Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government appreciates the spotlight that Shelter Scotland shines on our shared vision of a safe, secure, affordable home for everyone in Scotland.

Having delivered our previous 50,000 affordable homes target, we have now started to deliver against our commitment to 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, 70% of which will be for social rent and 10% in remote, rural and island areas.

We do not conduct our own polling and public perception research. However, we do publish quarterly Official Statistics and annual Outturn Reports that focus on how the Affordable Housing Supply Programme resources were spent and what they delivered, in line with priorities and outcomes identified within local authority Strategic Housing Investment Plans which set out the key strategic affordable housing investment priorities.

As set out in the response to S6W-06821 on 10 March 2022 the vast majority of homelessness funding provided to local authorities has been included in the block grant. It is at each local authority’s discretion as to how they use this resource to prevent and respond to homelessness.

In addition, the Scottish Government provides local authorities with an annual share of £23.5 million for homelessness prevention and response measures and an annual share of £8 million to support the implementation of rapid rehousing transition plans (RRTPs). This funding is transferred to local government over the course of the year, and the breakdown of this funding for 2021-22, the last full financial year, is set out in the tables below. The final table includes resource provided to local authorities for coordination of the five Housing Options Hubs across Scotland.

Section 11 of the Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 requires a landlord to notify the local authority when proceedings for possession are raised providing information prescribed in Schedule 1 of The Notice to Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations 2008. Local authorities produce templates in line with Schedule 1. The Scottish Government does not require local authorities to provide these templates for validation so if any local authorities have amended the section 11 notice form to include information not prescribed within Section 1 of The Notice to Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations 2008, the Scottish Government is not made aware of this.

(a) – The relevant part of the Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003 can be found under Section 11 of the Homelessness etc (S) Act 2003 at Homelessness etc. (Scotland) Act 2003 (legislation.gov.uk)

(b) – Schedule 1 of the Notice to Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations sets out the form of notice that must be provided to the LA under section 11 of the 2003 Act at The Notice to Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations 2008 (legislation.gov.uk) . As this is a statutory notice, local authorities must require notice to be provided in this form.

Detailed cost analysis for all of the routes included in the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan will be undertaken on a phased basis as initial plans for each route are progressively prepared. Initial development works have begun on these routes to identify the options for electrification. Sections of the route from Edinburgh to Aberdeen are further developed, with Construction work underway on the £55 million scheme for full electrification of the section of route from Haymarket to Dalmeny.

There are already well-established links between learning in the STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - subjects at school and the cross-curricular theme of Learning for Sustainability (LfS). The Scottish Government has, in collaboration with Education Scotland and other partners, supported implementation of the LfS action plan. LfS is a curriculum entitlement for all learners in Scotland.

Study of STEM in both the Broad General Education and Senior Phase includes environmental science, the living environment and Earth's resources which are crucial to delivering on learners' entitlement to LfS. Specific connections exist between STEM and LfS in areas such as engineering and technologies, in particular when considering energy production and distribution.

In relation to the North East, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is working with Aberdeen City Council as they develop the “ABZ Campus”. The courses offered within this programme are available to Senior Phase pupils and are designed to promote skills development aligned with the fastest growing industries of the North East, including renewable energy.

SDS Careers Advisers are in every state secondary school offering careers information, advice and guidance to pupils through a mixture of one-to-one and group engagements, to enable them to make informed choices about learning and career options in the renewable energy workforce for the future.

The three parties to the sale and purchase of the Lanarkshire steelworks on 2016 – Tata Steel, Liberty House and the Scottish Government – were all aligned in agreeing a transaction that secured the earliest realisation of the commercial and wider economic benefits of the deal, and the selected structure was the best available means to deliver this. Following negotiation the particular commercial requirements of each party are captured in the transaction documentation.

We are currently reviewing all of our budgets for promoting Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, in the light of the constraints imposed by the Resource Spending Review. We have no current plans to provide a Black History Month Fund for 2022, but across Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights we have a budget allocation of £46.9m. A significant portion of this will be dedicated to promoting race equality through a range of means, including supporting the capacity of race equality organisations, which are well placed to mark and celebrate BHM in a range of ways.

Two applications met the aims and criteria of the fund.

Scoutable United received £1,000 to provide and promote equal opportunities for people from minority ethnic communities to participate in football. The funding was utilised to secure training facilities and organise games, and to invest in equipment such as training bibs, cones and footballs. This aimed to increase the number of people participating in the sport and to provide a platform to demonstrate talent, increasing representation and encouraging active lifestyles.

Economic Lead received £1,000 to organise workshops for minority ethnic women to increase their ability and confidence to participate on Boards and in strategic groups, and to establish a peer support network. This aimed to support an increase in representation by minority ethnic women and boost diversity in decision-making within the public and third sectors.

In October 2021 the Scottish Government piloted a fund of up to £10,000 for organisations across Scotland to support additional activity to tackle inequalities and prejudice in line with the goals and outcomes of Black History Month. Organisations could apply for small grants in an open competition.

The Scottish Government received six applications to this fund, and following assessment of the bids against the aims and criteria for the fund, made two grants totalling £2,000 to Scoutable United and Economic Lead for projects to provide and promote opportunities for people from minority ethnic communities to participate in sport, and for women to participate in decision-making at Board level, increasing diversity in decision-making.

The rest of the funding was subsequently allocated to other organisations and projects working to tackle discrimination and advance race equality, such as supporting staff training and development (Intercultural Youth Scotland), and work with young people in the Gypsy/Traveller community to develop skills for life, training and work (Article 12).