Tag: Scottish Government

£22 million to tackle waiting times in NHS Lothian

Additional funding to build on progress in clearing longest waits

Health Secretary Neil Gray has welcomed progress in reducing waiting lists at NHS Lothian as he confirmed the health board will be allocated an additional £22 million for the year ahead – as part of a £106 million investment across the NHS to tackle the longest waits.

Latest figures show a 14% decrease last year in inpatient/daycase waits for all specialties at NHS Lothian – down from 26,462 at 31 March 2024 to 22,762 at 31 March 2025.

The reduction in ongoing waits was driven by reductions in:

  • General surgery -19.6%
  • Gynaecology -20.6%
  • Orthopaedics -17.9%
  • Urology -27.9%

On a visit to the Day Surgery Unit at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, the Health Secretary met with staff and patients and saw first-hand the positive impact Scottish Government investment is having on waits. The Day Surgery Unit carries out 30 – 40 scheduled procedures every day – this helps allow patients to leave for home from 2pm onwards with a focus on same day discharge.

A huge variety of procedures are performed with patients from a mix of five specialties, including gynaecology, general surgery, vascular, neurosurgery and orthopaedics. Last year, around 4,500 procedures were carried out by the Unit.

Mr Gray said: “This government is focussed on taking the action needed to cut waiting lists and we are determined to make it easier, faster and fairer for patients to get access to the treatment they need.

“I was pleased to meet the team at the Royal Infirmary’s Day Surgery Unit who are carrying out fantastic work to help target long waits and making significant progress.  We want to build on this success and drive that improvement across Scotland – our additional investment of £106 million support this work across all health boards.

“Figures published today show monthly A&E performance at its best since July 2023 and delayed discharge at its lowest since October 2023. Our plan to improve our NHS is working and we will build on this progress by increasing capacity and investing to tackle the longest waits to ensure patients get faster access to care.”

Will new Bill help Scottish Government keep The Promise?

Proposed changes to the services and support provided to people who are in, or have experience of, the children’s care system are set to be scrutinised in Holyrood.

MSPs from the Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee have launched a call for views on the Scottish Government’s Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Bill.

The Bill forms part of the Scottish Government’s response to the recommendations made in the Independent Care Review known as “The Promise”.

Proposed changes include an expansion in the right to apply for aftercare, wider access to advocacy services for care-experienced people and the creation of a national register of foster carers.

The Bill also proposes changes designed to avoid people or organisations making excessive profits from the care of children. It would set limits on the profits that can be made from children’s residential care and require fostering services to register as charities.

Changes to the Children’s Hearing System, which the Scottish Government describes as offering legal protections to children who are in need or at risk, are also proposed in the Bill. In a move designed to strengthen accountability, the Bill also sets out that, in future, all Integration Joint Boards will have responsibility for children’s services planning, alongside local authorities and health boards.

The Committee now wants to hear from care-experienced people, parents, carers, foster carers, kinship carers and adoptive parents, and others, to share their views on the proposals.

The call for views is open now and will close to responses on 15 August 2025. The Committee plans to hold evidence sessions with stakeholders in autumn.

Douglas Ross MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said: “In 2020 the Independent Care Review set out a series of promises to Scotland’s care experienced children and young people.

“We have kept a constant eye on progress towards meeting those promises and it is clear, from hearing from care experienced young people and those supporting them, that there are many challenges still to overcome.

“The Committee will look closely at this Bill, listen to the views of everyone affected by it, and assess whether it will bring about the changes needed to ensure that all care experienced children and young people can enjoy the childhood they deserve.

“If you are care experienced, or work to support care experienced children and young people, please share your views on the proposals in this Bill.”

Investing in entrepreneurship

£800,000 to support business creation and growth

A pipeline of programmes to build entrepreneurial ambition, capability and networks for Scotland’s current and future entrepreneurs will be delivered with investment from the Scottish Government’s Ecosystem Fund.

A total of 28 projects will deliver initiatives in 2025/26. They range from inspiring school pupils to helping businesses realise international growth.

