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In line with the duty set out in section 24(4) of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, the Scottish Ministers have laid two six-monthly progress reports before the Scottish Parliament on establishing a pilot of mandatory meetings on alternatives to court.

The first such report was laid in April 2021 and covered the period from 1 October 2020 to 1 April 2021 - Children (Scotland) Act 2020 - alternatives to court and funding of alternative dispute resolution pilots: report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The second such report was laid in November 2021 and covered the period from 1 April to 30 September 2021 - Pilot of mandatory meetings on alternatives to court - Children (Scotland) Act 2020 - section 23(1) and section 24(1): second report on the Scottish Ministers’ duties - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The next progress report on the pilot scheme is due to cover the period from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 and will be laid before the Parliament in due course.

We have not yet calculated the impact of the April 2022 rise of the fuel price cap on the cost of raising households to EPC C.

The Fuel Poverty Strategy Technical Annex ( Supporting documents - Tackling fuel poverty in Scotland: a strategic approach - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) )published in December 2021 sets outs the estimated cost of retrofitting fuel poor households to meet EPC C under different scenarios.

Scottish Government analysis of the impact of the rise in the fuel price cap suggests that the proportion of households in fuel poverty in Scotland could increase to between 807,000 (32.3%) and 831,000 households (33.3%). The higher number of households in fuel poverty would therefore lead to an overall increase in the total cost for these households to reach EPC C.

Scottish Government is in the process of commissioning work which will consider revision to the EPC metrics and which in part will estimate the total cost of raising dwellings’ energy efficiency rating to meet energy efficiency targets.

Our Fuel Poverty Strategy contains a comprehensive range of actions addressing all four drivers of fuel poverty, We will keep progress towards the fuel poverty targets under review and will report every 3 years. If we consider that we need to change our approach to ensure that the targets are met, we will revise the Strategy.

To ensure that we meet our ambitious targets, we will continue to monitor rates of fuel poverty and, working with the independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel, we will develop an outcomes framework to assess the impact of our work.

The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) is the source of National Statistics on fuel poverty in Scotland. These statistics are normally published annually. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic data collection for the 2020 SHCS survey was suspended as internal inspections of households were not possible. Due to this the key findings from the 2020 SHCS were not published.

Fuel poverty statistics will next be published in the key findings from the 2021 SHCS at the end of 2022 or early 2023.

The Scottish Government has committed to provide at least £465 million of funding over this parliamentary session to support fuel poor households. This figure was set with the aim to provide - at a minimum – a funding level for those in fuel poverty and least able to pay which at least maintains previous levels, with the flexibility to be responsive to the needs of those in fuel poverty so we can mitigate any detrimental impacts of the heat transition on fuel poverty and ensure no-one is left behind.

Our long-standing fuel poverty programmes have already supported over 150,000 households in or at risk of fuel poverty. In 2021-22, we allocated a considerably increased level of funding (£50m) for our Warmer Homes Scotland fuel poverty programme and in 2022-23 will further increase this to £55m. In 2022-23 we will also increase the level of funding individual fuel poor households could benefit from through the £64m local authority-led Area Based Schemes.

The Scottish Government’s investment has also helped to secure Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding and we would hope to continue to do so. ECO is a UK Government scheme that delivers energy efficiency measures to fuel poor households and is funded by energy suppliers through a levy on energy bills.

Scotland has benefitted from approximately £691 million since the scheme began in 2013. If Scotland maintains its current share of ECO delivery (9%), then we would expect to benefit from a further £360 million over the lifetime of the new ECO4 scheme (from April 2022 to March 2026).

The Scottish Government have used the data from the 2019 Scottish House Condition Survey to estimate the likely impact of energy price increases since 2019 on fuel poverty. This has been done by increasing modelled fuel bills in line with increases in the Ofgem price cap for the average dual fuel bill. This was based on an increase of 71% over the weighted average price caps in 2019 of £1,170 to an anticipated price cap of £2,000 in April 2022.

The analysis indicates that between 807,000 (32.3%) and 831,000 households (33.3%) could now be in fuel poverty as a result of the April 2022 price cap.

The analysis accounts for the mitigations announced by the Scottish and UK Governments in response to the April 2022 price cap increase, namely the UK Government’s £200 energy bill rebate and the Scottish Government’s £150 council tax credit for those in council tax bands A to D or in receipt of council tax reduction. The range provided depends on whether the Scottish Government’s £150 council tax credit is treated as a reduction to fuel bills or an increase in incomes, which are calculated differently within the fuel poverty definition.

More than £175 million has been invested through Warmer Homes Scotland, the Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme since its launch in September 2015, helping over 25,000 households throughout Scotland.

Eligibility for the scheme is based on both the property and the individual meeting the qualifying criteria. Individual eligibility is based on “proxies” - certain benefits which are an indication of the likelihood of the household living in or being at risk of fuel poverty. The eligibility criteria are designed to target support at households who are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of poor energy efficiency and heating systems. This includes those with a long term health condition (as well as carers, older people and families with children under 16 years of age).

During the lifetime of the scheme, the eligibility criteria have been reviewed and amended to manage demand and increase referrals, and in line with policy priorities. Households also move in and out of fuel poverty and the receipt of qualifying benefits.

For these reasons an estimate as outlined is not possible.

The Scottish Government has committed to procuring a new enhanced successor to Warmer Homes Scotland when the current contract expires in June 2023, with a formal procurement process now underway. As outlined within the Fuel Poverty Strategy, working with the Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel, we will seek to ensure the eligibility criteria is aligned with the updated Scottish fuel poverty definition and that assistance continues to be targeted at those who need it most.

The 2021 Fuel Poverty Strategy, states that the required level of capital expenditure to bring fuel poor households up to EPC C, including the replacement of existing fossil fuel heating systems, will be in the region of £6 billion. The Scottish Government have committed to investing at least £1.8 billion this parliamentary term to help kick-start growth in the market and support those least able to pay. Alongside public investment, we need innovative mechanisms to increase individual and private-sector investment into energy efficiency and zero emissions heating. The Scottish Government has established a Green Heat Finance Taskforce to recommend ways that the Scottish Government and private sector can collaborate to scale up investment. It will provide an interim report by March 2023 and final recommendations by September that year.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07181 on 24 March 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07181 on 24 March 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 .