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The Heat in Buildings Strategy (7 October) sets out an ambitious policy package to deliver the transition to zero emissions heating, including at least £1.8 billion investment over the course of this parliament to kick-start market growth and support those least able to pay. This includes a minimum of £465 million to support those least able to pay, £200 million to support energy efficiency and zero emissions heat in the public estate, £200 million Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund, and £400 million for large scale heat decarbonisation projects. This year we have increased the budget for our Home Energy Scotland Loan and Cashback Scheme to £21 million. We have also increased the budget for local authority energy efficiency and green heating schemes to £64 million, and for our Warmer Homes Scotland programme targeted at those in fuel poverty to £50 million.

Over the longer term, the Strategy sets out the steps we are taking to develop a market framework that will create demand for zero emissions heating, help consumers overcome investment costs, and help secure private investment. We are committed to phasing out the need for new fossil fuel boilers in off-gas areas from 2025 and on-gas from 2030. We will bring forward legislation during this Parliamentary term which, subject to devolved competence, will include regulatory proposals to require the installation of zero or very near zero emissions heating systems in existing buildings – in both the domestic and non-domestic sectors.

The Strategy identifies energy efficiency, heat pumps and heat networks as near-term strategic priorities. Efficient heat pumps supply renewable energy and heat networks can supply heat from a range of sources. The Scottish Government supports the use of renewable heat in heat networks through a number of mechanisms, including enhanced non-domestic rates relief for networks run from renewable sources. The longer term balance between renewable and other sources of zero emissions heat will be determined by a wider whole systems approach and will be reviewed as part of the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan in 2022.

We have provided over £33 million of grant funding directly to local authorities since 2014 to enable procurement of zero and ultra-low emission vehicles and associated charging and refuelling infrastructure. The following table provides the detail of funding awarded to each local authority in each year from 2014.

In April 2019, we published the Waste Markets Study which assessed the treatment options for Scottish biodegradable municipal waste. The study is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/waste-markets-study-full-report/

We have also commissioned work to assess the residual waste treatment capacity needs up to 2025, in light of our commitment to end the practice of landfilling biodegradable municipal waste by 2025. This work is ongoing and we will publish it in due course, independent of timelines for the review of incineration.

The Scottish Government is already working with the UK Government across a number of policies to support delivery of low-carbon alternatives to gas boilers. This includes engagement in relation to the UK Government’s proposed market-based mechanism for low carbon heat. Further details on our work with the UK Government are set out in chapter 10 of our Heat in Buildings Strategy.

Scottish Government Heat in Buildings Strategy – https://www.gov.scot/publications/heat-buildings-strategy-achieving-net-zero-emissions-scotlands-buildings/

Restricting high value contracts to participation by suppliers based on their location would not be in keeping with the requirements of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. However our public procurement policy and legislation has driven high levels of local business participation as well as investment in jobs, skills and subcontracting with Scottish SMEs.

The majority of chargers on the publicly funded ChargePlace Scotland network are owned by local authorities who are responsible for procurement of their charging infrastructure. Scottish ministers do not hold information on these contracts. These contracts are however covered by public procurement policy and legislation, this includes a requirement to consider how procurement processes can facilitate the involvement of SMEs, third sector bodies and supported business and how public procurement can be used to promote innovation.

There are no specific provisions in the Scottish Government Offers of Grant that require contracts to be awarded to one cohort of companies over another.

Grantees in the private sector or members of the public select a local installer from the Energy Saving Trust’s list of approved installers ( Domestic charge point funding - Energy Saving Trust ). There is no cost for a business, including Scottish SMEs, to register to be added to this list, should they be interested in doing so.

Installation of an electric vehicle charge point involves various aspects, including works related to electrical connections, civils and supply and installation of charging units. This range of work provides opportunities for local businesses, including SMEs, to benefit from investment in development of the electric vehicle charge point network.

As referenced in the answer to question S6W-01360, we had invested £47M since 2014 to assist with the decarbonisation of public fleet vehicles. We have continued to support public sector fleet decarbonisation and the value of support provided is now over £50 million, enabling innovation and trialling of harder to reach vehicles.

A breakdown of this funding (in response to point a) can be seen in the following table.

Public bodies and local authorities will use a combination of vehicle purchase and lease for fleet operations. Vehicle fleets also go through replacement cycles and periods of rationalisation. It’s not possible to determine how many vehicles funded are still in service.

The review of the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy in Scotland will be led by an independent chair who will determine the detailed scope and process of the review. As such, decisions regarding the process of gathering and selecting evidence that is relevant to the scope of the review will be made by the independent chair.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03193 on 4 October 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
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The Scottish Government recognises the positive health benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and babies and expects breastfeeding support to be available to mothers whenever this is required, particularly in the early days and weeks of a baby’s life.

Information on local breastfeeding services is not held centrally. It is for each NHS Board to plan services to meet the needs of its population including how best to utilise funding, facilities and staff to deliver these services.

We provide £2.3m per year to support the 2011 Maternal and Infant Nutrition Framework Action Plan which includes breastfeeding support, and have provided more than £6m over the past four years to NHS Boards and third sector partners to improve the quality of breastfeeding support.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04157 on 15 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
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