We are committed to hearing from voices across the United Kingdom, and our consultation heard from over 116,000 people, including nearly 6,000 young people. This included direct engagement with children, young people and parents - including a visit to Citadel Youth Centre in Edinburgh and working with Scottish youth representative bodies to reach seldom-heard voices.

We will continue this engagement as we prepare for the restrictions so that young people understand what is changing and why, parents feel supported and informed, and the trusted adults and organisations who work with young people every day can share clear and accurate information.

The Government recognises the vital role of radio in local communities and wants to support areas that are struggling to gain access to local services on digital.

Commercial radio and the BBC are responsible for the operation of their respective radio networks, including the DAB radio networks. This includes delivering coverage to areas and the provision of radio services to listeners as more listening migrates to digital radio and to online services.

Questions relating to the coverage and distribution of radio networks are currently being considered as part of the 2026 Radio Review, which is due to conclude by the end of the year. The Government will continue to work with the BBC and commercial radio on developing future plans for DAB coverage on the basis of the Review’s findings.

The Government recognises the importance of accelerating gigabit-capable broadband deployment across the UK and keeps barriers to digital connectivity under review through engagement with industry, Ofcom and the Devolved Administrations. Through Project Gigabit, contracts have been signed since 2024 to connect a further 846,770 premises across the UK, including 77,640 premises in Scotland.

Openreach is currently delivering a Project Gigabit contract covering areas across Central, Northern and Western Scotland, as well as Dumfries and Galloway. Over 6,500 premises have already gained coverage as part of this delivery. In addition to this, GoFibre is delivering Project Gigabit contracts across the North East of Scotland and the Borders and East Lothian. BDUK and The Scottish Government are due to publish delivery updates on these contracts soon.

On 14 July the then Minister for Digital Economy wrote to her Scottish Government counterpart to emphasise that DCMS officials stand ready to continue discussions on targeted measures to support broadband deployment in Scotland, particularly in relation to deployments in multi-dwelling units.

While the Government recognises STV’s operational independence, it is important that they continue to provide for all audiences in Northern and Central Scotland.

I have recently engaged with STV senior leadership to communicate my disappointment with this outcome and to emphasise the importance of audiences across STV’s licenced areas being able to see the new stories that matter to their local community reflected on screen.

Any changes to STV’s Channel 3 licences are a matter for Ofcom who determine and enforce these licences. As part of their statutory monitoring role, Ofcom has confirmed it plans to monitor the impact of their changes through STV’s annual Statement of Programme Policy and their overall assessment of the public service broadcasters’ delivery of their remit.

While the Government recognises STV’s operational independence, it is important that they continue to provide for all audiences in Northern and Central Scotland.

I have recently engaged with STV senior leadership to communicate my disappointment with this outcome and to emphasise the importance of audiences across STV’s licenced areas being able to see the new stories that matter to their local community reflected on screen.

Any changes to STV’s Channel 3 licences are a matter for Ofcom who determine and enforce these licences. As part of their statutory monitoring role, Ofcom has confirmed it plans to monitor the impact of their changes through STV’s annual Statement of Programme Policy and their overall assessment of the public service broadcasters’ delivery of their remit.

While the Government recognises STV’s operational independence, it is important that they continue to provide for all audiences in Northern and Central Scotland.

I have recently engaged with STV senior leadership to communicate my disappointment with this outcome and to emphasise the importance of audiences across STV’s licenced areas being able to see the new stories that matter to their local community reflected on screen.

Any changes to STV’s Channel 3 licences are a matter for Ofcom who determine and enforce these licences. As part of their statutory monitoring role, Ofcom has confirmed it plans to monitor the impact of their changes through STV’s annual Statement of Programme Policy and their overall assessment of the public service broadcasters’ delivery of their remit.

Heritage funding is a devolved matter. However, listed places of worship in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have benefitted from VAT rebate grants from the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which ran from 2001 to 2026.

At Spending Reviews, the Devolved Governments receive Barnett consequentials as a proportion of overall departmental settlements, not specific funding lines or programmes. In last year’s Spending Review, Barnett consequentials were confirmed for Devolved Governments in the usual way, taking into account the overall DCMS allocation, which includes capital funding for the England only Places of Worship Renewal Fund. Decisions on how this funding is spent are for the Devolved Governments to take.

We are working closely with other funders in the sector to ensure that opportunities for funding places of worship throughout the UK are maximised. The NLHF already offers grants for places of worship across all the UK and is currently investing £100m over 3 years through National Lottery Heritage Grants and a strategic initiative designed to provide targeted support to build capacity.

Heritage funding is devolved, however listed places of worship in Scotland have benefitted from VAT rebate grants from the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which ran from 2001 to 2026.

The Minister for Heritage met with representatives from the Church of Scotland and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scotland on 10th March to discuss the closure of the scheme. We have announced a new scheme in England, the Places of Worship Renewal Fund, which will award grants for projects to cover capital works. It will not offer just the VAT rebate of a project.

