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We are committed to become a world leading, innovation nation, which will help us grow our economy and create sustainable, green jobs. As the recent figures from the UK Innovation Survey show, there is still work to be done.

That is why this year we will publish new innovation strategy which will ensure that our businesses, people and institutions are ready to meet the global economic challenges and opportunities we face over the next 10 years.

The Strategy will build on the support already available to businesses through our Enterprise Agencies, who since 2017 have distributed around £600m directly to businesses to build their capacity and capability to innovate, and initiatives such as the Digital Development Grant, which since September 2020 has invested almost £50m to over 5,600 SMEs to help them utilise digital technologies and enhance workforce skills.

Since 2007 Scotland’s business R&D expenditure has doubled, whereas the comparable figure for the UK as a whole was only 29% growth over the same period.

We recently commissioned The Scottish Council for Development and Industry to undertake research on the specific barriers to innovation faced by Scottish businesses. The findings from the report, together with our engagement with industry and key stakeholders, will inform a reformed package of support within the Strategy to ensure our businesses realise their innovative potential.

The Scottish Government has made a commitment in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation to “Build on the findings from the Business Purpose Commission Report, to inform how businesses can deliver positive impacts on prosperity, wellbeing – including tackling child poverty – and environmental sustainability. ”

The Business Purpose Commission for Scotland launched its report Now is the time for purpose: Putting purpose at the heart of Scottish business on 28 June 2022. The report is comprehensive, and makes recommendations for a range of stakeholders across business, governments, and tertiary education and training organisations. We are considering the recommendations carefully, with particular focus on the two recommendations for Scottish Government to lead. This requires significant cross- government engagement and we look forward to sharing our response when complete.

While employment law remains reserved to the UK Government, we will use our Fair Work policy to promote fairer work practices across the labour market in Scotland, including within the renewable energy sector.

We have concluded a public consultation on the action needed for Scotland to become a leading Fair Work nation by 2025. We will publish a refreshed Fair Work Action Plan this year, incorporating the views from our public consultation, and focusing on minority ethnic and disabled people’s employment and the gender pay gap.

Fair Work is a key driver for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth and a wellbeing economy. Through our flagship Fair Work First policy we are using the Scottish Government’s financial powers to drive fair work practices and achieve our ambition for Scotland to be a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025.

Through the landmark Bute House Agreement, we will strengthen Fair Work conditionality. We will introduce a requirement on public sector grants recipients to pay at least the real Living Wage to all employees and to provide appropriate channels for effective workers’ voice, such as trade union recognition, subject to limits on devolved competence.

In the National Strategy for Economic Transformation we have also committed to work with employers and trade unions in sectors where low pay and precarious work can be most prevalent to deliver sectoral Fair Work agreements, that deliver payment of the real living wage, better security of work, and wider "Fair Work First" standards.

Trade unions are key partners in delivering our economic and social aspirations. We will continue to promote strong trade unions and collective bargaining arrangements in all sectors, including the renewable energy sector. We have made a clear commitment to promote collective bargaining through the inclusion of an employee voice indicator, measured by collective bargaining coverage, within the National Performance Framework.

We also work closely with Scottish Renewables, the trade body for Scotland’s renewable energy industry.

Scottish Renewables played an active role in the development of the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) which explores issues such as skills development and staff retention in many industries including Energy. Through CESAP’s Implementation Steering Group we engage with both employers and their workforce as they move through the just transition to net zero. We will continue to engage with partners to deliver the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) and will move forward with improvements to the Green Jobs Workforce Academy.

ScotWind leasing is administered by Crown Estate Scotland who have confirmed that all companies that have a ScotWind seabed agreement with Crown Estate Scotland are required to comply with all applicable laws including meeting their obligations under employment legislation. Therefore, if those companies have a statutorily recognised trade union, they would be required to comply with their legal requirements in respect of collective bargaining arrangements.

Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament. The Scottish Government has raised a variety of issues impacting people seeking asylum with the UK Government, including on asylum accommodation and the use of hotels to accommodate people seeking asylum.

Scottish Ministers have repeatedly requested detail of any investigation undertaken by the Home Office following deaths in asylum accommodation in Glasgow during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have also requested an update on the status of recommendations in an internal Home Office report on asylum accommodation during the pandemic, which appeared in the media in April but has not yet been made public.

Asylum and immigration are reserved to the UK Parliament and handled by the Home Office. This includes the operation of asylum accommodation and support provision as well as immigration detention across the UK. The Scottish Government supports calls for a public inquiry into support provided for people seeking asylum accommodated by the Home Office during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament. The Scottish Government does not hold data on deaths of people seeking asylum in any type of accommodation.

The Scottish Government is aware of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into Asylum Provision in Scotland. The Scottish Government has not yet received any request to participate in the Inquiry, but will respond positively and appropriately, should we do so.

Scottish Government requires local authorities to assess, set out and monitor delivery against affordable housing priorities through Local Housing Strategy and Strategic Housing Investment Plans, which should be available on the relevant local authority websites. Planning authorities are responsible for the determination of planning permission in accordance with the development plan and relevant material considerations. Development plans set out where new development should and shouldn’t happen in the places they cover, enabling delivery of the right development in the right place.