Tag: Scottish Government

‘What I Want You To Know’: New film tells one dad’s story of losing his son

“He didn’t want to die. He just didn’t want the pain anymore.”

  • Suicide Prevention Scotland launches a new documentary, What I Want You To Know
  • The film follows Phil Wanless, whose son Fraser died by suicide in 2021
  • It confronts the reality of trauma, relationships, substance use, isolation and suicide
  • Released for World Suicide Prevention Day 2026, it’s available to watch on SuicidePrevention.scot/Fraser and YouTube 

A groundbreaking new documentary has been launched today (Thursday 10 September) to mark World Suicide Prevention Day 2026.

What I want you to know is a powerful film from Suicide Prevention Scotland following bereaved father Phil Wanless as he seeks to understand his son Fraser’s death. 

Suicide Prevention Scotland is the community of people and organisations delivering the Scottish Government and COSLA’s joint suicide prevention strategy, Creating Hope Together. 

Running to 30 minutes, it gives one family’s story the space to explore some of the most difficult themes. 

Ultimately, the film asks what might have been different if the people around Fraser, and Phil, had been met with time, space and compassion sooner.

Fraser was just eleven years old when he found his mum, Lisa, dead after she experienced a fatal epileptic seizure. 

Phil’s journey has helped him understand that his son struggled to grieve her death. Later he turned to substance use and experienced difficult relationships. 

Ultimately, the documentary challenges people to consider the principles of time, space and compassion, in every part of our lives – not just suicide prevention; that every one of us can help save lives. 

Phil is joined by his partner Debbie Rowan, Fraser’s friend Darren Gallagher, Iain Corbett, a community development practitioner who has extensive experience working with young men, and John Gibson, founder of The Canmore Trust. 

John and his wife Isobel lost their son Cameron to suicide in 2019. 

A facilitation pack has also been launched so that a range of different groups and communities across Scotland can watch the film and talk about it together. It is designed for anyone, regardless of their experience. 

In the documentary, Phil Wanless says of his son’s suicide: “Fraser and I spoke every day, whether it was a voice call or a text. I hadn’t heard from him for a day, and that was very unusual.

“I don’t believe he wanted to die. I just don’t think he wanted to live. He just didn’t want the pain any more.

“The boy that I brought up, bought his first football boots, and put his first Hearts top on, everything was gone in the blink of an eye. Part of my heart is missing. That’s the only way I can describe it. It’s not a cliché. Part of my heart is missing. 

“It broke us. It took a family that was pretty close, and broke us. I wish I had the chance to tell Fraser right now how much I loved him.

“It is Fraser’s story, but it could be anybody’s story.”

The impact of Fraser’s death was profound, and was felt from as soon as Phil learned his son was gone. Eventually, he also planned to take his own life. 

“There were no instructions on how to grieve. The only time anybody talked to me about my mind health was at the point of crisis. That has to be the wrong way round.

“Suicide is the end product, and it’s the permanent product. But the truth is, we want to reach anybody who’s feeling like that long before we get to crisis.

“We need to stop the idea that the first time you get to talk to anybody is when you’re thinking about taking your life. We have to treat mind health as every bit as important as physical health.”

Phil wants the principles of time, space and compassion to be taught from an early age. Only as a bereaved father has he learned about the impact of trauma. 

“In my whole life nobody ever taught me about compassion, and yet it’s one of the most important things in life. I think we should be teaching it at school.”

Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs, said: “I want to thank Phil Wanless and his family and friends for their courage in sharing their experiences in this powerful film. 

“Losing a loved one to suicide is a tragedy beyond measure and this documentary brings home the devastating impact. It also reminds us that opening up conversations about suicide and encouraging people to seek help can save lives.

“Our work on suicide prevention is informed and guided by those with lived and living experience. I am determined that we learn from Fraser’s tragic death as we continue that work to ensure that anyone with thoughts of suicide or impacted by suicide in any way gets the help they need and feels a sense of hope.

“Our Suicide Prevention Action Plan – joint with COSLA – aims to reduce deaths by suicide whilst also tackling the inequalities that can increase the risk of suicide, and is backed by a budget of £3 million in 2026–27.”

Councillor Paul Kelly, COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson, said: “Phil Wanless’ story of his son Fraser’s tragic death, and of his own experiences of bereavement and suicide, is incredibly moving.

