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Security of supply for gas and electricity is reserved to the UK government and delivered by the National Electricity System Operator (NESO) across the whole of GB, under regulation from Ofgem.

The UK has a reliable gas system that can meet demand and is well-positioned to continue to do so. The UK has a diverse supply of gas, including gas from the North Sea, Norway, and other countries, as well as a large capacity for importing liquefied natural gas (LNG). In addition, the gas industry has well established arrangements to deal with emergency situations concerning gas supply.

As we transition to a net zero energy system and reduce our dependence on fossil fuel generation, long-duration energy storage technologies, including pumped hydro storage, will play a larger role in ensuring a secure and resilient electricity system.

The Scottish government recognises the importance of a UK wide partnership approach to plant health. The establishment of the UK Plant Health Alliance, in collaboration with industry, and publication of a best practice biosecurity standard, the Plant Health Management Standard and associated assurance schemes was an important step to strengthen biosecure procurement. The UKISG is just one of a number of assurance schemes that are in place to help promote responsible sourcing in the plant supply chain.

Under the Scottish Plant Health Strategy 2024 -29 there is a commitment to explore opportunities for biosecure procurement. If and how this can be integrated into Scottish government grant options for woodland creation, including assurance schemes, will be considered as part of work on future grant support for forestry.

The Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme is available to homeowners in Scotland and provides a grant, interest free loan or a combination of both to support the installation of energy efficiency measures and clean heating systems.

The scheme provides up to £7,500 of grant funding for heat pumps as well as £7,500 for energy efficiency measures. In addition, the scheme offers optional interest free loan funding of up to £7,500 and a remote rural uplift of £1,500 to supplement both of these grants.

Further information on the available measures and how to apply can be found at: https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/home-energy-scotland-grant-loan.

In addition, the HES advice service also acts as the gateway to a number of other Scottish Government funding schemes and provides free, bespoke, impartial advice on energy efficiency, renewable heating and fuel poverty support available. HES can be contacted on 0808 808 2282 or via their online portal https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/.

Security of supply for gas and electricity is a matter reserved to the UK Government and is delivered by the National Electricity System Operator (NESO) across the whole of GB, under regulation from Ofgem. The National Grid has also confirmed that Great Britain’s eight main gas storage sites remain healthy. However, we remain engaged to plan for any challenging scenarios that might emerge this winter.

The Scottish Government’s Solar Vision, which will be published in due course, will set out the commitments that we will take to enable greater deployment of solar in Scotland. We will continue to support the sector to minimise barriers to deployment, wherever possible.

In 2023 and 2024, we introduced new and extended permitted development rights to simplify the planning process for the installation of zero- and low-carbon technologies, including solar canopies in car parks. Relevant guidance is contained in Planning Circular 2/2024: Non-Domestic Permitted Development Rights.

The fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) sets out the Scottish Ministers’ policies and proposals for the development and use of land. NPF4 places climate and nature at the centre of our planning system and is a significant step forward towards achieving a net zero Scotland. It makes clear our support for all forms of renewable, low-carbon and zero emission technologies, including solar panels. When making decisions on planning applications, planning authorities must consider the development plan (which includes NPF4 and the relevant local development plan) as a whole, alongside all other material considerations.

A) The Scottish Government does not record the information you have requested in an easily accessible format. The costs for each case are recorded in the individual case files or across multiple sources of information. As set out in the answer to question S6W-31821 on 9 December 2024 the costs to provide this information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. The requester asked for information spanning 18 years.

The following tables present the estimated value of Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) relief awarded to self-catering units as at 1 June 2024, broken down in Table 1 by assessor, and in Table 2 by local authority, for properties (unit owners cannot be reliably identified from the information held) receiving 100% SBBS, 25% SBBS, other proportions of SBBS and no SBBS relief. These tables include all self-catering properties in receipt of SBBS relief.