They include:

  • Women’s Enterprise Scotland, offering a 10-week programme for women entrepreneurs to address women’s constrained access to finance.
  • Galashiels Soup, which will offer community micro-grant events in Scottish Borders
  • SGDA Games Accelerator, Scotland’s first games-specific accelerator to address the unique challenges faced by games companies in product development, financing and marketing.

A new, fully digital application process used by the Fund’s delivery partner, Inspirent, this year means that awards have been made just a few weeks after more than 300 applications were received, meaning programmes can be delivered sooner and for longer during the financial year.

Nearly £100,000 of additional funding has been awarded to projects in response to demand to the Fund.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “Scotland has always been a nation of innovators and these projects will build the infrastructure, networks and support systems that our entrepreneurs need to thrive, creating lasting change that goes far beyond individual businesses.

“The Ecosystem Fund sits at the heart of the Scottish Government’s £30 million record investment in entrepreneurship – the biggest commitment we’ve ever made to establishing Scotland as one of Europe’s leading start-up economies.

“The exceptional response to this year’s Fund demonstrates the vibrant entrepreneurial energy that exists across Scotland. I am proud not just to be supporting projects, but investing in the entrepreneurial talent that is the backbone of our economy.”

Chief Entrepreneur Ana Stewart said: “It’s extremely encouraging to see the quality and diversity of applications received. What’s particularly reassuring is to see the new digitised process working effectively, streamlining and achieving a shorter and simpler process for applicants ensuring funds reach them much earlier. This is the fastest turnaround the Scottish Government has achieved to date, reflecting a more responsive, agile approach.

“The successful projects will deliver targeted support that founders need in the earliest stages of their business. From accessible business training and mentorship programmes, to networks that connect entrepreneurs across Scotland’s regions and sectors.

“Moving forward, the commitment is to work more closely with partners across our entrepreneurial ecosystem to ensure public sector support delivers maximum impact for Scottish founders.” 

More details about the Ecosystem Fund can be found at: www.ecosystemfund.co.uk

Projects awarded:

  • Galashiels Soup – Scottish Borders – £2,063.00
  • Entrepreneurial Scotland – Glasgow – Discovery Day: Unlocking Scotland’s Entrepreneurial Potential – £4,500.00
  • STARTUP GRIND Scotland Aberdeen Chapter – Aberdeen – StartUp North: AI Hackathons for Scotland’s Hidden Innovators -£8,500.00
  • (START) The High School of Glasgow – Edinburgh and Aberdeen – START Roadshow – £9,200.00
  • Creator Campus – Hybrid – Student Startup Matchmaking Fair – £9,500.00
  • The Isle of Arran Candle Company Ltd – Arran – Arran Design Collective – £9,500.00
  • University of Strathclyde – Glasgow – From Sanctuary to Start up: supporting Refugees, Asylum Seekers and New Scots in navigating and thriving in Scotland’s startup ecosystem – £9,750.00
  • Scotpreneur Ltd – Online – The Entrepreneur’s A to Z: An Audio Guide for the Blind and Visually Impaired – £14,250.00
  • Dundee Founders Collective – Dundee – Dundee Founders Collective – £16,285.00
  • Scottish Games Network Ltd. – Glasgow – Hello World! Scottish Students Startup Summit – £23,800.00
  • GrowBiz Scotland – Hybrid – Supporting Older Entrepreneurs – £32,500.00
  • Opportunity North East – Aberdeen – Finance for Founders – £32,500.00
  • Challenges Catalyst Ltd – Nationwide – Unlocking Scotland’s Earlier-Stage Research-to-Venture Pipeline – £33,500.00
  • Dechomai – Glasgow – IGNITE SCOTLAND: Building Inclusive Enterprise Hubs & Learning Tools for Ecosystem Growth – £36,000.00
  • SGDA Community Interest Company – Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow – Scottish Game Developers Accelerator – £38,000.00
  • Impact Rise Ventures Limited – International – San Francisco Tech Week 2025 – £38,000.00
  • Thistle Labs Ltd – Hybrid – GenAI for Entrepreneurs – £38,814.00
  • James Hutton Limited – Hybrid – Innovation Campus & Incubator for Clima-Tech & Agri-Tech – £38,881.00
  • The Rebel School/Ziyx Scotland – South Lanarkshire and Stirling – Rebel Business School – £39,000.00
  • Ecosystem Builders Network – Edinburgh/ Glasgow – Capital Catalyst: Investment Readiness – £39,300.00
  • Egg Scotland Ltd – Hybrid – egg Scotland Community Amplification – £40,000.00
  • Boutique Innovation Ltd – Hybrid – Scotcol Accelerator – £40,000.00
  • Filament Pd Ltd – Glasgow – Future Founders – £40,000.00
  • Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – Glasgow – Split Screen – £40,000.00
  • Glasgow Clyde College – Glasgow – Launch Pad   – £40,000.00
  • Women’s Enterprise Scotland – Online – Funding Options for Women Entrepreneurs in Scotland – £40,000.00
  • Turing Fest – International – Turing Fest Founders Dinners Programme         – £40,000.00
  • STAC – Nationwide – STAC Source: Big business innovation via Startup Scouting – £40,000.00.