“Thank you, Phil, for sharing so openly. The documentary powerfully shows how deeply suicide is felt by friends, families, and wider communities, and is a clear call to action for all of us. 

“The film is also striking in how it tells us about the complexities of Fraser’s life, with trauma, substance use, and relationships all having a significant impact. It reminds us of the importance of ensuring our work on suicide prevention in Scotland continues to address the wider factors in our lives. 

“The COSLA and Scottish Government Suicide Prevention strategy and action plan sets out our vision and I am committed to ensuring that anyone who is having suicidal thoughts or is bereaved by suicide can access the support they need, when they need, and that local government does all it can to both provide support and address the wider social factors that can impact on suicide risk. 

“Phil has told us what he wants us to know, and now we must all act.”

Suicide Prevention Scotland’s national delivery lead Haylis Smith says: “The film shines a light on the reality of suicide in a way that hasn’t happened before. I know Phil doesn’t think he’s extraordinary, that he’s simply a grieving father angry after the loss of his son.

“But Fraser’s death will not be in vain, because Phil, Debbie and their families have opened up their home and lives in a way that will help so many people think about how to support people who experience trauma. He is extraordinary, because Phil’s intervention will save lives. We might never know who, but it will.

“We can see in the film where there were missed opportunities for time, space, compassion. It shows what their absence feels like, how much there still is to learn about reaching people long before a crisis and how we can all play a part in supporting people at risk of, or impacted by suicide.”

suicide-prevention-what-i-want-you-to-know-facilitation-packDownload

£5.7 million innovation funding to boost public service challenges

CivTech round 12 launches

Businesses and entrepreneurs are being invited to develop technology solutions to some of Scotland’s most pressing public service challenges.

Scotland’s world-leading public sector innovation programme, CivTech, launches its 12th round today with six new challenges, supported by £5.7 million investment.

Improving patient transport for those receiving vital NHS treatment, strengthening child protection through better information sharing, and preventing fuel poverty are among the issues being tackled in the latest round of the programme.

As well as driving public service reform, CivTech helps innovative Scottish companies develop new products, secure commercial opportunities and create high-value jobs. To date, CivTech has driven the delivery of more than 100 highly innovative products and services to benefit the people of Scotland, including the ePass licensing system, the Forestry and Land Scotland Tape4Trees system and Scotland’s digital mailbox.

Minister for Public Services Reform Ivan McKee said: “CivTech has an international reputation for demonstrating how public sector reform and economic growth can go hand in hand. Through the programme, we are harnessing innovation to help our public services become more efficient and responsive to people’s needs.

“The six challenges address issues that matter deeply to communities, from tackling substance use or improving patient transport to preventing fuel poverty and strengthening child protection.

“The programme continues to deliver impressive results, with more than 80% of CivTech Accelerator companies securing follow-on contracts.

“Private sector investment into CivTech alumni has also grown substantially, rising from approximately £4 million in March 2020 to more than £140 million today.

“CivTech is a strong example of how we are delivering reform while supporting Scotland’s economy and public services to thrive.”

Companies can find out more information about how to apply on the CivTech website. Applications are open until 12:00 noon Tuesday 20th October 2026.

The six Challenges in Round 12 are:

  • Challenge 12.1: Supporting people affected by substance use to connect with trusted help and support when services are unavailable.
  • Challenge 12.2: Developing scalable service management solutions for fast-growing digital public services.
  • Challenge 12.3: Demonstrating the commercial value of circular economy business practices through technology.
  • Challenge 12.4: Improving efficiency and patient experience in NHS transport services, initially focused on renal care.
  • Challenge 12.5: Supporting multi-agency processes for the protection of children in Scotland through improved information sharing and decision-making.
  • Challenge 12.6: Helping social housing providers proactively prevent the impacts of fuel poverty on residents.

The Round 12 Challenge Sponsors are:

  • Challenge 12.1: Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, Simon Community Scotland and WithYou.
  • Challenge 12.2: Scottish Government Directorate for Digital.
  • Challenge 12.3: Zero Waste Scotland.
  • Challenge 12.4: Scottish Government Directorate for Health and Social Care Finance, Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
  • Challenge 12.5: Scottish Government Child Protection Unit, Police Scotland and National Social Work Agency .
  • Challenge 12.6: Cloch Housing Association.

International education performance “competitive”

Scotland significantly outperforms OECD average in four areas – but falls behind England

Scotland performed significantly above the OECD average in science, reading, computational problem-solving and environmental science, according to the latest international assessment of 15-year-olds’ knowledge and skills.

