Seòmar agus comataidhean

As per the previous answer to question S6W-03267 highlighted, a consultation has taken place on the Planning Specification and Context Report for the Sectoral Marine Plan for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG). That consultation closed on 20 October 2021 and the Scottish Government is aiming to publish the results of that consultation alongside the Initial Plan Framework, which sets out all parameters and spatial components, shortly. This document will include definitions for both Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas components. It is, of course, the intention to ensure that projects delivered under INTOG are competitive.

In 2016, agreement was reached between Scottish Ministers and COSLA on a new strategic funding plan for flood protection schemes. The agreement guarantees that until 2026 the level of flooding capital grant in the local government settlement is set at a minimum of £42 million per annum. 80% of the available £42 million is allocated to prioritised flood schemes and the other 20% is allocated between all 32 councils to take forward other flood risk management actions.

The Programme for Government published in 2020 included a commitment to invest an extra £150 million in flood risk management over 5 years in addition to the £42 million per annum. This funding will also be distributed to local authorities through the general capital grant. We are working with partners on the best way of allocating this additional funding.

The amount in the general capital grant available to local authorities for flood risk management this year and each year up to 2023-24 is:

The participation of competitors, including Scottish competitors, at the Olympics and Paralympics is a matter for the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association, which are required to operate independently of Government under International Olympic Committee regulations.

The Scottish Government shares the concerns which have been widely expressed in relation to China’s human rights record, including the reports of serious, widespread and systematic human rights violations being committed in Xinjiang.

Over the past decade the Scottish Government has invested over £50 million in ChargePlace Scotland, investing ahead of need to create a publicly available network of EV charging infrastructure, which now consists of over 2000 charge points across Scotland.

It is for Local Authorities to determine local priorities and demand for charging infrastructure. Encompassing decisions such as required locations of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and the most appropriate charger type, when requesting funding support.

Through Transport Scotland funding initiatives, we have supported the following list of EV chargers for Falkirk Council.

• Bo’ness Academy     (x1, commissioned)
• Denny High School     (x1, commissioned)
• Falkirk High School     (x1, commissioned)
• Grangemouth High School   (x1, commissioned)
• Braes High School     (x1, commissioned)
• Carron Grange High School   (x2, commissioned)
• St Mungo’s High School   (x1, commissioned)

Whilst Local Authorities have access to request funding from the Scottish Government to support the development of charging infrastructure; this is not a sole source of charge point provision, therefore other charge point installations could exist, which would be outside of our records.

To date North and South Lanarkshire have not requested funding from Transport Scotland for charging infrastructure to be installed at schools in their respective areas’.

The Scottish Government wants to improve opportunities, outcomes and support for people with learning disabilities including Down’s Syndrome. To this end, we have committed to introducing a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill as part of the Programme for Government. This Bill will ensure that the rights of people with Down’s Syndrome, among others, are respected and protected.

To help make sure that the new legislation is championed when it is implemented, we will create a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodiversity Commissioner through the new law.

The Scottish Government does not spend in reserved policy areas however, it is having to spend in areas such as welfare and telecoms in order to mitigate the decisions taken by the UK Government.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04170 on 12 November 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 does not collate the number of complaints about low-frequency noise made to local authorities.

We recently reviewed progress against the new and existing actions in the October 2020 Ending Homelessness Together action plan. We published our findings in the October 2021 annual report to Parliament: Ending Homelessness Together: annual report 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Recruitment for the Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel has now been completed and we will announce the successful candidates in due course, once the necessary processes to establish this new Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) have been completed.