Broadband target exceeded

R100 delivers more than 27,000 faster, ultra-reliable connections in a year

The Scottish Government has surpassed it’s commitment to deliver gigabit-capable broadband connections to 20,000 homes and businesses last year.

A record 27,000 premises were equipped with faster broadband in 2024-25 through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme, exceeding a Programme for Government commitment by more than a third.  

 Connections have been made right across the country, from the Killantringan Lighthouse in Dumfries and Galloway to Stornoway in the Western Isles and Baltasound on Shetland.  

 The R100 contracts, being delivered by Openreach, have now enabled more than 80,000 faster broadband connections across the country, with 80% of all R100 contract build to take place in rural areas.  

Business Minister Richard Lochhead visited Loch Katrine in the Trossachs to hear how access to faster broadband speeds is helping transform opportunities for local businesses.  

He said:  “Fast, reliable broadband is a fundamental building block for economic growth. The Scottish Government’s R100 programme is one of the most ambitious and complex digital infrastructure programmes in Europe, rolling out connections in some of the most challenging locations in the country to help businesses and communities prosper.

“Despite telecommunications being reserved to the UK Government, our commitment to the R100 programme illustrates this government’s commitment to delivering the digital connectivity people and businesses need to succeed.

 “Exceeding our 2024-25 delivery target was helped by record Scottish Government funding and an ongoing partnership with Openreach maximising the opportunities to deliver fast broadband to even more homes and businesses.”  

CEO and Lead Trustee of the Steamship Sir Walter Scott Trust, James Fraser said:  ”The impact of the introduction of fibre cable connections at Loch Katrine has been transformative for many aspects of our core business and our tenants. With an increasing trend to digital bookings for cruises, eco lodges, cycle hire and meals out, having high speed digital connections is critical to the success of our business and other businesses on the lochside.  

“Previously our digital speeds were very poor leading to customer dissatisfaction, loss of bookings and customer complaints, particularly from guests staying overnight in our eco lodges or in campervans in our car parks. With the higher speeds now available there has been a marked improvement in digital services with increased customer satisfaction levels.”  

Openreach Partnership Director for Scotland, Robert Thorburn, said:  ”It’s brilliant to see businesses like the Steamship Sir Walter Scott benefitting from full fibre.

“We’re committed to making sure that the hardest-to-reach homes and businesses in Scotland are connected to the latest generation of broadband technology, giving them access to the same fast, reliable services available in our cities.

“While building new full fibre networks in rural areas throws up many challenges, our engineers have the skills and experience to overcome these and deserve an enormous amount of credit for their work.

“We’re proud of the role we’ve played, working alongside the Scottish Government, in hitting this significant milestone – but we know that our work isn’t done yet, and we’ll continue to connect communities across the country.”  

The commitment to connect over 20,000 premises to gigabit capable broadband in areas of market failure by March 2025, through delivery of three regional, multi-year contracts with Openreach is set out in the Programme for Government 2024-25: Serving Scotland  

£4.1 million to help restore secure care capacity

Funding of over £4 million to establish new secure care houses has been announced by the Scottish Government.

