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A breakdown of the £191 million was provided in the Guide to the Autumn Budget Revision which is available on the Finance and Public Administration’s website here https://www.parliament.scot/~/media/committ/4489

This guide document will also be published on the Scottish Government’s website following the consideration of the Autumn Budget Revision by the committee.

The Scottish Government is in regular communication with a number of charities concerning the cost of living crisis and other welfare issues. No one wants to see beloved pets relinquished due to affordability and that is why we will continue to work with animal welfare charities and organisations such as the Scottish SPCA to monitor the on-going situation.

The High Rise Inventory provides information on the construction and fire safety of high rise domestic buildings. It was completed by Local Authority Building Standards departments for all relevant buildings, with data provided or verified to the best of the respondents’ knowledge at the time of completing the inventory. It should be viewed as a snapshot in time. The summary report was based on information held in the Inventory in February 2020.

On the basis of the information provided all of the 38 buildings, in which aluminium composite material were identified, and the 23 buildings with Category 3 aluminium composite panels are classified as owned by private landlords.

The main source of insight into e-commerce in Scotland is the Digital Economy Business Survey (DEBS), which has been conducted approximately every three years since 2014. We are currently considering the scope and frequency of future surveys, which will provide important data for our understanding of progress of key elements of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET).

Data is not collected in this way, because many firms engaged in e-commerce are likely to also be trading in other ways. However, the Digital Economy Business Surveys (DEBS) carried out in 2017 and 2021 offers some insight. These surveys contain estimates of the proportion of total business sales were made via e-commerce in the previous 12 months.

The Scottish Government understands that 13,000 new recruits are needed every year to fill digital technology roles, including roles in e-commerce. That is why we have invested over £4 million since 2020, via Skills Development Scotland, to broaden the digital talent pool. This has included the delivery of reskilling programmes such as the Digital Start Fund, a programme which supports people on benefits or low incomes, and the Digital Skills Pipeline, a modular set of courses running from beginner level all the way through to advanced coding. By giving grant funding to Code Your Future, another training organisation, we have also helped vulnerable people, including refugees, with the skills and networks necessary to progress in education and employment. Going forward, a new Digital Economy Skills Action Plan for Scotland, which is being developed in partnership with industry and stakeholders, will identify the activity that will best support the needs of the digital economy going forward, aligning with the recommendations from Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review (STER) and National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET).

Data is not collected in this way, because many firms engaged in e-commerce are likely to also be trading in other ways. However, in 2021, 35% of businesses in Scotland made sales via e-commerce, compared to 30% in 2017. (Source: Digital Economy Business Surveys (DEBS); 2017 and 2021. DEBS has been carried out approximately every three years since 2014. Note that sole traders were not included in these surveys.)

We are committed to working collaboratively to design the National Care Service with people, stakeholders and partners. We published a document on the National Care Service and the co-design process on 21 June 2022. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-care-service-co-design-national-care-service/documents/

To find out more about what co-design is, the phases of work involved and the activities and tools that can be used to support we have been running introductory sessions for the public. Further information on upcoming sessions can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/policies/social-care/national-care-service/

To support the collaborative co-design we launched registration to Lived Experience Experts Panel and Stakeholder Register on 22 September 2022. Further information and registration details can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/design-the-national-care-service/

As of 7 December 2022, we had 421 applicants registered with the Lived Experience Experts Panel.

As of 7 December 2022, we had 210 organisations sign up for the Stakeholder Register.

The Panel and the Register are both being actively monitored for demographics, geographic spread and protected characteristics to ensure we encourage a true representation of the population. Targeted engagement will be undertaken to address any gaps and ensure robust information gathering and development Promotion of the opportunities to register will continue throughout the life time of the programme.

The National Care Service (Scotland) Bill requires Ministers to have a strategic plan if they are delivering, or arranging for the delivery of, national services.

In order to ensure that national services remain aligned with changing population need it is important that Ministers regularly review, with partners, stakeholders and people, the strategic plan.

We will continue to liaise with those who plan and deliver services to ensure that the Bill sets out appropriate national and local strategic planning requirements.