Ahead of the Just Transition Commission Summit getting underway in Edinburgh today [Weds 29 Oct], First Minister John Swinney has highlighted the importance of supporting workers and livelihoods in the journey to net zero.
The First Minister will speak at the summit and announce the Scottish Government’s intention to renew the Just Transition Commission for the next Parliamentary term.
The Just Transition Commission provides independent scrutiny and advice to the Scottish Government on how to deliver a resilient, low carbon economy that delivers fairness and tackles inequalities.
Since being established in 2019, the Commission has provided detailed insight on investment and regional planning, commissioned research and identified strategic opportunities for progress.
Speaking ahead of the summit, Mr Swinney said: “Tackling the climate emergency is the one of the most pressing issues faced by governments around the world, and it is one of my overarching priorities as First Minister.
“It is my firm belief that the drive to net zero offers real opportunity for Scotland, and that the transition to renewable energy is vital to economic growth. To harness these opportunities however, we must ensure that we are bringing people, workforces and communities with us on the journey.
“In practice, that means delivering support to help oil and gas workers gain skills they need to access jobs in the sustainable energy sector and working with businesses to ensure workforces are equipped for green technologies.
“The Just Transition Commission has played an important role in supporting progress to a low carbon economy while ensuring fairness and equality.
“Our intention to renew the Commission will enable it to continue delivering meaningful engagement, analysis and expert advice with a clear focus on delivery.”
Young people in Edinburgh are set to benefit from a share of more than £3 million (£3,092,915) awarded today (Wednesday 29th October) to 40 project across Scotland run for and by young people.
Seven youth projects from across Edinburgh will share a total award of over £450,000. These are Granton Youth, Multicultural Family Base. Passion4Fusion, Children in Scotland, Lothian Autistic Society, The Fruitmarket Gallery and Think Circus.
The dormant assets funding from Young Start and delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund, helps 8-24 year olds build confidence, develop confidence and thrive in their communities.
Each organisation will use its share of funding to deliver projects that will boost wellbeing, encourage community involvement and equip young people with the skills to excel and champion their voices. See full list of projects.
Passion4Fussion receives £65,529 to develop and expand its sports outreach, volunteering and peer mentoring programme to support at least 180 children and young people in Edinburgh and West Lothian, helping them to build their confidence and leadership skills.
Vinomaandero Tjihumino, 22, joined the charity as a young person before becoming a volunteer coach.
He said: “When I first came to Edinburgh, I had no friends and felt isolated as an immigrant. Joining Passion4Fusion changed everything, I made so many friends, grew in confidence, and later became a volunteer.
“The organisation supported me through my coaching licence, and now I’m studying a sports programme at university! I’m so proud that I can give back to my community and help others overcome the same challenges I once faced.”
When asked what the Young Start funding means for the charity, Isaac Akhadelor, Project Coordinator, Passion4Fusion said: “This funding will be transformational for our sports programme.
“It’s empowering us to reach more young people across Edinburgh and West Lothian, using sport as a tool for inclusion, confidence-building, and community connections.”
Another organisation, The Fruitmarket Gallery, also based in Edinburgh will use its £57,286 grant to launch and run its Youth ART Connects project, which aims to engage young people aged 16 to 25 who are blind and or visually impaired, from ethnically minoritised communities, and or identify as LGBTQIA+, to create three bodies of work to be exhibited at The Fruitmarket Gallery.
The Youth ART Connects project will run over two years supporting young people through the creative process and providing career and access opportunities within the arts and culture sector.
Tracy Morgan, Community Engagement Manager, The Fruitmarket Gallery said:“Delivered by Fruitmarket in partnership with leading artists and youth organisations across Scotland, this programme aims to reshape how galleries engage with young people – creating lasting change by amplifying the voices and visions of those who deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated.”
EDINBURGH AWARDEES:
Children in Scotland £62,250
This group will use funding to run the two year ‘My Rights, My Say. Building Bridges’ project, led by young advisors aged 12-15 year old with additional support needs (ASN), aims to empower and connect children and young people with ASN across Scotland while bridging the gap with education professionals.
Granton Youth Ltd £53,481
This group will use the funding to support up to 60 young people aged 14-25, in Granton, across two years. The young people will be supported to volunteer, peer mentor and work toward accreditation with recognised awards.
Lothian Autistic Society £99,518
This group will provide wrap around support and mentoring for 45 young people with autism and other developmental disabilities, aged 12-18 years old in Edinburgh and the surrounding area, over three years.
Multi-Cultural Family Base £65,785
This group will use two years funding to deliver and expand their Young Ambassadors programme, for 60 young people aged 12-15.
