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As detailed in our Programme for Government, we recognise the profound impact the current cost crisis is having across Scotland. Within this, we are acutely aware of the various challenges festivals have faced in 2022, including the ongoing effects of COVID-19, rail strike action, rising inflation and rising costs across the board.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have provided a total of approximately £14.1 million in financial support to the festivals. We believe it is of vital importance to maintain an honest and open dialogue with the festivals. For example, the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development met with Festivals Edinburgh and a number of festival organisers on 18 May 2022 to assess the issues impacting festivals before the festival season, and offer support where appropriate and feasible. The Cabinet Secretary followed up this meeting on 27 July 2022 and has assured the festivals we will maintain this dialogue.

The Scottish Government will remain in discussions with festival organisers in an ongoing assessment of their situation to establish the best ways to use what levers we can to mitigate the various issues related to rising costs, while ensuring that the protection of the most vulnerable in our society remains our priority.

The Scottish Government would like to congratulate all the artists, venues, production members and organisers of Edinburgh’s festivals this year. We recognise that overall 2022 was perceived as a ‘recovery year’ for the festivals and was key in bringing back confidence to the wider culture sector, especially with regards to returning audiences.

We have aided the festivals in this recovery and have provided a total of approximately £14.1 million in financial support since the beginning of the pandemic.

Overall, whilst ticket sales were down in comparison to 2019, Edinburgh Festivals were well attended; with a number reporting that they surpassed their 2022 targets. This is a good outcome taking into consideration the many challenges it has been necessary to overcome, and the added caution in programming this year. The Scottish Government will continue to work with festival organisers to build on their success this year, and ensure their continued recovery.

The Scottish Government is committed to building HMP Highland and HMP Glasgow.

Work is underway to replace HMP Inverness with HMP Highland at the chosen site at Inverness Retail and Business Park. The initial contract was awarded in October 2021 and pre-construction work has started. HMP Highland will provide 200 places, allowing for more people to reside closer to their home in the community and enhance family contact.

The work on HMP Glasgow is also progressing. The contract for pre-construction services was awarded in July 2022. A key aim of the design is to create an environment that is inclusive and recognises the particular vulnerabilities of the population.

The Scottish Government is committed to continue working closely with cities across Scotland in tackling the global climate emergency.

A number of initiatives have been driven forward to support cities in Scotland in helping them work towards net zero ambitions. The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund is making £200 million of grant funding available over this parliamentary term to registered social landlords in Scotland, including Local Authorities for the retrofit of existing housing stock.

Earlier this year the Scottish Government published its draft Vision for Scotland’s public electric vehicle charging network and announced a new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund that aims to double the size of the network through £60m of public and private investment.

Over £50 million per annum goes towards the Sustrans managed Places for Everyone programme that funds local authorities to create safer, more attractive, healthier places and increase the number of trips made by walking, cycling and wheeling for everyday journeys.

Although not targeted exclusively at cities, we are aiming to unlock £200m investment from local authorities in low carbon infrastructure through our Green Growth Accelerator and the long term nature of the £5 billion City Region and Growth Deals programme has allowed us to develop and apply international carbon management best practice that will result in significant net zero benefits across and beyond Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises that there may be instances where a host relationship breaks down. Where a relationship breaks down, it is the responsibility of local authorities to re-enter a displaced person into the matching process and find a suitable alternative accommodation.

On 22 September, the Scottish Government published its first summary of the latest Scotland-level data and information on people displaced by the war in Ukraine coming to Scotland through the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme visa schemes which provides detail on matching progress: Key points - Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland: statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The Scottish Government recognises that there may be instances where a host relationship breaks down. Where a relationship breaks down, the displaced person can make contact with their local authority who will re-enter them to the matching process and find a suitable alternative accommodation.

It is important to recognise that matching people with hosts is a complex process. Time must be taken to ensure that the needs of both the host family and Ukrainians are met, and that both are suitably supported to make a decision that is right for them. Their housing and support needs and preferences will be assessed and the matching service will seek to match them with accommodation suitable for their needs. Where additional needs are identified, they will be directed to specialist local authority support teams.

We have made £11.2m of additional funding available to local authorities, which they can use to bolster their resettlement teams, enhance the pace of host checks, and support refurbishment of properties. In addition we have funded additional staff in local authorities to speed up the process and we are also introducing a new digital matching tool to support the matching process. We are currently reviewing the operation of the super sponsor scheme, including measures to improve matching.

The Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 was passed by the Scottish Parliament in June of this year and received Royal Assent on 10 August.

Firework licensing, Part 2 of the Act, will require further secondary legislation, as well as development of an appropriate licensing system, and therefore will not be in place until late 2023/early 2024 at the earliest. Commencement regulations will be introduced in advance of the system being operational.

As Scheme Administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd is responsible for the development and construction of the logistical network that will support Scotland’s DRS.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with BEIS and Ofgem and National Grid ESO to discuss the arrangements under which all generators, both existing and new, access and use the GB electricity system.

National Grid ESO regularly assess the need for investment in our electricity system. The latest assessment has identified over £21bn of transmission network investment needed in GB. This vital investment will minimise constraints on the system while supporting new connection of generation to meet 2030 targets and maintain system security.

This is a reserved issue and Scottish Government has no powers to change the regulations in respect to electricity network access. It is vital that industry, government, and the regulator work together to enable timely delivery of these investments while ensuring that UK regulatory levers drive down costs and increase benefits for customers and communities.

Many cities in Scotland have set ambitious net zero targets and are developing robust plans to deliver them. All 32 of Scotland’s Local Authorities signed Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration in 2007 and 28 Scottish Local Authorities have recognised or declared a climate emergency.

The Cities Commission For Climate Investment (3Ci) continues to work with selected local authorities to launch local place-based Net Zero pilots by providing technical assistance and support for project identification, design, investment structures and other key elements.

Glasgow and Edinburgh have bid to be a part of the European Union's 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities mission and NetZeroCities project. The Scottish Government recognises that involvement in such a Mission presents a real opportunity to enable all of our seven cities to benefit from Scotland’s involvement in this hugely important Mission.

The Scottish Government welcomes the billion pound transformation of Glasgow’s Buchanan Street Quarter which will see Scottish Government officials working with Buchanan Galleries owner Landsec and Glasgow City Council to transform Glasgow’s famous shopping street with a multi-purpose shopping, residential and office quarter.