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Under the Environment Act 1995 and associated regulations all Scottish local authorities are required to regularly assess air quality in their areas against objectives for several pollutants of concern for human health, including PM2.5 particulate matter. If any objective is found to be exceeded, or at risk of being exceeded, the authority concerned is required to declare an Air Quality Management Area and produce an action plan setting out how it will address the issues identified. These action plans are agreed by both the Scottish Government and SEPA.

To date no local authority has identified an exceedance of the PM2.5 objective relating to the Scotch whisky industry. However this is kept under regular review, with all authorities required to submit an annual air quality progress report to the Scottish Government. Should the situation change in any local authority area, we would expect the necessary action to be taken.

The Private Rented Sector Landlord (PRSL) Loan was launched in April 2020. The following table shows the total number of applications received, the total number of offers made and the total number of expired offers. These figures represent the total number from launch to the end of June 2021, and relate to the location of the applicant.

The CYPFEI & ALEC Fund aims to support activities which build opportunities and improve outcomes for children, young people and their families.

The key components of the CYPFEI Fund are:

• Promote the GIRFEC wellbeing indicators and the implementation of the UNCRC.
• Delivery of prevention and early intervention activities.
• Improving parenting capacity and family support.

As part of the initial assessment process, applicants to the fund were asked to list up to 4 key national performance indicators that their organisation would contribute to improving. As part of the ongoing monitoring and evaluation process, all recipients of the CYPFEI and ALEC Fund are also asked to submit a 6-monthly monitoring report, outlining progress made against each of their identified outcomes.

The 5 outcomes which Scottish Youth Parliament have reported progress against are:

• Young people in Scotland influence, inform and contribute to policy making and practice.
• Young people who face inequality or barriers to participation are actively engaged in Scottish Youth Parliament.
• MSYPs have the skills, confidence, support and opportunities to carry out their role effectively.
• Young people in Scotland are aware of their rights are encouraged to participate and are seen as valuable contributors to a democratic society.
• Scottish Youth Parliament is an efficient and effective youth-led organisation, responsive to its MSYPs, young people other key stakeholders, and is robustly resourced in a sustainable way.

The Scottish Government recognises children and young people with care experience, including adoptees, have poorer outcomes and can often need additional support. The Scottish Government has provided Local Authorities with £11.5 million for academic year 2021/22 through the Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund to support the educational development of children and young people with care experience d from birth to the age of 26.

The introduction, in 2017, of a full care experience bursary reinforces the Scottish Government’s ambition to improve outcomes for young people with care experience by ensuring that they are supported to access further and higher education.

The Young People’s Guarantee aims to ensure that every person between 16 and 24 has the opportunity of a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education, training programme or volunteering. Supporting greater equity and opportunity is central to the Young Person’s Guarantee and additional support is available for those that need it most, with care experienced young people specifically referenced. Through the Young Person’s Guarantee, over £1.7 million has been committed to delivering the Discovering Your Potential employability programme which provides flexible and intensive support for young care leavers.

Scottish Ministers have committed to “Keeping the Promise”. The Promise was published in February 2020 and highlighted the need for robust “scaffolding” or support network to support those with care experience. On 31 st March 2021, The Promise Scotland published ‘The Plan 21-24’ the first of 3 plans which outlines what actions must be taken to deliver The Promise. In June this year The Change Programme was published by The Promise Scotland which shows what work is underway and what work is required to ensure each of the actions in The Plan 21-14 can be delivered.

In the 2021 SNP Manifesto, we committed to the introduction of a new grant of £200 a year for care experienced young people between the ages of 16 and 26 – as part of the Scottish Government’s Promise to those with experience of care. This will provide additional support and security as young people transition from the care system to more independent living.

The Scottish Youth Parliament are provided with core funding through the Scottish Government’s Children Young People and Families Early Intervention & Adult Learning and Empowering Communities (CYPFEI & ALEC) Fund. This fund is administered by the CORRA Foundation on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

The Private Rented Sector Landlord (PRSL) Loan was launched in April 2020. The following table shows the total number of applications received, the total number of offers made and the total number of expired offers. These figures represent the total number from launch to the end of June 2021, and relate to the location of the applicant.

Four nations discussions on policy for fully vaccinated travellers has benefited from analysis and research from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, the Joint Biosecurity Centre and other sources.

The success of the vaccination programme means we have now started to change restrictions that apply to fully vaccinated travellers from Amber list countries. Initially this applied to UK residents who have been vaccinated by the NHS.

From 2 August, fully-vaccinated passengers arriving from amber list countries in EU member states*, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, microstates of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City, and the USA do not have to quarantine or take a day 8 test upon arrival in Scotland.

They have to carry with them a form of certification to provide details of their vaccine status. For US arrivals, this proof is a CDC card showing you are fully vaccinated, along with proof of residence in the US. All arrivals from Europe must show a record of vaccination through the European Digital COVID Certificate.

Amber arrivals who have been fully vaccinated must take a pre-departure test before arrival into Scotland, alongside a PCR test on or before day 2 after arrival.

The data currently held on heat networks comes from data collected by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) under the Heat Metering and Billing Regulations. Heat network operators are required to notify every 4 years. The latest data held is for 2018. Figures for 2019 and 2020 are not yet available.

The latest statistics from OPSS indicate that at the end of 2018:

• Almost 30,000 homes were connected to district or communal heating networks in Scotland
• An estimated 1.18 TWh of heat and cooling demand was supplied via heat networks.

There has been no increase to the funding allocated from the Scottish Government’s Children Young People and Families Early Intervention Fund & Adult Learning and Empowering Communities (CYPFEI & ALEC) Fund to the Scottish Youth Parliament in 2021-22.

The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 sets out a statutory duty for local authorities to provide adoptive families with the support that they require, like the provision of counselling, guidance and any other assistance in relation to the adoption process that the local authority considers appropriate in the circumstances of that particular case.

As the support required by adopters and their families varies significantly from case to case, the Act provides the flexibility for individualised support plans to be developed to best meet the needs of families, at a time that is right for them.

The Promise Report of the Independent Care Review made it clear that adoption has an important role in providing permanent, loving nurturing home and set out that an adoption placement should not be the conclusion of the support offered to adoptive families. The Promise makes clear that all families need support to thrive. Through the work of the Family Support Delivery Group we are working in partnership with the third sector, statutory services and across government to deliver a vision that ensures all families can access the right support when they need it for as long as they need it, aligned with the implementation of the Promise.