Passion4Fusion £65,529
This group will use funding to develop and expand their sports outreach, volunteering and peer mentoring programme for up to 200 young people from ethnically minoritised communities, aged eight-24 years.
The Fruitmarket Gallery £57,286
This group will use their funding to engage with young people from three underrepresented groups (blind and visually impaired, ethnically minoritised communities, and LGBTQIA+ young people), over two years, in Edinburgh within the arts sector to create three bodies of work to be exhibited at the Fruitmarket Gallery.
Think Circus SCIO £49,415
This group will use the funding to support up to 65 girls from primary six to first year in high school in Edinburgh, over two years.
See below for full list of successful applications:
Announcing the funding Kate Still, Scotland Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund said: “Organisations such as Passion4Fusion and The Fruitmarket Gallery empower young people to play an active leadership role in their local and wider community.
“Equipping them with the skills, network and confidence they need to unlock their full potential.
“We’re incredibly grateful to support them on this journey through this latest round of Young Start funding, that will improve the lives of young people across Scotland, through 40 inspiring projects.”
Young Start helps young people aged eight to 24 become more confident and play an active part in realising their potential. Funding of up to £100,000 is available for youth led projects.
Local communities are to get new opportunities to benefit from renewable energy developments under a pilot scheme announced by the Scottish Government.
Community groups, from South Lanarkshire to the Highlands, will be given the chance to lease one of 10 publicly-owned Forestry Land and Scotland (FLS) sites with windfarms as they approach repowering.
The pilot, which makes changes to the Community Asset Transfer Scheme (CATS), will provide a protected window for local groups to make an asset transfer request to lease FLS sites to extend the operational life of the windfarms.
The new approach, developed with FLS, will help strengthen the community asset transfer process which enables communities to request to buy or lease publicly owned land they feel they could make better use of.
Other changes to CATS will see community groups given:
advance notification of upcoming lease opportunities, so they have time to prepare asset transfer requests before sites go to market
dedicated guidance for repowering projects, including support on financing projects, evaluation and governance
targeted support through the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), including help to develop proposals
Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Ownership and control of land is a powerful tool for communities to drive change and can help to develop local economies, provide activities and services, and boost community identity.
“These new measures will make it easier for groups across Scotland to reap the rewards from renewable energy projects on Forestry Land Scotland sites with the potential to deliver real benefits to a local area.
“It is yet another way that we are ensuring that communities can benefit from Scotland’s transition to renewable energy and that we are helping provide a just transition to net zero for people across the country.”
Community Energy Scotland CEO Zoe Holliday said: “We have seen time and time again the transformation impact of land ownership and ownership of energy assets on communities across Scotland.
“Right now, repowering of private developments represents one of the biggest opportunities to upscale the community energy sector at pace and meet the Scottish Government’s community energy targets; community energy groups are increasingly ambitious but gaining grid access continues to be a challenge, which is why taking on existing sites has so much potential.
“Today’s announcement is a promising first step by the Scottish Government in starting to open up the public estate for large community energy projects and we look forward to working with them to continue to unlock opportunities for the community energy sector going forward.”
Updates to the Community Asset Transfer Scheme will be implemented by the end of the year, following further engagement with stakeholders, including Community Energy Scotland, community groups and developers.
These measures will apply to projects with a maximum generation capacity of 50MW, reflecting the current scale of community energy initiatives.
The ten sites approaching the need for repowering are:
Measures to help re-engage young people from low-income backgrounds with school and address anti-social behaviour have been announced by Higher and Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson.
Third sector organisation Youth Scotland will deliver a £100,000 investment in grassroots youth work to secure safe spaces for young people, helping them overcome barriers to learning and develop skills.
In addition, £50,000 has been made available to YouthLink Scotland to support measures that focus on improving school attendance and positive behaviours.
Announcing the support at Scotland’s National Youth Work Conference yesterday, Mr Macpherson said: “We want to see further investment in projects and initiatives supporting young people from communities impacted by criminal activity and anti-social behaviour, to help them take a different pathway and develop positive skills they need for learning, life and work.
“I have seen the demonstrable difference that youth workers can make in helping to divert young people away from negative paths, and instead towards positive behaviours and destinations.
“Youth work can prevent violence and anti-social behaviour before it starts, by offering trusted relationships, safe environments, and positive role models, and often reducing risky harmful behaviours from escalating.
“Youth workers support young people to build confidence and resilience, and develop skills to navigate challenges, reach their full potential, and positively contribute to their communities.”
