Meeting of the Parliament 12 March 2026 [Draft]
Given that Scottish Government-funded population research shows that the loss of even a single essential service, such as a school or a nursery, can trigger a domino effect on housing demand, transport viability and wider community cohesion, and given that six nurseries in my constituency, including those in Drummore, Creetown and Kirkcowan, face temporary closure by Dumfries and Galloway Council, without any consultation, what action will the Scottish Government take to ensure that local authorities cannot make isolated decisions on school or nursery closures—whether temporary or permanent—without assessing their cumulative impact on rural population sustainability? Furthermore, what assurances can the minister provide that the specific decisions to which I referred will not accelerate rural depopulation? Will the Government consider requiring councils to publish full depopulation impact assessments before progressing any statutory consultation or closure proposals?