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Through the ‘Pitch In’ project, KIMO International and the NGO Fidra , have developed a community toolkit and best practice guidance to reduce the source of microplastic pollution. This includes information on reducing this source of microplastic pollution. Marine Scotland is working with stakeholders to support the implementation of this guidance in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is also taking action on the issue of microplastics pollution from plastic pellets, powders and flakes. We have supported the plastic industry’s voluntary ‘Operation Clean Sweep’ initiative which gives guidance for best handling practice, and are currently working with the industry to develop an auditable full supply-chain certification approach to reduce plastic loss from all businesses handling this material.

My officials give priority to cases with repossession orders and where a trustee is forcing the sale of a property, the requirement for secured loan payments to be 3 months in arrears will be waived. The Scottish Government does not hold data relating to the number of these types of applications that have been processed.

Guidance documents for each participant are available at Support for homeowners at risk of homelessness - Homelessness - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). HOSF officials regularly provide support and information to applicants, Money Advisers, Social Landlords, Trustees and Lenders on individual applications.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10243 on 7 September 2022 which shows the number of successful applications to the Home Owners Support Fund in the last 6 years. Where a social landlord acquires a property through the scheme, the homeowner will remain in their home on Scottish Secure Tenancy terms. The Scottish Government does not collect data on homeowners’ circumstances after their application has successfully concluded.

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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10262 on 7 September 2022.

The Scottish Government does not hold the data requested. Property thresholds are being considered as part of the review.

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 Scottish Government has made a commitment in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation to “Build on the findings from the Business Purpose Commission Report, to inform how businesses can deliver positive impacts on prosperity, wellbeing – including tackling child poverty – and environmental sustainability. ”

The Business Purpose Commission for Scotland launched its report Now is the time for purpose: Putting purpose at the heart of Scottish business on 28 June 2022. The report is comprehensive, and makes recommendations for a range of stakeholders across business, governments, and tertiary education and training organisations. We are considering the recommendations carefully, with particular focus on the two recommendations for Scottish Government to lead. This requires significant cross- government engagement and we look forward to sharing our response when complete.

The average apartment rental charges have not been routinely published up to this point as we have considered this an operational matter. Figures are updated each year in line with CPI inflation figures and grant calculations are shared with social landlords before the purchase of a property is agreed. Going forward, the publication of annual rental charges will be looked at as part of the wider scheme review.

The Scottish Government encourages our public collections to consider the method of acquisition of all objects in their care, the vast majority of which were obtained ethically and legally.

Any consideration of returning cultural artefacts would initially be a decision for the relevant Board of Trustees. However Scottish Government officials engage in ongoing discussions with the museums sector, and will continue to encourage open and inclusive discussion on this topic.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken specific planning or research regarding a reduction in the devolved civil service headcount in Scotland.

The Scottish Government regularly reviews its workforce numbers to ensure affordability, and that the organisation is delivering for the people of Scotland as efficiently and effectively as possible. The organisation's focus is on aligning its workforce plans with the outcome of the Resource Spending Review, and contributing to achieving the broad aim set out within the Resource Spending Review, to return the total size of the devolved public sector workforce to around pre-COVID-19 levels by 2026-27. This will be achieved through effective vacancy and recruitment management, working in partnership with the Council of Scottish Government Unions.

The RSR sets out how the wider decrease in the public sector workforce will not be achieved via a uniform approach due to varying trends in demand for different services and the recovery of services from COVID-19.

The area of land in community ownership was estimated to be 191,261 hectares as of 31 December 2020. This figure has been taken from the Official Statistics publication Community Ownership in Scotland 2020 which is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/community-ownership-scotland-2020/ . The next update to this publication will be published 27 September 2022 and will include information on any further assets brought into community ownership up to
‎ 31 December 2021.