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We launched the Interim Principles in Parliament on March 31 2022. They set out in more detail our ambition for a high integrity, values-led market for responsible investment in natural capital including our commitment that communities are engaged in, and benefit from, this market. We aim to strengthen and finalise the Interim principles during the course of this Parliament. For example, the Scottish Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan published in June 2022 includes a commitment to demonstrating the Interim Principles in the delivery of woodland creation. Also, the Investment Ready Nature Scotland grant fund launched in August 2022, and referred to in the preceding question, includes a requirement for projects to comply with the Interim Principles. We will also seek to strengthen the Principles through our policy programme such as our work on the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement.

Subject to parliamentary approval, we will begin making payments of Winter Heating Payment in February 2023. We are reliant on DWP meeting their commitment to provide us with the right data by 31 January so that we can complete the necessary assurance and processing of payments to around 400,000 eligible people across Scotland. While it will therefore not be possible to make payments sooner this winter, we have committed to exploring the feasibility of bringing forward the payment date in future years.

Separately, in response to the energy crisis we have doubled the Fuel Insecurity Fund to £20 million to ensure support continues to be available to people affected by the rising energy costs and struggling with their bills this winter.

The Government plans to introduce a new Housing Bill this year. The timing and scope of that Bill is subject to ongoing review an consideration as we continue to deliver our emergency response to support tenants through the ongoing cost of living crisis.

The Scottish Hospice Leadership Group discussed these issues at their meeting in November 2022, which was attended by a Scottish Government official.

In the Chamber on 15 December the First Minister said that we will undertake to ensure that discussions take place directly with the sector.

The Scottish Government does not believe it is necessary to make a specific assessment of the implications of its policies of the reported greater success rate of hen harrier nests on non-RSPB nature reserves compared to RSPB nature reserves.

Hen harrier success rates are dependent on a number of different factors, as set out in the response to PQs S5W-20621 and S5W-26208. A significant reason for the lower productivity on RSPB reserves is because several are on Orkney where there is a high level of polygyny (males having 2-3 females). As males cannot provision up to 3 nests, failure of the 2nd & 3rd females is regular with fewer young raised (than a monogamous pair) even if they are successful.

The cost of responding to these types of incidents or spills are a matter for the public bodies, the relevant authorities, or agencies. The information requested is not held centrally and therefore the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

HIAL worked to limit the impact of the industrial action where possible and were able to keep Campbeltown, Dundee, Inverness, Islay, Tiree and Wick John O’Groats Airports fully operational during the strikes. They were also able to facilitate reduced operations at Kirkwall and Stornoway Airports. Safety, however, is paramount and where there are insufficient staff available for airports to operate in a safe and regulatory compliant way, flights are not able to operate.

Provision, maintenance and servicing of bikes comes from our budget to support Active Travel in 2021-2022, that amounted to £115.5m in total, and in 2022-2023 that amounted to £150m.

Specifically we have three programmes which focus on the provision, service and repair of a bike. They are the Free Bikes Commitment, Access Bikes run by Cycling UK and Scotland’s Cycle Repair Scheme (SCRS) run by Cycling UK. Their financials since May 2021 are below:

• Free Bikes Commitment - £4,495,106.72
• Access Bikes - £594,583
• SCRS - £3,215,123

I met with the Chair and Chief Executive of Loganair, HIAL’s largest customer, on 20 December 2022 to discuss the industrial action at HIAL’s airports and the measures that Loganair had put in place to minimise the disruption for passengers.

Initial scoping work is being undertaken, and has not yet been completed. This work will be included in the broader considerations of the Housing to 2040 strategic board.