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The Scottish Government procures software subscriptions services through centrally tendered national procurement frameworks which fully consider and technically assess environmental and sustainability factors through the procurement framework evaluation process.

Professional memberships and media subscriptions are managed in individual business areas rather than on an organisational basis. We do not hold centralised information on the Net Zero or sustainability position or ambition for media suppliers or each professional body the Scottish Government aligns with.

Buildings owned by the Scottish Government on the Core estate fall into the following EPC categories.

A – 0 Buildings

B – 1 Building

C – 4 Buildings

D – 5 Buildings

E – 2 Buildings

F – 3 Buildings

G – 2 Buildings

The Scottish Government have terminated software subscriptions for several operational reasons. These include non-renewal on contract expiry, replacement with more modern services and the loss of business requirement to run the software.

The Scottish Government works with local authorities in several ways to improve access to active travel, primarily through our ‘Active Travel Infrastructure Fund’ (ATIF) that supports infrastructure building, and our ‘People and Place Programme’ that supports behaviour change services tackling barriers to using that infrastructure. Through these programmes Aberdeenshire’s councils received over £4.2m of support in 2024-25.

In terms of infrastructure, in 2024-25 Aberdeenshire Council received £1,232,393 for their ATIF Tier 1 allocation, and Aberdeen City Council received £1,557,324. These funds are used to design, develop and deliver active travel infrastructure according to local needs and priorities. Both councils have used their funding across a number of current projects as well as designing future works, creating a construction pipeline

In terms of behaviour change, in 2024-25 Aberdeenshire Council received a direct grant of £210,141 through the Local Authority Direct Award (LADA) , and Aberdeen City Council received £178, 622. In addition, Nestrans, the Regional Transport Partnership for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, received £1,113,240 through the People and Place Programme. These funds are used to support active and sustainable travel behaviour change interventions that improve the uptake of walking, wheeling, and cycling for short everyday journeys.

The evidence of the relationship between increased uptake of active travel and positive health outcomes, including maintaining a healthy weight, is proven beyond doubt. This is why active travel is a key Strategic Delivery Outcome in the Physical Activity for Health Framework published on 4 October 2024. This framework applies a systems-based approach with all parts of government, including transport and health, joining the call to action behind the collective aim and ambition of promoting the crucial role of physical activity in improving the health of people in Scotland.

I can confirm that I have written to the Chief Constable to draw the attention of her and her colleagues to the recent range of questions lodged on the use of e-bikes and e-scooters.

6% of buildings owned by the Scottish Government meet an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or B.

Feasibility studies have been conducted to look at options to improve the lower performing buildings.

The Scottish Government has committed to conduct any future new build or major refurbishment projects following the Net Zero Public Buildings Standard and will ensure its buildings comply with changes to energy efficiency standards where applicable.

The Scottish Government operates a Shared Services approach to IT. 52 Agencies and Public Bodies out with the core Scottish Government take IT services from a centralised IT Service called SCOTSConnect.

The large customer base of over 21,000 staff and shared network brings a high level of standardisation, meaning we can drive economies of scale with better buying power for software and deliver exceptional value for money without compromising the provision of high quality services.

As explained in the answer to questions S6W-33501 and S6W-33502 on 28 January 2025 , decisions on professional memberships are made by Directorates, Divisions and Departments. Professional memberships are, by their nature, used to develop individuals in a professional capacity. We are not aware of any professional memberships that can be shared between individuals or Departments.

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 regularly publishes a register of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) submitted to the Scottish Ministers for confirmation since 2012: https://www.gov.scot/publications/compulsory-purchase-order-register/. The current register, published in December, includes CPOs received up to the end of October 2024.

The register includes information on when a CPO is submitted, who the acquiring authority (i.e. body with compulsory purchase powers) is, the date of the Scottish Ministers’ decision on confirmation, a description of the project, the location, including local authority area, the type of CPO (for example, for Planning, Housing, Energy or Transport purposes) and legislation under which it was made.

CPOs are recorded in the register by local authority area. In the five years to 31 October 2024, the top four such areas for CPOs confirmed or confirmed with modifications were:

• Glasgow City 27 (Housing 25 and Planning 2)
• Highland 6 (Transport 5 and Environment (Water) 1)
• Perth and Kinross 5 (Transport 4 and Planning 1)
• Falkirk 5 (Transport 4 and Energy (Gas) 1)

The Scottish Government recognises that healthcare services should be planned and developed to meet the needs of patient populations and communities, including those in our rural areas.

In order to tackle the decline in Scotland’s population health and widening of health inequalities, the Scottish Government (SG) is developing a Population Health Framework (PHF), to take a cross-government and cross-sector approach to improve the key building blocks of health including: good early years and education; good work and income; healthy places; and equitable health care.

Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships are responsible for the diverse needs of their populations and plan their service provision according to that need. Officials engage with Health Boards and HSCPs on a regular basis to review health outcomes.