Scottish Government consultations

What is your view on the proposed TAC level for Clyde herring in 2025?

A range of responses were received, as can be found in the outcome report

Having considered the best available scientific information, the wider obligations and analysed all responses submitted through the consultation process, the TAC for 2025 has been recommended to the UK Secretary of State at 583 tonnes. This is a rollover of the 2024 TAC and retains the existing management measures.

We held a public consultation seeking views on the Scottish Government's proposals to mitigate the two-child limit in Universal Credit in Scotland. The consultation opened on 21 February 2025 and closed on 18 April 2025. 

We asked four questions about:

• whether Social Security Scotland should deliver payments to mitigate the two-child cap in Scotland;
• whether the powers at s79 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 to top-up Universal Credit should be used to mitigate the two-child cap;
• whether payments to mitigate the two-child cap should be disregarded as income by the UK Government; and
• any potential impacts of the proposed approach outlined in the consultation on different groups of people, communities and businesses.

We also held a workshop with people who have lived experience of the two-child limit on Universal Credit to supplement the online consultation.

A total of 267 responses were received. Most consultation responses were from individuals, with 42 responses from organisations. A range of organisations responded including third sector organisations, local authorities and representative bodies. 

During the workshop event attendees shared their answers to the consultation questions. Their insights were considered alongside the formal consultation responses.

We commissioned an independent research company, Wellside Research, to conduct the analysis of the consultation responses and their analysis report has been published on the Scottish Government website. The analysis report is also available in easy read format. We have published the consultation responses, where permission has been given to do this, on Citizen Space.

The Scottish Government is committed to effectively scrapping the impact of the two-child cap in 2026. We are working at pace to begin payments as soon as possible.

In response to requests to consider a general power of competence for local authorities in Scotland, we launched a consultation to seek views on:

• The perceived barriers, risks and limitations of existing legislative powers.
• What functions, beyond those already conferred by statute, local authorities in Scotland wish to pursue and whether new legislation or amendments to existing legislation would best deliver those additional functions. 
• The continuing reluctance in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to rely on a General Power of Competence and how best to ensure the effective framing of similar legislative powers in Scotland to provide clarity and confidence to local authorities in the use of such powers.
• How best to ensure that legislation contains the right balance of flexibility and control to mitigate risks arising from greater financial freedoms.

The consultation proposed various approaches for consideration, which reflected the possibility of:

1. retaining the existing statutory framework without change,
2. amendments to widen the scope of existing legislative powers whilst retaining appropriate controls to mitigate risk,
3. introducing a General Power of Competence.

The consultation elicited a wide range of divergent views. A clear preference was expressed for a general power of competence by some, whilst others felt that specific rather than general powers would best serve the public interest whilst providing the flexibility and greater certainty sought by local authorities to pursue innovation without fear of legal challenge. Some felt that a general power of competence or amendments to existing legislation could deliver the greater freedoms sought by local authorities. Some respondents did not support the introduction of a general power of competence or amendments to existing legislation, and highlighted the risks of removing existing safeguards designed to protect public funds and the provision of public services.

We have carefully reviewed the range of views expressed. Options will now be explored to deliver an appropriate balance between the aspirations of Local Government for greater local empowerment and confidence in innovation whilst providing public assurance that appropriate safeguards are in place to mitigate financial risk and ensure continued prioritisation and delivery of core public services.