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As detailed in the response to question S6W-38270, Scottish Government has awarded over £65m funding to support investment in the ChargePlace Scotland network since 2011.

Of this, over £56 million (81.7%) has been provided through funding schemes for the public sector, principally local authorities.

In addition, over £7.3 million (10.7%) has been awarded through schemes operated by the Energy Saving Trust and specifically supporting public EV charging, these schemes specifically targeted private and third sectors but also included some limited support for the public sector. The information held on these schemes by the Energy Saving Trust does not enable the value of funding specific to each sector to be identified.

A further £5.2 million (7.6%) was awarded to Scottish Power Distribution PLC through Scottish Government’s Strategic Partnership with Scotland's electricity Distribution Network Operators. The EV charge points installed under this scheme were subsequently transferred to the ownership of North and South Lanarkshire Councils.

The development of a Scottish Government Mobile App is a Digital Public Servies commitment within the Government's Public Service Reform Strategy published in June 2025.

The proposed App will be a gateway to personalised public services. The first use case is likely to be proof of age, scheduled to be available this financial year. The Digital Directorate will be leading on this work.

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

Since it was launched in 2015, the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) has supported land managers to undertake a wide range of actions to benefit the environment. Support is provided for the management of species-rich grassland and small-scale tree planting, alongside options spanning nature restoration, climate change mitigation and adaptation, improving water quality and mitigating flood risk. The scheme offers both capital and resource funding to enable the uptake of options which complement existing farming systems and support both productive agriculture and nature and climate outcomes. Full scheme guidance is available on the Rural Payments website.

As stated in the Agricultural Reform Route Map, AECS is expected to continue until at least 2026 to deliver elements of Elective support ahead of Tier 3 launching in 2027.

Tier 3 Elective will support action that protects habitats or species or improves business sustainability. It will focus on funding a range of targeted actions for climate change and nature restoration. This could be specific to a particular species or habitat, support conversion to alternative forms of agriculture such as organic production, encourage innovation and provide supply chain support.

Special Advisers are appointed by the First Minister to provide important assistance to Scottish Ministers on the development of policy and its presentation. Their appointment is designed to reinforce the political impartiality of the permanent Civil Service by providing Ministers with a separate channel for political advice and assistance.

In 2024-25, the number and total cost of Special Advisers reduced in comparison to the previous year.

The Scottish Government has published a list of current Special Advisers online. These details, as well as lists of former Special Advisers, can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/special-advisers/.

An update to the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan is currently underway and is planned to be published later this year.

Use of the Government Car Service is governed by the Ministerial Code. The version in 2007 can be found on the National Records of Scotland archive here:

https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20180130052300mp_/http:/www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/47133/0024899.pdf.

There has been several subsequent iterations of the ministerial code which can be found at the following links:

2008 – https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20170408064113mp_/http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/276226/0082926.pdf

2011 – https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20180126015215mp_/http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/364058/0123666.pdf

2015 - https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20170901063828/http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/06/2562/downloads

2016 - https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20241102232007/http://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2016-edition/

2018 - https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20241027204754/https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2018-edition/

2023 - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2023-edition/

2024 - https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2024-edition/

There has been no change to the principle use of the Government Car Service (GCS). The ministerial code was updated most recently in 2024 providing clarity on the expectation of ministers.

The latest version of the ministerial code can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2024-edition/.

The service provided by the Government Car Service (GCS) is one which is governed by the ministerial code. The latest version can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2024-edition/.

As Public Inquiries are independent of Ministers, it is for the Chair to direct how an Inquiry carries out its duties whilst being mindful of their responsibilities under section 17(3) of the Inquiries Act 2005 to avoid unnecessary costs.

The operation of Police Scotland, including decisions on the allocation of resources and the deployment of officers and staff, is for the Chief Constable, under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. This includes the allocation of budget and staff to support the work of Public Inquiries.