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There are already significant safeguards in place around deaths in police custody in Scotland. Police Scotland must refer deaths in custody to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner and a fatal accident inquiry must be held, unless the Lord Advocate is satisfied that the circumstances have already been clearly established in other proceedings.

In her review of Police Complaints Handling, Dame Elish Angiolini made specific recommendations relating to deaths in custody. We continue to work with partners to implement these and will consult on those recommendations which are likely to require legislation this year.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) undertake regular inspections of police custody facilities in Scotland.

Furthermore, the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) has a statutory duty to maintain and manage an Independent Custody Visiting Scheme (ICVS) to monitor the welfare of people detained in police custody facilities throughout Scotland.

The 2021 Country and Regional Analysis (produced by HM Treasury) includes analysis of expenditure on public services in Scotland and comparisons with other parts of the UK as a whole. In 2020-21 public order and safety spending in Scotland was £3.1bn. On a per capita basis, spending in Scotland was 11% higher than in England and 7% higher than in Wales, as shown in the following table:

Public Order & Safety Expenditure (per capita)

In February 2021 the Scottish Government proposed combining the Warm Home Discount (WHD) and Energy Company Obligation (ECO) together as a single, flexible fuel poverty scheme in Scotland. This was among our formal asks of the UK Government when we consulted about our Heat in Buildings Strategy.

In May the UK Government wrote to Scottish Ministers noting our proposal for a single scheme and their intention to use their reserved powers, as their planned reforms in England and Wales would require a separate scheme for Scotland. The UK Government proposed apportionment of funding for a separate Scottish WHD scheme based upon national shares of electricity and gas meter points.

Scottish Ministers replied in June highlighting our concerns about this approach and formally proposing a new single scheme. In July the UK Government requested further details from us and officials provided information about the legislative, administrative and targeting options being considered by Scottish Ministers.

In October, we asked for a response based upon this information and noting that a continuation of the current scheme could only be approved by the Secretary of State. Scottish Ministers wrote again in December seeking a decision or confirmation that the UK Government would extend the current scheme. In January 2022 UK Ministers gave their preferred option as being a continued GB scheme for ECO. They did not provide an indication as to whether any of our proposals would be agreed or not.

Despite having been asked three times, the UK Government has been unable or unwilling to provide a straight answer to our proposal of a single scheme.

Scottish Ministers cannot exercise relevant powers without the agreement of the Secretary of State. Therefore on 8 February we requested urgent confirmation that the UK Government would extend the current WHD scheme in Scotland to provide certainty for vulnerable households and energy suppliers.

Despite having asked how the current WHD scheme will be extended in Scotland on three occasions, we have still not received a response from the UK Government.

I refer the member to my answer to question S6W-07097 on 23 March 2022. 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 .

Microfibre shedding from synthetic textiles is a complex problem which adds to microplastic pollution in our environment. Fibres are shed at every stage of the product’s lifespan, from manufacture, through use, laundering and end of life.

Considerable research is being undertaken by industry to better understand this problem. Filters on washing machines will not necessarily reduce this form of pollution as it requires users to clean the filters. As a result the collected material ends up in landfill or washed down sinks, as evidenced through people emptying tumble dryer filters.

We will take an evidence-based approach on this issue, and are taking action on other forms of microplastic pollution, with a ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, and significant ongoing work with the plastics industry to tackle plastic pellet pollution. We are able to take action on matters relating to environmental protection, and while trade and industry are reserved to the UK Government we continue to work for progress in these areas.

Throughout the pandemic we have provided bespoke advice, information and support to help protect the approximately 180,000 people on Scotland’s Highest Risk List.

While we will continue to ensure people at highest risk know where to turn if they need further guidance, clinicians and GPs are the primary source of advice for those on the Highest Risk List. They best know the personal circumstances and conditions of each individual and can advise them on what, if any, precautions to take as they would have before the pandemic, and can provide tailored information and support.

There is strong evidence that people's risk from Covid-19 has significantly changed as a result of the vaccination programme and the time is now right for us to consider who still needs to be on the Highest Risk List. In the meantime, we will:

? continue to respond to scientific and clinical advice regarding COVID treatments, making sure that those who we know will benefit most from them are able to access them; and,

? continue to look at ways to identify people who may be at highest risk, taking emerging evidence into account.

? work with our Clinical Advisory Group to provide support to those who no longer need to be on the list where the evidence indicates that they are no longer at highest risk

Our aim is to ensure that people who have been on the Highest Risk List are supported, empowered, and included throughout this calmer period into a more normal way of living. It has been nearly two years since we asked people to shield, and it is crucial that they are now supported to benefit from the lifting of restrictions as much as everyone else.

In addition to taking forward a National Conversation on rail, we will be consulting specifically on women’s safety when using public transport.

Specific timescales will be outlined following the discussion underway with relevant representative groups on the preferred approach for carrying out this engagement.

We have already made initial contact with Engender. We will also engage with groups who represent women working on our public transport network to capture the views of female staff.

Following the statement by the Minister for Business , Trade, Tourism and Enterprise in February, I can confirm that the Green Freeports Prospectus for Scotland has now been published and the programme is open for applications. The Prospectus can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-freeports-in-scotland-bidding-prospectus .

Applicants must detail how they will meet the Green Freeports four key policy objectives: promoting regeneration and high quality job creation, including how fair work will be embedded across the Green Freeport; promoting decarbonisation and a just transition to a net zero economy; establishing global hubs for trade and investment; and fostering an innovative environment.

I look forward to receiving ambitious applications from across Scotland in advance of the 20 June deadline. Applications will be assessed jointly by the Scottish and UK Governments and winning bids will be selected jointly by Scottish and UK ministers with winners announced over the summer.

We welcome people from Hong Kong who have chosen to move to Scotland. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting their integration into our communities and we have also published a dedicated British National (Overseas) welcome pack, in both English and Cantonese, on our website.

The Scottish Government is taking a coordinated cross-portfolio approach to support BN(O) nationals coming to Scotland, working with COSLA to assess the impact on public services in key local authorities. We have been pressing the UK Government to provide clarity on when the £2.98M funding for integration support will be transferred to the Scottish Government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07334 on 25 March 2022. 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 .