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The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to reducing drug-related harms. On 10 March 2026, the Scottish Government and COSLA published ‘Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery: Scotland’s Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan 2026-2035’. This long-term plan builds on the achievements of the National Mission and provides a clear framework for sustaining action to reduce both drug- and alcohol-related harms.

To deliver on our ambitions, we are sustaining the significant increase in investment made over the course of the National Mission. We are maintaining record levels of funding of more than £160 million in total. This includes £115 million for Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships across Scotland and continued investment in the third sector.

The Strategic Plan is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/preventing-harm-promoting-recovery-scotlands-alcohol-drugs-strategic-plan-2026-2035/.

The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a moratorium on data centres.

The environmental implications of all developments which require planning permission are considered through the planning process, and all proposed developments are considered on their own merits. In cases where a proposal is likely to have a significant environmental effect, these powers are further supplemented by the procedures set out in environmental impact assessment legislation. National Planning Framework 4 makes clear that significant weight will be given to the global climate and nature crises when considering all development proposals. We continue to review emerging evidence on energy use, resource implications and good practice in the operation of data centres.

The Nature Investment Partnership continues to engage with a range of investors, land managers and local communities to identify the most suitable approach for each potential investment site. No private finance has yet been directed through the Partnership into on-the-ground projects. More information about the Partnership is available on its webpage: Nature Investment Partnership | NatureScot.

The Scottish Government allocated £4 million in 2024-25 to support road authorities in the development and implementation of 20 mph speed limits on appropriate roads. A further £10 million was available in the current financial year, reflecting the Government’s ongoing commitment to the rollout of 20 mph speed limits on roads where it is appropriate to do so.

Wildlife Crime is unacceptable and the Scottish Government has taken numerous actions to tackle wildlife crime in recent years. This includes increasing the penalties for the most serious offences and increasing powers for Scottish SPCA inspectors under the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Acy 2024 to search for, examine, and seize evidence of relevant offences whilst on non-domestic property when attending that property under their existing powers.

We are supporting Police Scotland by continuing to fund the full time Scottish Wildlife Crime Investigative Support Officer role within the National Wildlife Crime Unit for 2026-27. This is a crucial role that supports law enforcement investigations across Scotland. The Investigative Support Officer provides Police Officers with specialist advice and guidance as well as hands on practical support with investigations and searches.

Ultimately, prosecutorial decision-making in individual cases is a matter for the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service, who are operationally independent of the Scottish Ministers.

The Scottish Government announced its intention to launch ScotZEB on 17 November 2025 with the scheme opening to bids on 5 December 2025. Officials met with interested stakeholders on request, and responded to all queries regarding eligibility, scheme guidance and technical requirements, both directly and through the scheme administrator, the Energy Saving Trust. The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) was also notified at the point of scheme launch.

The Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray awards grants on a competitive basis. Geothermal projects are able to apply as long as the funding criteria are met.

The Community and Renewable Energy Scheme provides support for communities across Scotland to develop their own renewable energy projects through its Community Energy Generation Growth Fund. This support covers a range of technologies and applications for deep geothermal projects are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan referred to the planned publication of a Renewables Export Plan to grow exports of goods and services related to energy produced from renewable sources, such as geothermal. We subsequently published ‘A Trading Nation – A Framework to Grow Scotland’s Renewables Exports’ in March 2023 and the ‘Renewables Exports: Action Plan’ in February 2025.

We will continue to work with stakeholders to improve understanding of Scotland’s deep geothermal resource and how it can help the journey to net zero.

ScotZEB3 is a capital grant subsidy scheme rather than a procurement exercise. As such, the Procurement Act 2023 does not apply. The Scottish Government does not directly procure buses; vehicle procurement is carried out by bus operators.

The Scottish Government engages regularly with Transport Scotland, which is responsible for taking forward the M8 Woodside Viaducts Permanent Solution project. Work is in progress to develop the Strategic Outline Case for the project, including consideration of a range of alternative approaches that are currently the subject of a public consultation which runs to 25 March. Feedback from that consultation will be considered alongside other factors to determine the preferred approach for the project, which will balance issues such as engineering, environmental, economic, health and safety and social value considerations. Transport Scotland will discuss the emerging findings from this assessment with the Scottish Government when this work is sufficiently advanced.

Electric vehicles are carried by the current operator in line with standard booking requirements. Serco Northlink Ferries applies additional safety measures by identifying and segregating EVs on board, in accordance with evolving maritime regulations, and provides EV charging facilities at all terminals.

As part of the next iteration of the NIFS4 contract we will continue to ensure that the service allows those who wish to travel with an electric vehicle to do so in accordance with operational requirements and applicable safety regulations.