New Scottish Government funding to prevent homelessness and expand emergency grants
Efforts to tackle homelessness, reduce poverty and support women who have experienced domestic abuse are being bolstered by an additional £1.6 million this year.This includes:
A further £1 million investment in Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) for local authorities to help people move from temporary accommodation into settled homes
£100,000 to expand an emergency fund that outreach workers can use to help rough sleepers or those at risk of becoming homeless
£500,000 to further bolster the £1 million Fund to Leave announced on 2 September. This supports women experiencing domestic abuse to buy essentials when leaving an abusive partner, recognising that domestic abuse remains a leading cause of women’s homelessness
Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan announced the suite of measures ahead of a speech to Scotland’s Annual Homelessness Conference in Perth today.
Commenting before the event, Ms McAllan said: “Our approach to supporting people is rooted in compassion and is driven by the belief that everyone – regardless of circumstance – deserves a place to call home.
“These investments reflect that housing is about more than basic shelter – it’s about safety, dignity, and the chance to rebuild. And it follows on from the work set out in the Housing Bill to revolutionise homelessness prevention and improve standards in rented housing.
“When we get housing and anti-poverty measures right, we don’t just solve a problem, we build a fairer and healthier Scotland for generations.
“Today’s announcement, building on extensive work already carried out, show’s how seriously we take our duty to build a fairer Scotland.”
Proposals aimed at creating new jobs and driving economic growth by keeping materials and goods in use for as long as possible have been published for consultation.
The draft Circular Economy Strategy sets out plans to increasing reuse, repair and recycling rates, for example by:
increasing the reuse of construction materials
supporting sustainable alternatives to fast-fashion
increasing EV battery re-purposing, recycling and material reprocessing
exploring ways to cut food waste
The draft Strategy will develop sector specific road-maps for four of the five sectors with the greatest potential for increasing reuse, repair and recycling rates in Scotland – the built environment, net zero energy infrastructure, textiles and food. Actions for the fifth sector, transport, will be included in the forthcoming draft Climate Change Plan.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Reducing, reusing and recycling materials has a huge role to play in Scotland’s response to tackling the climate crisis.
“It also brings huge benefits to households and communities – from lowering the costs of items and creating new jobs to cutting the amount of litter on our streets, helping to improve our local environment and protect wildlife.
“By supporting Scotland to move towards a culture where keeping materials and goods in use for as long as possible is the norm, we will also be able to drive economic growth by increasing the resilience of our supply-chains and encouraging innovation.
“This consultation outlines priority sectors key to cutting waste and capitalising on the economic opportunities that a circular economy presents to businesses. I urge everyone to take part.”
The Scottish Health Survey 2024 results, published yesterday, provide information on the health, and factors relating to health, of adults and children in Scotland.
Half of all adults now have at least one long-term condition, continuing the upward trend. Almost two in five adults (39%) reporting having a long-term condition that limits their activities.
Eight percent of adults report having doctor-diagnosed diabetes, the highest level recorded.
There has been a decrease in the proportion of adults eating five or more portions of fruit or vegetables per day, with only 11% meeting this guideline compared to 20% in 2021 when the questions were last included.
Food insecurity reduced with 8% of adults reporting being worried about running out of food due to a lack of money or other resources in the last 12 months, a decrease from 14% in 2023 which was the highest level recorded.
New questions on menopause and perimenopause showed that 76% of those who had experienced symptoms had utilised one or more ways of managing them. The largest proportions had utilised physical activity (40%), Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) (38%) and/or vitamins, minerals or supplements (35%).
New questions indicated that prevalence of possible eating disorders among adults, based on self-reported eating behaviours and feelings towards food,was 13%. This was highest among those aged 16-24 (26%).
Other key findings show that in 2024:
The proportion of adults who reported having felt lonely ‘most’ or ‘all of the time’ decreased from 10% in 2023 to 7% in 2024, similar to the proportion recorded in 2021 (8%).
Prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma amongst adults reached 18%, the highest proportion recorded.
Prevalence of any CVD (excluding diabetes or high blood pressure) remained in line with recent years at 16% of adults.
In 2023/2024 combined, 15% of adults reported being unpaid carers.
The proportion of adults with a GHQ-12 score of 4 or more, indicative of a possible psychiatric disorder, was 22%, similar to levels in 2021 and 2023 (22% and 21%) and lower than the peak in 2022 (27%).
In 2023/2024 combined, the prevalence of adults with two or more symptoms of depression was 10%, a decrease from 13% in 2021/2022 combined.
Seven per cent of adults reported currently having long COVID, consistent with 2023 (8%) and remaining higher than in 2021 (5%).
