Scottish Government eugenic policy and MSP field guides: FOI release

Information requested

Part 1:

• Could the Scottish Government please state if it aims to or is developing a eugenics policy to be rolled out across Scotland.
• If 'no', could the Scottish Government please state why it has no plans to implement an eugenics policy.

Part 2

• Could the Scottish Government please state how many MSPs own field guides for the natural world and if any, could an average figure per MSP be given.

Response

In response to part 1 of your request, the Scottish Government is not developing a eugenics policy and has no plans to develop such a policy.

The Scottish Government aims to create a fairer and greener country; an inclusive Scotland that respects and fulfils internationally recognised human rights, and protects the basic rights and freedoms all human beings are entitled to.

The Scottish Government’s policy and approach to population and demography is set out in Scotland’s first national population strategy ‘A Scotland for the future: opportunities and challenges of Scotland's changing population.’

The strategy sets out the cross-cutting demographic challenges that Scotland faces at national and local level – a falling birth rate, an ageing population, geographical imbalances, and the unknown longterm effects of COVID-19 and Brexit on our population.

To fund and deliver quality public services, we need a well-skilled and resilient population. Beyond the importance to government finances and the ability of the public sector to provide services to its population, Scotland’s population is a driver of overall economic activity and growth and having a sustainable and growing working age population is important.

As well as the importance of having a population that is able to fund our public services, we also need people who are able to work and deliver these crucial services. A declining working age population means that there are fewer people available to deliver key public services or to meet gaps in the workforce.

We want a Scotland where everybody thrives, where healthy life expectancy increases, and where people who enter retirement are supported and have access to the services that they need.

Details on the steps the Scottish Government will take to tackle the national demographic challenge that Scotland faces can be found in the population strategy.

In response to part 2 of your request, I am unable to provide this information as it is not held by the Scottish Government. You may wish to direct this part of your request to the Scottish Parliament.

Reasons for not providing information

An exemption under section 17 (1)(b): Notice that information is not held applies to someone the information you have requested. This is because Scottish Government does not hold that information.

About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.