- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much private investment it has secured for nature restoration efforts in each of the past five years, also broken down by restoration activity.
Answer
It is not the Scottish Government’s role to act as a broker or fundraiser. Instead the Scottish Government is seeking to create the conditions which promote the flow of responsible private investment into nature restoration. Our forthcoming Natural Capital Markets Framework will strengthen our existing Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital and set out our approach to using public spending more effectively to leverage in responsible private capital.
The following table shows private investment in nature restoration efforts in each of the past five years in woodland, peatland and marine and coastal restoration activity:
| | Private Investment in Nature Restoration |
Year | Woodland (estimate) | Peatland (estimate) | Marine and Coastal | Yearly total |
2018-19 | £3,130,056 | £19,018 | £0 | £3,149,074 |
2019-20 | £6,866,424 | £0 | £0 | £6,866,424 |
2020-21 | £5,748,912 | £238,171 | £48,000 | £6,035,083 |
2021-22 | £2,898,360 | £268,346 | £45,500 | £3,212,206 |
2022-23 | £9,549,648 | £1,659,425 | £295,000 | £11,504,073 |
For private investment in woodland, these figures are estimates based on the number of carbon credits sold through the Woodland Carbon Code (48% of all credits). Projects will have retained the rest, either to sell in future years or to use themselves. Changes to the carbon price makes a significant difference to the estimate.
For peatland, private investment is calculated as the total project costs minus the public funded monies. These are funded via the sale of Pending Issuance Units or Peatland Carbon Units. The estimate is monies expected to cover project costs that the project owner expects to sell in carbon credits; it does not mean they have sold those units at this point in time. It also means they may end up selling their units for less or more than originally expected. Not included in the data is the profit landowners expect to make, as sometimes the private investment amount exceeds the project costs when public funding in factored in.
For private investment in marine and coastal restoration activity, the figures are the amount secured from private sources for the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund (SMEEF), which has been operating for three years.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what feasibility studies it has conducted into using Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) to transport cargo and passengers in the Highlands and Islands region.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not conducted any feasibility studies but Hybrid Air Vehicles produced the “Airlander feasibility study for the Highlands & Islands of Scotland” in September 2023. Hybrid Air Vehicles are a consortium member of the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE) project at Kirkwall Airport and the Airlander could be tested in the Highlands and Islands in the future.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns regarding the time being taken on the reinstatement of the roads, pavements and cycle lanes along the new tram line from York Place to Newhaven in Edinburgh, and what its position is on whether the City of Edinburgh Council is meeting its statutory responsibilities for local road maintenance and repair, as required by the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.
Answer
Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic.
The statutory responsibilities arising from the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 Act are, in the main, duties to maintain the local road network. That legal framework gives discretion over maintenance decisions, direct operations and reinstatement entirely to local government. There is no role for the Scottish Government to become involved in how any local authority discharges their discretionary powers, or to mandate how any specific site should be resourced by the road maintainer.
It would be appropriate for any complaints about how the work is progressing to be raised via local authorities normal complaints process, and then via the Public Services Ombudsman, if escalation is required.
In the case of a roads authority site which is improperly guarded, incorrectly notified or otherwise causing a danger, both the Health and Safety Executive and the Scottish Road Works Commissioner have powers to investigate any alleged failure to meet safety standards. The Scottish Government are unaware of any safety issues being reported for this site.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its commitment to (a) facilitate a process to co-design high-quality, high-performing household recycling and reuse services by the end of 2023, working with service operators and users, and (b) undertake further consultation on the separate kerbside collection of textiles by 2025.
Answer
Through the Circular Economy Bill, the Scottish Government is committed to a co-design process to develop a new Household Recycling Code of Practice with local authorities and other stakeholders to provide a clear strategic direction for recycling in Scotland.
This includes enabling progress against future local recycling and reuse targets, informing how the monitoring and reporting framework for local authority waste services can be strengthened, and consideration of further measures to incentivise waste reduction at a household level.
