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To continue to provide the vital services that people need, our public bodies need premises located in our communities. Maintaining these buildings to modern standards – including, but not limited to, climate requirements – will mean ongoing investment in the public estate.

The Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme is a demand-led scheme. Project costs will vary on a case-by-case basis depending on the project scale, measures proposed and location of the public sector building. Details of projects that have received funding to date are included in the following reports on the Scottish Government website:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-central-government-energy-efficiency-grant-scheme-form-and-guidance/pages/quarterly-reports/

https://www.gov.scot/publications/central-government-energy-efficiency-grant-scheme-progress-report/

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-36472 on 1 May 2025. 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

As set out in the Memorandum submitted to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 30 September 2024, the Scottish Government’s view is that the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, in its current form, is outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and that further processes would have to be gone through in order to bring it within competence.

If the Bill passes at Stage 1, the issue of what steps will be required to bring the Bill within competence will need to be revisited.

The memorandum to the Committee can be found on the Scottish Parliament website at: Assisted Dying Bill for Terminally Ill Adults SG Memorandum.

The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill is a Member’s Bill, not a Scottish Government Bill.

The UK Government will be aware of the Scottish Government’s view, as set out in the Memorandum submitted to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, that the Bill as introduced is outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and that further processes would have to be gone through in order to bring it within competence. That Memorandum sets out that the issue of what steps will be required to bring the Bill within competence will require to be revisited should the Bill pass the Stage 1 vote.

The memorandum to the Committee can be found on the Scottish Parliament’s website at: Assisted Dying Bill for Terminally Ill Adults SG Memorandum.

The Scottish Government believes that independence would deliver the best deal for Scotland – providing control over all public spending decisions, as well as the suite of fiscal powers necessary to unlock Scotland’s full economic potential.

However, until such a time as the people of Scotland can choose a different constitutional arrangement, moving to full fiscal autonomy for the Scottish Government would create a fairer system that would protect public services and allow investment in our economy.

The Scottish Government outlined its views on full fiscal autonomy in its evidence to the 2014 Smith Commission, when Scotland’s devolved fiscal arrangements were last subject to substantial review.

Full fiscal autonomy would mean that all onshore and offshore taxes would be designed and set in Scotland, including tax rates, allowances, thresholds and the tax bases. For any reserved taxes, revenues would be assigned to the Scottish budget.

At the same time, the Scottish Parliament would also take responsibility for key elements of domestic expenditure, including currently reserved areas of welfare. The Scottish Government’s position reflects significant issues with current devolved fiscal arrangements, and particularly with the approach taken by the previous UK Government.

Even where the new UK Government is not willing to pursue full fiscal autonomy for Scotland, it has the opportunity to agree a set of substantial improvements to devolved fiscal arrangements - including through agreement to fiscal flexibilities that are commensurate to the level of risk the Scottish Government currently manages within its responsibilities. Such powers are essential to manage and smooth the funding volatility and uncertainty which affects our current finance arrangements.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-36472 on 1 May 2025. 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

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-36472 on 1 May 2025. 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

Our consultation on proposals for a Social Housing Net Zero Standard estimated total upfront clean heat and energy efficiency costs of around £6 billion for social housing. The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund supports public and private investment by covering 50% of eligible costs for energy efficiency upgrades and 60% for clean heat installations. The Fund has invested approximately £70 million in social housing projects across Scotland.

The recent Green Heat Finance Taskforce Part 2 Report explores how to attract increased private investment, including through mechanisms which spread repayment costs over a longer timeframe for social housing and other collective property retrofit projects. The Scottish Government will respond to the Taskforce recommendations in the coming months.

Our consultation last year on a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) asked for views on proposals to require social landlords to improve fabric efficiency and install clean heating where it is technically feasible and cost-effective to do so. Feedback from this consultation estimated the total upfront costs for the sector to 2045 of installing clean heating systems and improving energy efficiency would be around £6 billion, with an average cost per home of around £14,000.

We continue to discuss next steps for the proposed Standard and longer term financing options with key stakeholders from the social housing sector. I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-36595 on 24 April 2025 and S6W-36596 on 1 May 2025 for further context.

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 has set out its commitment to giving people information about independence. Across the Scottish Government, a range of civil servants provide input to developing and communicating this information. We do not routinely record details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on research and compilation, as there is no business need to do this.