Better Regulation: supporting economic growth and investment
This report is a review of regulation in key sectors in Scotland’s economy – housing, green industries and public infrastructure - to ensure that in the content and delivery of regulation there are no unnecessary impediments to growth and investment. It delivers against 2025 Programme for Government
Ministerial foreword
Our regulatory environment is central to our ambition to deliver stronger, sustainable, inclusive and resilient economic growth. When regulation is clear, coherent, and proportionate it bolsters investor confidence, fosters innovation, and ensures public safety and trust.
This report delivers on our Programme for Government commitment to review existing regulation across key growth sectors in Scotland’s economy – starting with housing, green industries and public infrastructure – to ensure that both in the content and delivery of regulation there are no unnecessary impediments to growth and investment. It helps to build the evidence base we need to identify challenges within our regulatory system and seize opportunities to address them.
We know that Scotland’s regulatory system is widely recognised as stable and robust, and this is a strength we will protect. But we also know that complexity, inconsistency, and cumulative burdens can create barriers to investment and delivery. Through this review, we have listened carefully to businesses and investors, and we are acting on what we have heard.
This report sets out a clear plan of action. It includes targeted reforms to address specific issues, such as the road bond system in the housing sector, and broader measures to improve how regulation is designed and delivered. We have already taken action – establishing a Scottish Regulators Forum to strengthen collaboration, working to refresh the Scottish Regulators’ Strategic Code of Practice, and we will continue to use the expertise of the Regulatory Review Group to scrutinise new proposals.
Our agenda is not about deregulation as part of a ‘race to the bottom’. Rather, it is about ensuring better regulation through regulating better. It is about creating a system that protects what we collectively value while enabling our businesses to thrive and our communities to flourish.
I invite you to read this report and continue to share your views as we take forward this work to improve our regulatory environment.
Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic