The key challenges the next Scottish government will face - BERITAJA

In conscionable a fewer weeks' time, voters will spell to the polls to formed their ballot successful the 2026 Scottish parliament election.

After almost 2 decades successful power, the SNP stay the statement to beat.

Ahead of the predetermination connected 7 May, we took to the streets of Clackmannanshire to inquire voters what cardinal challenges they want the adjacent Scottish authorities to prioritise.

The section authority area - known arsenic the Wee County - often reflects the sentiment of Scotland arsenic a whole.

Indeed, the precocious erstwhile first curate Alex Salmond once told Beritaja that he began to constitute his concession reside during the Scottish independency referendum successful 2014 aft Clacks was the first to declare, and it was a resounding "no".

Here are immoderate of the apical issues voters want to spot tackled.

Alleviating the costs of surviving crisis

The UK hardly emerged from the COVID pandemic earlier it plunged into a cost-of-living crisis.

Years on, the business is yet to amended for households crossed the country.

All those we said to highlighted their financial woes - from having to walk much connected nutrient and wide bills, to watching their power costs soar.

Jackie Conroy and Karen McInroy, who activity astatine Coalsnaughton Post Office and Premier store, said they had noticed a alteration since the pandemic.

Ms McInroy said: "Everything is getting dearer and dearer and dearer.

"Even erstwhile your wages spell up, they're not going up capable to screen everything else. Something needs to beryllium done about that."

Many said of their interest complete the antagonistic effects of the Ukraine-Russia and US/Israel-Iran conflicts.

Ms McInroy said the caller warring successful the Middle East had costs her other astatine the petrol pump, pinch further fears a imaginable substance shortage could impact her expertise to recreation to work.

Married mates Liz and Grant Gillespie besides agreed location has been a "build-up" since COVID, pinch observant information now fixed successful respect to eating retired for dinner, cinema trips and the like.

Mr Gillespie added: "Everything is getting tighter and tighter. Some group can't spend these things anymore."

Turning the NHS around

Scotland's NHS continues to struggle pinch A&E delays and agelong waiting times for regular operations.

The rollout of GP walk-in clinics has begun, pinch 16 planned centres crossed the state arsenic portion of an finance successful superior care.

Campaigner Linda McLeod knows each excessively good really important the wellness work is.

She suffers from emphysema - an irreversible chronic obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD) - and would for illustration to spot further costs funnelled into tackling debilitating lung conditions.

Mrs McLeod said: "I deliberation lung conditions are massively under-represented and under-invested.

"Lung illness kills tens of thousands of group each year.

"Whoever forms the adjacent Scottish authorities needs to put successful and attraction connected early diagnosis, treatment, attraction and self-management."

Mrs McLeod chairs support group Breathe Easy Clackmannanshire - a registered kindness affiliated to Asthma + Lung UK - and would for illustration to spot a tobacco-free Scotland.

She said: "I'm concerned about the usage of vapes and the important consequence to lung health.

"I struggle each time pinch my emphysema but dream to erstwhile again beryllium a portion of the adjacent government's cross-party group connected lung health.

"I do judge that everything that could beryllium done, should beryllium done to protect the lung wellness of early generations."

Other voters said they would for illustration to spot much money invested into retaining and attracting wellness workers, pinch immoderate besides calling for further rate to boost intelligence wellness support.

And while migration is simply a reserved matter for Westminster, a number of those we said to said it was an important rumor for the Holyrood predetermination and should not beryllium ignored.

One woman, who did not wish to beryllium named fixed the contentious debate, said: "People pinch morganatic concerns are being called racist and brushed aside.

"I deliberation group who travel into this state and haven't contributed to it shouldn't beryllium getting free National Health Service."

Tackling Scotland's supplier deaths 'shame'

Drug misuse continues to blight Scotland's neighbourhoods.

Official information released past twelvemonth showed location were 1,017 drug-related deaths successful 2024, down 155 (13%) from 2023.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) said while it was the lowest yearly number since 2017, the federation remains the supplier decease superior of Europe.

Voter Peter Fisher said: "It's Scotland's shame, it's embarrassing. It's a nationalist emergency.

"But the shame isn't connected the addicts - anyone could go an addict. It's the authorities that needs to do much to thief people."

Mr Fisher would for illustration to spot accrued finance successful curen centres and further support for those who request it most.

Last month, abstracted statistic published by the Scottish authorities reported that suspected drug-related deaths had risen by 8% from 1,065 successful 2024 to 1,146 successful 2025.

The highest number of deaths - 243 - were recorded successful Police Scotland's Greater Glasgow division.

When the charismatic stats are released later this year, each eyes will beryllium connected that Glasgow number fixed the metropolis is now location to the UK's first safer supplier depletion installation (SDCF).

The Thistle opened successful January 2025 and allows users to beryllium capable to devour drugs, including injecting heroin, nether supervision successful a cleanable and hygienic environment.

Up to March 2026, the work has been accessed 15,158 times by 671 group (525 men and 146 women).

A full of 10,498 injections person taken spot astatine the facility, pinch unit capable to dainty 137 aesculapian emergencies.

The aviator work is being backed by up to £2.3m of Holyrood backing a twelvemonth successful a bid to offset wider nationalist costs, but it is not to beryllium seen arsenic a "silver bullet" to tackle the crisis.

Meanwhile, a consultation is ongoing successful Edinburgh amid plans to unfastened a SDCF successful the Scottish capital.

While activity will proceed to widen entree to treatment, residential rehabilitation and life-saving naloxone, a caller Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan (2026-2035) will purpose to forestall harm and beforehand betterment complete the adjacent decade.

Douglas Ross' Right to Recovery (Scotland) Bill - which would person enshrined successful rule the correct to curen for group pinch supplier addiction - was voted down astatine Holyrood past year.

It came aft the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee raised a number of concerns - including the costs of the proposal; its imaginable to put further unit connected over-stretched resources; and fears of a emergence successful litigation if wellness services were incapable to meet the ineligible authorities connected time.

Mr Fisher said: "I deliberation the depletion room will work. And if it does, they should unfastened more.

"But if it doesn't, past they'll request to travel up pinch different scheme arsenic that [situation] can't continue."

Stop treating taxpayers' rate for illustration 'Monopoly money'

Voters look to person had capable of politicians and nationalist bodies treating taxpayers' rate for illustration "Monopoly money".

Some of those we said to voiced their condemnation of ministerial cars being misused, pinch Alex McEwan adding that authorities agencies should "rein successful their spending".

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS), which regulates Scottish Water, was 1 specified assemblage that was previously quizzed complete its purchases - which included spending £77,350 to nonstop a elder executive to Harvard University successful the US and a further £2,600 to supply each unit personnel pinch a £100 gift paper for Christmas.

Ms McEwan said: "It really infuriates maine erstwhile I spot MSPs, who get paid for illustration £75,000 a year, complaint taxpayers for things for illustration toilet rolls aliases meals.

"They dainty it for illustration Monopoly money. I salary my taxes to support nationalist services, not bargain an MSP a lunchtime juice erstwhile they're connected double my wage."

But for many, the biggest ungraded of the past parliamentary word was Michael Matheson's £11,000 iPad information roaming bill.

The outgoing Falkirk West MSP, who is not opinionated successful the upcoming election, initially billed taxpayers but later U-turned aft questions were raised complete the eye-watering sum.

Mr Matheson had claimed the instrumentality had only been utilized for parliamentary activity during a family vacation to Morocco, but it later emerged his teenage sons had been utilizing it arsenic a hotspot to watercourse shot while connected the trip.

Mr Matheson stepped down arsenic wellness caput and was later suspended from the Scottish parliament and docked wages for breaching the MSP codification of conduct.

Voter Ryan Martin said: "If they measurement retired of line, they shouldn't beryllium protected by their party. They should beryllium retired connected their ear.

"I don't ever want to spot a business for illustration the Michael Matheson 1 ever again."

Read more:
Party 'hotshots' hoping to go an MSP for the first time

Other ongoing issues that will rotation into the adjacent parliament:

• Scottish independence

The run for Scottish independence has not stopped pursuing the consequence of the 2014 referendum.

Although indyref was touted arsenic a "once successful a procreation opportunity to travel a different path", dissatisfaction pinch the result has led to campaigners continually calling for a 2nd vote.

The state has changed complete the past 12 years, having gone done Brexit and the COVID pandemic, which has reshaped the law debate.

However, those who voted against independency and would proceed to do truthful are disappointment the historical consequence is not being respected.

The statement has gone each the measurement to the UK Supreme Court, which ruled successful 2022 that the Scottish authorities cannot legislate for indyref2 without Westminster approval.

If a mostly of pro-independence MSPs are returned successful May but Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer refuses a petition for different referendum, the caller management will request to uncover really it intends to flooded the block.

If the replacement happens and the caller Scottish authorities alternatively wishes to stay portion of the UK, past it will person to show the benefits of staying successful the Union and triumph complete sceptics earlier Holyrood 2031.

• Overcrowding successful prisons

Scotland consistently has 1 of the highest situation organization rates successful Western Europe.

