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The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement for large retailers in advance of the next Budget. As set out in the 2024-25 Scottish Budget publication, the Scottish Government has however committed to introduce or explore six new taxes. These comprise three national taxes: Scottish Aggregates Tax, Air Departure Tax, and a Building Safety Levy; and three local taxes: Visitor Levy, Cruise Liner Levy, and a Local Carbon Land Tax.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:

Scottish Water develops appraisals on an ongoing basis, prioritising based on the risks to water supply. Scottish Water currently has plans to appraise seven systems, supplying a population of over 1 million people, over the next 3 years. As and when these appraisals are complete they are shared with regulators and stakeholders.

The investment programme is dynamic and regularly reviewed and prioritised as circumstances change; as such there is no conclusion to the overall process, only for individual systems.

The statutory manager is not an employee of the Scottish Housing Regulator or of the landlord. The appointment is to carry out a statutory function. It is for the SHR to determine the information it publishes on those appointed to the statutory managers list to ensure the process is open and transparent.

This is a matter for the independent Scottish Housing Regulator to determine. The SHR has published information about the application process for statutory managers ( Statutory Manager List - Application pack | Scottish Housing Regulator ).

UNESCO membership is reserved to the UK Government, which is the State Party to the convention, responsible for the UK’s general compliance with the World Heritage Convention and for nominating sites.

The UK Government, as the State Party to the World Heritage Convention, submitted a nomination proposal for The Flow Country in 2023.

‎As the member will know, the Flow Country is the most intact and extensive blanket bog system in the world and straddles Caithness and Sutherland. It comprises a complex set of interlinked pool systems and micro features that not only host an eye-catching flora and fauna but also play a vital role in our defence against the effects of climate change.

It is expected that a decision on whether to add the site to the World Heritage List will be taken at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting on 21-31 July 2024.

Further to my response to the question S60-02933 on 10 January 2024, I have not set a deadline for the full or partial reopening of sites affected by high level masonry issues. Historic Environment Scotland continues to put the health and safety of individuals first and will continue reopening sites when safe to do so.

Details of the inspection programme and site reopening's are published on the Historic Environment Scotland website: High Level Masonry Inspections | Historic Environment Scotland . Indeed the member will be pleased to note that the website currently advises that Bothwell Castle in her constituency is due to reopen for Easter 2024.

I will continue to engage with Historic Environment Scotland on the inspection programme and the reopening of sites affected.

Section 4 of the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 (legislation.gov.uk) provides the Scottish Ministers with a regulation-making power to enable marriages to become civil partnerships, if the parties so wish. The Scottish Ministers have not yet made regulations under section 4 as the Scottish Government wishes to ensure that couples who change their marriage to civil partnership have full rights and responsibilities, including in relation to reserved and cross-UK border matters. There are potential points arising on aspects of pensions (which are generally reserved) and on the recognition in England and Wales and Northern Ireland of marriages changed to civil partnerships in Scotland.

In line with usual practice, we have, therefore, been in discussions with the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS) on making an Order under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 (legislation.gov.uk) on UK consequential legislation following the 2020 Act.

On 17 November 2022, officials in the OSSS advised Scottish Government officials that “the UK Government is not yet in a position to make a decision on the recognition of converted Scottish civil partnerships in England and Wales.” Following this, Scottish Government officials sent the OSSS on 21 December 2022 a revised policy proposal for a section 104 Order relating to changing marriages to civil partnerships covering the reserved law of Scotland only. There has been no substantive progress on this proposal in 2023.

I have written to the Secretary of State for Scotland to ask about progress in taking forward the proposal we sent to them on 21 December 2022. I also said in my letter to the Secretary of State that if the UK Government does not consider the December 2022 proposal is an appropriate way forward, it would be useful if he could outline what would be appropriate.

It is the responsibility of the organisation that fitted the EV charging point(s) to ensure that they are fitted to the correct standard, meeting any regulations and restrictions associated with such devices. This should also be informed by a risk assessment carried out by a competent risk assessor. It is the responsibility of Local Authority Building Control to verify construction projects against the relevant requirements.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service proactively assess the risks of lithium-ion batteries in buildings through incident analysis and provides information and training to operational crews. Where appropriate, businesses and communities are provided with further safety information and guidance.

In addition, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service continue to engage with the Scottish Government and other partners to consider emerging technologies and research relating to electric vehicle fires.

During 2020, Scottish Ministers announced their intention to administer a separate fund to the UK Government's Industrial Energy Transformation Fund and that more funds would be available for Scottish Industries than received as Barnett consequentials. We are in the process of concluding the due diligence process for SIETF applications and in the coming weeks intend to announce a further set of projects. Following this, we will engage with industrial representatives regarding potential proposals for future decarbonisation initiatives, including the possibility of a next phase for SIETF.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24444 on 22 January 2024. 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 .