities overcome barriers to cultural participation – creating opportunities to enjoy the arts, reduce loneliness, strengthen communities, develop new creative skills, and experience joy and pride.”
Dave Close, Executive Director of the Hot Chocolate Trust said: “Some young people are bursting with talent but can’t access the resources to make music and learn. Some have been told that they’re ‘not musical’. Some have got things they need to say but they can’t find the words yet.
“With support from Creative Communities, the Beautiful Noise project at Hot Chocolate Trust is about releasing all these new possibilities and making something special together.”
A Place in Childhood – £20,034 Craigmillar, Edinburgh City
Working with 20 S1-S3 pupils from Castlebrae High School in Craigmillar, this participatory project will give young people a professional-grade experience of all aspects of film making: script development, filming, production, post-production, editing and finally a screening of their work.
Camglen Buddies Leisure & Social Club – £11,933 Cambuslang/Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire
Working with a videographer and a theatre professional, adults with additional support needs will have the opportunity to produce their own film, addressing key aspects from storyboarding, creating sets/props, filming and finally, celebrating their production.
Eildon West Youth Hub – £23,572 Galashiels, Scottish Borders
‘Chromonauts: Demolition Art’ is a year-long, youth-led visual arts programme for young people who face multiple barriers to creative participation. The project will work with young people to reclaim ‘overlooked corners’ of Galashiels to create new art-works/civic spaces.
Empower Women for Change – £29,372 Glasgow City
Participants will co-design and co-facilitate a programme of creative arts activities called Freedom in Expression: Joy in Creativity. This will provide safe, culturally relevant spaces where women from ethnic minority backgrounds, particularly refugees and asylum seekers, can express themselves through creative writing, painting, clay, glassmaking, collage, yoga, mindfulness, and storytelling.
ESOL Scotland – £34,293 Glasgow City
This year-long programme of workshops will integrate English language learning with film making and photography, contributing to a community exhibition and screening that ‘celebrates the voices and journeys of our learners’.
Forgan Arts Centre – £33,439 Newport-on-Tay, Fife
Building on a previous pilot, the organisation will run two strands of creative workshops for adult and young carers. Working with professional artists, the workshops will focus on building creative participation, wellbeing, and connection between carers.
Friends of Sanday Kirk – £31,720 Sanday Island, Orkney
Focused around Sanday Kirk and a Craft Hub, the project will create three separate pieces of art using different techniques: community mosaic project, mural project on Craft Hub’s gable wall, and the design and construction of a herring-shaped public bench to celebrate the island’s fishing heritage and its former herring yard, benefiting the whole community.
Gorebridge Community Development Trust – £34,423 Gorebridge, Midlothian
The Create365 arts project aims to improve wellbeing for the community and reduce isolation through four strands of work: 1) weekly rhythm sessions focused on art, music and writing; 2) monthly themed sessions; 3) seasonal sessions; and, 4) a ‘big year’ showcase presenting the output from the three other strands.
Hot Chocolate Trust – £34,413 Dundee City
This project will provide a year-long set of music producing activities aimed at 12-21 year olds. These sessions will offer young people the opportunity to begin their engagement with music all the way through to exploring professional music pathways.
Romano Lav – £32,448 Govanhill, Glasgow City
Co-produced with community members and co-facilitated by Roma staff, this community arts programme will support participants of all ages and genders to take part in a range of art forms including visual/digital arts, storytelling, ceramics, film and photography. It will culminate in a final exhibition as part of the Govanhill International Festival.
Touch of Love Outreach – £34,291 Aberdeen City
The ‘New Young Scots: Fix & Design Lab’ will work with young people to collect, repair and redesign everyday items. Its aim is for the young people involved to gain practical and social skills, reduce isolation and celebrate identity and culture through arts-based upcycling.
COSLA is urging the Scottish Government to provide a £16 billion boost in revenue in the Scottish Budget, to secure fair and sustainable funding for councils.
A demand for a £844 million general capital settlement has also been requested, plus a restoration of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme to £955 million, to maintain, repair, expand and secure the future of Council estates.
