First Minister John Swinney has set out a five-year Programme for Government headlined by the replacement of Scotland’s 14 territorial NHS boards with two strategic health boards.
Announcing Programme for Government 2026-2031 on 1 September 2026, First Minister John Swinney said patients would receive better care, with shorter waits, “as a result of the most significant structural reform of our NHS in the devolution era”.
Other measures include a national breakfast club for all primary schools from August 2027; childcare support 52 weeks a year for children from nine months old to the end of primary school by 2031; raising the Scottish Child Payment to £40 per week for eligible babies under 1 during 2027-28; £205 million in winter heating payments for pensioners, families with disabled children and struggling households; defining misogyny as a distinct form of prejudice and abuse; and expanding the £2 bus fare cap beyond the Highlands and Islands to the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport area from Monday 7 September, ahead of a national roll-out by the end of this Parliament.
The Government said it would support “better jobs and higher incomes by making Scotland a better place to invest and do business”, and bring the national environment public bodies into a single overarching body.
Nine Bills will be introduced during 2026-27: the Budget Bill; Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill; Council Tax (Scotland) Bill; Damages (Scotland) Bill; Food Prices (Scotland) Bill; Football Banning Orders (Scotland) Bill; Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill; Misogyny (Criminal Law) (Scotland) Bill; and Public Service Renewal (Scotland) Bill.
First Minister John Swinney said: “This ambitious Programme for Government has radical and widespread public service reform at its heart to deliver real, lasting improvements to people’s lives.”
He said: “By rewiring a system of services designed for the last century, we will simplify and reshape organisations on which everyone relies and ensure every pound of investment achieves maximum impact.
“As we do so, we will build on the most generous cost of living package anywhere in the UK while continuing to tackle inequality, poverty and division.
“This is a Programme for Government to deliver a fairer, healthier and more prosperous nation.”
