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The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund asks social landlords to provide evidence of tenant engagement as part of the funding application process and encourages consultation with tenants before any work begins.

The fund, which will support the social housing sector over the next 5 years, reopened this August and welcomes applications from social landlords who want to upgrade their existing housing stock. The fund remains open throughout the year. Applications can be submitted at any time and are assessed on a quarterly basis.

The North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund (NEERSF) launched in August 2021. The first performance reporting from the delivery partnership is due to be received in mid to late December.

Zero Waste Scotland’s report The Carbon Footprint of Scotland's Household Waste summarises the carbon impacts of Scotland’s household waste using the latest Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) published waste data. This report provides information on the relative carbon and weight-based impacts of Scotland’s waste generated and managed. The most recent data shows that in 2019 the carbon impacts of Scotland’s household waste fell to the lowest on record, 16% below 2011 levels. Further information is available at https://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/our-work/carbon-metric-publications .

Data on local authority household recycling rates is published by SEPA and available at https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/waste/waste-data/waste-data-reporting/household-waste-data/ .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04485 on 29 November 2021 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

The Scottish Government commissioned an Environmental Report as part of a comprehensive consultation process prior to the creation of the Single-use Plastic Regulations recently laid before the Scottish Parliament.

This report is published on the Scottish Government’s website here and shows the following estimated yearly figures used in Scotland for the products requested:

The Scottish Government recognises the issues raised by third sector organisations regarding the impact the Covid pandemic has had and is having on working lives, especially those in low-paid or insecure jobs. That is why a range of actions have been set out in the Mental Health Transition and Recovery Strategy and the broader Covid Recovery Strategy to mitigate negative impacts on workers and to improve the financial security of lower income households.

Our overarching vision to become a Fair Work Nation by 2025 is central to addressing issues of job insecurity, in-work poverty and under-employment – priorities that will also be reflected through the forthcoming National Strategy for Economic Transformation. The Scottish Government is committed to safeguarding the wellbeing of workers across Scotland and will keep a future of work commission under review.

The eligibility criteria for the new round of Climate Justice Fund will be set before programming starts from April 2022. It is likely that the focus of the Fund for programmes run by the Scottish Government will be on Scotland’s three partner countries of Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia.

The Scottish Government has not been involved in any discussions regarding the development of an Edinburgh specific rate of pay.

Employment law remains reserved to the UK Government therefore, the Scottish Government cannot currently legislate on this matter. We continue to promote payment of at least the real Living Wage and welcome the increase to £9.90 per hour for workers over 18 announced on 15 November.

I was pleased to note that City of Edinburgh Council has achieved Living Wage City recognition and is promoting payment of the real Living Wage in the region.

The purpose of the alcohol licensing system is to support the regulation of the sale of alcohol with the objectives of preventing crime and disorder; securing public safety; preventing public nuisance; protecting and improving public health; and protecting children and young people from harm. It is for independent licensing boards to administer the licensing regime at a local level with reference to these five licensing objectives.

Under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, each independent licensing board is required to publish licensing policy statements. Such statements allow for interested parties to understand better how each licensing board will operate in line with these five overarching licensing objectives. The introduction within the 2005 Act of a public health objective ensures licensing boards can take into account the importance of protecting and improving public health when considering and determining licensing matters brought before the Board. How the public health objective is to be achieved within each licensing board area as one of the five licensing objectives is a matter for each independent licensing board, but licensing policy statements should reflect the approach to be taken.

The Scottish Government has also taken forward a range of legislative measures such as, amongst others, placing restrictions on drink promotions, requiring the operation of an age verification policy and giving the police powers to disrupt drinking dens to help reduce alcohol harm.

In terms of the affordability of alcohol, minimum unit pricing (MUP) was introduced on 1 May 2018 at 50 pence per unit of alcohol and is subject to a comprehensive, independent evaluation, led by Public Health Scotland (PHS). Various reports on the impact of MUP are published on the PHS website, with a final report due in November 2023.

Under current legal aid provision, BSL interpreting costs can be paid as an outlay where legal aid or advice and assistance is in place. When a person requires such support to access legal services, the Legal Aid Fund will meet these costs. The Scottish Legal Aid Board is currently undertaking a consultation on its approach to accounts assessment, within which it has proposed to continue to assess BSL interpreting as part of its general outlays policy.

The Scottish Legal Aid Board has also promoted the availability of ContactScotland BSL service to solicitors. This Scottish Government funded service, has expanded to allow BSL signers across the country to make phone calls in their first or preferred language. It is a VRS (virtual relay service) for making phone calls, or conversation where both parties are not in the same place. It is available 24 hours a day throughout the year.

The Scottish Government has established a British Sign Language Justice Advisory Group, as part of its BSL National Plan 2017-2023. The role of this BSL-led justice advisory group is to provide expertise and guidance to justice agencies. The Group is to play a key role in developing and delivering a programme of improvements to help the justice agencies better meet the needs of BSL users.