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As was made clear in the letter to the Committee, an undercut of a door was only one element of an example set of remedial measures used to calculate the up-to-£5m fund.

The Scottish Government has not issued any guidance to local authorities recommending the use of door undercuts in specific spaces. Expert local authority teams fully understand that all remedial work undertaken should be in line with guidance on ventilation and based on expert assessment of the ventilation issues in a specific space.

The precise number of problematic spaces will be dependent on a range of factors over time, and many of the problematic spaces will already have been addressed. The Scottish Government has agreed formal reporting requirements regarding the number of remaining problematic spaces with local authorities.

Transport Scotland has not held any discussions with Network Rail on proposed staff reductions in Scotland.

Network Rail advise that UK wide it has undertaken two rounds of an industry special Voluntary Severance Scheme, focused on management grades where it could be verified there would be no impact on safety, performance or customer service. However, no representations have been made to Scottish Government on this matter.

As part of the funding arrangements and ongoing work with local authorities on schools/ELC ventilation, the Scottish Government has agreed updated reporting arrangements with local authorities to ensure an appropriate understanding of how and to what extent funding is being used.

We will provide an update to the Education, Children and Young People Committee in due course.

There has been no assessment of impact on services as there has been no reduction to Network Rail’s maintenance budget in Scotland.

The eligibility criteria for the existing Business Ventilation Fund has been widened to include Day Care of children services operated by Private, Voluntary and Independent Sector Nurseries. PVI settings can claim up to £2,500 per eligible premises to support them to improve their ventilation, improve air quality, and help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The £25m Fund is open to applications and will remain open until 31 March 2022 or until funds are exhausted - whichever occurs first. Full details of the eligibility criteria for the Business Ventilation Fund, the costs which can be claimed back, and the application process can be found on the Scottish Government Website.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any staff reductions that would impact upon rail services in Scotland. The member may wish to contact the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) as the safety and economic regulator of Scotland’s railway.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS is taking forward the work in relation to the transition of HMP Kilmarnock from the private sector into public ownership. A Project Executive is to be appointed within SPS and thereafter the relevant stakeholders will be identified for future discussions.

Our draft NPF4 sets out how our approach to planning and development will achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045.

Draft NPF4 includes green energy policies which support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis. Through the draft NPF4, we are also proposing to designate a national development which would establish the need for a large increase in renewable energy generation and substantial reinforcement and expansion of grid infrastructure throughout Scotland.

We laid the draft NPF4 in the Scottish Parliament on 10 November 2021. Alongside Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft, we are running a public consultation, supported by an extensive engagement programme, and comments are invited by 31 March 2022. Following this period, we will consider the responses received and any appropriate amendments to the draft NPF4 before presenting a final draft to the Scottish Parliament for its approval, in advance of adoption by the Scottish Ministers.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Following the decision by Scottish Ministers to transfer HMP Kilmarnock Prison to the public sector on expiry of the 25-year contract on 16 March 2024, SPS will become responsible for the management and operation of the establishment.

In preparation for this transfer:

(a) SPS is in continued dialogue with the contractor KPSL, and their sub-contractor, Serco Justice Services. SPS has also been engaging with surveyors to carry out Dilapidation Surveys of the existing site.

(b) The management of the transfer of HMP Kilmarnock into public ownership, will be undertaken by SPS. As part of this work SPS will liaise with key partners and Third sector service providers to ensure the transfer is successfully concluded.

Up to £5m funding has been made available to local authorities on the basis that they may use it to undertake remedial action in line with guidance on ventilation, with problematic spaces prioritised for action.

As part of the funding arrangements and ongoing work with local authorities on schools/ELC ventilation, the Scottish Government has agreed updated reporting arrangements with local authorities to ensure an appropriate understanding of how and to what extent funding is being used to support remedial action.