The 2025 PISA study found that Scotland has held a competitive international position, as reading and maths have declined across the OECD as a whole. Scotland’s maths performance was similar to the OECD average and similar to the 2022 survey.

The PISA 2025 Scotland Report also found:

  • the relationship between pupils’ socio-economic background and performance was weaker than in 2022 in science and maths, and significantly weaker in reading than in every previous PISA cycle
  • young people have a positive attitude to school and feel they belong there, with 90% saying their science teacher helped them in every or most lessons, and gave extra help when needed
  • Scotland’s overall performance was stable, while many other countries saw decline

Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “PISA 2025 shows real strengths in Scottish education, as well as areas we’re already working to improve. The Curriculum Improvement Cycle is the largest change to Scotland’s curriculum in over ten years, which will be fully rolled out with the teaching profession by August 2028.

“These results demonstrate that Scotland’s education system is competitive by international standards, performing above the OECD average on four measures out of five. Scotland has stabilised its international performance, which is very welcome, alongside the significant weakening in the relationship between learners’ socio-economic background and performance, particularly in reading.

“This comes just weeks after this year’s Qualifications Scotland results, which showed a narrowing of the poverty-related attainment gap compared to both 2025 and pre-pandemic 2019, and increased pass rates at National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers.

“While recognising the positives, these results also underline the need for change in certain areas – change that I intend to lead in the coming period to ensure excellence and equity for all Scotland’s young people.”

Scotland PISA 2025 Report 

‘Intense engagement’ shaping Scotland’s public sector reform

IMPROVING SERVICES?

A period of intense engagement is underway to ensure streamlined public services are delivered for Scotland, Public Service Reform Secretary Ivan McKee has said.

This week’s Programme for Government set out how the Scottish Government plans to deliver stronger and efficient public services that are sustainable for generations to come.

Plans include replacing the current 14 territorial health boards with two strategic health boards, removing unnecessary duplication and overlap in public services and seeking a clear shared direction on substantial reform to local governance, including social care.

Mr McKee said: “Public service reform is at the heart of this Government’s priorities for the next five years and this work will help to ensure that every pound of investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to deliver real improvements in public services.

“I will meet public sector leaders and other key partners at the Public Service Reform Summit later this month to discuss the challenges and opportunities posed by public service reform and the agenda set-out in the Programme for Government.

“My colleagues and I are also engaged in intensive dialogue with public bodies, NHS Boards, local government, trade unions, the third sector, businesses and communities to strengthen the work that is already taking place and to ensure that proactive leadership and collaboration are central to our approach.

“Our focus over the coming months is to build a shared understanding of how we will deliver the changes necessary to support the needs of diverse communities across Scotland.”

COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, has responded to Scottish Government’s Programme for Government plans: “The Programme for Government is a significant statement of the Scottish Government’s priorities, and we will take time to consider its detail carefully.

“There are important implications for local government and council services, particularly the proposed NHS reforms and what they will mean for the future delivery of social care.

“Over the coming days, COSLA will engage closely with our member councils and with Scottish Ministers to ensure these proposals are focused on what is best for communities across Scotland and respect the democratic legitimacy of local government.

“Public services work best when decisions are taken as close to communities as possible. We look forward to meaningful engagement with the Scottish Government and believe that the dialogue on the future of local governance must be carried forward with councils and COSLA as the collective voice of local government.”

STUC: Programme for Government ‘reckless rather than revolutionary’

Commenting on the Programme for Government, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “Presenting the public with a misleading choice of cuts packaged as public service reform was disingenuous at best and a falsehood at worst from the Scottish Government.

“Crushing down Scotland’s health boards into two may seem bold on paper but further centralising power when local communities are crying out for health and social care services tailored to their needs seems more reckless than revolutionary.

“This is not the way to do public sector reform. Before the axe is swung on any public service, whether health, council or social care, Scottish Government ministers would do well to engage meaningfully and purposefully with the workers who deliver on the ground.  This cannot be done in the timescales outlined. 

“Measures on food cap prices, childcare, breakfast clubs and bus fare caps are welcome. However, by avoiding the big decisions on wealth redistribution – on council tax reform, wealth taxes and taking national stakes in our energy infrastructure – cost of living measures will always fall short of the radical transformation both our economy and communities require.

