Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09978 on 24 August 2022. 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.

We continue to see Common Housing Registers as a key way of simplifying and maximising access to social housing. It is up to individual local authorities and housing associations to determine the most effective application process and allocation policy for allocating their housing stock. Guidance on Common Housing Registers can be found on the Scottish Government’s website: Common Housing Register (CHR) - building a register: a practitioner's guide - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . We have no plans to provide support to Glasgow City Council to expand their Common Housing Register which is a matter for them.

The Scottish Government has no plans to produce an updated full business case addendum at this time.

The Scottish Government is committed to establishing and maintaining a dignified and accessible disability and carer benefits system. This includes support for those aged over 65 whose awards are transferring to Adult Disability Payment.

“Non-physical activity disability allowance” is not a recognised term applying to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment. In line with our established case transfer principles, people transferring to Social Security Scotland, from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), will continue to receive the correct payment at the correct time.

This means that clients will continue to receive the same mobility and care component of support when they transfer to Adult Disability Payment as they would have continued to receive on PIP after reaching state pension age. Relevant age rules will apply to any review after transfer, which means that on-going entitlement to the mobility component of Adult Disability Payment will be in line with the condition and/or disability under their previous PIP award. Where an individual's award was selected for transfer because they reported a change to the DWP, they were due to have their award reviewed, or their award was due to end, we will start the review process soon after their Adult Disability Payment award begins. In all other cases, review dates will be as far as possible aligned with their previous PIP review or end dates.

Although entitlement rules for Adult Disability Payment largely replicate PIP entitlement rules, we are confident that overall client experience will be much improved as a result of the less intrusive and client-centred assessment processes and our new forms of support and advice to help people provide relevant information when applying or having their entitlement reviewed.

Security of electricity supply is a reserved policy area, delivered through UK Government electricity policy, Ofgem as the independent GB energy regulator, and National Grid ESO (the GB Electricity System Operator), as noted in the response to your question on 25 August.

Scotland has an abundance of renewable electricity generation that exceeds our average annual demand. Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will set out further analysis on electricity security, in light of increased decarbonisation of heat and transport.

However, based on current rates of new build development, a ban on the use of direct emission heating systems in new build properties could equate to an additional 100GWh of demand every year. This would add just 0.3% to our total electricity demand remaining well within the margin of our maximum supply capacity of 10GW.

Similarly, based on Transport Scotland’s electricity demand scenarios, the average annual additional electricity demand from EV’s (cars and vans) is just 186GWh for the period 2022 – 2030.

It is also important to highlight that network companies are investing to ensure that our infrastructure can support our transition to net zero. Both Scottish Distribution Network Operators have worked closely with the Scottish Government and other stakeholders to ensure that their business plans reflect the scale and pace of deployment necessary to meet Scotland’s net zero and interim targets.

These plans are being assessed by the energy regulator Ofgem, and we expect a final decision on proposed investments by November this year.

The Scottish Government is aware that the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) publishes an engagement plan for every Registered Social Landlord which is publicly available on their website. Their engagement plan for Reidvale Housing Association covering the period up to 31 March 2023 states that they are engaging with the Association on its strategic options appraisal.

As an independent Regulator it is for the SHR to make decisions about how they regulate. Their Regulatory Framework sets out how they perform their functions and regulate social landlords.

The Scottish Government is committed to maintaining high standards of animal welfare. The Scottish Government is currently working closely with the other GB administrations on potential improvements to animal transport legislation and consulting stakeholders through a series of workshops, to ensure all options are fully considered before any specific proposals are brought forward.

The Scottish Government remains committed to consulting on proposals to phase out cages for gamebirds and laying hens, as well as farrowing crates for pigs. The consultations will be prepared and brought forward in due course.

The Scottish Government holds regular meetings with COSLA covering a number of issues.

The increasing energy costs are a concern across a number of businesses in Scotland. Scottish Ministers are clear that the powers and resources needed to tackle this emergency on the scale required - access to borrowing, welfare, VAT on fuel and energy bills, taxation of windfall profits, regulation of the energy market - lie with the UK Government. The Scottish Government has continually urged the UK Government to use all the powers and fiscal headroom at its disposal to address the costs crisis.

The membership of the panel is agreed between Scottish Government and COSLA and consists of a number of organisational representatives. A list of those organisations and current members is as follows.

Scottish Government   David Cowan (Co-Chair)

COSLA       Calum Lindsay (Co-Chair)

SURF Scotlands Regeneration Forum Laura Black

Scottish Futures Trust   Mhairi Donaghy

Highlands & Islands Enterprise Douglas Cowan

South of Scotland Enterprise Bryan McGrath

Scottish Enterprise     Gillian Adam

SOLACE – (Chief Executives) Russell McCutcheon

SLAED (Economic Development) John McCrone

HoP ( Planning)     Beverley Smith

Directors of Finance   vacant

The full analysis of the responses to the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill consultation has been completed and a report of the findings will be published on the Scottish Government website shortly.