Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government is determined to do all we can to reduce alcohol-related harm and is working closely with Alcohol and Drug Partnerships and the third sector to do so. In 2022-23, £106 million was made available to ADPs, increasing to £112 million in 2023-24. This funding is used to ensure that local services meet the needs of people who experience alcohol and drugs harms.

The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement. The exploratory work will include considering options for the design of any such supplement.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on what projected income of the public health supplement would have been had it continued after 2015.

The Scottish Government will consider any potential impact of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill on the Scottish courts, and any other potential implications of the bill for the responsibilities of the government and the Scottish Parliament.

There have been no such discussions. The Scottish Government is clear in our opposition to the Bill. The UK Government should focus on improving the UK asylum system, so that people are treated fairly and with dignity and respect throughout the process.

An evaluation of the Scottish Government shared equity schemes (Help to Buy, Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE) and New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE)) was published in June 2020. The evaluation can be found on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/evaluation-scottish-government-shared-equity-schemes/

The LIFT scheme continues to contribute to the Scottish Government’s 110,000 affordable homes target.

Any decisions on future funding should be determined by The Scottish Government’s budget announcement on the 19 December.

Scottish Government advise that all practices should apply the uplift to staff pay unless there are extenuating circumstances. We have resourced the average practice to afford a 6.5% increase for staff pay because we believe this is what practices will need to increase pay by to retain staff who could take up Agenda for Change posts. However practices are not obliged to follow our advice and pay is ultimately a matter between GP Partners and employees.

The Scottish Government continues to make good progress towards our target of securing 2GW of community and locally owned energy by 2030.

Our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) has supported communities across Scotland looking to develop local community energy projects.

To date, CARES has advised over 1,000 organisations, offered funding of over £61 million to over 800 projects, and helped support the direct installation of 58.6 MW of renewable energy. This has included supporting a wide range of projects such as community owned wind and hydro, decarbonising community buildings, installing solar PV on faith buildings, developing community action plans, innovation studies, and helping local communities invest in commercial renewable energy projects.

Notably, the CARES Off-Electricity Grid Communities Fund, which will run until March 2024, has supported remote communities to decarbonise and future-proof their existing local independent electrical grids that are not connected to the national electricity grid. Through this fund, we have awarded significant funding to support the Isle of Eigg to increase its renewable energy generation and capacity through the installation of additional solar panels and storage batteries; and Knoydart to support its Network Enhancement project.

The Scottish Government does not hold individual information on NHS patients de-registered. NHS Boards make arrangements with independent contractors and dental bodies corporate to provide NHS dental services. A practice will notify the respective NHS Board when de-registering a patient.

Official statistics published by Public Health Scotland, point to an improving picture since the lifting of the most significant pandemic restrictions on the dental sector: Dental statistics - NHS registration and participation 24 January 2023 - Dental statistics - registration and participation - Publications - Public Health Scotland.

Scottish Government is working with the Board of FMPG as it develops its plans for the future. Decisions on which contracts to pursue are operational matters for the management and Board of the business.

Border security and the movement of goods is a reserved matter for the UK government; however, the Scottish Government provides grant funding to the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) to support law enforcement activity undertaken by local authorities against the sale of illicit fireworks in Scotland. This work extends to work concerning imported fireworks at ports and fast parcel outlets in cooperation with Border Force, as well as online sales from outwith Scotland.