Engagement with Cosla and local authority representatives is ongoing, and Scottish Government officials are currently developing plans for a local authority workshop to be held in early 2024 to continue this process.
The Scottish Government remains committed to a public consultation on the separate kerbside collection of textiles by 2025. Evidence from the consultation will inform the development of the new Household Recycling Code of Practice.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include Argyll and Bute Council in the Storm Babet Ministerial Taskforce.
Answer
We recognise the significant impact on people, businesses and communities in areas affected by storm Babet. The Scottish Government is committed to playing its part in helping them through this horrible experience which has destroyed so many people’s property and belongings.
The Storm Babet Ministerial Taskforce was established to co-ordinate the Scottish Government’s support of local recovery efforts. It will consider both the immediate recovery response and longer-term issues such as repairing infrastructure.
The Taskforce has developed a package of support to assist Scotland’s Councils deal with the immediate recovery as well as consider longer term issues such as repairing infrastructure. This package includes initiating the Bellwin Scheme to help all Councils cover eligible expenditure for urgent repairs; grants for farmers affected by severe flooding in parts of Scotland to help repair man-made flood banks; and Flood Recovery Grants to be administered by eligible Local Authorities to assist people whose homes and businesses have been flooded.
This support is in addition to Scotland’s longer-term investment in flood resilience, where we have committed £150m over the course of this Parliament to deliver improved flood resilience, in addition to the £42m provided annually to councils for flood resilience through the general capital grant.
The initial focus of the Task Force has been on the worst affected areas; ones that had an exceptionally rare red warning for rain during October’s storm, and especially Angus, which provisionally experienced its wettest day since 1891.We have therefore invited the Chief Executive of Angus Council to attend the Taskforce in her capacity as Chair of the Tayside Storm Babet Recovery Group. While we will continue to review membership of the group, there are no plans to extend membership at this time.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide details of any (a) internal communications involving (i) ministers and (ii) officials and (b) external communications in respect of the Police Scotland investigation that resulted in Sheriff Alistair Duff being convicted at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
Answer
The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 stipulates that the Chief Constable is responsible for the policing of Scotland, and is accountable to the Scottish Police Authority for this, rather than to Scottish Ministers directly. These arrangements are in place to ensure public confidence that the police act independently, free from unwarranted Ministerial interference. The Scottish Government had no involvement in the Police Scotland investigation that resulted in Sheriff Alistair Duff being convicted at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
- Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government which public organisation is responsible for safeguarding the nearby residents of HMP & YOI Stirling, including many children and older and disabled people, in light of reports that they continue to experience daily noise disturbances from the facility, and what its position is on how Stirling Council was able to approve the construction of the facility close to local residential estates, in light of reports that there were no industry standard pre-construction surveys and testing carried out in relation to the close proximity of the residential estates.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
Any concerns from residents in relation to general noise disturbances, fall under the remit of the local authority, in this instance Stirling Council.
The responsibility for determining applications for planning permission, and planning enforcement of such decisions, rests primarily with the planning authority for the area, in this case Stirling Council. Such applications are required to be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area unless material considerations indicate otherwise – More information can be found on the Scottish Government Website, specifically Planning circular 3/2022: development management procedures - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
SPS remains committed to engaging with local residents.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 24 November 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21271 by Patrick Harvie on 28 September 2023, how many (a) referrals (i) have been processed, and, of those, how many were deemed to be eligible applications and (ii) are still awaiting eligibility checks, (b) assessments have taken place and (c) installations (A) have started (B) have been completed and (C) are booked to start.
Answer
Please see the following information as of 1 December.