“We will be engaging actively with Government on its promise to bring forward a responsible strategy for data centres in Scotland. We need to take stock of how such projects can benefit decent jobs, workers and the communities in which they will reside. We need to move away from industrial strategy that allows our heavy industry, manufacturing and renewables sectors to be sold off to the highest bidders with little public benefit in return.

“Finally, it’s deeply welcome the First Minister has pledged further support for survivors of gender-based violence. It’s time that all organisations, employers and society as a whole adopts a zero-tolerance approach to violence against women and girls and it’s correct that this is a strategic priority for the Scottish Government in which the First Minister will find support from Scotland’s trade unions.”

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 – gov.scot

Letter: Families cannot wait any longer for LDAN Bill

Dear Editor,

Families cannot wait any longer for LDAN Bill

The Scottish Government’s failure to include a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill in its Programme for Government is hugely disappointing.

A recent Scottish Parliament committee report highlighted the stark reality facing families, with children and adults frequently waiting years for ADHD and autism assessments. It called for urgent action to ensure clear and consistent pathways to support across Scotland.

Yet the Government has failed to introduce the legislation that could help deliver this. An LDAN Bill could tackle inequalities through national and local strategies and mandatory training for health, social care and education staff.

After years of discussion and consultation, warm words are no longer enough. Thousands of children, adults and families need action.

Service improvements are welcome, but without clear targets and timescales there is no guarantee they will deliver the lasting change that children, adults and families desperately need.

The Government itself acknowledges that legislation can drive accountability and change. It should therefore set clear, measurable timescales for improvement – and commit to introducing an LDAN Bill if these are not met.

Yours faithfully

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:

Patrick Gannon, Falkland House School

Lynn Black, LOVE Care

Kenny Graham, Spark of Genius

Niall Kelly, Young Foundations

Transforming childcare?

New support for families to be phased in from next year

Parents and carers will benefit from a new childcare offer aimed at bringing down the cost of living, tackling child poverty and boosting family incomes, First Minister John Swinney has said.

As part of the newly-published Programme for Government, the Scottish Government is transforming its childcare offer to ensure greater childcare support is available to families with children from nine months old through to the end of primary school.

Consultation on the new approach will take place next year, with delivery phased in over time. This will begin with a £44 million annual investment in breakfast clubs in primary schools across Scotland from August 2027, followed by the introduction of after-school and holiday childcare for primary school children from August 2029.

The First Minister also announced the first recipients of the new £15 million Childcare Support Fund, which is expected to help those organisations support an estimated 4,800 low-income families with the cost of childcare at times when they most need it.

Speaking ahead of a visit with Education Secretary Màiri McAllan to Fintry Mains Childcare and Community Hub in Dundee, one of the organisations benefiting from the funding, the First Minister said: “High-quality childcare plays an important role in helping children thrive, easing cost of living pressures and creating opportunities for parents and carers to work, train and study.

“Too many families still face barriers to accessing the childcare they need. By transforming the support available to families from nine months through to the end of primary school we will help more parents and carers into employment, boost household incomes and give children the best possible start in life.

“Alongside our long-term plans to transform childcare, the £15 million Childcare Support Fund announced today will provide practical support to families who need it most.

“This forms part of our wider Programme for Government, which is focused on making tangible improvements to people’s lives by creating jobs, raising living standards and growing Scotland’s economy to help eradicate child poverty.”

Susan McGhee, Chief Executive of Flexible Childcare Services Scotland which runs Fintry Mains Childcare, said: “Receiving a grant from the Scottish Government’s Childcare Support Fund will allow us to support even more families across Scotland.

“We already deliver flexible childcare to over 1,000 parents a year and, according to our research, those families are more than £2 million better off thanks to our book-by-the-hour model.

“We look forward to working alongside Midlothian Sure Start and Renfrewshire Out of School Network to ensure families can access affordable, flexible all-age childcare within their communities.”

Chloe Sinclair, whose three-year-old daughter Lola attends Fintry Mains Childcare, said: “I heard good things about Flexible Childcare Services Scotland from other parents.

“The flexibility has really helped me and my partner as we work shifts and need to know our three-year-old daughter Lola is cared for. Being able to book what we need is ideal for our jobs and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.”

First recipients of the Childcare Support Fund

Grant Value

Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector – Provides intensive, referral-based childcare support across Glasgow, helping priority families overcome childcare barriers so they can enter, sustain or progress in work, study and training. 

