Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20938 on 26 September 2023. 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

The Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, uses an estimate from the Electronic Property Information Mapping Service (e-PIMS) of 23,000 public sector buildings in Scotland.

Since 2015-16, around 180 public bodies have been under a legal requirement to report annually on compliance with their climate change duties. Individual reports are published on the Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) website.

The Public Bodies Climate Change Reporting 2021-22 Analysis Report , prepared by SSN with grant support from the Scottish Government, shows total scope 1 and scope 2 emissions were 30.2% lower in 2021-22 compared to 2015-16. In 2021-22, scope 1 emissions were 1,197,089 tCO2e (tonnes of CO2 equivalent) and scope 2 emissions were 567,734 tCO2e. Scope 1 are direct emissions typically from heating of buildings and the use of fleet vehicles, with refrigerants with some other emissions associated with sector specific processes also included. Scope 2 are indirect emissions from grid electricity consumption.

The annual Analysis Report provides some sectoral breakdown of reported information. The Scottish Government does not routinely hold information from individual reporting bodies as the reports are publicly available.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20878 on
‎ 26 September 2023. 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

We are working to improve neurodevelopmental support for children and young people, including children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to ensure that children and young people can receive the support they need quickly. Our National Neurodevelopmental Specification for Children and Young People aims to ensure that children and families receive the support that meets their needs at the earliest opportunity, based on the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) approach.

In terms of the referral process, a diagnosis is not required for children and young people to receive support. The Neurodevelopmental Specification makes clear that support should be in place to meet the child or young person’s requirements when they need it, rather than being dependent on a formal diagnosis. For many children and young people, such support is likely to be community based, and should be quickly and easily accessible. In Lothian for example, Edinburgh’s Citywide Neurodevelopmental Diversity Support is a partnership between Barnardo’s, Tailor Ed Foundation and Autism Initiatives aimed at children and young people who have neurodevelopmental diversity. This service provides one-to-one support for children and young people, and also offers support to parents and siblings.

To support national implementation of the Specification, we have funded five Tests of Change to implement various aspects of the specification. These are taking place in Grampian, East Lothian, Highland, Fife and Forth Valley. We are working to collate and share learnings from these Tests of Change to inform next steps around implementation of the ND specification and support wider roll out across other areas in Scotland.

It is for each individual college, and not the Scottish Government, to determine how best to secure its financial sustainability and therefore operational decisions reside within colleges themselves.

New College Lanarkshire has engaged with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) over its decision to close its nurseries, which will remain open until 31 December 2023. The SFC approved the College’s voluntary severance scheme in May 2023 for some of the affected staff, with the College planning redeployment for the other affected staff members.

Strong literacies skills help people fulfil their potential, achieve their goals, and take advantage of opportunities and the Scottish Government wants every citizen in Scotland to have the literacy capabilities necessary to bridge the poverty gap, to understand and shape the world they live in, and to enjoy the rich knowledge and benefits that being able to read, write and use numbers can bring.

Scotland has its own adult literacies guidance and action plan contained within Adult Literacies in Scotland 2020 which encompasses numeracy. Its impact will be reviewed as part of the Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland, this will produce recommendations on next steps for adult literacies within the context of the Adult Learning Strategy.

The Public Bodies Climate Change Reporting 2021-22 Analysis Report , page 15, shows grid electricity consumed by around 180 public bodies which have reported annually since 2015-16 on compliance with their statutory climate change duties. Reporting years are 12 months to 31 March rather than calendar years.

Total grid electricity consumed by reporting public bodies is set out in the following table.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17566 on 17 May 2023. Due to the annual budget cycle, Scottish Government cannot yet confirm dates or capital budgets for future bidding rounds. However, we continue to engage with regional stakeholders on planning and priorities for future funding calls. The timing of potential future bidding rounds will be considered in the New Year.

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 am pleased to confirm the Scottish Government has no plans to close any ScotRail ticket offices, unlike proposals from UK Government train operators to close ticket offices elsewhere and this includes the Avanti ticket office at Glasgow Central station.

I have written to the UK (Rail) Minister setting out the Scottish Government’s objection to these proposed ticket office closures and raising strong concerns around potential impacts on disabled and other passengers who rely on support from station staff to access rail services. My letter was copied to Andy Mellors, Managing Director, Avanti West Coast and Antony Smith, Chief Executive, Transport Focus.

The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering Anne’s Law within the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill (NCS) to further support the rights of people living in adult care homes to connect with their loved ones.

At Stage 1 of the NCS Bill, evidence was heard from seven committees and many individuals and representatives on a wide range of topics. The extension to Stage 1 has allowed the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government the necessary time to consider all of the evidence to best inform the development of the NCS Bill including Anne’s Law. During this time we have continued to work with care home providers, relatives and other stakeholders to develop the detail of Anne’s Law and prepare for its implementation.

Meantime, the Scottish Government has already utilised existing powers to adopt the core foundations of Anne’s Law through the development of two new Heath and Social Care Standards introduced in April 2022.

The new Standards establish that people living in care homes can expect to see someone who is important to them, even during an infectious outbreak and be able to name a person or persons who can directly participate in meeting their care needs. The Care Inspectorate now refer to these Standards when registering, inspecting and supporting care homes.

Furthermore, Public Health Scotland’s COVID guidance supports visiting during an infectious outbreak situation. Three named visitors can visit a resident, one per day, in the event of an outbreak, and essential visiting for end-of-life care and distress should always be supported, regardless of the circumstances.

Taken together, these measures have resulted in over 99% of care homes in Scotland reporting that they are supporting indoor visiting (in week ending 17 July 2023, COVID-19 in Adult Care Homes in Scotland , Public Health Scotland). The Scottish Government will continue to work with all parties to ensure that people living in care homes are supported to connect with their loved ones.