Seòmar agus comataidhean

The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement for large retailers in advance of the next Budget. As set out in the 2024-25 Scottish Budget publication, the Scottish Government has however committed to introduce or explore six new taxes. These comprise three national taxes: Scottish Aggregates Tax, Air Departure Tax, and a Building Safety Levy; and three local taxes: Visitor Levy, Cruise Liner Levy, and a Local Carbon Land Tax.

My letter of 27 October 2023 shorttermlets27oct.pdf (parliament.scot) to the Scottish Parliament indicated I would write again by the end of January 2024 to advise on progress with this work and it is still my intention to do this.

The Scottish Government can confirm today work has commenced on the 4 Day Working Week Public Sector Pilot to assess the wellbeing, environmental and productivity benefits a 4 Day Working Week could bring.

We have appointed Autonomy as our expert partner to support the pilot. The team involved in this project have previous 4 Day Working Week pilot experience including from the Valencian Government pilot, and the Icelandic public sector pilot.

The South of Scotland Enterprise 4 Day Working Week pathfinder work is being folded into Autonomy’s methodology, and engagement will continue with other public bodies interested in participating in the 32-hour working week pilot.

Autonomy will also provide support and evaluate organisations moving to a contractual 35 hour working week. This will capture valuable insights from a wider range of public bodies on different shorter work week models and be included in the 4 Day Working Week evaluation report.

Further to my response to the question S60-02933 on 10 January 2024, I have not set a deadline for the full or partial reopening of sites affected by high level masonry issues. Historic Environment Scotland continues to put the health and safety of individuals first and will continue reopening sites when safe to do so.

Details of the inspection programme and site reopening's are published on the Historic Environment Scotland website: High Level Masonry Inspections | Historic Environment Scotland . Indeed the member will be pleased to note that the website currently advises that Bothwell Castle in her constituency is due to reopen for Easter 2024.

I will continue to engage with Historic Environment Scotland on the inspection programme and the reopening of sites affected.

Information on Ministerial engagements is routinely published on the Scottish Government website and can be found at: www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ .

Visits are not recorded by parliamentary or constituency region.

Yes, the Scottish Government annual surveys continue to gather data, in order to support future assessments on microplastics in surface water. Although there is currently no internationally agreed baseline for microplastics in surface water, as referenced in the answer to question S6W-23886, all our marine litter data contributes to regional monitoring across the North East Atlantic, through OSPAR (the Oslo-Paris Convention), and would contribute to any baseline developed in the future.

Further to the answers to questions S6W-01058 on 13 July 2021, S6W-23231 on 11 December 2023, S6W-23886 on 12 January 2024, S6W-23887 on 9 January 2024, and S6W-24462 on 16 January 2024, our microplastics monitoring programme began in the winter of 2013, and has continued to undertake annual surveys since that time. The current data collection season runs from November 2023 to the end of January 2024.

Data from this monitoring programme enabled the initial assessment for microplastics in surface water to be conducted. This was published in Scotland’s Marine Assessment 2020, which can be viewed at https://marine.gov.scot/sma/assessment/microplastics-surface-water

As referenced in the answer to question S6W-24462 on 16 January 2024, the 2022-23 data is currently undergoing quality control and processing. Once the 2023-24 data collection season has concluded, the processing will commence on the data for the whole season. Data from both these years will be published once processed.

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 .

During 2020, Scottish Ministers announced their intention to administer a separate fund to the UK Government's Industrial Energy Transformation Fund and that more funds would be available for Scottish Industries than received as Barnett consequentials. We are in the process of concluding the due diligence process for SIETF applications and in the coming weeks intend to announce a further set of projects. Following this, we will engage with industrial representatives regarding potential proposals for future decarbonisation initiatives, including the possibility of a next phase for SIETF.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24110 on 18 January 2024. 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24110 on 18 January 2024. 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24110 on 18 January 2024. 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 .