£1,000,000

Flexible Childcare Services Scotland SCIO – Delivers flexible childcare across six local authority areas, supporting families in insecure or low-paid work to take up opportunities, increase hours and reduce employment barriers caused by childcare costs. 

£878,367

Early Years Scotland – Acts as a national childcare broker, connecting low-income families to childcare that fills specific gaps in provision, including bridging periods, additional hours and support for children not covered by existing entitlements. 

£1,000,000

The Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments – known as Craighalbert – Provides specialist childcare for children with complex disabilities and additional support needs, enabling parents to work or study at points of transition while children receive tailored care and developmental support. 

£615,326

Scottish Childminding Association – Funds flexible childminding placements with registered childminders, giving families personalised childcare and informal support that enables parents to seek work, remain employed or access training. 

£302,948

The Indigo Childcare Group – Offers free childcare places, including a mobile crèche for parents attending employability programmes, with additional support for families experiencing crisis situations or caring for children with additional needs. 

£412,045

Scottish Out Of School Care Network – Provides short-term financial support for school-age childcare, protecting families from losing childcare during periods of financial hardship and helping parents stay in work, study or training. 

£1,000,000

Family and Community Development West Lothian – Combines flexible after-school and holiday childcare with support to help parents access employment and education.

£421,310

Inspiring Scotland – Provides rapid-response childcare funding through community networks, helping families manage emergencies, attend interviews and sustain income while longer-term childcare arrangements are put in place. 

£300,064

Perceptive Action C.I.C – Offers breakfast, after-school and holiday childcare across the Borders and Midlothian, supporting families through key transition periods while helping them access longer-term childcare and financial support. 

£263,070

The Lennox Partnership – Removes childcare costs as a barrier to employability programmes, enabling parents to participate in structured pathways into work, skills development and learning opportunities. 

£947,250

Third Sector Hebrides – Improves access to childcare across the Western Isles by coordinating support through local childcare providers, helping families access provision that is often difficult to secure in island communities. 

£277,500

St Roch’s Childcare Services – Provides flexible childcare alongside one-to-one family support, helping parents access employment, education and wider services while building confidence and family wellbeing. 

£286,405

Care and Learning Alliance – Supports families in rural Highland and Island communities by helping them find and access childcare, while addressing additional challenges such as transport costs, limited provision and rural poverty. 

£498,521

Total

£8,202,806

The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government is available to read online.

‘Excellence for every child’

Cutting costs and supporting teachers while delivering on reforms

Every young person will have the same opportunity to succeed, no matter their background or where they live in Scotland, Education Secretary Màiri McAllan has pledged, as she set out her priorities for education.

In a statement to Parliament, Ms McAllan confirmed councils would receive up to £2.8 million to help address school meal debt, to ease the cost of living for families that need it most, while work continues to expand Free School Meals.

A new £1 million pilot fund will support teachers taking up posts in rural and island communities with relocation and housing costs, to help attract teachers to hard-to-fill posts and encourage them to remain long-term. This is alongside wider ongoing national work to deliver a teacher job guarantee for a minimum of three years for newly-qualified teachers, and reduce class contact time.

Further plans will be brought forward shortly to help newly-qualified primary teachers gain additional registration, helping them transition into new roles, and to strengthen career opportunities for pupil support assistants.

Ms McAllan also set out plans to improve attainment, attendance, behaviour and curriculum, including streamlining guidance so that councils and schools can deliver more consistently on national policies.

Curriculum reforms, developed following the OECD’s Review of Scotland’s Curriculum, will be delivered in partnership with teachers, to ensure learners fully benefit from ongoing work to improve the curriculum.

Public Service Reform will be central to tackling inconsistencies in how national education policy is applied across the country, with work underway alongside councils to streamline data use, cut unnecessary bureaucracy and free up schools to focus on what matters most to pupils.

Ms McAllan added: “There is already so much to celebrate in our education system – record levels of literacy and numeracy in our schools, increases in exam passes across the board this year and more Scots gaining places at university.

“But I am clear we must raise standards and deliver excellence across Scotland by focusing on the ABCs in our schools – attainment, attendance, behaviour and curriculum. We must ensure every child regardless of where they live or whether they have an additional support need, are supported to learn and thrive at school.

“We must seize the opportunity of Public Service Reform to truly achieve this, by addressing the variability in education outcomes across the country, improving data collection, enhancing performance and accountability and empowering schools to invest and take the decisions they need to support pupils.

