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The Home Energy Scotland loan scheme provides up to £15,000 for energy efficiency measures and up to £17,500 for renewables measures (maximum of two). Registered private landlords owning five or fewer properties will be eligible for interest free loans, and owners of six or more properties will be subject to interest at a rate of 3.5% APR. Homeowners are eligible for interest free loans as well as 75% cashback up to £7,500 for renewable heat measures, and an enhanced 40% cashback for energy efficiency measures up to £6,000. In 2022-23, we will replace current cashback arrangements with a grant scheme.

In addition the Scottish Government’s fuel poverty schemes have adopted a “zero emissions first” approach. Warmer Homes Scotland enables eligible households to receive energy efficiency and heating improvements, including an increasing number of heat pumps. Our local authority-led Area Based Schemes provide energy efficiency improvements to households in or at risk of fuel poverty living in their own home or a private rented property, leveraging Energy Company Obligation (ECO) finance and private investment.

These schemes form part of our broader investment package. We have committed to invest at least £1.8 billion over the course of this parliament to kick-start market growth and support those least able to pay.

In addition we are working to develop an appropriate market framework to help consumers overcome the upfront investment costs and to attract and secure further private investment and finance to help meet the costs of the transition. We will establish a Green Heat Finance Taskforce by the end of 2021 to recommend ways the Scottish Government and private sector can collaborate to scale up investment.

In the Heat in Buildings Strategy we committed to undertaking research to understand the extent to which the deployment of secondary technologies alongside zero emissions heating systems could help to optimise operational performance, minimise energy consumption and reduce end user fuel costs. This research is underway, and seeks to understand the technical feasibility and cost effectiveness of heat batteries, electric batteries, and thermal storage cylinders when installed alongside a range of zero emissions primary heating technologies; both independently of and in conjuncture with microgeneration technologies such as solar PV and solar thermal. We expect to publish this research in early 2022.

Alongside the development of the Heat in Buildings Strategy, the Scottish Government worked with stakeholders to undertake a series of impact assessments including a Fairer Scotland Duty (FSD) assessment and an Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) both of which consider remote and rural communities. We will publish these shortly and will take the findings into account as we deliver on the full range of actions set out in the Strategy.

The Scottish Government intends to lay the draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) in the Scottish Parliament later in autumn this year for a scrutiny period of up to 120 days. Public consultation on the NPF4 will run alongside the Parliamentary process, and the Scottish Government is keen to hear the views of as wide a range of people as possible.

The final adoption date will depend on the approval of NPF4 by the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is currently aiming to lay a finalised version for approval by summer 2022.

I can confirm that Aberdeenshire Council’s reported objection to the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme remains extant and would refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02821 on 23 September 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The full value of loan and its accrued interest remain repayable.

With the process to return Prestwick Airport to the private sector continuing, it would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment further at this time.

The Clyde 2020 initiative has brought together both scientific research and practical measures to improve the marine ecosystem of the Clyde. It has achieved a range of outputs and outcomes since 2014, for example to improve the public and stakeholder understanding of current scientific evidence in the form of a Layman’s Guide, analysed scientific outputs from assessments and their impacts, and operated as a sub-group of the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership to provide scientific advice and input to the process of developing a regional marine plan for the Clyde marine region.

The Scottish Government does not provide loans to home owners for the purpose of installing fire alarms that are compliant with the new standard. Local authorities have broad discretionary powers to provide assistance to home owners, in connection with work on private homes, including assistance by way of loans. Local authorities are best placed to determine what types of assistance are provided in their area, subject to local resources and priorities.

We recognise that some owners will have more difficulty, particularly with the option to fit alarms themselves, and we have provided £0.5 million additional funding for Care and Repair Scotland to provide help installing alarms for older and disabled home owners. We have also provided £1 million to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to provide alarms for owners who are considered most vulnerable to the risk of fire.

Section 195 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out exceptions from the requirements of that Act in relation to sport. The 2010 Act is generally reserved to the UK Parliament, including section 195, so the exceptions in the section would continue unaffected by the proposed provisions in the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. The Scottish Government continues to support the rights and protections that women currently have under the Equality Act 2010, and the proposed reforms in the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill do not affect this.

There is an explanatory note for section 195 that can be found here Equality Act 2010 - Explanatory Notes (legislation.gov.uk)

The process to return Glasgow Prestwick Airport to the private sector continues and decisions have still to be taken in relation to the prospective sale of the business.

We have committed to updating Parliament on the sale process at the appropriate stage and to protect the integrity of the process we will not be making any further comment at this time.