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The Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) provides support for Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords to purchase off the shelf properties where it can be demonstrated that this is the most appropriate method of meeting housing need in a particular area. Funding may also be made available to remodel/rehabilitate existing properties where this is considered a strategic priority.

Whilst we hold information on the number of off the shelf properties supported through the AHSP, we do not hold information on whether those properties are former right-to-buy properties. The table containing the off the shelf homes supported through the main AHSP grant programme for the last 5 full financial years, broken down by Local Authority Area and Local Authority or Registered Social Landlord who purchased the properties, has been placed in SPICe under BIB number 62721. The table does not include figures relating to new build off the shelf properties.

I welcome the efforts of Plus Perth, Dundee Healthy Minds Network, Angus Voice and the Tayside Independent Inquiry Stakeholder Participation Group in producing this survey and report. I recognise the value that it has provided to David Strang in informing his progress report on Tayside's mental health services which was published in July. I met with representatives of the Stakeholder Participation Group to hear more about their experiences and recommendations for Tayside Mental Health Services in September and have made clear to Tayside partners that the voices of lived and living experience on mental health services in Tayside is critical going forward.

The Scottish Government is working to establish independent scrutiny of Tayside’s Mental Health Services, an action that is strongly supported by the survey report.

The Scottish Government has maintained a rolling programme of rail electrification, unlike other parts of the UK. In line with our Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan it remains the expectation that the East Coast Main Line between Edinburgh Haymarket and Aberdeen will be fully electrified.

We will confirm investment decisions will be made in an appropriate manner following due appraisal, necessarily having regard to the capital funding available to the Scottish Government in the light of UK Government budgetary decisions, however positive progress is being made with Network Rail confirming ground investigation works for the Aberdeen to Central Belt project are starting in October 2021.

The SPCB is elected by the Parliament to take decisions regarding its statutory functions under section 21 of the Scotland Act 1988, which are to provide the Parliament, or ensure that the Parliament is provided, with the property, staff and services required for the Parliament’s purposes.  As part of these functions, it is incumbent on the SPCB in terms of its legal duties and obligations, as both an employer and as the owner occupier, to provide a safe and secure parliamentary estate.  As the decision on applying to become a designated site was based on confidential security advice from Police Scotland, it would not have been appropriate to have held prior discussions with MSPs, MSP staff or other Scottish Parliament staff.

It is a matter for SPCB under its legal responsibilities to provide a safe and secure estate.  As the decision on applying to become a designated site was based on confidential security advice from Police Scotland, it would not have been appropriate to have held discussions with external organisations. The decision will have no bearing on campaign groups, trade unions and other organisations or individuals who protest in a robust but peaceful way at Holyrood. 

The SPCB received comprehensive security assessment and advice from Police Scotland recommending application for designated status for the parliamentary complex. 

The Scottish Government continues to be committed to improving the lives of autistic people in Scotland. We published our Learning/Intellectual Disabilities and Autism: Towards Transformation Plan in March 2021, which builds on existing autism and learning disabilities strategies. The plan looks at the actions needed to shape supports, services and attitudes to ensure that the human rights of autistic people and people with learning/intellectual disabilities are respected and protected and that they are empowered to live their lives, the same as everyone else.

We do not directly fund assistance dogs for autistic people. You may find it useful to know that the Scottish Government was approached and does fund a project run by Alzheimer’s Scotland that pioneers the use of assistance dogs for people with dementia.

Whilst the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, it is for the regional health & social care partnerships to determine the level of services that are required to meet local needs and to arrange an appropriate and suitable range of services to meet these local needs, as mandated under statute in the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act. Local Authorities may be able to say whether they consider assistance dogs as part of their package of support options.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Whilst this is primarily an operational matter for the SPS, the SPS and Scottish Government have been in communication regarding the reported tampering of mobile phones used by individuals in custody and security measures in place. A solution was identified with the provider in relation to the concern of illicit SIM cards being used in prison issued mobile phones and it is currently being implemented across the prison estate. This solution enables the SPS to blacklist handsets on various network providers rendering the handsets unusable with a non-prison issued SIM. The security measures in place will continue to be monitored by the SPS.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The following table provides the number of SPS issued mobile phone handsets that have been confiscated at HMP & YOI Grampian, each month, since implementation in July 2020:

The Scottish Government's policy in relation to locally determined Council Tax increases will be set out as part of future Scottish Budget outcomes.