“As a Government we must also continue our work to cut the costs of the school day for families – that means more breakfast clubs, expanding free school meals and clearing school meal debt.

“The leadership I will offer as Education Secretary will always be guided by the pursuit of excellence and equity. I commit to working hand in hand with young people, their families, the workforce, trade unions and local government to ensure every child receives the highest standard of education.”

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 – gov.scot

Bringing healthcare closer to home

Deputy First Minister visits Hospital at Home hub

Providing more healthcare services at home for people across Scotland is central to the Scottish Government’s ambition to fundamentally reform the NHS in the year ahead, the Deputy First Minister has said.

Jenny Gilruth visited the Hospital at Home hub for Central and West Fife in Kirkcaldy today to meet staff and hear about the recent redesign of the service.

It followed publication of the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2026-2031 this week which set out major changes for the NHS, ensuring services fit more effectively around people’s lives.

The Deputy First Minister said: “People having access to the care they need in their own home is fundamental to NHS reform and improving services.

“The expansion of Hospital at Home in NHS Fife and across the country will be a key part of this, improving access to safe and effective care at home. Building on progress made already, we will increase capacity so that more than 10,000 people can benefit from Hospital at Home services this winter.

“Removing geographical barriers to care and simplifying the structure of our NHS will give us a platform to allow people to get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. It will reduce unnecessary duplication and remove artificial boundaries to care.

“We will undertake this alongside continued investment in local community services like GP walk-in centres, digital transformation led by our MyCare app, and by working jointly with our workforce and trade unions.”

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 – gov.scot

The Health and Care Improving Flow Plan 2026-2031 

Alyn Smith joins Government

Alyn Smith has been announced as the new Minister for Innovation, Technology & Tertiary Education.

Subject to parliamentary agreement and the approval of His Majesty the King, Mr Smith will succeed Ben Macpherson, who stepped down last week.

The First Minister made the appointment via video call as Mr Smith is currently suffering a minor illness.

The First Minister said: “I am very pleased to appoint Alyn Smith as Minister-designate for Innovation, Technology & Tertiary Education. 

“Alyn is one of the most experienced parliamentarians in the UK, having served in both the European and UK Parliaments before being elected as an MSP. He has broad international experience and has shown long-term interest in skills, universities and colleges.

“Scotland’s future prosperity will be built on the talent of our people, the strength of our universities and colleges, and our ability to turn world-class ideas into jobs, investment and opportunity.

“My new Programme for Government sets out an ambitious agenda for post-school learning and development – from protecting free university tuition, expanding apprenticeships and delivering a new national skills plan, to supporting university research and spin-outs, and connecting business with academic institutions to drive innovation and growth.

“Alyn will work closely with Màiri McAllan to drive that agenda, working across government with other ministers and in partnership with industry and the education and skills sectors to deliver for Scotland’s people, communities and businesses.”

Mr Smith studied Law and European Law at the University of Leeds and completed a Masters degree in European Studies at the College of Europe in Warsaw. After teaching English in India and working with Scotland Europa in Brussels, he qualified as a lawyer and practised commercial law in London and Edinburgh.

In 2002, Mr Smith joined the office of Richard Lochhead MSP before becoming an adviser to the SNP Group in the Scottish Parliament on European, justice and business policy. He was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Scotland in 2004 and was re-elected in 2009, 2014 and 2019.

Mr Smith served as Member of Parliament for Stirling from 2019 to 2024 before being elected as the MSP for Stirling in May 2026.

Ambitious for Scotland?

Programme for Government 2026-2031

Patients will receive better care, with shorter waits, as a result of the most significant structural reform of our NHS in the devolution era, First Minister John Swinney announced yesterday, as he unveiled a major modernisation programme of Scotland’s public services.

Setting out his Programme for Government, the First Minister pledged that all the actions of his government would be focused on delivering lasting improvements to people’s lives as he presented a package of measures to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

The First Minister said the Scottish Government would also continue to drive improvements in the priority areas of eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and tackling the climate emergency as he outlined work to reduce NHS waiting times and action to tackle violence against women and girls.  

