In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney expressed remorse for the “injustice and prejudice” of the policies, known as the “Tinker Experiments”, which ran from the 1940s to the 1980s.

He said: “On behalf of Scotland, we are sorry.”

The state-sanctioned programme aimed to forcibly assimilate Gypsy Travellers by compelling them to abandon their traditional way of life for settled housing. Authorities frequently threatened to take children into care if their parents did not comply, leading to families being broken apart.

The First Minister’s apology coincided with the publication of an independent report by academics at the University of St Andrews. The report, commissioned by Holyrood, concluded that the experiments, which involved the UK government’s Scottish Office, local authorities, churches, and charities, amounted to “cultural genocide”.

Researchers found that families were systematically moved into substandard accommodation, including repurposed military huts and derelict properties, often lacking basic amenities such as electricity and running water. The report detailed how children were removed from their families and placed in industrial schools or adopted by non-traveller families, both in Scotland and overseas.

Mr Swinney told MSPs: “It is clear to the government that stark prejudice and lack of cultural awareness led to a series of unfair and unjust policies.”

He added: “The Tinker Experiments should not have happened. Those policies were wrong and we recognise it is still hurting so many today.”

Following the government’s apology, the Church of Scotland also issued its own “heartfelt and genuine apology for these historic wrongs”, acknowledging its role in the suffering of the Gypsy Traveller community.

While the report recommended that the Scottish government consider financial compensation for those affected, Mr Swinney has indicated that there are no immediate plans for a redress scheme, but has committed to further dialogue with the community. He stressed that while progress has been made since the era of the experiments, there is “still much to do” to combat the prejudice that Gypsy Travellers continue to face.