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The 2015 Act requires Scottish Ministers to prepare a Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy and this was published in May 2017. The Scottish Government has established governance structures to take forward implementation of this Strategy and discussions include feedback on the operation and application of the 2015 Act.

Annual reports against the Strategy have been published and a review of the Strategy was published in May 2020. The next annual report will be published later this year.

We will explore the possibility of levying a higher poundage on properties where the owner is registered in a tax haven, as well as tackling other known tax avoidance tactics using anti-avoidance powers provided by the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act 2020.

Our proposed licensing scheme will assist in ensuring that short-term lets are safe and used for lawful purposes. Police Scotland is represented on the Short Term Lets Stakeholder Working Group and has expressed concern about some short-term lets being used for criminal purposes. Residents and community groups have also raised concerns with the Scottish Government.

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. 

Currently the ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) access card only enables CPS members to use electric vehicle charging stations on the CPS network, but developing interoperability is a key priority for the Scottish Government. Officials are actively exploring how access to other networks for CPS members can be enabled with the ChargePlace Scotland network operator, SWARCO, and are in discussions with other UK charge point network operators.

It isn’t standard practice for Scottish Government to provide specific funding for maintenance of electric vehicle charging stations, and as such we do not hold such information. Units funded through Scottish Government schemes would have a 3/5 year warranty/maintenance pack included within the initial quote to install the unit, after this initial 3/5 year period it is the responsibility of the owner/host to maintain the unit and pay for any work that may be required to keep the unit fully operational.

Through the establishment of a Rail Recovery Task Force, attended by Transport Scotland and our rail delivery partners, the focus of the restoration of rail services has been aligning capacity with demand taking into account changing and emerging travel patterns and insight into passengers’ expectations/concerns.

We have supported bus operators throughout the pandemic, providing up to
‎ £42 million until the end of this financial year. Operators receiving our funding enter into public service contracts and are required to meet certain conditions including running services close to 100% of pre-COVID levels and consulting with local transport authorities in keeping services under review.

In addition, the Government continues to support island and remote communities, working closely with ferry operators and other stakeholders throughout all stages of the pandemic including the approach to recovery.

As at Scottish Budget 2020-21, 4% of Scotland’s GDP was planned to be spent on infrastructure, which is on a par to the percentage of UK GDP allocated to capital expenditure by the UK Government at Budget 2020.