Key announcements include:

  • Replacing the current 14 territorial health boards with two strategic health boards which – alongside other measures – will free up more time and capacity for treatment
  • Delivering a national breakfast club for all primary schools from August 2027 and, by 2031, providing childcare support 52 weeks a year for children from nine months old to the end of primary school
  • Tackling poverty by increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £40 per week for eligible babies under 1 during 2027-28
  • Investing £205 million in winter heating payments for pensioners, families with disabled children and struggling households
  • Recognising that hostility to women and girls is a serious societal problem by defining misogyny as a distinct form of prejudice and abuse
  • Expanding the £2 bus fare cap beyond the Highlands and Islands to the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport area from Monday 7 September followed by a national roll-out by the end of this Parliament  
  • Improving public services by removing unnecessary duplication and overlap, getting resources more directly to the frontline services
  • Over the next three months, with partners, reach a clear shared direction on substantial reform to local governance, including social care
  • Bringing the national environment public bodies into a single overarching body to make environmental interventions more impactful
  • Supporting better jobs and higher incomes by making Scotland a better place to invest and do business

First Minister John Swinney said: “This ambitious Programme for Government has radical and widespread public service reform at its heart to deliver real, lasting improvements to people’s lives.

“By rewiring a system of services designed for the last century, we will simplify and reshape organisations on which everyone relies and ensure every pound of investment achieves maximum impact.

“As we do so, we will build on the most generous cost of living package anywhere in the UK while continuing to tackle inequality, poverty and division.

“This is a Programme for Government to deliver a fairer, healthier and more prosperous nation.”

The First Minister also stated that Scotland would only reach its full potential by becoming an independent nation.

“We will give the leadership for Scotland to decide her own future and advance our belief that Scotland will be better off with Independence.”

Programme for Government 2026 to 2031 – gov.scot

The First Minister also confirmed Scottish Government plans to introduce nine Bills over the course of 2026-27:

  • Budget Bill
  • Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill
  • Council Tax (Scotland) Bill
  • Damages (Scotland) Bill
  • Food Prices (Scotland) Bill
  • Football Banning Orders (Scotland) Bill
  • Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill
  • Misogyny (Criminal Law) (Scotland Bill
  • Public Service Renewal (Scotland) Bill

REACTION:

Peter Kelly of Scotland’s Poverty Alliance commented: “It was good to hear a promise to eradicate child poverty – and we welcome the further development of the Whole Family Wellbeing approach.

“However, we know that secure, adequate incomes are the bedrock of efforts to eradicate poverty. That means progressively increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £55 a week by the end of this Parliament.

Without that scale of change, it’s hard to see how the First Minister will keep that promise to Scotland’s children.”

COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, has responded to Scottish Government’s Programme for Government announcement: “Today’s Programme for Government is a significant statement of the Scottish Government’s priorities, and we will take time to consider its detail carefully.

“There are important implications for local government and council services, particularly the proposed NHS reforms and what they will mean for the future delivery of social care.

“Over the coming days, COSLA will engage closely with our member councils and with Scottish Ministers to ensure these proposals are focused on what is best for communities across Scotland and respect the democratic legitimacy of local government.

“Public services work best when decisions are taken as close to communities as possible. We look forward to meaningful engagement with the Scottish Government and believe that the dialogue on the future of local governance must be carried forward with councils and COSLA as the collective voice of local government.”

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), said: “While we welcome the focus on reforming the public sector to make it work better for citizens, LGIU is concerned that two concurrent, three-month consultations on the restructuring of local government and the reform of social care mean the views and expertise of the local government sector will not be adequately represented.

“Local government reorganisation is a serious undertaking. And it will be impossible to achieve without an agenda to save local government finances, which is conspicuously absent from this Programme.

“The Scottish Government should enter this endeavour with the expectation that it will be hard, and that making a success of it will be impossible without buy-in from across the sector and clear aims about what the desired outcomes are.

“The same is true with social care. The last major social care reform attempt was the introduction of the National Care Service, the structural part of which failed in part because of limited engagement with local government.

“We appreciate the Government’s newfound urgency to tackle both the social care crisis and empower the regional and local tiers of government, but it is hard to see how a three-month sprint to round off decades-old debates will ensure that all relevant voices are heard.”

In response to the Programme for Government, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First said: “We are delighted that our calls for whole family support, investment in a national Bairns Hoose programme, a public health approach to online harm and a greater emphasis on prevention have been included in today’s Programme for Government.

“Prevention is rightly at the heart of the Scottish Government’s ambitions, but it’s been the goal for more than 15 years. The gap between policy intent and the reality of children’s lives has never been wider. The First Minister will understand why people are impatient for change.