The funding will allow for restored capacity and enable a different approach to be developed to ensure children with the greatest need are able to access intensive support. Additionally, this investment will support the creation of three four-bed secure houses, as well as a further four-bed contingency resource.

There are currently 82 contracted secure places provided by four independent charitable organisations in Scotland – Rossie, Good Shepherd Centre, Kibble and St. Mary’s Kenmure.

Children’s Minister Natalie Don-Innes said: “It is imperative that we continuously improve how we care for those children who have the greatest need of support. 

“We also need to address the challenges currently facing the secure care system, and this funding will ensure that both these aims can be met.

“Scotland is rightly proud of our unique, welfare based and focused approach to care and justice for children and young people. We want to build on that tradition and the current strengths of the system, while embracing a future vision for change as set out in the ‘Reimagining Secure Care’ report. And with that change, it is important that we maintain a resolute focus in ensuring that children and young people’s needs and rights remain at the heart of this process.”

Reimagining-Secure-Care-Final-ReportDownload

This follows the publication of the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice’s (CYCJ) report on ‘Reimagining Secure Care’ which outlines a transformative vision for the future of secure care, and broader children’s care, in Scotland. The Scottish Government has responded to this report.

Helping crisis-hit communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Scotland’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund activated

Oxfam Scotland and Tearfund have welcomed Scottish Government funding to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where millions of people face hunger, insecurity and the devastating impacts of violence and forced displacement.

Since January, more than three million people in the DRC have been forced to flee their homes as fighting by armed groups intensifies and humanitarian needs increase exponentially, triggering one of the world’s most urgent and complex crises.

The £250,000 provided through the Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) will be distributed to Oxfam Scotland and Tearfund, and through local partners, to support emergency relief efforts across eastern DRC – helping families pay for essentials such as food, fuel, shelter or hygiene items, as well as accessing urgent medical care, trauma services and safe transport.

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on a scale we can hardly imagine here in Scotland. Successive waves of violence are claiming the lives of civilians, including children, with millions forced to flee to temporary accommodation where conditions are deteriorating.

“The situation is being worsened by the scaling back of humanitarian assistance by other international donors.

“While our funding may only make a small impact in the face of such overwhelming need, we are determined to stand behind our values and Scotland’s long and proud history of responding to humanitarian crises around the world.”

Manenji Mangundu, Oxfam Scotland’s Country Director in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said: “Every day, our partners and colleagues are meeting mothers who’ve walked for miles with nothing but their children in their arms, desperately searching for safety.

“They’ve lost everything: their homes, their loved ones, their hope of a normal life. The scale of human suffering here is staggering.

“The recent cuts to humanitarian funding have been devastating. We’ve had to make impossible choices about who gets clean water, medicine, or even a place to sleep.

“That’s why support from the Scottish Government is so vital. With our local partner, it’s helping us reach people who would otherwise be left with nothing. But with millions still in desperate need, we urgently need other governments and donors to follow Scotland’s lead. Now is the time to step up, not step back.”

Poppy Anguandia, Tearfund’s Country Director for the DRC, said: “We are incredibly grateful for this vital funding, which arrives at a critical time for communities in North Kivu.

“The intensification of conflict has led to widespread displacement and immense suffering, with many returnees in Malehe finding their homes destroyed and livelihoods lost.

“This support will enable us to provide immediate, life-saving assistance where it’s needed most, directly addressing urgent needs for food and basic essentials for 925 conflict-affected households through multipurpose cash assistance, while also tackling the alarming rise in gender-based violence for 9,000 individuals through community awareness and support sessions.”

The Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) is an annual £1 million fund provided by the Scottish Government to respond to overseas humanitarian emergencies.

Improving the safety of non-surgical cosmetic procedures

Measures to protect the public and establish industry standards

New proposals to improve safety and standards in the non-surgical cosmetic procedures sector have been set out as the Scottish Government publishes its response to a consultation on the issue. 

