Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-26135 on 13 November 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-26135 on 13 November 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-26135 on 13 November 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-26135 on 13 November 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-26135 on 13 November 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Scotland continues to attract more than its pro-rata share under the GB-wide Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) with around 19% of both domestic and non-domestic accredited installations being in Scotland.

The Scottish Government currently provides two loan schemes for self-funders and small to medium size enterprises (SME’s). The Home Energy Scotland Loan scheme provides individuals with interest-free loans up to the value of £38,500 (with up to £17,500 available for renewables) via the Energy Saving Trust for energy efficiency and renewable measures. The Resource Efficient Scotland SME Loans Scheme provides unsecured, interest free loans of up to £100,000 to SMEs to finance the installation of energy efficiency measures, and loans at a 5% interest rate for the installation of renewable energy technologies where the applicant is planning to claim the Renewable Heat Incentive. Since inception, the SME loan scheme has paid over £29 million in loans, funding more than 1000 projects. The uptake of renewable technologies also allows the applicants to apply for UK Government RHI subsidy which is administered via Ofgem.

The Scottish Government funds the Home Energy Scotland advice service which provides expert, bespoke advice and support to consumers on the uptake of renewables and energy efficient measures. Advice is also available to the non-domestic sector through Resource Efficient Scotland.

The Scottish Government has also provided around £40 million in funding through the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme and the District Heating Loan Fund for low carbon heat projects.

We have recently launched the £30 million Scottish Low Carbon Heat Funding Invitation for local and industrial heat projects; committed to working with the construction sector so that new homes consented from 2024 use renewable or low carbon heat; and will bring forward a Heat Networks Bill supporting the growth of heat networks in Scotland.

Next Summer we will publish a new heat decarbonisation policy statement outlining how we can better reduce the emissions associated with heating homes and buildings.

More than £400 million has been invested in the DSSB programme, which has provided access to fibre broadband to over 940,000 premises to date - over 100,000 more premises than originally estimated - with over 90% of those premises capable of accessing download speeds of at least 24 Megabits per second (Mbps).

Higher than anticipated take-up of services has resulted in funding being returned to the DSSB contracts across Scotland - including the recently announced £3 million for the Highlands & Islands contract - extending coverage even further.

As this is a national programme, it is not possible to provide a geographic breakdown of funding. However, to date, 9,983 premises on the Orkney Islands have been supported, and areas such as Holm and Tankerness will benefit from this additional investment.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

This quote from the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) report was made specifically in relation to HMP Barlinnie, not the wider SPS estate.

On Friday 1 November 2019 HMP Barlinnie was operating at 144% capacity. HMP Barlinnie has been routinely operating significantly above its intended capacity for some time and this has had a notable impact upon the operation of the prison.

Where any prison routinely operates above capacity then this inevitably impacts upon the ability to provide an enhanced regime across. HMP Barlinnie’s building design also inhibits open association and in order to ensure the safety of people in our care, out of cell activity requires `more structured delivery than at other prisons.

The CPT report highlighted that in the other prisons they visited, including HMP Edinburgh and HMP & YOI Grampian, people held on remand were provided the opportunity for out of cell activity which exceeded two hours per day.

In 2018/19 SPS facilitated a total of 6,258,125 Purposeful Activity (PA) Hours. This equates to, on average, 20 hours per week of PA, undertaken by each convicted person outside of their cell.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

SPS does not record the number of hours that people in our care spend in their cells.

The report Women's Service and Pathways Across the Forensic Mental Health Estate has been prepared by the Forensic Mental Health Services Managed Care Network working with NHS Boards. It will be published in due course by the Forensic Network.

The Independent Review of Forensic Mental Health Services in Scotland is undertaking a wide-ranging review of the delivery of forensic mental health services and must take account of existing pieces of work, including this report.