Seòmar agus comataidhean

No disputes have been raised in relation to completed Single Building Assessments.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14904 on‎ 20 March 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 is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support Fund.

The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and does not have separate admin costs. The following table therefore represents the whole LEZ Support Fund, this similarly applies to PQ S6W-14972 and PQ S6W-14965.

The administrative costs (which include EST staffing costs) are set out below alongside the value of funds that EST are distributing and the outputs achieved.

The Scottish Government’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats recommends that all cat owners should consider neutering and microchipping their pets as the best way of being reunited with their rightful owners, should they be separated.

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission has established a working group to consider the microchipping of cats and the UK Government’s recently published draft legislation. Scottish Ministers will carefully consider their findings once published.

The Scottish Government remains willing to consider areas where consistent changes to legislation in all GB administrations will improve the welfare of kept animals and strengthen the prospects of separated animals being returned to their families.

I very much appreciated the report on exotic pets by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission and have noted their recommendations. Consideration of exotic pets is only one part of a large body of ongoing work to improve the lives of Scotland's pets. The report by SAWC on exotic pets will be very helpful in future consideration of what action may be needed on this matter.

The Scottish Government has not had discussions with NHS Golden Jubilee regarding the use of the hotel to generate income. The Scottish Government does not hold information on the Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel centrally. We advise the member to contact NHS Golden Jubilee directly.

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply in writing within 20 days

The Scottish Government is aware of the importance of rural bus services and is committed, in conjunction with operators and local authorities, to looking at ways of improving services. I convened the Bus Taskforce to bring key players in the sector together to make bus travel a more attractive choice for passengers through joint commitments to reform and improve bus services.

The Scottish Government provided £223m in emergency funding to support bus services during the pandemic and the Scottish Budget for 2022-23 allocation of £410m in funding for bus services and concessionary fares. The COVID recovery support for the bus sector through the Network Support Grant Plus was extended from June 2022, and again in October 2022, and due to end on 31 March 2023. The Network Support Grant Plus was always a temporary fund and extending to 31 March was to freeze fares on participating services to help people with the cost of travel over the winter.

We are supporting bus use through the Young Persons Free Bus Scheme, which means that around half of Scotland's population are now eligible for free bus travel. We continue to provide financial support for bus services to keep services more extensive and fares more affordable than would otherwise be the case. Payments are based on the distance buses are operated, which is a particular advantage in rural areas where the routes are generally longer. Funding is also provided to local authorities in their annual settlement to support services they consider socially necessary and for community transport services, which can play an important role in rural transport networks. In 2021-22 they spent £55m in this way.

Since December 2020, the Scottish Government have supported operators through our Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus and Scottish Zero Emission Bus schemes, to acquire 548 new, zero emission buses and supporting infrastructure with awards totalling almost £113m. In addition, the Zero Emission Bus Market Transition Scheme, worth £500k, was announced on 10 August 2022 to help organisations to understand the steps required to replace their bus fleet with zero emission alternatives.

The Scottish Government is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support fund.

The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and does not have separate admin costs. The following table therefore represents the whole LEZ Support Fund, this similarly applies to PQ S6W-14972 and PQ S6W-14963.

The administrative costs (which include EST staffing costs) are set out below alongside the value of funds that EST are distributing and the outputs achieved.

The composition and appointment terms relating to technical panels is under development and is being informed by negotiations with leading developers as part of the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord. Panels will act to ensure that Single Building Assessments are commissioned, quality assured and completed in a timely and efficient manner. They will act to provide assurance that findings are compliant with relevant standards and assessment guidance and that recommendations are reasonable and acceptable to multiple stakeholders with an interest in a building.