The proposals, informed by over 2,200 responses and broad stakeholder engagement, intends to introduce a minimum age of 18 for all procedures and classify treatments into three distinct groups which will be regulated to reflect the associated risk:

  • group 1 procedures – such as microneedling and non-ablative laser treatments – will require both a premises licence and individual practitioner licences issued by local authorities
  • group 2 procedures – including injectables like Botox® and dermal fillers – will have to be supervised by a qualified health care professional in a setting regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
  • group 3 procedures – for instance, breast and buttock augmentation – will have to be performed by a qualified healthcare professional in an HIS-regulated setting

The Scottish Government will take forward a combination of primary and secondary legislation to implement the proposals.

A new Bill regulating Group 2 and Group 3 procedures will be introduced later this year. Secondary legislation under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 will establish the licensing regime for Group 1 procedures.

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “It is deeply upsetting to hear of cases where people have suffered as a result of non-surgical cosmetic procedures going wrong. 

“The current gaps in regulation mean that anyone can perform most of these procedures without the need for any formal training or qualifications. These proposals reflect our determination to protect the public and ensure high standards across this growing industry.

“I am particularly heartened by the broad support for action to make the sector safer, and we will continue to work closely with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, local authorities, and the wider industry to support a smooth and effective implementation.”

Targeting funding at frontline services

Financial strategy and action plan published

Savings rising to £2.6 billion in 2029-30 will ensure funding can be targeted at frontline services such as the NHS, social security, action to eradicate child poverty and other priorities.

Under the five-year Medium Term Financial Strategy and Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan the Scottish Government will:

  • increase value for public money, with affordable and sustainable investment plans set out through a Scottish Spending Review in December
  • improve efficiencies and productivity across the public sector by using more technology and automation while improving collaboration between public bodies
  • reform public services, doing more with available resources and prioritising people with the greatest need
  • reduce the public sector workforce by an average of 0.5% every year until 2030 while protecting frontline services
  • invest in preventative measures to reduce demand on services such as health, social care and justice

The strategy and action plan also include measures to support sustainable, inclusive economic growth and ensure a strategic approach to tax policy that considers longer term impacts and competitiveness.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: ““With the world facing profound economic uncertainty this Medium Term Financial Strategy is being published in deeply challenging circumstances. Those challenges have been exacerbated by the actions of the UK Government, whose decisions continue to have serious consequences for the delivery of our public services.

“Managing the impact of Westminster austerity is all too familiar. In spite of this we continue to invest in the people of Scotland, supporting a better paid public sector, delivering high-quality public services and providing welfare support that is not available in other parts of the UK. And we have done this while delivering a balanced budget every single year.

“Fiscal sustainability is about more than balancing the books – it’s about delivering value, driving reform and making strategic choices that support long-term growth. By focusing on efficient public spending, modernising services, growing our economy and taking a strategic approach to tax, we can build a stronger, fairer Scotland.”

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025

Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan 2025

£300,000 boost for Edinburgh International Book Festival

Young people to benefit from schools programme

Over 5,000 schoolchildren will continue to enjoy free literary events from the Edinburgh International Book Festival over the next three years, thanks to a £300,000 grant from the Scottish Government.

The one-off funding will support the festival’s acclaimed schools programme with more than 60 in-person and livestreamed events, including author talks with How to Train Your Dragon author Cressida Cowell and award-winning storyteller Frank Cottrell-Boyce. 

The grant will also maintain travel cost support and free tickets for pupils whose families are unable to cover the cost of ticketed events, ensuring young people of all backgrounds across Edinburgh have an opportunity to participate in the internationally renowned festival.

Children attending will receive a free book through the philanthropy of Book Festival donors as well.

This investment comes as part of a record £34 million increase in Scotland’s Culture budget for 2025-26, which includes an increase of £4 million for Scottish Festivals, towards the government’s commitment to invest an additional £100 million annually in the arts and culture by 2028-29.

Creative Scotland has already awarded the Edinburgh International Book Festival £1,880,000 in public multi-year funding for the next three years, more than doubling previous support.

