The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on proposals to disapply s 124 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, concerning the time limits for taking enforcement action on unauthorised development which requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This follows a case of unauthorised development in Northern Ireland for which an EIA was required, but not undertaken. The need for an EIA was only identified after the time limit for enforcement had expired and the development was immune from enforcement action. The consultation closes on 11 July 2024.

The Scottish Government has opened the First Homes Fund, a shared-equity scheme providing first-time buyers with a £10,000 deposit contribution towards properties valued at up to £300,000. The £500 million scheme aims to support approximately 50,000 households over the current Parliament. The Scottish Government will hold an equity share in participating properties by way of a security, with no monthly payments or interest charged. The share is repayable upon sale or upon a triggering payment event per the terms of the shared equity agreement. Five lenders have signed up to the scheme, including Leeds Building Society, Scottish Building Society, Glasgow Credit Union, NatWest and Lloyds Banking Group, with more expected to follow.

The Scottish Government's Local Government and Housing Directorate has opened a call for evidence on challenges in accessing housing infrastructure finance. This follows recommendations from the Scottish Housing Investment Taskforce's June 2025 report on Scotland's housing emergency. The government is seeking input from businesses, third sector organisations and registered social landlords to identify sites that could be unlocked through infrastructure financing. In partnership with the Scottish National Investment Bank, it also aims to assess market demand for new loan options and explore reward- and risk-sharing models. Responses will help pinpoint gaps in market funding and existing support mechanisms. The call for evidence will remain open until 5 November 2025.

The Scottish Government has opened a consultation on Scotland's first flood resilience strategy. The strategy sets out what is needed in the long term to make places more flood resilient. The consultation seeks views on the strategy's proposed guiding principles and the three key themes of people, places and processes. The consultation closes on 13 August 2024.

The Scottish Government has passed the Circular Economy Bill, which gives Ministers and local authorities the ability to increase reuse and recycling rates, as well as modernise and improve waste and recycling services. The legislation will also set statutory targets for the delivery of a circular economy to measure progress in transforming the economy, restrict the disposal of unsold consumer goods to divert them from landfill and give local authorities additional enforcement powers to respond to fly-tipping and littering from cars. These measures will be underpinned by support and investment, building on the investments already made through the £70m Recycling Improvement Fund.

Employment tribunal fees are to be abolished in Scotland under powers to be devolved by the Scotland Bill currently passing through the UK Parliament, according to the Scottish Government programme for 2015-16: A Stronger Scotland.

The Scottish Government has released its 2020-2023 implementation report on the Protection of Water Against Agricultural Nitrate Pollution (Scotland) Regulations 1996. This quadrennial report, mandated by the amended Regulation 8 following the UK's exit from the EU, provides a comprehensive overview of water quality monitoring, Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) designations, and the effectiveness of the Action Programme. The report includes SEPA's monitoring results, current NVZ maps, summaries of recent NVZ and action programme reviews, measures to promote good agricultural practices, and projections of the action programme's impact on future water quality.

The Scottish Government has published its 2024 progress report on the Heat in Buildings Strategy and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, assessing the effectiveness of its delivery schemes and programmes in reaching net zero. The report indicates a decrease in Scotland’s overall carbon emissions, including those directly from buildings, and highlights increases in energy efficiency across all housing tenures, along with an increase in heat pump installations. The Scottish Government is reviewing the New Build Heat Standard to ensure it reflects and addresses the ongoing role of wood burning stoves and bioenergy systems, which are crucial for rural communities. It also intends to publish a Heat in Buildings Delivery Plan next year, detailing timelines, key priorities, and milestones for the next five years, laying the foundation for achieving net zero by 2045.

The Scottish Government has published its 2026 Heat in Buildings Progress Report, outlining progress towards reducing emissions from buildings and tackling fuel poverty. The report notes continued improvements in energy efficiency and increased use of cleaner heating systems, including heat pumps. Fuel poverty also fell in 2024, largely reflecting lower energy prices. The government provided more than £213 million in capital and loan funding to support energy efficiency, clean heating and heat networks, while its Warmer Homes Scotland scheme assisted more than 6,000 households in 2025–26. The report also confirms further work on new energy efficiency standards and reforms to Energy Performance Certificates, with the revised regime now expected to take effect in April 2028.

The Scottish Government has published guidance for tenants and landlords on duties under the Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026, SSI 2026/173, which take effect on 6 October 2026. Social and private landlords must arrange for a competent person to investigate reports of damp or mould within ten working days, provide a written summary of the findings within three working days of completing the investigation and, where substantial damp or mould is identified, begin any necessary repairs within five working days. Social landlords must complete the repairs within 20 working days of starting them, while private landlords must complete them as soon as reasonably practicable. The duties apply to accommodation covered by the Right to Repair Scheme or the Repairing Standard. The guidance also covers exceptions to the timeframes, record-keeping requirements and enforcement routes where landlords fail to comply. Cases reported before 6 October 2026 are not subject to the new timeframes.

The Scottish Government has published its Biodiversity Investment Plan (BIP), aimed at creating a nature finance system that directs funding towards high-integrity biodiversity outcomes. The BIP outlines actions to facilitate effective public, private, and philanthropic investment in nature restoration and biodiversity priorities, aligning with the Strategic Biodiversity Framework Vision and Outcomes and the Scottish National Adaptation Plan 3. It also provides tools and resources for developing natural capital projects that attract responsible private investment.

The Scottish Government has published minutes from Building Safety Levy Expert Advisory Group meetings held on 4 November 2025 and 28 January 2026, both released on 5 February 2026. The minutes reveal concerns from members that the Levy Free Allowance threshold of 19 units had not been consulted on with stakeholders, with members strongly favouring setting this threshold in primary legislation rather than regulations. Scottish Government officials clarified their intention to set the Levy Free Allowance in regulations alongside rates and confirmed the Minister's commitment to strengthening reporting requirements in the Bill through government amendments expected on 4 February. The Levy commencement has been delayed from April 2027 to April 2028, with indicative rates to be published in June 2026 alongside an updated Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment. The group supported aligning the Scottish approach with the methodology used in England, with the Levy aimed at generating £30m annually. Officials committed to further engagement on cash flow concerns for Build-to-Rent developments and to explore data sharing relating to the Levy Free Allowance.