Overcrowding successful the property is not a unsocial problem successful the nation, arsenic jails crossed the UK are facing akin issues.

In a bid to tackle the continuous record-high numbers, much than 1,000 inmates person been released early from their sentences since 2024.

The automatic merchandise constituent for short-term prisoners has besides been reduced from 40% to 30% of their sentence.

HMP Highland, which is replacing HMP Inverness, is scheduled for completion this year. While the £1bn HMP Glasgow, replacing the notorious HMP Barlinnie, is not expected to unfastened until 2028.

As these are replacement jails pinch little than 500 further spaces betwixt them, location are concerns the overcrowding situation will continue.

As the judiciary acts independently, the Scottish authorities cannot power aliases dictate the circumstantial sentences imposed by courts.

The continual emergency early merchandise of prisoners could consequence eroding spot successful the criminal justness strategy - but the telephone for building much jails is seen arsenic unsustainable, ineffective and expensive.

The independent Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission has recommended earlier involution done greater usage of alternatives to court, reducing the usage of ineffective short situation sentences, and expanding high-quality, elastic organization sentences to reside the causes of offending.

Without important reform, the situation risks continuing for galore years to come.

• The ferries fiasco

The ferries fiasco has go 1 of Scotland's biggest governmental scandals - and looks group to proceed to the extremity of the decade.

Back successful 2017, past first curate Nicola Sturgeon "launched" MV Glen Sannox pinch painted connected windows.

The alloy yet entered work past year, pinch sister vessel MV Glen Rosa not owed to beryllium handed complete until the extremity of 2026.

The full costs of some CalMac ferries - built by Ferguson Marine - has soared to about 4 times much than the first £97.5m contract.

And past to apical it each off, the 2 vessels are too ample to berth safely astatine Ardrossan Harbour to service the mainland-Isle of Arran route.

The Scottish authorities has spent £16m to bring the harbour into nationalist ownership - but the activity needed to let some ferries to dock will not commencement until 2027 and is expected to return 2 years to complete.

The Glen Sannox, which has been many times sidelined owed to issues since its first sailing, now uses Troon - about 15 miles distant - arsenic its mainland base.

CalMac precocious suffered ferry shortages connected its westbound seashore land network, caused by a operation of planned attraction and unexpected method issues.

In an update connected Tuesday, the ferry usability said the business had worsened pinch almost a 3rd of its full fleet unavailable.

MV Isle of Islay, 1 of 4 caller CalMac ferries built successful Turkey, has entered work to supply a mainland nexus to the group and businesses of Islay and Jura.

Meanwhile, the publicly-owned Ferguson Marine - the past commercialized shipyard connected the Clyde - has been awarded contracts for 4 caller vessels arsenic portion of efforts to thief it succeed.

Given that the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa disruption is scheduled to proceed until 2029, do not expect the governmental unit to easiness up astatine Holyrood until some ferries are floating comfortably astatine Ardrossan Harbour and CalMac has a afloat moving fleet fresh for the future.

• The guidance of transgender prisoners

The Scottish authorities is presently successful the midst of ineligible action complete its argumentation connected the guidance of transgender prisoners.

For Women Scotland (FWS) is challenging the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) guidance, arguing that only those calved biologically female should beryllium held successful the women's estate.

It follows the run group's landmark triumph astatine the UK Supreme Court past year, which ruled the meaning of a "woman" and "sex" successful the Equality Act 2010 refers to "a biologic female and biologic sex".

That long-running conflict pinch the Scottish authorities has cost taxpayers much than £766,000.

Both parties are now awaiting Lady Ross' ruling connected the latest judicial reappraisal astatine the Court of Session successful Edinburgh.

Current guidance allows for a transgender female to beryllium admitted into the female property if the inmate does not meet the unit against women and girls criteria, and location is nary ground "to suppose" they could airs an "unacceptable consequence of harm" to those besides housed there.

FWS is arguing the argumentation is "inconsistent" pinch the Supreme Court judgment.

During 3 days of hearings earlier this year, lawyers acting connected behalf of the Scottish authorities based on it is correct for ministers to return a "case-by-case" attack to transgender prisoners.

Gerry Moynihan KC cited lawsuit rule and article 8 of the European Convention connected Human Rights (ECHR) successful narration to the authorities of trans group to unrecorded successful their acquired gender.

Whatever the outcome, the adjacent Holyrood management will beryllium keen to debar different Isla Bryson moment.

The transgender criminal - who raped 2 women while known arsenic Adam Graham - was initially housed successful a women-only situation earlier being swiftly moved to the antheral property pursuing a nationalist outcry successful 2023.

The arguable lawsuit continues to rumble connected to this day.