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The offshore wind sector has a vital role to play in decarbonising our energy system and ensuring we become a net-zero economy by 2045. With a pipeline of new projects set to be provided by the first cycle of ScotWind leasing, the Scottish Government committed to setting out a Strategic Investment Assessment (SIA) for Offshore Wind within our first 100 Days of Government and this was published on 20 August. The findings contained within the report by Ironside Farrar were essential in assessing current and future marshalling and assembly capacity in Scotland’s ports and form a key element of the SIA findings and recommendations. Both the SIA and the Ironside Farrar report set out a clear path of the steps we must take to seize the economic opportunity offshore wind supply chain presents for Scotland. The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) co-chaired by Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise and Brian McFarlane of SSE, will be responsible for taking forward delivery of the recommendations and actions from the SIA which includes the findings from the Ironside Farrar report.

The Scottish Government considers that the provisions of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, as amended, are sufficient to ensure that action can be taken if the welfare of greyhounds, whether still racing or retired, is not being met. The provisions of Part 2 of the Act apply to all people responsible for animals, including breeders, trainers and owners of racing greyhounds.

As a result of the Scottish Government’s introduction of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 a person convicted of the offence of causing an animal unnecessary suffering can currently be sentenced for a period of up to 5 years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.

Future transport investment decisions, such as the reopening of the former stations at Glasgow Cross and Glasgow Green, are being considered within the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). As concluded in the Initial Appraisal: Case for Change for the Glasgow City Region, the re-opening of disused rail lines and associated stations within Glasgow City Centre was one of the interventions recommended for the next stage of appraisal, together with wider proposals for a Glasgow Metro.

The appraisal process for STPR2 is considering the performance of all options against the transport outcomes we are seeking, the Transport Planning Objectives, which are aligned to our National Transport Strategy priorities and outcomes. The interventions will seek to contribute to our vision of a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors.

Therefore, we need to consider the social and economic benefits and impacts based on performance against these objectives and the five Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance criteria, to determine the overall Value for Money. This also takes into account risks, uncertainties and other factors such as affordability, deliverability and the wider acceptability of options. This will be an important consideration given pressures on current and future public finances.

Also underpinning STPR2 is the Sustainable Investment Hierarchy where we will aim first to reduce the need to travel unsustainably, make better use of and enhance existing infrastructure, before investing in new capacity. This hierarchy is also central to Infrastructure Investment Plan. STPR2 will conclude later this year, with publication of recommendations for investment and an appropriate statutory consultation period.

The Scottish Government has published the Evaluation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism 2011-21 today. In response I am delighted to announce £650k this financial year, for tests of change on adult neurodevelopmental pathways. Additionally I can announce new funding of £425k to trial the Scottish Government’s new Learning Disability and Autism leadership and engagement work, from the Recovery and Renewal fund. I would also like to announce £400k for the understanding autism project charity funding. This represents a substantive package of support of £1.4m, £1m of which is new funding from the Recovery and Renewal fund.

The evaluation is available to view at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802013696

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally, as local authorities and integration authorities have legal duties to provide carer support under the Carers Act. In practice they commission third sector organisations, including carer centres, to provide much of that support on their behalf. The 2020-21 budget contained an additional £11.6 million and the 2021-22 budget a further increase of £28.5 million in the local government settlement for Carers Act implementation. Added to similar (baselined) increases in previous years since the Act came into force in April 2018, this brings the total investment in the Carers Act for 2021-22 to £68 million per year. It is for local authorities and integration authorities to decide how to use the funding to meet their duties under the Carers Act, but it is expected that this will include providing additional funding to carer centres and other organisations commissioned to expand carer support.

The previous Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport wrote to local authorities in March 2021 to highlight the importance of using this additional funding to expand carer support: www.gov.scot/publications/carers-act-finance-2021-2022-letter

Alongside funding for the Carers Act, the Scottish Government also funds the Time to Live scheme, administered by Shared Care Scotland, to enable local carer organisations to provide small grants for carers to spend on short breaks or something that gives them a break from caring. In recent years, £490,000 per year has been allocated to this scheme but in response to the pandemic, the Scottish Government put an additional £910,000 into the scheme in 2020-21 and has committed a further £400,000 in 2021-22.

In April 2020, we established a £500,000 fund to help local carer organisations transition to home working, so they could continue to provide advice and emotional support remotely, such as telephone counselling and online sessions.

In March 2021 the Scottish Government also provided over £24,000 of funding to 28 local carer organisations, who requested assistance with the cost of informing carers about how to access priority Covid-19 vaccinations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02844 on 23 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 .

Family Fund administers the Take a Break Scotland fund on behalf of the Scottish Government. Currently, it is one of four programmes which make up the annual £3 million voluntary sector Short Breaks Fund. During the period 2011-12 to 2021-22, 21,131 Take a Break Scotland grants have been provided to carers (please see the breakdown below for each year). The higher numbers of grants in 2020-21 and 2021-22 is due to additional funding provided to meet extra demand during the pandemic. It must be highlighted that this is the number of grant applications funded, and there may be more than one carer benefiting from each grant.

Number of Short Break grants provided by the Take a Break Scotland fund.

As concluded in the Initial Appraisal: Case for Change for the Glasgow City Region, the re-opening of disused rail lines and associated stations within Glasgow City Centre was one of the interventions recommended for the next stage of appraisal. This option is one of 58 potential new stations across Scotland that are being appraised as part of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

The appraisal process for STPR2 is considering the performance of all options against the transport outcomes we are seeking, the Transport Planning Objectives, which are aligned to our National Transport Strategy priorities and outcomes. The interventions will seek to contribute to our vision of a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors.

Therefore, we need to consider the social and economic benefits and impacts based on performance against these objectives and the five Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance criteria, to determine the overall Value for Money. This also takes into account risks, uncertainties and other factors such as affordability, deliverability and the wider acceptability of options. This will be an important consideration given pressures on current and future public finances.

Also underpinning STPR2 is the Sustainable Investment Hierarchy where we will aim first to reduce the need to travel unsustainably, make better use of and enhance existing infrastructure, before investing in new capacity. This hierarchy is also central to Infrastructure Investment Plan. STPR2 will conclude later this year, with publication of recommendations for investment and an appropriate statutory consultation period.

Until the appraisal process is completed, it is not possible to make individual decisions on potential new stations such as Parkhead North.

The Scottish Government has committed to deliver the National Transitions to Adulthood strategy as part of the 2021 Programme for Government and within this Parliamentary term. Our priority is to start early discussions with disabled children and young people to have their voices clearly heard across developing policies that impact on their daily lives, which we plan to undertake by January 2022. In addition we will review responses to the National Care Service consultation on the inclusion of children's social work and social care services as a route to reduce complexity and improve transitions and support for those that need access to a range of services.

We will carry this out in the context of wider work that has a direct impact on these children and families including United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) / United Nation Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD), Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) Refresh, the Promise, the Review of Additional Support for Learning Implementation on Support for Learning: All our Children and All their Potential , Fair Work, and Mental Health.