Minister for Business and Employment Richard Lochhead said: “The Edinburgh International Book Festival is one the country’s most significant cultural institutions. Its schools programme has been crucial in fostering literacy and cultural engagement among young people, with thousands of pupils benefiting annually from free events and resources.

“This funding secures those benefits for young readers across Edinburgh, helping schools that might otherwise struggle with travel costs, and ensuring they have the same opportunity to take part in one of the world’s leading literary festivals.”

Jenny Niven, Festival Director & CEO of Edinburgh International Book Festival said: “The work the Book Festival does for children and young people is a cornerstone of what we do. Publishing for children and young people has never been more vibrant, and the benefits of reading never better evidenced.

“The Festival is perfectly positioned to help children engage with the amazing range and breadth of stories around them, to support teachers to use books imaginatively and creatively in learning, and to supply older kids with the tools to think critically, and learn to evaluate the deluge of info around them.

“This aspect of what we do is vital, and we’re delighted to have specific public funding support to develop this work further in the coming years. 

“We’ve identified the cost of transport as a key barrier to a wider cohort of schools joining us in August, and are committed to maintaining free access for as many children as possible.

“We’re delighted that the Scottish Government’s increased support for festivals has delivered public funding to develop this work further in the coming years and we look forward to widening our reach across Scotland and exploring further the digital potential of what we do.”



About | Edinburgh International Book Festival 

Schools Programme – Learning | Edinburgh International Book Festival

Multi-Year Funding Outcome Announcement | Creative Scotland

‘On behalf of Scotland, we are sorry’: Recognising the legacy of the ‘Tinker Experiments’

First Minister announces formal apology for historical policies

First Minister John Swinney has told Parliament that policies historically applied to Gypsy/Traveller individuals and families were unacceptable and has formally apologised to those communities.

Responding to the publication of research into how Gypsy/Traveller communities were affected by the so-called ‘Tinker Experiments’, Mr Swinney said that while the policies are no longer in effect, and pre-date the Scottish Parliament, they caused significant and lasting trauma to families.

Unjust attitudes and practices resulted in children being removed from Gypsy/Traveller families and families being forced to live in substandard accommodation and degrading conditions.

Extending a formal apology to those affected, Mr Swinney said the Scottish Government is whole-heartedly committed to ensuring mistakes are not repeated in its current and future work.

The First Minister said: “It seems clear to me that stark prejudice and lack of cultural awareness led to a series of unfair and unjust policies. Policies that resulted in children being removed from families, and families  being forced to live in substandard accommodation and degrading conditions.

“The trauma that this has caused to individuals, families and groups, including those who regard themselves as ‘victims of Tinker Experiments’, is significant and lasting.

“So, as First Minister, I want to say this directly to Gypsy/Traveller communities: The ‘Tinker Experiments’ should not have happened. It was wrong. And we recognise how much it is still hurting so many. And more than anything else I want to say this. On behalf of Scotland, we are sorry.”

Clare MacGillivray, Director of Making Rights Real said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s apology to victims of the Tinker Experiments. 

“This feels like a pivotal moment in the victims’ courageous quest for justice. Roseanna and Shamus McPhee has campaigned for an apology for many years- they have worked tirelessly to shine a light on the hidden history of how Gypsy Travellers suffered egregious human rights abuses over many generations.

“Last year the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommended that “the State party, including the government of Scotland, adopt all measures necessary to tackle the causes and legacy of the forced assimilation of Gypsy and Traveller communities”. 

“We look forward to the Scottish Government taking further steps to provide redress to the victims.”

THE Scottish Human Rights Commission has also welcomed the apology. They said: “The Scottish Human Rights Commission welcomes the apology from the Scottish Government to members of the Gypsy Traveller Community for the ‘Tinker Experiment’. 

“Victims of the experiment, alongside organisations like RAJPOT, have long campaigned for recognition of this issue and an apology is an important first step towards redress for historic injustice.

“We will publish our human framework analysis and steps to full redress in November 2025 and we look forward to continuing to engage with victims of the experiment and human rights defenders on this topic.

“Once completed we will share our findings with both the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government to ensure redress is delivered.”