Seòmar agus comataidhean

The cost of grid infrastructure enhancements is an area of policy reserved to the UK Government. The recent Ofgem reform will mean that from the 1st of April 2023 generation and storage will pay less upfront costs and some of these costs will be socialised across the relevant network.

The Scottish Government wishes to see network costs reformed to support greater uptake of renewables generation and storage. However, this cannot done at the expense of financially vulnerable and fuel poor.

Those most vulnerable are already experiencing difficulties due to the cost of living energy crisis and care needs to be taken to ensure that those least able to pay do not end up paying the costs for those who can afford domestic generation and storage.

The Scottish Government will continue to make the case for comprehensive reform of network charges that supports delivery of net zero at the lowest cost to the consumer.

There are currently no plans to recommission the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Attitude Survey (SALSUS). Over the past 4 years, the Scottish Government has been working with local authorities in developing a Health and Wellbeing Census. This Census is currently underway in Scottish schools and contains some key, high-level data which were previously collected in SALSUS. Results from the 2021/22 HWC are expected to be published towards the end of 2022.

South of Scotland Enterprise advertised for four new Board members in Autumn 2021. Applicants were asked to demonstrate evidence of their skills, knowledge and experience in one of three areas: land based industries; governance/strategic management; or digital transformation.

The Scottish Government received 47 completed applications for the advertised vacancies. Of these, over a third (16 applicants) set out evidence under the ‘land-based industry’ criterion. However, it is possible that other applicants, who chose to set out evidence against one of the other criteria instead, may also have experience in land based industries.

The Pursuer Panel is a group of lawyers with expertise in dealing with professional negligence claims, and in particular claims against solicitors. About half of the firms represented are registered to carry out civil legal aid, but whether or not the lawyers take on legal aid cases is a matter for them. The Scottish Government cannot compel solicitors to provide advice. Funding is available under the civil advice and assistance scheme for applicants to consult solicitors to get advice on professional negligence. Civil legal aid fees have risen by 10.25% in the last 12 months. There is also funding available for any necessary reports to be obtained to allow the solicitor to confirm whether or not the test for professional negligence is met. Where there is evidence of negligence civil legal aid is available for professional negligence cases, including actions against solicitors. There are other solicitors who may take on this work outside the Pursuer Panel.

Funding for devices was provided to local authorities by the Scottish Government. As such, local authorities undertook their own procurement exercises and devices purchased became assets of, and are managed by, individual local authorities. Decisions on their use are taken locally. We do not hold information on how devices are used and monitored.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-08215 and S6W-08217 on 10 May 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

After assessment, the Scottish Government was pleased to be able to offer 12 month extensions to 5 of our projects in Rwanda and 2 in Zambia. In total, £1.6M of additional funding has been allocated between our Rwanda and Zambia programmes for financial year 2022/23.

We are currently working on restructuring our current funding schemes, in line with the outcomes of our 2021 Review. New funding streams will therefore include:

• funding under a new Equalities programme;
• funding to support sustainable recovery from COVID; and
• funding to support institutional resilience.

New programmes in Rwanda, Zambia, and Malawi will commence in 2023.

We will update the Parliament further in due course.

We are currently considering our structure and staffing in the light of the findings of our Review into International Development to ensure we have the right resource in place to fully deliver on the outcomes of the review.

I am pleased to announce that Scotland’s first Adult Learning Strategy has been published today, and can be found online here: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802018301

The strategy has bold and ambitious actions to remove barriers to learning, enabling more adults across Scotland to begin and continue their learning journeys. It outlines important steps required to create more accessible learning opportunities for our adult learners, particularly those experiencing disadvantage and furthest from learning.

The publication of the strategy deepens collaboration with adult learners to address and tackle the inequalities that many face. Our aim is to ensure that learners are at the centre of the strategy’s delivery as we work with them to realise their ambitions and aspirations.

We have published the Report of the independent review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy.

The Report is available at: http://www.gov.scot/ISBN/9781804353912/documents/

Dr Colin Church submitted his Report to Ministers on 13 April. Given the potential for the Report’s findings and recommendations to raise issues that could be of particular local interest, publication was deferred until after the local government elections.

We are considering Dr Church’s recommendations carefully and will respond to these in a statement to Parliament in June.

Given the important issues that the Review Report raises in relation to Scotland’s national capacity requirements for incineration, the temporary notification direction that was put in place during the review will remain in place until we determine our response to Dr Church’s recommendations. This notification direction requires local authorities to notify Scottish ministers when they receive, and when they intend to approve, a planning application for an incineration facility.