Scottish cabinet secretary for NHS recovery, health and social care Michael Matheson has handed in his resignation to the first minister.
Matheson joined the Scottish Government in 2011 as minister for public health. He was appointed cabinet secretary for justice in 2014, cabinet secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity in 2018, cabinet secretary for net zero, energy and transport in 2021, before being appointed as cabinet secretary for NHS recovery, health and social care in March 2023.

The government has announced funding for projects to improve lowland peat soils.
The projects will use government funding to improve the management of water on lowland peat and enhance understanding of climate change impacts and flood risk
Peatlands are the country's largest terrestrial carbon store. However, due to centuries of drainage for agriculture, only 1 per cent of  England’s lowland peatlands remain in a near-natural state. Drained peatlands account for 88 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions from England’s peat.

Homes England and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enter into a Strategic Place Partnership (SPP) designed to deliver more high quality and affordable homes that support regeneration and placemaking.
Homes England uses SPPs to advance locally led housing growth and regeneration. They are designed to support sub-regions with the most ambitious proposals for housing growth and are centred around a shared business plan for bringing those proposals forward.

The government has released new plans intended to ensure that social housing tenants will receive fairer and better service from their housing provider.
New standards set by the government will make sure that providers equip staff with the skills, experience and knowledge to deliver the excellent service that tenants want and deserve.

According to official statistics, the UK is the first major economy to halve its emissions.
The statistics show that the UK has cut emissions by 50 per cent between 1990 and 2022. This compares to a 23% reduction in France and no change in the USA between 1990 and 2021.
According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the reductions are largely due to cutting emissions from energy generation, through the shift away from using coal to using renewables.

A man has been charged with malicious communications after an abusive and threatening phone call to MP Mike Freer.
James Phillips is also charged with assaulting an emergency services worker (police officer).
The 46-year-old will appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 7 February.
Mike Freer is the MP for Finchley and Golders Green is to stand down at the next election over safety fears.
There was an arson attack at his office on Christmas Eve, with a man and a woman charged with arson with intent to endanger life.

New measures to support electric vehicle drivers from the Plan for Drivers have come into effect.
The measures include grants for schools, money for councils and new proposals to increase the number of charge points.
The first capital payments from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund have be approved to three local authorities and two London boroughs. The funding will support the installation of thousands of new chargers.
A consultation has also been launched to look at ways to speed up chargepoint installation.

The Levelling up secretary has confirmed the final local government finance settlement for 2024-25, which makes available £64.7 billion for local government.
There will be up to £4.5 billion more for councils in England in 2024-25.
The package includes the already announced £600 million in extra support to bolster council budgets, including £500 million for social care.
The Funding Guarantee will ensure that all councils will see an increase in Core Spending Power of at least 4 per cent before any local choices on council tax.

Funding from the Youth Investment Fund is set to be spent on 140 new or refurbished youth centres.
The £90 million is expected to support nearly 20,000 more young people per year to access new state of the art facilities such as workshop spaces, sports halls, art rooms, recording studios and skateparks.
The youth centres will offer activities ranging from dance, drama and music to sport, horticulture and employment skills development.

Councils are urging to Government to extend the Household Support Fund to help protect vulnerable households.
The Fund has provided £820 million in Government funding for local welfare support over the past year, but is set to end on 31 March.
According to the Local Government Association, the fund has been used to help millions of households facing hardship, who would otherwise have struggled to buy food, heat their home or go without other essentials.