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While we cannot reliably estimate the weather conditions in future years, over the last 7 years (2015-16 – 2021-22) around 97% of households in 22 out of the 27 weather station areas in Scotland received, on average, between zero and two Cold Weather Payments each winter. Five weather station areas received, on average, more than two Cold Weather Payments from 2015-16 – 2021-22, with around 12,000 eligible people resident in those areas. For the vast majority of those 12,000 people, the support received during that 7 year period was still, on average, less than 3 Cold Weather Payments per year.

Our new Winter Heating Payment will provide over £20 million investment each year, more than double the £8.3 million provided on average per winter by the UK Government over the last 7 years. This will provide reliable financial support for all eligible households in Scotland, rather than depending on sustained cold weather. This year around 415,000 people will receive Winter Heating Payment from the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government has identified the space sector as a key priority in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation and Inward Investment Plan. We recognise its potential to support regional economic development across Scotland. We are supportive of all spaceport projects that will support the realisation of our overall ambition to capture £4 billion of the global space market and 20,000 jobs in the sector by 2030.

The STEM Strategy advocates for connection between schools and industry, and space has demonstrated a remarkable power to inspire widespread interest in STEM subjects. This launch represents an opportunity to promote science and technology learning and space related careers. Scotland’s curriculum is a general framework rather than a prescribed curriculum, and it is a matter for individual schools to determine the curriculum most appropriate to their learners.

In the coming months, Education Scotland will engage with spaceport company SaxaVord’s Education Strategy and support local authorities, schools and other partners to raise awareness of the launch and explore opportunities for partnership working around this and similar events. This is a core part of work to provide our young people with a range of exciting learning opportunities, encouraging them to have in interest in STEM careers and jobs.

The Scottish Government’s capital budget increased from £5.8 billion in 2022-23 to £5.9 billion in 2023-24, a rise of £115 million. In my previous response, I explained the process the Scottish Government undertakes when agreeing annual budgets. It considers a whole range of factors, including the phasing of and the delivery arrangements for projects, particularly those which span several years, and this allows resources to be allocated accordingly to meet our commitments and our priorities while delivering a balanced financial position.

Transport Scotland has published both the Scottish Ministers’ High Level Output Specification (HLOS) and the Statement of Funds Available (SoFA).

The HLOS, funded by the SoFA, continues the Scottish Government’s record investment in Scotland’s Railway. This investment is focused on Scottish priorities for Scotland’s Railway and will fund delivery of a safe, efficient and high performing railway.

To make best use of the £4.2 billion SoFA funding, the successful delivery of the requirements in the HLOS will require Network Rail to cooperate with a whole rail industry approach, aligned with and focussed upon the delivery of the strategic priorities of Scotland’s Ministers to take climate action and to connect communities sustainably. In particular this investment will attract more passengers and freight customers to Scotland’s Railway as an essential part of decarbonisation plans, and will increase expenditure on the weather resilience of Scotland’s railway infrastructure.

Copies of the HLOS and SoFA are available on the Transport Scotland website here:

Transport Scotland's Rail Policy and Strategy

The Scottish Government is exploring options for restarting the travelling Cabinets programme in 2023 after it was paused as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In line with standard practice, the location of each event would be announced in advance, including by notifying local elected representatives and local media.

The Scottish Government does not have any immediate plans to directly fund PhD students through the introduction of student loans.

We do however support postgraduate research by providing universities with funding to support the training of PhD students through the core research and knowledge exchange grants from the Scottish Funding Council. One of these is specifically aimed at PhD training and support: the Research Postgraduate Grant which is £36.9m in 2022-23.

The National Piping Centre is a Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO) through Creative Scotland and has received £150,000 each year through their RFO grant since 2018. The National Piping Centre has also received additional funding support from the Youth Music Initiative, Youth Arts Fund and the Recovery Fund for Cultural Organisations at a combined total of £531,477 over the last five years.

Dr Colin Church submitted his Second Report on the Decarbonisation of Residual Waste Infrastructure in Scotland to Scottish Ministers on 16 December and we have published the Report today. The Report is available at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805254942 .

We are carefully considering the key findings and recommendations of Dr Church’s Second Report and will respond to these in March.

I would like to thank Dr Church for completing the independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland.

As a recipient of Scottish Government grant funding, Inspiring Scotland are subject to regular monitoring and reporting against pre-agreed and clear outcomes as set out in their offer of grant.

The Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT) is not funded by the Scottish Government therefore we do not hold this information. Further information on their funding can be found on their website www.sspdt.org.uk .