COSLA has today launched a lobbying campaign urging the Scottish Government to use the upcoming Scottish Budget to provide councils with the fair, sustainable and multi-year funding needed to protect essential local services.
The campaign – ‘Strong Councils, Strong Communities’ – highlights growing pressures facing local government and the very real consequences of continued underfunding for communities across Scotland. The financial pressures in social care and housing are two key areas COSLA are asking the Scottish Government to specifically address in their upcoming budget.
COSLA warns that without urgent action in January’s Budget, councils will be unable to maintain essential services such as social care, education, housing support, roads, and community safety.
COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Ricky Bell, said:“Scotland’s councils deliver the services that people rely on every single day — from caring for older and vulnerable people to keeping schools open, streets safe and communities thriving. Councils are facing greater demand than ever and are required to do more with significantly less. This is unsustainable.
“The upcoming Scottish Budget is a pivotal moment. The Scottish Government must deliver a settlement that matches the scale of the challenge. Without fair funding, communities will see services reduced and inequalities deepen, and we will struggle to meet national targets in key areas such as child poverty, housing, and net zero”
This year, councils continue to face rising inflation, increasing demand for services, and the continued impact of workforce pressures across social care and education. COSLA’s analysis shows that even maintaining current services requires substantial additional investment.
As a fair and sustainable overall financial settlement COSLA’s key asks from the campaign include:
An immediate £750m investment in social care.
Flexibility for councils to make local decisions that respond to community needs.
Recognition of local government as an equal partner in delivering national priorities and tackling inequalities.
COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, added:“Councils work tirelessly to deliver for Scotland’s communities, however, continued pressure on resources makes this increasingly challenging.
“This is about safeguarding what matters most, support for the most vulnerable, opportunities for young people, support for families, and safe, thriving communities. We hope the Budget will reflect the vital role Local Government plays in Scotland’s public services.”
The Scottish Government will partner with the British Council to undertake a scoping exercise exploring the establishment of a dedicated Export Service for Scotland’s arts and culture sectors.
The project, running from December 2025 to May 2026, will examine the challenges and opportunities facing Scottish cultural organisations and artists in accessing international markets, identify gaps in current support, and develop recommendations for a new service to boost cultural exports.
This exercise is part of the Scottish Government’s International Culture Strategy action plan and follows increased calls from across Scotland’s cultural sectors for enhanced support in navigating post-Covid-19 and post-Brexit challenges.
The music sector has been active with the STUC, Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Committee, and the Scottish Music Industry Association all calling for dedicated export support.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “As part of our International Culture Strategy, we continue to explore how best to support cultural export and exchange and help our culture and creative sectors to realise their potential on the international stage.
“British Council Scotland works across all art forms but doesn’t represent any specific sector, ensuring they give us the independent, evidence-based recommendations we need. They’ll also bring valuable international perspective by examining how other countries support cultural export, helping us learn from best practice models around the world.”
Norah Campbell, Head of Arts at British Council Scotland, added:“Supporting the international ambitions of the Scottish arts sector is at the heart of the British Council’s work.
“Cultural export is complex, sophisticated, and different art forms have very different needs. Some sectors for example require access to international galleries and major markets for showcasing opportunities that springboard international work, while others involve design and product export.
“This scoping exercise will engage with the Scottish cultural sector to understand these varied challenges and needs. We’re keen to hear from artists, organisations and practitioners across all disciplines. This input will be crucial in shaping recommendations that truly reflect what the sector needs to succeed internationally.”
The research will actively engage with Scotland’s cultural sectors through surveys, consultation groups, and in-depth interviews beginning in early 2026 and artists, agents, promoters, managers, and organisations across all art forms will have opportunities to share their experiences and expertise to help inform the recommendations.
Key art sector development organisations and international initiatives including Craft Scotland, Publishing Scotland, Made in Scotland, Showcase Scotland, the Scottish Music Industry Association will be consulted, alongside interviews with established cultural export services in other countries.
The study will deliver:
Analysis of export support needs across Scotland’s culture and creative sectors, mapping existing initiatives and identifying which sub-sectors could benefit most
Comparative analysis of cultural export support models from other countries
Recommendations on service functions and how they would relate to existing Scottish and UK organisations
Delivery model options appraisal
Cost estimates for establishing a pilot and/or full service
The British Council will work with specialist researchers to roll out surveys, analyse data, and draw international comparisons. The findings from the research and report will help inform the Scottish Government’s decisions on future support for cultural export and exchange.