Category | Description | Number |
Referrals received | This is a count of all referrals received and therefore ‘processed’ by Warmworks since 2nd October 2023. Applications that have failed eligibility checks with Home Energy Scotland were not passed to Warmworks. | 5,368 |
Referrals deemed to be eligible applications | This is the total number of applications received minus those awaiting a Department for Work and Pensions outcome. | 4,579 |
Referrals awaiting eligibility checks | Please note this refers to the no. of customers waiting on a DWP outcome from the total no. of referrals received. | 789 |
Assessments booked or completed | This is the total no. of assessments already completed or booked with the customer. | 2,323 |
Installations completed, in progress or booked | This is the total no. of installations either completed, in progress or booked to start. | Completed | 73 | In progress | 264 | Booked to start | 197 | Total | 534 |
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Please note this information includes the referrals received prior to scheme commencement on 2 October 2023 and all new referrals received since then.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what support will be provided to businesses in Argyll and Bute that have been impacted by damage as a result of Storm Babet, in light of reports of around half being unable to reopen and a cumulative financial deficit of nearly £1.3 million.
Answer
We recognise the significant impact on people, businesses and communities in areas affected by storm Babet. The Scottish Government is committed to playing its part in helping them through this horrible experience which has destroyed so many people’s property and belongings.
The Storm Babet Ministerial taskforce was established to co-ordinate the Scottish Government’s support of local recovery efforts. Initial focus has been on the worst affected areas; ones that had an exceptionally rare red warning for rain during October’s storm, and especially Angus, which provisionally experienced its wettest day since 1891.
The Taskforce has developed a package of support to assist Scotland’s Councils deal with the immediate recovery as well as consider longer term issues such as repairing infrastructure. This package includes initiating the Bellwin Scheme to help all Councils cover eligible expenditure for urgent repairs; grants for farmers affected by severe flooding in parts of Scotland to help repair man-made flood banks; and Flood Recovery Grants to be administered by eligible Local Authorities to assist people whose homes and businesses have been flooded.
This support is in addition to Scotland’s longer-term investment in flood resilience, where we have committed £150m over the course of this Parliament to deliver improved flood resilience, in addition to the £42m provided annually to councils for flood resilience through the general capital grant.
This flood response sits alongside our ongoing work to support Scotland’s businesses. The Scottish Government has committed up to £25 million to develop the Argyll and Bute economy over the next 10 years through the regional growth deal. Projects supported through the deal will support the development of skills, infrastructure and innovation in key industry sectors like marine tourism and aquaculture to create skilled jobs and attract investment’. Local authorities also have wide-ranging powers to create rates relief schemes to reflect local needs.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 8 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase domestic energy efficiency.
Answer
On 28 November, we launched our consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill alongside the social housing equivalent. This includes proposals to improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes, which will deliver enduring savings on energy bills and helpmeet our climate change targets.
We have a wide range of grant and loan schemes available, and households can contact Home Energy Scotland to access free, bespoke, impartial advice on making their home more energy efficient. Our Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme is open to all domestic owner-occupied households in Scotland and provides grant funding of up to £7,500 for households to install energy efficiency measures. A rural uplift to the energy efficiency grant of up to £1,500 is available as well as up to an additional £7,500 as an interest free loan.
We have also helped over 150,000 households to benefit from warmer homes that are less expensive to heat through our fuel poverty programmes, Warmer Homes Scotland and Area Based Schemes. We have recently widened the eligibility criteria to the Warmer Homes Scotland programme, allowing a further 100,000 households to become eligible, and relaunched the programme with a significantly increased maximum contract value of more than £700million over up to seven years.
Furthermore, Registered Social Landlords can apply for grant funding from the Social Housing Net Zero Heat fund for the installation of energy efficiency measures and clean heating that deliver both carbon savings and reduction in fuel bills for their tenants. This includes “Fabric First” enhancements which help make homes easier and cheaper to heat.
Finally, we recently consulted on reforming EPCs to make them a more appropriate source of information about the energy efficiency of a building. This included proposals to introduce a metric based on fabric energy efficiency: Energy Performance Certificate reform consultation - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space . These reforms, if introduced, will help building owners understand the energy efficiency of their property, and the steps they can take to improve it . We plan to respond to the consultation in 2024.
