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
Annex B – Methodology
The 2025–2026 Programme for Government committed to publishing an action and implementation plan by the end of 2025 to assess regulatory controls in key growth sectors—starting with housing, public infrastructure, and green industries—to make it easier to do business.
Our aim was to understand where unnecessary regulatory barriers limit economic activity and negatively impact commercial decisions to then determine any appropriate actions to reduce those barriers while preserving public benefits.
The approach for this work was to be guided by feedback from businesses and investors. We undertook a multi-channel engagement process to gather insights from across Scotland’s business landscape. This included:
- Direct conversations with individual businesses and investors;
- Engagement with representative organisations across key sectors;
- Participation in business fora to capture strategic and operational perspectives;
- Issuing a targeted survey to gather broader input on regulatory experiences.
This engagement was designed to surface practical insights into how regulation is experienced by those operating in Scotland’s economy, and to identify barriers to investment and delivery.
Stakeholder feedback has been central to developing the themes and actions set out in this report. Engagement will remain ongoing, with further opportunities for stakeholders to contribute as this work progresses.
While stakeholders shared a wide range of views on the regulatory landscape, the road bond system in the housing sector was the only specific regulatory barrier – focussed on the delivery of the regulation – identified that could be verified as having a material impact on investment and delivery. This issue has been prioritised for targeted reform. We remain open to further specific matters.
Beyond this, feedback informed a set of cross-cutting regulatory themes, which have been analysed internally and developed into a series of strategic actions aligned with our Better Regulation principles.
In parallel, we have engaged across the Scottish Government to ensure alignment with wider economic, planning, procurement, and public service reform agendas. This collaborative approach ensures that regulatory reform is coherent, coordinated, and embedded within Scotland’s broader policy landscape. This approach will continue.