A final report will be shared in the summer of 2026.
The NHS in Scotland has not improved in line with commitments made by the Scottish Government, despite having more staff and more money.
Health spending in 2024/25 was over £20 billion – a £3 billion real terms increase from 2019 and 25 per cent higher than a decade ago.
The NHS now employs more than 160,000 whole-time equivalent staff, a 20,000 increase since 2019.
However, despite health boards making unprecedented savings, the NHS in Scotland remains financially unsustainable. In 2024/25, boards struggled to break even and seven needed Scottish Government loans.
Activity has increased in acute hospital settings, helping cut waiting times and waiting lists, but is still below pre-pandemic levels. Demand is high across the health system, and it remains to be seen if this progress can be sustained.
The Scottish Government has made progress in setting out its plans for reform, including a short-term operational improvement plan and longer term health and social care frameworks.
But the published improvement plan lacks clear actions, timeframes and accountability, which will make reporting its progress difficult.
And some of the ambitions within the documents, such as moving more care into communities, are longstanding and have yet to be delivered.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: ‘Despite increased spending, the NHS in Scotland remains unsustainable and it will be extremely challenging to eradicate long waits by the spring of 2026.
‘The plan and frameworks the Scottish Government has put in place for reforming the NHS are welcome. But there is still a persistent implementation gap between policy ambitions dating back over a decade and delivery on the ground.
‘This time round, it’s vital that the Scottish Government delivers on its reform plans. That means publicly setting out the detailed, measurable actions that will enable change and help everyone understand how a different health service will work.’
Read the Auditor General’s annual overview of the NHS here:
16 recommendations to improve working conditions in the creative industries
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has welcomed recommendations from an independent Taskforce set up to advise on current employment conditions in Scotland’s culture and creative industries.
Following extensive engagement with the sectors, the Culture Fair Work Taskforce has published a total of 16 recommendations for how Fair Work conditions in the sector could be improved, in response to concerns raised around precarious freelance work, unpaid internships and fair pay and conditions.
The recommendations include:
the creation of a disputes and adjudication mechanism to handle disputes between employers and staff
safeguarding of creatives’ work against theft from AI misappropriation, and
an increased role for Creative Scotland in ensuring Fair Work.
The Culture Secretary said: “I am very grateful to members of the independent Taskforce for their work on this report, which identifies a number of areas for improvement when it comes to how Fair Work is embedded in Scotland’s creative industries.
“I will take time to carefully consider the detail of the recommendations for Scottish Government and will update Parliament in due course on the actions we will take in response. Given that some would intersect with reserved legislation, I will also be writing urgently to ask my UK Government counterparts to consider what actions they can take.”
Briana Pegado, Chair of the independent Taskforce said: “It has been a pleasure chairing the Independent Culture Fair Work Taskforce with colleagues from across the creative industries and culture sector.
“Union representation, arts organisations, industry membership bodies, enterprise agencies, local authorities, creative networks, historic bodies, museums and freelancers have all been represented. Creative Scotland has also been represented on this task force. I am so grateful to the Taskforce members that have contributed their time, energy and expertise to this work.
“There has been a real commitment to crafting a set of recommendations that speak to areas as broad as fair pay and remuneration to the impact of AI on the cultural sector workforce. Considerations of equity and inclusion as well as how fair work may be enforced are all part of our recommendations.
“I am confident that many of our recommendations signal radical, innovative solutions to fair work that will help Scotland reach its ambitions to be a Fair Work Nation by 2030.
“Models across the continent have been considered and approaches across different industries have been reviewed. I am confident that our recommendations and draft charter prove to be a roadmap for the future of Fair Work that demonstrates a real appetite for systemic change can exist alongside practical solutions grounded in deeply embedded partnership working.
“I hope the Cabinet Secretary and other Ministers take our recommendations into consideration and I thank them for trusting us with this piece of work. I look forward to their response.”
