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Scotland’s chemicals, oil refining and manufacturing sectors - to which the Grangemouth region is the main contributor - employs c.7,000 people and contributes an annual GVA of over £800m. However, with that economic strength also comes 30% of all Scottish industrial emissions. A specific focus on Grangemouth is therefore key to achieving a net-zero economy by 2045, and getting this right will be crucial if we are to deliver a Just Transition, not only for the region, but for Scotland as a whole. Futureproofing this vital industrial hub will help support a long-term, sustainable future for Grangemouth.

The Grangemouth Future Industry Board, of which Falkirk Council is a key partner, was established in 2020 in recognition of this. The Board brings together public sector leaders in order to unlock potential investment that boosts the economic development, innovation, and competitiveness of the site, with decarbonisation and just transition at the heart of everything it does. Just Transition has been a topic of Board discussions during the last year, and minutes of these meetings can be found on the Scottish Government’s website.

The Board’s focus has been on the best ways to support the delivery of a Just Transition for the industrial cluster as a whole. Delivering a successful Just Transition will require the input of all who will be affected. The Grangemouth Future Industry Board will be engaging with both industry and wider interest groups across the coming year to understand how to support the delivery of a Just Transition for the industrial cluster in a way that positively benefits all of those involved.

Professor Griggs sought additional time to undertake further engagement before producing the report for the Aquaculture Review.

We expect to receive that report shortly and will of course consider its findings fully, updating Parliament when appropriate.

The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on Local Authority workforce data or vacancies.

Whilst the use of powered transporters and decisions around their introduction and associated legislative changes are primarily a matter for the UK Government, additional legislation and associated guidance would be required in Scotland to allow trials to take place.

This was not factored in to the timescale for the trials programme originally set by the Department for Transport (DfT), and as a result the trials currently taking place in England could not be hosted by Scottish local authorities.

The UK Government has signalled its intention to publish proposals in 2022 for potential further legalisation of e-scooters beyond the current trials. The Scottish Government is engaged with the DfT policy team responsible for the e-scooter trial and once more is known, we will consider any such proposals and continue to monitor trends as a matter of course in order to inform future policy on e-scooters.

As part of our Accessible Travel Framework, and recent engagement with disabled people and organisations that represent them, the Scottish Government have committed to exploring the current provision of passenger assistance currently provided at Scotland’s bus stations. To that end officials within the Accessible Travel Policy Team are currently engaging with bus station managers.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy, published October 2021, outlined an ambitious policy package to significantly accelerate the decarbonisation of Scotland’s homes and buildings. It highlighted tried and tested technologies that can be deployed today, highlighting as strategic priorities energy efficiency, heat pumps in off-gas buildings and some on-gas settings, and heat networks in suitable areas. Over the longer term, additional technologies such as hydrogen may become available.

We continue to support people converting their heating systems to zero emissions ones, targeting that help at those least able to pay. Our delivery schemes which target households in fuel poverty already take a “zero emissions heat first” approach.

Scottish Government-funded domestic energy efficiency schemes recommend low-carbon measures first to increase the energy efficiency of the property and decrease carbon emissions. On 6 September 2021, we ended public subsidy for oil and LPG boilers, the most polluting technologies, in favour of offering zero emissions alternatives.

Our national fuel poverty scheme, Warmer Homes Scotland, designed to help those living in, or at risk of, fuel poverty through installing insulation and heating measures to individual homes recommends low-carbon measures first, alongside a package of insulation measures. In addition, since April 2021, our Area Based Schemes have included additional funding to provide low carbon and micro-generation measures as part of a whole house approach.

Home Energy Scotland Loans are also available to homeowners who live in the property they own and to self-builders. Loans for both energy efficiency measures and renewables measures are available with up to 40% and 75% cashback grants respectively.

We also continue to fund Home Energy Scotland to provide free and impartial advice on how to reduce bills and make homes warmer and cheaper to heat.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce – subject to consultation – regulations from 2023-2025 requiring Scotland’s homes and other buildings to meet EPC Band C equivalent by 2033, where that is technically feasible and cost effective. We have set out proposals for regulations to come into effect during major refurbishment, change of tenancy and point of sale and are currently working on developing the details of those trigger points.