Around six in ten adults met the guidelines for moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (62%), a similar proportion as recorded in 2023 (63%).
The prevalence of hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption remained at 20% of adults, the same proportion as in 2023 and a decrease from 34% in 2003.
Almost a third of adults (31%) were living with obesity, a similar proportion to 2023 (32%), with a significantly higher proportion of females (35%) living with obesity compared with males (27%).
Fourteen per cent of adults were current smokers the same level as in 2023, maintaining the overall downward trend in prevalence recorded since 2003 (28%).
Current use of e-cigarettes or vaping devices (10%) remained in the range seen since 2022 (10%-12%).
Thirteen per cent of adults met the Scottish Dietary Goal for saturated fat of no more than 10% of energy excluding ethanol.
Less than a quarter (22%) of adults met the Scottish Dietary Goal of free sugars accounting for no more than 5% of energy excluding ethanol.
ASH Scotland calls for smoking cessation service funding transparency as survey shows stagnation of adult smoking rates
ASH Scotland is calling for the Scottish Government and NHS regional health boards to demonstrate increased transparency regarding funding being invested in smoking cessation services, which can help people to give up tobacco and reduce their risks of non-communicable diseases such as cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and respiratory conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
ASH Scotland’s call comes as the Scottish Health Survey 2024 findings published today (Tuesday 21 October 2025) by the Scottish Governent show that fourteen per cent of adults were currentsmokers, which is the same level as in 2023.
The charity is raising concern that the Scottish Government has not provided details of its annual funding to health boards specifically for smoking cessation services in 2025/26. The last publicly available figure regarding government annual funding to NHS health boards to deliver specifically smoking cessation services was £7,852,085 invested in 2021/22, a significant reduction from the £9,110,000 allocated in 2016/17.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “With tobacco continuing to be the biggest preventable killer in Scotland causing nearly 9,000 premature deaths each year, it is concerning that there is stagnation in the nation’s overall smoking rate, although we welcome the decrease from 26% down to 23% in our most deprived communities.
“The vast majority of people in Scotland who successfully give up smoking don’t use anything to aid their quit attempts, but it is vital that those who need behavioural support can benefit from NHS Scotland’s free person-centred specialist Quit Your Way services delivered by qualified health professionals which improves the chances of success by three to four times to reach a tobacco-free life and reduce the risk of cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“As the Scottish Government’s funding for smoking cessation services showed a downward trend between 2016/17 and 2021/22, and no details have been provided for 2025/26, ASH Scotland is calling for increased transparency by the government and regional health boards regarding funding for Quit Your Way services, which are needed to drive progress towards Scotland becoming a tobacco-free nation in 2034.”
The Scottish Health Survey 2024 main report, including a summary of key results, is available on the Scottish Health Survey website.
Driver MOT roadshow visits The Gyle Shopping Centre as part of Scotland-wide tour
The Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland have launched a national driver MOT roadshow, which is set to visit The Gyle Shopping Centre on 23-24 October as part of a Fitness to Drive campaign, encouraging local drivers aged 60 and over to reflect on their driving skills and take steps to stay safe and confident behind the wheel.
Transport Scotland data show a continuing trend towards increasing numbers of casualties aged 60 and over.1 With more than 850,000 drivers2 in this age group in Scotland, the campaign highlights the importance of recognising changes that can come with age and taking simple, practical steps to address them.
These include booking regular eye examinations, reducing night-time driving, avoiding busy junctions at peak hours, and refreshing driving skills with a mature driving review.
The driver MOT roadshow visiting Edinburgh will raise awareness of these measures. Local drivers can drop by for information and reassurance, as well as advice on how to adapt driving habits to continue driving safely for longer.
Friends and family are also encouraged to attend for tips on starting supportive conversations if they have concerns about a loved one’s driving.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop said: “As we get older, changes to eyesight, hearing, and reaction times can all affect our ability to drive safely.
“The Fitness to Drive campaign is about supporting older drivers to recognise those changes and take action to continue to stay safe on the road.
“Even one death on Scotland’s roads is one too many. By encouraging older drivers and their families to reflect on driving fitness, we can help save lives and ensure people feel confident and secure when they travel.”
Caroline MacQueen, Centre Manager at The Gyle Shopping Centre, said: “We’re delighted to be part of the national driver MOT roadshow and look forward to welcoming local drivers and their families to our Shopping Centre”
The campaign is backed by IAM RoadSmart, a leading UK road safety charity, helping to improve driving and riding skills through courses and coaching. IAM RoadSmart offers mature driver reviews to help maintain driving skills and confidence and has played a key role in supporting the delivery of the driver MOT roadshow.
