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The £20 million Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund closed to applications on 18 December 2020. As of this date, 13 applications for support were received with a total application value of £22.5 million. All applications are now being reviewed in line with our eligibility criteria, decisions will be issued in January 2021. Project delivery will progress in compliance with Covid-19 measures and restrictions.

We currently have no plans to allow gyms to open in Tier 4. Level 4 is intended to apply for short periods of time to bring transmission down and under control. Given that the situation with the virus remains fragile – with many cases and continuing pressure on the NHS – we are taking a cautious approach.

Decisions on what sectors and activities to re-open on our route out of lockdown are guided by the principles set out in our Framework for Decision Making. Proposals are technically assessed using the best available evidence and analysis of their potential benefits and harms to health, the economy, and broader society to minimise overall harm and ensure transmission of the virus continues to be suppressed. This assessment process includes oversight of the assessed health risks in different settings by the Chief Medical Officer and input from the other Chief Clinicians as appropriate.

The full budget allocation for investment related to the Scottish National Investment Bank over 2018-21 is £490 million. This comprises £150 million for the Building Scotland Fund and £340 million for other pre-cursor investment over the 3 year period. This was set out in the Financial Memorandum which accompanied the Scottish National Investment Bank Bill. The following has been provided for within budget settlements agreed by the Scottish Parliament and reported on in relevant annual accounts:

The budget provision for the overall Scottish National Investment Bank programme and Directorate was £280 million in the 2020-21 budget settlement. The amount that the Scottish National Bank plc and its group directly receives this financial year will be confirmed in the final out-turn position to March 2021 which will be reported on later this year. The overall proposed budget allocation specifically for the Scottish National Investment Bank in 2021-22 will be included in the draft budget which is scheduled to be published later this month.

This is an operational matter for the enterprise agencies and I have therefore asked them to respond to you directly.

Scottish Government (SG) announced in the 2018-19 Budget the £150 million Building Scotland Fund (BSF). £70 million was made available in 2018-19, £50 million in 2019-20 and £30 million in 2020-21.

SEPA do not hold any planning applications. The primary responsibility for dealing with planning applications and local planning matters rests with local planning authorities (councils and National Park authorities). SEPA is consulted on planning applications for incineration facilities and responds within the specified time period.

For permit applications, SEPA’s statutory determination period is four months plus one month for public consultation. However, where further information is required to supplement the application this process can take longer.

This is an operational matter for the enterprise agencies and I have therefore asked them to respond to you directly.

To 30 November 2020, under the Scottish Growth Scheme, £296.5 million of investment has been unlocked for 509 companies, in the form of debt and equity.

The following table contains a breakdown by year of this funding, and the number of businesses that have received support under the Scottish Growth Scheme

Zero Waste Scotland has welcomed feedback from a variety of sources, including from the waste industry, non-governmental organisations and local authorities, on their report, ‘The climate change impacts of burning municipal waste in Scotland’ . Zero Waste Scotland has revised a section of its report in light of some of this feedback and an update is expected to be published shortly.