It is not possible to provide how much non-domestic rates income has been forgone for the financial year 2023-2024. This is due to data issues within the 2023 Billing System snapshot. Equivalent figures for 2022-2023 can be found in the response to question S6W-12629. 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 cannot reliably estimate the cumulative rateable value of each ratepayer’s non-domestic properties and can therefore not state the number of self-catering units that do not quality for SBBS due to having a combined rateable value in excess of £35,000. From 1 April 2023, SBBS relief includes a taper from 100% for properties with a rateable value up to and including £12,000, to 25% where the rateable value is £15,000, and to 0% where the rateable value is £20,000 or higher.  

Eligibility for SBBS is set out in legislation and it is for local authorities to administer it in accordance with that legislation.

Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Figures relating to fewer than five units, or less than £500 value, are suppressed for data protection purposes, and are marked as "[low]". Zero values are actual zero. Where no SBBS relief is awarded, the NDR income forfeited is zero. The data sources for both tables are the Scottish Assessors’ Valuation Roll as at 1 June 2024, and local authority reliefs information as at 1 June 2024. Final outturn data for 2024-2025 may vary.

Table 1: Estimated value of SBBS relief awarded to self-catering properties as at 1 June 2024, by assessor and SBBS percentage (£)

The Scottish Government remains committed to the Scotland-Malawi relationship, with funding continuing to support programmes focused on health, inclusive education, equalities, renewable energy and climate justice, as well as financial support for civil society links between Scotland and Malawi. However, there are no plans to open any further Scottish Government international offices during this parliamentary term.

The following tables present the estimated number of self-catering properties receiving Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) relief as at 1 June 2024, broken down in Table 1 by assessor, and in Table 2 by local authority, for properties receiving 100% SBBS, 25% SBBS, other proportions of SBBS, and no SBBS relief. These tables include all self-catering properties on the valuation roll.

The occupier of a non-domestic property is statutorily liable for non-domestic rates (though in prescribed circumstances the council can transfer the liability to the owner of the property where the occupier and the owner are different). It is not possible from information held to determine whether the occupier is also the owner of a property and therefore who the beneficiary of any relief would be.

It is also not possible to provide the number of self-catering properties receiving SBBS relief for the financial year 2023-2024. This is due to data issues within the 2023 Billing System snapshot. Equivalent figures for 2022-2023 can be found in the response to question S6W-12631 on 12 December 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.

The Scottish Government cannot reliably estimate the cumulative rateable value of each ratepayer’s non-domestic properties and can therefore not state the number of self-catering units not in receipt of SBBS relief due to having a combined rateable value in excess of £35,000. From 1 April 2023, SBBS relief includes a taper from 100% for properties with a rateable value up to and including £12,000, to 25% where the rateable value is £15,000, and to 0% where the rateable value is £20,000 or higher. Eligibility for non-domestic rates reliefs, including SBBS, is set out in legislation and it is for local authorities to administer reliefs to eligible properties in accordance with that legislation.

Figures are rounded to the nearest ten, and those relating to more than zero but fewer than five units have been marked [low] to distinguish from actual zero values. The data sources for both tables are the Scottish Assessors’ Valuation Roll as at 1 June 2024, and local authority reliefs information as at 1 June 2024. Final outturn data for 2024-2025 may vary.

Table 1: Number of self-catering properties receiving SBBS relief as at 1 June 2024, by assessor and SBBS percentage

With regard to a), Scottish Government does not have precise information but we understand that an estimated 110,000 animals were processed by the three largest venison processors in Scotland in 2022-23. However, this figure includes around 20,000 carcasses originating from England and New Zealand. Some wild deer will also have been processed for commercial meat sales by smaller establishments and some will have been sold direct to the public at the farm gate.

With regard to b), we do not collect information on carcasses integrated back into the local ecosystems. Industry advise that deer are left on the hill very rarely and only by exception, where the animal has been checked to ensure there is no disease but is otherwise unfit for human consumption or because extraction of the carcase poses a risk to the safety of the stalker, for example because of steep and rocky ground.

With regard to c), this information is not available.