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In 2014-15 there were 32 applications received, 14 of which were funded from Section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-23932 on 20 January 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

A total of 51 organisations applied for Section 10 funding. All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application in due course.

Yes. Any proposal to invest public sector funding in a film studio would need to be state aid compliant which is, in effect, the requirement to meet the Market Economy Investor Principle (MEIP). In order to meet the MEIP requirement, a robust case would have to be made which demonstrates that any investment will achieve a commercially acceptable return. The state aid issue is particularly sensitive as the European Commission determined in 2008 that state aid was granted to the Spanish film studio complex by Ciudad De La Luz (in effect the Valencia Regional Government) who funded it entirely by the public sector and that the MEIP had not been met. This decision was upheld in July 2014 by the EU General Court.

Members of the stakeholder working group, which has been set up to help identify proposals for consultation on minimum standards of energy efficiency in private sector housing, represent a range of interests, including environmental, local authority, private rented sector, consumer and fuel poverty interests. The organisations currently represented on the working group are the Existing Homes Alliance, the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum, the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Citizens Advice Scotland, Scottish Land and Estates, the Scottish Association of Landlords and Historic Scotland.

The Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) Delivery Report for 2013-14 was published on 22 December 2014 and is available on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/warmhomes/heeps.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission meets as required in order to fulfil its remit to provide independent scrutiny of Scottish Government forecasts of devolved tax revenue and of the economic determinants underpinning Scottish Government forecasts of non-domestic rate income.

Under the Smith Commission’s proposals, the Scottish Government would have full autonomy to deliver assistance with funeral costs to help those in need. We plan to consult widely with stakeholders and service users in the coming months on how we can use these proposed new powers to best effect, building on the appetite for engagement and dialogue amongst civic Scotland.

The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 came into force on 27 May 2012. Listed authorities with more than 150 employees were required to publish statements on equal pay etc. by 30 April 2013 and every fourth year after that.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the enforcement body for the public sector equality duties. During 2013 it undertook monitoring of the regulations including the requirement to publish equal pay statements. Its reports can be accessed at:

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/devolved-authorities/commission-scotland/public-sector-equality-duty-scotland/monitoring-and-enforcement.

Reports published in November 2013 by the commission indicate that, overall, 95 per cent of relevant listed authorities published an equal pay policy. Eight out of 160 listed authorities with more than 150 employees did not publish an equal pay statement.

Funeral costs payments are currently reserved to the UK Government, and are awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions through its Regulated Social Fund scheme.