Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6O-03094 on 21 February 2024. Answers to Oral parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, Meeting of the Parliament: 21/02/2024 | Scottish Parliament Website .

The Scottish Government has not received a request from any Councils to introduce a Council Tax discount for properties damaged by flooding that remain occupied.

The Council Tax system in Scotland provides for a 100% exemption from Council Tax for homes that are not habitable, and are undergoing major repairs, which lasts for up to 12 months. Further, local authorities have the discretion to apply a Council Tax discount of up to 50% to an unoccupied property at any time. As there is no time limit to this discretion there is no date at which any discount must expire.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23510 on 19 December 2023. 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 continues to deliver on its commitment to build the case for an independent Scotland in the EU, giving people the information they need to make an informed choice about their future, as set out in the Programme for Government. I’m pleased to confirm that on 4th March we are publishing ‘An independent Scotland’s place in the world’.

This is the eleventh paper in the Building a New Scotland series, featuring detailed proposals for Scotland becoming a new sovereign state on the world stage.

It sets out our plans for Scotland to become a good global citizen, building partnerships with other countries and international organisations to address global challenges, promoting human rights and development, advancing an ambitious, progressive agenda and securing agreements in international forums aligned with our values and interests. It will also set out plans to promote innovation, trade and investment.

The Scottish Government is continuing to prepare further papers in the Building a New Scotland series and these will be published shortly. I can also confirm that we intend hold a debate in Parliament on Scotland’s place in the world on 5th March.

An independent Scotland’s place in the world will be available to view on the Scottish Government website from 4th March at www.gov.scot/newscotland .

The information requested regarding former prisoners who were held in custody as transgender men and have de-transitioned since being released from prison is not collected or held centrally.

The information requested regarding former prisoners who were held in custody as transgender women and have de-transitioned since being released from prison is not collected or held centrally.

The Scottish Government supports new woodland creation through the Forestry Grant Scheme. Planting is recorded against financial years; the hectarage of new woodland creation approved for planting in the 2024-25 financial year, and each subsequent year, is shown in the following table.

The Scottish Government supports new woodland creation through the Forestry Grant Scheme. Planting is recorded in line with financial years. Scottish Forestry has already approved 5,715 hectares of applications to plant new woodland in the 2024-25 financial year, with an additional 6,313 hectares submitted for assessment. A further 3,225 hectares of applications have been received to create new woodland in 2025-26, 2,494 hectares in 2026-27, 2,327 hectares in 2027-28, and 1,244 hectares in 2028-29.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6O-03094 on 21 February 2024. Answers to Oral parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 21/02/2024 | Scottish Parliament Website .

We do not have statistics on how many charge points have been specifically installed on the trunk road network in each of the last three years.

According to a 2023 report commissioned by Transport Scotland there were 182 rapid/ultra-rapid charge points (>50kW) located within 100 metres of the trunk road and motorway network.

According to UK Department for Transport statistics the number of rapid/ultra-rapid chargers in Scotland in each of the last three years was as follows: January 2022 – 707; January 2023 – 947; January 2024 – 1,172. Not all of these are located close to trunk roads.