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The Scottish Government is in regular dialogue with the sector, most recently through holding a series of roundtable discussions. While we have had to make difficult choices to live within budgets, we have also listened to the concerns raised by the culture sector. In response, as announced on 21 February, the Scottish Government will provide an uplift of £6.6 million for Creative Scotland for 2023-24 to ensure their accumulated lottery funding reserves can supplement rather than replace grant funding.

This decision means there will be a substantial increase in the Scottish Government’s funding for culture and major events in the next financial year.

We expect Creative Scotland to set out quickly for the culture sector how it will use these additional resources to support organisations and help protect culture sector jobs at this difficult time.

We will continue to have close discussions with Creative Scotland and the wider culture sector to support workers and ensure our diverse and world-class cultural scene and rich heritage continue to thrive.

Through the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF ), we are co-investing with a diverse range of Scottish manufacturers to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions through increased energy efficiency and deep decarbonisation projects. The requested information can be found in the following table:

Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund applications and awards (to date):

The number of individuals successfully completing the Maritime Occupations Modern Apprenticeship framework across each year since 2018/19 is detailed in the following table. All MA statistics are published on the SDS website at Modern Apprenticeships | Skills Development Scotland . Year-end statistics for‎ 2022-23 are expected to be published in May 2023.

The number of households in each local authority that are experiencing fuel poverty is published annually (based on a three-year average) in the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) local authority tables starting with the 2003-2006 publication.

The latest published set of tables for 2017-2019 are available at:

Scottish House Condition Survey: Local Authority Analysis 2017-2019 .

Estimates from 2010-12 to 2016-18 are available at:

Scottish House Condition Survey: Local Authority Analyses 2010-2012 to 2016-2018

Estimates dating from 2003-2006 to 2013-2015 are also available on our archive at:

[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Scottish House Condition Survey - Local Authority

Please Note:

Results from 2016-18 to 2017-19 are based on best estimates under the new definition of fuel poverty as set out in the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019. They reflect amendments made to the legislation during the Bill process up to and including Stage 2.

Results from 2003-06 to 2015-17 are based on the definition of fuel poverty set out in The Scottish fuel Poverty statement 2002 .

As the 2020 SHCS was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic and results from the 2021 External+ SHCS are not yet published and unlikely to be consistent with previous years, the 2017-2019 results are the latest available at Local Authority level.

Due to the recent rise in energy prices and lack of recent SHCS data on fuel poverty, we have published scenario modelling of national fuel poverty rates under the Energy Price Guarantee, at both the current £2,500 level from October 2022 as well as the £3,000 level from April 2023.

This modelling estimates that from October 2022 there are around 860,000 households (35%) in fuel poverty in Scotland. This is an increase of 247,000 households or around 10 percentage points from the latest available 2019 SHCS statistics, which showed 613,000 households in fuel poverty (25%). With the increase in the Energy Price Guarantee to £3,000 in April 2023 we estimate that around 980,000 households (39%) in Scotland will be in fuel poverty. While these modelled estimates are not available at Local Authority level, the large increases in the fuel poverty rate will be reflected across each Local Authority in Scotland.

The consultation has been published today and is available on the Scottish Government’s Consultation Hub, Citizen Space https://consult.gov.scot/lifelong-learning-and-skills/rural-and-islands-college-merger-proposal

It seeks views on the proposals put forward by the boards of management of North Highland College (UHI North Highland), West Highland College (UHI West Highland) and Lews Castle College (UHI Outer Hebrides) to merge into a single, incorporated college.

The Scottish Government is examining the risk assessment conclusion in detail given the serious impact of HPAI (High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza) on wild and kept birds and will monitor risk levels and carefully consider its response over coming months.

The release of game birds is prohibited within an avian influenza protection zone and surveillance zone.

When kept there is a legal requirement to report suspicion of notifiable avian disease in game birds.

Where Special Protected Area (SPA)/Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) are designated for vulnerable species consent from NatureScot is required for release of game birds.

The Scottish Government has spent £39,525 +VAT on administering the Destination Net Zero Vehicle Charge Point Tourism Recovery Fund. The Fund was administered by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of VisitScotland and the Scottish Government. For this work, Energy Savings Trust received a management fee of £39,525 +VAT, paid by VisitScotland. This fee did not come out of the £325k funding pot for the Destination Net Zero Charge Point Tourism Recovery Fund, but was covered separately.

Throughout the process VisitScotland supported the administration and assessment of the fund, providing a range of checks at different stages. There was no additional cost attached to that administrative work as this was undertaken as part of people’s job roles throughout the period.

The scheme has funded 194 charging points across Scotland, located across 20 local authorities. The charging points funded through Destination Net Zero Vehicle Charge Point Tourism Recovery Fund will allow visitors and locals to explore Scotland’s beauty spots in a sustainable and environment friendly manner.

The Scottish Government continually monitors animal disease outbreaks internationally and in the UK to ensure disease prevention measures required under pet travel rules remain relevant. Any future policy will be guided by risk assessment. The pet travel rules are administered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and we have regular contact to ensure travellers are complying with the rules.

To date nine mammals including four seals, four otters and one fox have tested positive for influenza of avian origin H5N1 in Scotland. APHA (Animals and Plant Health Agency) routinely undertakes diagnostic testing of wild animals found dead under the GB wildlife surveillance scheme. The detection of the virus does not mean that it was the cause of death of these animals. This is an unusual event and infection of mammals with influenza of avian origin remains an uncommon infection, including in humans. The risk of the H5N1 strain to non-avian UK wildlife remains low.

Of the nine mammals that have tested positive for influenza of avian origin, there are no known links to the release of non-native game birds. The Scottish Government continues to monitor the outputs the GB wildlife surveillance scheme and assess any future risks.

We know that currently not everyone has the same experiences or outcomes when they engage with mental health services and supports. We want to ensure that everyone’s needs are met, including those with learning disabilities and autism.

We are committed to publishing a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy in Spring 2023, building on the implementation of our Mental Health Covid Transition and Recovery Plan. The new strategy will allow us to look ahead to make sure we are doing the right things to meet changing mental health needs over the coming years; and will set out a clear vision for future population mental health, wellbeing and care; and our priorities to help us get there.

In September 2021, the Scottish Government published the National Neurodevelopmental Specification for Children and Young People which sets out seven standards for service providers to ensure that children and young people, who have neurodevelopmental profiles with support needs, receive the support that they require. To support implementation, we have provided funding to NHS Boards to build capacity to provide access to specialist neurodevelopmental professionals.

We are now developing quality standards to support general adult secondary mental health services. These aim to improve the quality and safety of mental health services, and will be part of a suite of standards and specifications for mental health services, building on the work of the CAMHS service and neurodevelopmental specifications.

The Scottish Government has worked with people with lived experience and stakeholders over the last 18 months on a new leadership and engagement framework to develop policy around mental health support for autistic people and people with learning disabilities.

This new way of working puts people’s voices and experiences firmly at its heart and is about real sustainable change and has included literature reviews, workshops to collect views and experiences, reports and an evaluation of the process. Currently there are working groups to implement the actions following the workshops and reports.