Seòmar agus comataidhean

Transport Scotland has published both the Scottish Ministers’ High Level Output Specification (HLOS) and the Statement of Funds Available (SoFA).

The HLOS, funded by the SoFA, continues the Scottish Government’s record investment in Scotland’s Railway. This investment is focused on Scottish priorities for Scotland’s Railway and will fund delivery of a safe, efficient and high performing railway.

To make best use of the £4.2 billion SoFA funding, the successful delivery of the requirements in the HLOS will require Network Rail to cooperate with a whole rail industry approach, aligned with and focussed upon the delivery of the strategic priorities of Scotland’s Ministers to take climate action and to connect communities sustainably. In particular this investment will attract more passengers and freight customers to Scotland’s Railway as an essential part of decarbonisation plans, and will increase expenditure on the weather resilience of Scotland’s railway infrastructure.

Copies of the HLOS and SoFA are available on the Transport Scotland website here:

Transport Scotland's Rail Policy and Strategy

Dr Colin Church submitted his Second Report on the Decarbonisation of Residual Waste Infrastructure in Scotland to Scottish Ministers on 16 December and we have published the Report today. The Report is available at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805254942 .

We are carefully considering the key findings and recommendations of Dr Church’s Second Report and will respond to these in March.

I would like to thank Dr Church for completing the independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland.

As a recipient of Scottish Government grant funding, Inspiring Scotland are subject to regular monitoring and reporting against pre-agreed and clear outcomes as set out in their offer of grant.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering the grade separation of Sheriffhall Roundabout as part of its £300 million commitment to the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal.

Transport Scotland continues to progress the proposed scheme through the statutory process to deliver improvements at this key junction as soon as possible.

Following publication of draft Orders and Environmental Statement, Transport Scotland received a significant number of representations, including objections, to the proposed scheme. Given the number of objections, a Public Local Inquiry (PLI) is required, during which an independent reporter will consider all outstanding objections prior to making recommendations to the Scottish Ministers. The PLI is due to commence on Monday 30 January 2023. As with all trunk road projects this is the appropriate statutory forum for considering objections received and not withdrawn.

While I am keen to see the improvements delivered as soon as possible, the statutory right for individuals to have their say on proposals cannot be set aside. Delivery of the scheme itself can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory procedures, at which point a timetable for its progress can be set.

The focus of this report was providing a response on how to implement the recommendations of the Drug Deaths Taskforce Report, Changing Lives , published in July 2022.

However, people with problematic alcohol use and those who use alcohol alongside drugs will benefit from a number of the actions outlined in the plan such as the work to address stigma, the actions on early intervention and actions to support people with co-occurring mental health and substance use needs. In addition, the actions outlined in the plan to develop a trauma-informed workforce, to ensure that those with lived or living experience are involved in the development of work across both alcohol and drug policy and on residential rehabilitation services, will benefit people with problematic alcohol use as well as problematic drug use.

The Changing Lives report was the final report of the Drug Deaths Taskforce which has now concluded its work.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14158 on 3 February 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 Schools Pipes and Drums Trust (SSPDT) is not funded by the Scottish Government therefore we do not hold this information. Further information on their funding can be found on their website www.sspdt.org.uk .

The National Piping Centre is a Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO) through Creative Scotland and has received £150,000 each year through their RFO grant since 2018. The National Piping Centre has also received additional funding support from the Youth Music Initiative, Youth Arts Fund and the Recovery Fund for Cultural Organisations at a combined total of £531,477 over the last five years.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of educational mobility.

While we remain committed to Erasmus+, in the interim, we are creating a Scottish Education Exchange Programme to support participants from across Scotland’s education system.

This is a Programme for Government commitment and will help maintain Scotland’s place as an outward looking, internationally connected destination for work and study.

We are engaging with stakeholders from across the education spectrum, including higher and further education, schools (including early years and care), vocational education and training, youth work, adult education and sports. We are listening to the sectors and the needs of their learners and staff in order to ensure we create a programme fit for Scotland.

While we cannot reliably estimate the weather conditions in future years, over the last 7 years (2015-16 – 2021-22) around 97% of households in 22 out of the 27 weather station areas in Scotland received, on average, between zero and two Cold Weather Payments each winter. Five weather station areas received, on average, more than two Cold Weather Payments from 2015-16 – 2021-22, with around 12,000 eligible people resident in those areas. For the vast majority of those 12,000 people, the support received during that 7 year period was still, on average, less than 3 Cold Weather Payments per year.

Our new Winter Heating Payment will provide over £20 million investment each year, more than double the £8.3 million provided on average per winter by the UK Government over the last 7 years. This will provide reliable financial support for all eligible households in Scotland, rather than depending on sustained cold weather. This year around 415,000 people will receive Winter Heating Payment from the Scottish Government.