IAM RoadSmart Road Safety Manager for Scotland Stewart Mackie said: “Having a mature driver review can be a great way to boost your confidence on the roads and ensure that you and your passengers are safe.
“We know just how important driving is, and how it represents the freedom to go anywhere, anytime. This is why many mature drivers choose our course, because it gives them the confidence and skills to carry on driving and maintain their independence.
“We’d encourage anyone who is interested to come along to their local driver MOT event, where a friendly team will be on hand to offer support, guidance and practical advice to help you drive safely for longer.”
The driver MOT roadshow will run until January 2026, with stops at shopping centres, garden centres, and community hubs across Scotland.
The University of Dundee has agreed to host Scotland’s first national testing and research laboratory for drug-checking, boosting efforts to cut drug-related harm and save lives.
Part of a national pilot and backed by increased Scottish Government funding of more than £1.5 million, the site will analyse samples to help respond to emerging trends such as highly dangerous synthetic substances.
In addition, a proposal for a drug-checking service in Glasgow has been approved by the Home Office. Applications for similar services in Aberdeen and Dundee have been submitted to the Home Office, while a fourth facility in Edinburgh is working on its application. People will be able to submit drugs for testing and receive harm-reduction advice alongside the results.
The Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science (LRCFS) at the University of Dundee will provide more complete analysis of samples from the local sites, giving vital information for the national early warning system.
Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Maree Todd said: “The University of Dundee has a strong reputation for forensic science and reaching this agreement, along with the licence approval for the first drug-checking site, are vital steps in our National Mission on drugs.
“It is particularly important in light of the current dangers posed by new synthetic opioids like nitazenes which raise the risk of overdose and death. Often people who use drugs are not aware of exactly what they contain.
“That is why we have consistently impressed upon the UK Government the importance of giving drug-checking facilities the go-ahead.
“We will now work at pace with local partners in Glasgow and all the pilot cities to get these services up and running as soon as possible.”
LRCFS Director Professor Niamh Nic Daeid said: “We are very pleased to be able to support the Scottish Government’s National Mission to reduce drug-related deaths.
“The National Research and Testing Laboratory will provide information and research about the types of drugs circulating in Scotland that will inform colleagues and communities working to reduce drug deaths across the country.”
Glasgow City Convener for Workforce, Homelessness and Addiction Services Councillor Allan Casey said: “We are delighted to have received notification of the Home Office licence approval, having worked on the application and alongside national partners for some time.
“The service will complement other harm-reduction services in operation across the city and provide an opportunity to engage people in conversations about their health and wellbeing, as well as treatment, care and recovery.”
Thousands more North Sea workers will be able to access tailored support to help them transition into jobs in the sustainable energy sector – thanks to an £18 million boost in funding.
The Scottish Government will invest a total of £9 million over the next three years to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, matched by £9 million from the UK Government, to help oil and gas workers access careers advice and funding for training to enable them to move into roles in sustainable energy industries.
Launched as a pilot programme in June, in response to demand from oil and gas workers, the scheme has received a total of £1.39 million funding to date, with at least 300 workers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire set to be supported in this financial year.
The additional government funding will allow thousands of additional workers to be supported by 2029. Both Governments will now work with trade unions and industry to develop and promote the scheme and explore opportunities for additional private investment.
More than £120 million has already been invested by the Scottish Government in the North East through the Just Transition Fund and the Energy Transition Fund to support the region’s transition to net zero. This funding has helped create green jobs, support innovation, and secured the highly skilled workforce of the future.
Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland’s innovation, expertise and vast renewable energy resources will not only benefit the planet – but deliver new economic opportunities and new jobs for households and communities across the country.
“This continued and expanded funding to the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will support more offshore workers to take on different roles across the sustainable energy sector over the next three years – helping to deliver a fair and managed transition to the sector.
“We will continue to explore how best to support Scotland’s energy skills transition, working closely with the UK Government on options like guaranteed interview schemes, redeployment pools and skills passporting.”
UK Government Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Communities across Scotland have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs. The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call – and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen and places Scotland at the very heart of the clean energy revolution this government is delivering.
“Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job. Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy a generation of young people in Scotland can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.
“This is a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union, agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs.”
All future Scottish Government funding remains dependent on the upcoming 2026/27 Scottish Budget, Scottish Spending Review and future annual Scottish Budget.
The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund is aimed at individuals who are currently working (or have worked in the last two years) in the oil and gas industry.
Further information regarding the pilot can be found here: Home
