Rural services

Thousands more low-income families will benefit from free school age childcare as part of a £15 million investment to help tackle child poverty

Existing services for eligible families in areas of Dundee, Clackmannanshire, Glasgow and Inverclyde will be expanded, with new services set up in other communities across Scotland.

First Minister Humza Yousaf has reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s commitment to resetting the relationship with local authorities in a meeting with COSLA President Shona Morrison.

A community hub in South Uist is set to be extended, providing more education and social opportunities to local residents.

Small scale producers are set to have access to a range of new support designed to create more localised supply chains and cut food miles.

The Scottish Government’s Small Producers Pilot Fund aims to help individual small producers increase their resilience and enhance their contribution to the rural economy.

The adder is the only widespread native snake occurring in Scotland. While there is growing evidence of a long-term decline in populations in Britain, especially in England, the situation in Scotland is less clear. 

The Scottish Government has published advice on what to do if you suspect an outbreak of avian influenza.

As part of a nationally representative sample, the survey by the Woodland Trust found deep concerns about the future among 16-24-year-olds, with almost one in four (24%) saying fears over the climate crisis mean they are willing to consider, or have already decided, to have fewer children than they would otherwise like.

Continuing to build relationships with Arctic neighbours will help Scotland pursue shared ambitions and address common challenges, External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson has said.