We have also set out in our Heat in Buildings Strategy plans to reform Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) so they can effectively be used as a basis for regulation and drive and prioritise the energy efficiency and zero-emissions heating systems needed to reach net zero.

We will consult on proposals for regulations, trigger points and EPC reform later this year.

The remit for the Just Transition Commission set by the Scottish Government tasks them with “undertaking meaningful engagement with those most likely to be impacted by the transition, hearing from a broad range of representative voices and advising on how to ensure these can shape and contribute to just transition planning work in Scotland.” The Commission is independent of Government and will be responsible for setting out a work plan that fulfils the remit they have been given.

To further ensure a range of voices are heard in the Commission’s work, the membership announced on 15 December brings together a broad range of expertise and experience. This includes those with a background in industry, trade unions and environmental organisations, with collective expertise in areas such as gender equalities, community empowerment, economic development and worker support.

Police Scotland collect data on road traffic accidents that were a) reported to the police and b) involved someone being injured or killed. The latest statistics available are up to 2020.

The following table shows the number and severity of casualties who were injured in road accidents that involved an electric scooter. No such casualties were recorded prior to 2019.

Since we commenced Case Transfer, there have been a) zero cases lost and b) zero cases compromised.

We work in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions and Social Security Scotland to design and deliver a safe and secure case transfer process for the benefits transferring to Social Security Scotland as part of Scottish Devolution. With the client at the heart of the design, each process is tailored around;

1. How the benefits are administered by the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that cases are transferred at the optimal time and in line with ministerial agreements; for instance, clients with ongoing awards do not need to apply, will not be reassessed, fall out of payment or go through a face to face assessment with the Department for Work and Pensions after the Scottish benefit launches. The ongoing award will be transferred automatically; the transfer of data and supporting evidence to enable Social Security Scotland to set up the new benefit award.

2. To safeguard Social Security Scotland’s ability to deliver and manage the case transfers. The case transfer processes are automated and the case transfer period is between 13 and 17 weeks to allow time to resolve any exceptions or manual invention required. Social Security Scotland and the Department for Work and Pensions work together during the transfer process to ensure the correct awards are transferred at the correct time and we work together to monitor the transfer of awards to ensure none are lost or compromised.

The first cases to be selected for transfer to Social Security Scotland were Disability Living Allowance for children awards in October 2021; to date the number of awards expected and received is correct and the first cohort of cases will commence the new award on 19 January. The aim is to complete these transfers for all clients by spring 2023. We will begin transferring awards of Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance for working age people in the summer of 2022.

From 6 September 2021, the Scottish Government funded support schemes Warmer Homes Scotland, Area Based Schemes or Home Energy Scotland Loans have no longer been accepting new applications for oil and LPG boilers. All committed offers for these schemes signed prior to 6 September 2021 will be honoured and receive their installations/loans. Households eligible for assistance under Warmer Homes Scotland will be offered low-carbon alternatives, where these are technically appropriate for the property. These include High Heat Retention Heating Systems, Air Source Heat Pumps, Ground Source Heat Pumps, Micro-hydro and Micro-wind systems. Since April 2021 our Area Based Schemes have included additional funding to provide low carbon and micro-generation measures as part of a whole house approach.

The Scottish Government is committed to phasing out the need to install new or replacement fossil fuel boilers, in off gas areas from 2025 and in on gas areas from 2030, subject to technological developments and decisions by the UK Government in reserved areas. We will introduce primary legislation, subject to consultation and to limits on devolved competence, that will provide the regulatory framework for the zero emissions heating systems which will replace fossil fuel boilers, with all buildings needing to meet this standard no later than 2045. That proposed legislation will be accompanied by required impact assessments and allow for proper parliamentary scrutiny of these impacts.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy was accompanied by a series of impact assessments. As we take forward the actions within the Heat in Buildings Strategy, we will ensure the issues highlighted through impact assessments are considered in the design of delivery programmes and development of further policy and regulation.

In line with Scottish Government guidance, any legislation or further policy development required to fulfil the actions within the Strategy will be subject to a range of further impact assessments. We will consult on our proposals to regulate for zero emissions heat later in 2022.