The Scottish Government has published a ministerial statement by Net Zero and Energy Cabinet Secretary, Màiri McAllan regarding the greenhouse gas emissions statistics for 2022. In 2022, Scottish emissions decreased by 50.0% since 1990. This represents a 0.1% reduction from 2021, marking the halfway point to net zero emissions. However, these statistics indicate that Scotland did not meet its 2022 target of a 53.8% reduction in emissions.

The Scottish Government has published guidance on Community Rights to Buy, a collection of legal powers and one of several community ownership mechanisms available to communities across Scotland. This guide seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of each of the four rights to buy powers and serves as a single source and portal for all guidance books, forms, and model templates for each right to buy.

The Scottish Government has published industry guidance on the implementation of Phase 1 of the Compliance Plan Approach (CPA) for High Risk Buildings (HRBs). The guidance sets out how compliance with building regulations should be planned, managed, monitored and evidenced throughout the full lifecycle of a project. It responds to findings from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the Review Panel on Building Standards Compliance and Enforcement. The CPA applies from 1 April 2026 to new-build HRBs and major cladding remediation works, and will apply from 1 January 2027 to all other major HRB works. Legislative changes are anticipated between 2026–31 to mandate the approach and introduce a Compliance Plan Manager role.

The Scottish government has published guidance on rental discrimination provisions under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, which will take effect from 1 May 2026. The guidance specifies that landlords, letting agents and their agents will be prohibited from treating tenants unfairly because they have children or receive benefits, regardless of the type of private tenancy in Scotland. Under the new rules, any mortgage terms that attempt to prevent tenants with children or benefit recipients from renting property will be rendered invalid. In addition, insurance contracts containing discriminatory provisions will only remain valid if they were in place before 1 May 2026, renewed or new contract cannot be used to refuse housing to such tenants.

The Director of Local Government and Housing has published guidance on the Compliance Plan Approach (CPA) for high risk buildings verification during construction, developed in response to recommendations from the 2018 Review Panel on Building Standards Compliance and Enforcement. The guidance introduces the new Compliance Plan Manager role, to be established through legislative amendments to the Building (Scotland) Act 2003, responsible for developing and delivering compliance plans on behalf of Relevant Persons. The approach includes Construction Compliance Notification Plans, which verifiers will issue with building warrants to detail inspection stages and compliance evidence requirements. The guidance defines high risk buildings as those subject to the full compliance plan approach and establishes enhanced verification procedures intended to ensure buildings are constructed in compliance with building regulations. The document outlines roles for Building Standards Division, Local Authority Building Standards Scotland, and the Scottish Building Standards Hub in implementing the new framework.

The Scottish Government has published advice and guidance on making a representation on an application for a marine licence and section 36 consent. Any representations to the Marine Directorate – Licensing Operations Team regarding an application must identify the application to which the representation relates and specify the grounds for representation. A variety of consultation and publication requirements also apply to consents granted under the Electricity Act 1989, marine licences under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Marine Coastal Access Act 2009, and environmental impact assessments.

The Scottish Government has published guidance on the declaration of safety zones in relation to the construction, operation, maintenance, extension or decommissioning of a renewable energy installation in the marine environment. This guidance forms part of a collection of guidance notes on licensing and consenting requirements for the marine environment.

The Scottish Government has published guidance for local authorities on rent control assessments and periodic reports under sections 6 and 7 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025. The guidance states that all 32 local authorities must assess rent conditions every five years and report their findings to Scottish Ministers. Reports must include recommendations on whether all or part of an authority’s area should be designated as a rent control area. The guidance states that authorities must have regard to it when conducting assessments and preparing reports. It explains that Scottish Ministers must publish their decision and reasons, and consult the relevant authority and tenant and landlord representatives before designation. The guidance notes that designations expire after five years.

The Scottish Government's Local Government and Housing Directorate has published interim guidance for social landlords during the review of the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing post 2020 (EESSH2). The guidance supersedes both the existing EESSH2 guidance and the 2022 interim guidance. It is expected to be replaced by the new Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS), following completion of the EESSH2 review and the consultation on the SHNZS conducted between November 2023 and March 2024. Final decisions on the SHNZS are anticipated by spring 2027, with the first reporting year to the Scottish Housing Regulator intended to commence in April 2028. During the review period, social landlords are advised to continue investing in energy efficiency measures and clean heating systems, with a focus on fabric-first approaches and zero emission electrical heating.

The Scottish Government has published a letter from the Regulatory Review Group (RRG) to the Deputy First Minister on the implementation of the Scottish Building Safety Levy from 1 April 2028. The RRG raises concerns that housebuilders could pass some of the levy’s costs to consumers, potentially affecting housing supply, with some builders absorbing the costs and others passing them on. It recommends clarifying how the remaining remediation costs will be funded, as the levy is expected to cover only around 25% of the total. It also recommends comprehensive monitoring to identify issues and unintended consequences and ensure remediation proceeds as planned. The RRG welcomes the planned three-year review period, which will allow rates and exemptions to be reconsidered alongside a report to Parliament. It also seeks an update on how the Scottish Government intends to take its recommendations forward.

The Scottish Government has published the new 'Building standards: procedural handbook - Third Edition Version 1.8', which provides detailed guidance on the procedures underpinning the Scottish building standards system. This handbook clarifies the procedures set up by the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Building (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2004, aiding in the practical operation of these regulations. It covers topics such as dangerous and defective buildings, the roles of verifiers and local authorities, and the process for reviewing building standards procedures and regulations.

The Scottish Government has published a new Construction Policy Note (CPN) to provide notification of new guidance which details the Graduated Pricing Mechanism, an alternative method for determining the price score in tender assessments.