“It is disappointing that the specific, funded commitments needed to put Scotland back on track to meet its child poverty targets have not been included. We do not need further reviews or consultations – the next budget must deliver the action and investment children and families need.

“Children First share the Scottish Government’s aim for every child to live free from poverty, safe from harm and for children’s rights to be protected at every stage.

“We look forward to working alongside the Scottish Government and hope that local government, partners and communities will make the same commitment, because it will take everybody to close the gap between what Scotland says and what Scotland does.”

Billy Alexander, Associate Director for the Stroke Association in Scotland, said: “We welcome today’s commitment from First Minister, to ensure every stroke patient in Scotland who needs a thrombectomy gets one – regardless of the time or day. Whilst long overdue, this way could herald a genuine turning point for stroke care in Scotland. 

“Thrombectomy is a lifechanging treatment that can mean the difference between someone returning to an independent life or living with significant long-term disability. Yet, all too often, the time or place someone has their stroke can determine whether they receive it. 

“The test now will be implementation. We need a clear, sustainable, robustly funded, and time-bound plan that delivers equitable access to thrombectomy around the clock and across the country.

“That same level of ambition is also needed to drive wider improvements across stroke care, from the point of emergency and treatment through to rehabilitation and long-term recovery. Only then will every stroke survivor in Scotland be properly supported to live well after stroke.”

Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager of older people’s charity Independent Age, said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling the cost of living crisis. 

“At Independent Age, we hear every day from older people being squeezed by rising costs. Action is urgently required to support the 130,000 pensioners currently in poverty in Scotland.

“We know that too often the social security system fails to reach the older people who need it most, with hundreds of millions of pounds going unpaid every year. Commitments today to maximise the take-up of social security payments hold real potential to boost incomes for older people in financial hardship and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government to progress this welcome and vital work.

 “Today’s announcement that the Heat in Buildings Bill will be introduced and the commitment to ongoing winter heating support for pensioners is also very important. Our research has shown that almost 4 in 5 older people on a low income have cut back on heating, so it’s clear that measures to improve the energy efficiency of homes and support older people with energy costs is urgently needed. 

“Despite these positive steps, to meaningfully tackle the range of issues facing the one in eight older people in Scotland who live in poverty, we need sustained strategic action to boost incomes and reduce costs through a national pensioner poverty strategy. In a wealthy and fair society, both the Scottish and UK Governments must do more to make sure every older person can live well.” 

The British Dental Association Scotland has expressed its profound scepticism that plans for wholesale reform of Scotland’s health boards represents a silver bullet and has called for forensic scrutiny from MSPs.

Today First Minister John Swinney told the Scottish Parliament that “to ensure more joined-up delivery, to improve access to care and to reduce inequality for some patients” the fourteen current health boards would be reduced to two. While the professional body is wholly supportive of these objectives, following publication of the Programme for Government it is unclear how any of them will be achieved via these proposals.

The BDA will be addressing the Health, Care and Sport Committee this week, stressing the risk of unintended consequences.

BDA Scotland Director Charlotte Waite said: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that top-down reorganisations of the NHS rarely deliver the goods for taxpayers, patients, or practitioners.

“These plans need to be subjected to forensic scrutiny. They only thing we can be sure of at this stage is unintended consequences.”

Responding to the Programme for Government, Anna Fowlie, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations’ (SCVO) Chief Executive, said:   ”I’m pleased to see that the Programme for Government recognises the essential role the voluntary sector plays in addressing some of Scotland’s biggest challenges, from child poverty and gender-based violence to community cohesion and public service reform. 

“We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to a Third Sector Partnership, founded on trust, collaboration and mutual respect. We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to deliver the kind of partnership with government that voluntary organisations have long called for, one that brings meaningful change. 

“We also welcome commitments to multi-year funding in a number of areas, and the first public recognition that the voluntary sector, alongside communities, must play a significant part in shaping public service reform. I look forward to seeing these commitments delivering significant progress in delivering Fair Funding across government portfolios and public bodies. 

“Finally, I welcome the First Minister’s commitment to strengthen community cohesion and counter those who seek to divide Scotland. Voluntary organisations across Scotland are on the frontline of supporting people targeted by bigotry, racism and hatred, while bringing communities together in the face of division.

“Their work demonstrates the very best of Scotland: compassion, solidarity and a determination to ensure everyone belongs. Achieving that ambition will require sustained recognition, support and investment from the Scottish Government.”