At Spending Reviews, the Devolved Governments receive Barnett consequentials as a proportion of overall departmental settlements, not specific funding lines or programmes. Barnett consequentials were confirmed for Devolved Governments in the usual way, taking into account the overall DCMS allocation, which includes capital funding for the Places of Worship Renewal fund. Decisions on how this funding is spent are for the Devolved Governments to take.

Heritage is a devolved competence, however some funders operate across the UK. To ensure continued support for listed places of worship across the UK, we are working with sector funders to maximise opportunities for all nations. The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) remains a vital resource, offering grants across the UK and investing £100 million over three years in places of worship. This includes a strategic initiative designed to provide targeted support and build capacity, ensuring that places of worship in Scotland have access to investment.

At the Spending Review 2025, HM Treasury agreed budgets for Departments for a three-year period for Resource DEL, and a four-year period for Capital DEL. The Department then completed a Business Planning process to allocate this funding to programmes. This included £92 million (£23 million per year) for the Places of Worship Renewal Fund.

At Spending Reviews, the Devolved Governments generally receive Barnett consequentials as a proportion of overall departmental settlements, not specific funding lines or programmes. Barnett consequentials were confirmed taking into account the overall DCMS allocation, which includes funding for the Places of Worship Renewal fund. Decisions on the allocation of this funding are then for the Devolved Governments to take.

I refer him to Written Parliamentary Question HL14753.

Heritage funding is devolved, however listed places of worship in Scotland have benefitted from VAT rebate grants from the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which ran from 2001 to the end of this financial year.

The Department conducted an evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. Our evaluation showed that while it had many benefits, 80% of respondents said that they would still have carried out the work without the rebate. The evaluation included an extensive survey of current and past scheme users and is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-listed-places-of-worship-scheme-final-report. We are aware that grants from the scheme will have benefited many recipients across Scotland, with a total of 1,513 Listed Places of Worship grant claims to a value of £6.9m being awarded to Scottish applicants since August 2022.

The Government has recently announced the Places of Worship Renewal Fund in England which will provide upfront capital support in the areas where it is needed most.

At Spending Reviews, the Devolved Governments generally receive Barnett consequentials as a proportion of overall departmental settlements, not specific funding lines or programmes. Barnett consequentials were confirmed taking into account the overall DCMS allocation, which includes funding for the Places of Worship Renewal fund. Decisions on the allocation of this funding are then for the Devolved Governments to take.

DCMS Ministers met with the Scottish tourism minister in July 2025 as part of the Devolved Administrations' Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) for Tourism, where Short-Term Lets were briefly discussed. Additionally, DCMS officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the Devolved Administrations, including the Scottish Government, to discuss issues related to tourism, including short-term lets.

The government is highly supportive of the value of radio in local communities, and wants to support areas that are struggling to gain access to local services on digital.

Commercial radio and the BBC are responsible for the operation of their respective radio networks, including the DAB radio networks. This includes delivering coverage to areas and the provision of radio services to listeners as more listening migrates to digital radio and to online services.

DAB household coverage was assessed by the Digital Radio and Audio Review report published in October 2021. The Review concluded that the financial challenges involved meant that further DAB coverage by the BBC and commercial radio over the next 5 years was likely to be modest. While there are no current plans by the BBC to further expand the coverage of its national DAB network or by commercial radio operators to add more sites to the local DAB network, the government will continue to work with the BBC and commercial radio on developing future options.

As well as supporting the improvements to national and local DAB coverage, DCMS has backed the development of small-scale DAB with Ofcom and the radio industry. Small-scale DAB is a new way of transmitting digital radio that uses advances in software and low-cost computer technology to provide a flexible and inexpensive approach to the terrestrial broadcast of digital radio services to a relatively small geographic area. This initiative will provide local commercial and community radio stations with a viable opportunity to broadcast on digital, and reach under-served areas.

I regularly engage with stakeholders across the food, drink and retail sectors.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are keeping the weather situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was set up by DEFRA and the Devolved Governments to monitor the UK market situation across all key agricultural commodities.

As you will be aware, I speak regularly with the Deputy First Minister, and my officials frequently engage with their Scottish Government counterparts. National security is the responsibility of the UK Government and protecting our democracy is one of our highest priorities. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. The Home Office’s taskforce to protect the democratic integrity, called the Defending Democracy Taskforce, was set up to tackle threats facing our democracy.

I have not recently met with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to discuss these matters. However, the Home Office’s taskforce to protect the democratic integrity, called the Defending Democracy Taskforce, was set up to tackle threats facing our entire democracy - including, but not limited to, election security. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats.

Protecting our democracy is one of the Government’s highest priorities. The Defending Democracy Taskforce was set up to tackle threats including, but not limited to, election security. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK against foreign interference. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats.

The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme is administered by the Scottish Government which could provide a more accurate assessment. However, I support any measures that protect our natural environment in Scotland.

As you will be aware, I speak regularly with the Deputy First Minister, and my officials frequently engage with their Scottish Government counterparts.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are keeping the weather situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was set up by DEFRA and the Devolved Governments to monitor the UK market situation across all key agricultural commodities.