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Housing to 2040 outlined that we would focus the first five years (up to 2026-27) on delivering 50,000 homes and the latter five years (up to 2031-32) on delivering a further 50,000 homes. The overall target includes at least 70% for social rent to be delivered by 2032. The Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party - Shared Policy Programme increased that target to 110,000 affordable homes, but did not set a specific revised mid-point target.

We will carry out a review at the mid-point of this target period to assess if plans should continue unchanged or be adapted. This will be important to support local authorities, who are key in this process and currently plan for housing through their Local Housing Strategies on a five-yearly cycle.

The Scottish Government has no plans to prevent people taking cans from wheelie bins following the introduction of DRS.

Officials are engaged in regular discussion with Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities colleagues on a number of matters including the block grant expenditure and the possibility of further funding for cladding remediation. The Inter Ministerial Group, which last met in May this year, agreed that official level engagement on areas of policy of mutual interest on cladding safety would be increased. The next Inter Ministerial Group will meet again in Autumn where matters of building and fire safety and finance will be discussed.

£3.6 billion of funding is being made available in this Parliamentary term towards the delivery of affordable homes providing the certainty and assurance that the housing sector needs to plan and deliver the ambitious affordable homes programme.

We are aware of the global issues affecting construction which are impacting affordable housing delivery. We are working closely with the construction industry and housing partners to mitigate these where possible.

We have now started to deliver against our commitment to 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our remote, rural and island communities.

There are no local authority commissioned communal night shelters currently operating in Scotland and we are not aware of any congregate night shelters being operated by third sector organisations in Scotland.

We have worked closely with local authorities and third sector partners to end the need for communal night shelters in Scotland by scaling up rapid rehousing and Housing First, which was a key commitment in our Ending Homelessness Together action plan.

Given that some form of emergency accommodation will always be needed, since 2020 we have provided over £690,000 of funding to support local authorities and third sector partners to establish rapid rehousing welcome centres (RRWCs) in Glasgow and Edinburgh as an alternative to night shelter provision. RRWCs provide short-term, safe and self-contained rapid access accommodation alongside multi-agency services, with the aim being to support people at risk of rough sleeping to move on to more settled accommodation.

Culture is an important asset for our international offices in strengthening our links and visibility with key countries. Our in-country presence can open new opportunities for Scottish artists and cultural organisations.

The Scottish Government has not been consulted or invited to engage with the UK Government on its 5-year acquisitions programme, including where this involves artists who are based in Scotland. At this time, there are no plans to establish a scheme similar to the X-UK acquisitions programme.

The Scottish Government is however working to secure the benefits of international engagement for our culture sector and has committed to develop a strategy to this end.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03196 on 29 September 2021. 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
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There are no prescribed timescales within regulations in Scotland for the adoption process to be completed.

Where adoption is the right route for a child or young person, the Scottish Government want this to happen as swiftly as possible. However, we recognise that the process is complex and involves multi agency working to ensure the welfare and safeguarding of the child. No two cases will be the same and the circumstances of each child need to inform the approach taken, within the context of the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) approach.

The New Scots refugee integration strategy is built on partnership and collaboration, led by the Scottish Government, COSLA and the Scottish Refugee Council, and involves a wide range of partners across different sectors.

The strategy provides a clear framework for all those working towards refugee integration in Scotland. It has also assisted in coordinating the work of the Scottish Government and its partner organisations to maximise impact and make the most of limited resources, placing Scotland in a strong position to respond to recent humanitarian crises.

The New Scots Core Group brings together key stakeholders and is responsible for monitoring and reviewing progress against the overarching outcomes of New Scots during the strategy implementation period. The Core Group is chaired by Professor Alison Phipps, UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts at the University of Glasgow.

The year one report for the New Scots refugee integration strategy 2018-2022 was published on 2 April 2019. The report can be found here: New Scots refugee integration strategy 2018-2022: first year progress report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The COVID-19 pandemic and work to support people arriving from Afghanistan and Ukraine have impacted delivery of the strategy and meant that it is has not been possible to produce the year two and three reports as originally planned. However, the New Scots Core Group continues to meet four times a year to monitor and review progress of the strategy, as well as identifying areas for collaboration.

Work is already underway to produce the final report of the current strategy, with the aim of publishing this in early 2023.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10585 on‎ 22 September 2022. 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