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Warmworks has sub-contractor framework agreements in place with 22 installers and 3 support suppliers. Warmworks follows OJEU best practice in tendering its supply chain opportunities and is a registered vendor on Public Contracts Scotland. It does not procure its supply chain of sub-contractors in a way that allows the cost of each contract to be individually calculated. All Warmworks contractors are registered in the UK.

The total amount of customer contributions paid since Warmer Homes Scotland commenced in September 2015 to 31 March 2020 is £925k. Where customer contributions are required these are treated as revenue in Warmworks’ accounts. The net value of the customer contribution is booked to income and the Scottish Government is charged the cost per job after deduction of the amount received from the customer.

The Warmer Homes Scotland contract is delivered on the basis of 6 separate regions. From 1 October 2015 to 30 November 2020 a total of 20,698 properties have been assisted.

Highlands – 1,858

Islands – 1,126

North East – 3,314

South East – 4,198

South West – 2,214

Strathclyde & Central - 7,988

PCR tests provide the “gold standard” for SARS-CoV-2 testing in Scotland. There are no plans to use lateral flow tests for confirmatory testing of hospital patients, as lateral flow tests currently available are less sensitive than PCR tests.

It is important to remember that where executors are appointed in a will they are chosen by the deceased to carry out their last wishes and the terms of the will. Removal of executors under statute can, in certain circumstances, be done by application to the Sheriff Court, failing which the Court of Session. In considering any proposals for reform the Scottish Government recognises the importance of balancing the ability of beneficiaries to remove a problematic executor and the right of a deceased person to have the individual they choose administer their will.

The Scottish Government has carried out no analysis of the prevalence of executors who are considered problematic. It is not clear where such information may be held or how it may be gathered. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service may have figures for the number of applications heard in courts, but not all instances of problematic executors will reach this stage.

The Scottish Government continues to give full consideration to the extensive work of the Scottish Law Commission on reform of Scots law of trusts, which includes recommendations on the removal of trustees. Regarding executors, the Scottish Government has already committed to taking forward reforms to the law of succession to ensure that a person convicted of murder or culpable homicide should not be allowed to be executor to their victim’s estate.

The Scottish Government continue to consider the recommendations of the Scottish Law Commission’s on reform of the law of trusts. Among those recommendations was reform of statutory powers to remove trustees and which would include executors. Once consideration is complete the Scottish Government will write to the Scottish Law Commission advising them of next steps.

The Scottish Government continues to give full consideration to the SLC’s Report on Trust Law and the 8 discussion papers and 2 consultation papers that informed its detailed and extensive recommendations. The content of the next legislative programme will be for the next Government to determine. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee’s recommendation that the Presiding Officer’s determination on Scottish Law Commission’s Bills is revised would, if implemented, allow more legislative space for consideration of such Bills.

The Scottish Government’s response to its most recent consultation on succession law reform was published earlier this year. The Scottish Government committed to taking forward several issues on which there was a degree of consensus. Not all these matters may require primary legislation, but those which do will be legislated for at the next possible opportunity. It is a matter for the next Government to decide the legislative programme.