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This is an operational matter for our Enterprise Agencies. I have asked each of their Chief Executives to write to you with a full response.

Over the current parliamentary term, we estimate that the total spend through the capital budget will be £31.1 billion. This is based on the latest figures available. The following table sets this out in detail.

Table 1: Total capital spending between 2021-22 and 2025-26, £ millions

Please see the following table setting out changes to Scottish Income Tax since the start of this parliamentary session.

Table 1: Scottish Income Tax Policy: Income Tax Rates and Bands, 2021-22 –
2023-24

Audit Scotland published a report on the Scottish National Investment Bank’s performance on Thursday 15 May (Scottish National Investment Bank | Audit Scotland). Page 16 details the Capital and Resource allocations by year since the Bank was launched in November 2020:

The Pain Management Panel consisted of 16 people with lived experience of chronic pain. A sampling framework was developed by The Lines Between to ensure diversity within the panel across participants’ experiences, circumstances, and characteristics. The sampling framework was designed to recruit 15 participants to the pain management panel with the intention to interview a group of 22-25 people to mitigate potential attrition during the project.

It was not possible to support all of the submitted projects within the available budget. There is currently no scope to support the reserved projects however should additional budget become available this will be considered. As part of the pipeline approach reserved projects can be considered for support in future years, subject to annual budget availability.

The Lease for the Inch Cape Offshore windfarm was signed on 24 January 2025.

£636,431.99 has been spent to date.

Gender equality is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s vision for a fairer Scotland. We want women of all ages to be empowered to exercise equal rights and opportunities, and to have equitable access to economic resources and decision making.

Eradicating child poverty is the top priority across all of government, with wide ranging action being taken to tackle poverty – including through investment in funded childcare, devolved employability services, and social security benefits such as our Scottish Child Payment.

We recognise that child poverty and women’s poverty are inextricably linked and that children in lone parent families, of which around 90% are headed by women, are at greater risk of poverty. Best Start, Bright Futures, our Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for 2022-26, outlines our focus on ensuring that policies and approaches effectively tackle the challenges and barriers faced by families at greatest risk of poverty, including lone parents. We will continue to use evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, and are increasingly taking an intersectional approach, to understand the challenges and needs of particular groups and ensure effective action is taken, including for lone parents.

The Scottish Government also recognises the positive contribution older people make to their communities and sees the value in bringing generations together. We aim to enable better access to a range of services for older people as and when they need them. We want to ensure people are financially secure and supported as they age.

The Scottish Government’s ‘A Fairer Scotland for Older People: framework for action’ contains a dedicated strand focused on activity we are undertaking to ensure people are financially secure and supported as they age. In addition, we provide funding of £2.2 million, through the Equality and Human Rights Fund, to older people’s organisations and age equality projects. This funding is delivering a range of initiatives that tackles poverty among older people.

The Scottish Government accepts the judgment of the Supreme Court.

Work is underway across the Scottish Government reviewing legislation, guidance and policies impacted by the judgment. A working group – convened by the Permanent Secretary - has been established to take this forward. The Scottish Government has updated the Equality and Human Rights Commission on the approach we are taking.

As the enforcer and regulator of the Equality Act and we expect all organisations to consider its revised Code of Practice and guidance when published to ensure there is a consistent and clear understanding of the correct application of the law for all involved in this complex area.