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In 2020-21, as a response to the pandemic and the closure of school buildings, we provided £25 million to councils across Scotland to tackle digital exclusion. This resulted in over 72,000 devices and 14,000 internet connectivity solutions being distributed to disadvantaged pupils across Scotland to support their learning. 72,000 equates to 10.3% of pupils.

These figures do not include devices that will have been distributed from local authorities via their own programmes or any additional COVID funding. However, COSLA have reported that 122,000 devices (including the 72,000 funded by the Scottish Government) have now been distributed.

In addition, since May 2020, the Scottish Government has invested over £48 million in the Connecting Scotland programme which has resulted in 60,000 digitally excluded people being brought online.

The Capital Land and Works budget for Motorways and Trunk Roads in the 2022-23 Capital Spending Review reflects the current expenditure profile of road construction schemes. That review and the general availability of budget for all the Motorway and Trunk Road projects are the only considerations which influence the progress of projects already committed to.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05400 on 24 January 2022. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

This information is not collected in the High Rise Inventory.

The salary information relating to the Chief Operating Officer appointment is personally confidential information pertaining to an employee of Abellio ScotRail Ltd.

Once the Chief Operating Officer becomes a public sector employee and in line with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, details of the Chief Operating Officer’s remuneration will be published in due course within Scottish Rail Holdings’ year end accounts. These accounts will be published on Transport Scotland’s website once audited and laid before Parliament.

Scottish Government officials contacted TATA Steel UK on 9 December 2021 to inform the company of its findings concerning the potential presence of State Aid with respect to 2016 transaction. Channels of communication between the Scottish Government and Tata Steel UK to facilitate dialogue remain open but it would not be appropriate to publish the detailed content of these commercially sensitive exchanges.

Since Ministers were informed of the potential presence of State Aid with respect to its 2016 contract with Tata Steel UK Scottish Government officials have engaged with (a) Tata Steel UK on the following occasions, 9-12-21; 10-12-21; 13-12-21; 14-12-21; 15-12-21; 24-12-21 and 12-1-22 and (b) Liberty Steel-GFG Alliance on the following occasions 9-9-21; 8-11-21; 15-12-21; and 24-1-22.

Channels of communication between the Scottish Government and relevant businesses remain open but it would not be appropriate to publish the detailed content of these commercially sensitive exchanges.

We have considered the compliance and disclosure risks associated with significant and complex transactions. This includes the high-profile interventions that the Scottish Government has supported in recent years as outlined in 2020-21 Annual Accounts.

These transactions have been reviewed and, on the basis of information available it remains the case that there was no state aid present in any of the transactions. We have also obtained assurances in respect of the appropriate recognition and disclosure of contingent liabilities.

Liberty Steel Dalzell continues to trade. At the time of the deal, in 2016, a parent company guarantee was signed with Liberty House, which meant that, if the part of the company at Liberty Steel Dalzell ceased to exist, the liabilities would pass to the wider group.

The Scottish Government’s actions saved both the Dalzell steelworks and the jobs of those that work there, protecting an important component of the Scottish economy.