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This research study is being completed externally by Public Health Scotland and so the timeline may be subject to change, however, we have been informed by Public Health Scotland that under current timescales the project is due to be complete in November 2023.

The amount of funding allocated by the Scottish Government in each year of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, will be informed by Strategies and Infrastructure Expansion Plans currently being developed and delivered by Scotland’s local authorities and to be agreed with Transport Scotland.

There are currently no plans for a research study into the demand for residential rehabilitation amongst those who are alcohol dependent.

Scottish Government welcomes robust and reliable research, considering how it relates to ongoing policy or can inform new policy. We await the outcome of the current research into the demand for residential rehabilitation amongst those who use drugs being led by Public Health Scotland to assess whether any of its results and/or recommendations are applicable for people who are alcohol dependent.

The Scottish Government has assessed the evidence presented by the independent Drug Deaths Taskforce, as well as the extensive evidence internationally on drug law reform, and today publish our response 'A Caring, Compassionate and Human Rights Informed Drug Policy for Scotland'. This outlines the need to consider urgent changes to our laws to support a public health approach to drug dependency.

Through our National Mission we are already working within existing powers to reduce drug deaths, and while there is more to do, we need every part of the system to support change and better outcomes. At present the legislative framework we operate within does not fully support our evidence-based public health approach. It is for this reason we explore alternatives, based on the best available evidence, which could be implemented whether through refinements to existing legislation, or through constitutional change, whether further devolution of powers or independence. We continue to stand ready to work with the UK Government to support the implementation of these policies.

A Caring, Compassionate and Human Rights Informed Drug Policy for Scotland is available here - https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835210093 .

In 2021, through the first phase of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB), the Scottish Government supported operators to acquire 276 zero-emission buses and their supporting infrastructure, with awards of £62 million. This hugely successful grant programme brought the number of zero-emission buses in Scotland supported by the Scottish Government to 548. These vehicles have been brought in to service across the country, including in the mid Scotland and Fife region with the recent fleets of zero-emission buses being brought into service in Perth and Dunfermline.

Through the opening of the second phase of ScotZEB, the Scottish Government has made up to £58 million available to further support the bus sector to decarbonise. This is in addition to the £113 million already invested through ScotZEB 1 and its predecessor the Scottish Ultra Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS), meeting our commitment to invest £120 million into zero-emission buses; taking us closer to realising a fully decarbonised future for Scotland’s bus fleet and supporting the Scottish supply chain. Currently Scotland has around double the proportion of its fleet running on zero-emissions, compared to the proportion in England, and ScotZEB 2 will allow Scotland to continue to be a leading example of bus decarbonisation.

We have always been clear that the bus decarbonisation target was an ambitious target that the Scottish Government could not meet alone. We all have to play our part in the collective endeavour to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change. The launch of ScotZEB 2 is the next phase of the Government’s contribution, to encourage collaborative proposals and bring about necessary change in the market, and deliver a Just Transition to net zero for the bus and coach sector. We will continue to challenge the bus sector to deliver excellence for Scotland, and by working in partnership with private financiers, manufacturers, SMEs and community operators, I have every confidence that Scotland’s bus sector will rise to this challenge. The role of the Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce has been crucial in bringing key players in the sector together to tackle the shared barriers in the way of decarbonisation, which is why I am happy to confirm that the Taskforce has reconvened after the launch of ScotZEB 2.

The Scottish Government expects the bus sector to deliver highly transformational projects, with Government support, to deliver rapid change to the bus market in Scotland, making zero-emission vehicles the default choice for operators. Scotland is the perfect place for innovative financiers and technology start-ups to invest in a zero-emission future. The Scottish Government is putting policies in place which will support these businesses to transition at pace to zero-emissions; grow our green wellbeing economy; provide opportunities for good, green jobs in Scotland; and better, healthier communities.

Positive progress continues to be made with the electrification of the Glasgow to Barrhead Route and with plans for the electrification of the East Kilbride route now at an advanced stage. Plans for further electrification continue to be developed across the rail network in Scotland including Fife and the Borders.

The Scottish Government has been clear about the extent of the financial pressures the public sector as a whole is facing. The Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan is planned as a dynamic document, with a refresh of the Plan scheduled for later in 2023. The refresh will ensure Transport Scotland continue to prioritise the right projects, in the right place, and at the right time in line with available budgets.

Despite this, significant investment is also under way across Scotland in the form of new feeder stations required to provide the power needed to support the electrification of the network across Scotland.

The Scottish Government usually publishes local authority analysis using a three year pooled data set to ensure sufficient sample sizes.

As set out in the most recent Scottish House Condition Survey 2021 Key Findings Report, (available at Scottish House Condition Survey 2021 ) there will be no Local Authority publication relating to the 2019 to 2021 three year period for two reasons.

Firstly, due to the Covid 19 pandemic the SHCS survey was suspended and there is no data for 2020. Secondly, the data from the 2021 external+ SHCS is not directly comparable with that for earlier years, due methodological differences, and therefore it would not be appropriate to combine it with the data for 2019 (or earlier) to produce a multi-year analysis.

As three years of data is required to produce local authority analysis there will not be a return to the usual approach for producing local authority estimates until the 2024 wave of the SHCS has completed and published in early 2026.

The most recent estimates of local authority fuel poverty rates are for 2017-2019 and are available at: Scottish House Condition Survey: Local Authority Analysis 2017-2019 , however these estimates pre-date the energy crisis.

Scenario modelling estimates that under the Ofgem energy price cap of £2,074 for a typical dual fuel households, from 1st July 2023, shows there will be around 850,000 fuel poor households in Scotland (34%) an increase of around 230,000 households and 9 percentage points since 2019. This analysis was based on one year of data so cannot be used to produce estimates at the Local Authority Level. However, the large increases in the fuel poverty rate will be reflected across each Local Authority in Scotland.

Co-Operative Development Scotland (CDS), operating within Scottish Enterprise, continues to work to raise awareness of the value of co-operative and employee ownership models, provides specialist advice and support to businesses and community groups who want to adopt those models and supports company growth through collaborative and employee ownership business models.

CDS works with employee-owned businesses and specialist to share experience and best practice through development of resources including case studies, blogs and podcasts.

Scotland’s Forestry Strategy Implementation Plan 2022-2025 has a priority action to protect and improve native woodland condition. The Scottish Government currently supports landowners, farmers, crofters and managers to bring native woodlands into positive management through the Forestry Grant Scheme. Support is also provided to help with preparing long-term forest plans for these woodlands, which is often the first step towards recovery. Engagement with private land managers is ongoing in order to encourage them to take up and make use of this available funding. Scottish Forestry has committed over £14 million since 2015, to help secure the sustainable management of native woodlands and associated habitats.

Further steps have recently been taken by the appointment of a Rainforest Action Co-ordinator to work with partners to develop a strategic approach to improve delivery of native rainforest expansion and restoration, and to develop a framework of public and private funding sources.

Co-Operative Development Scotland (CDS),operating within Scottish Enterprise, continues to work to raise awareness of the value of co-operative and employee ownership models, provides specialist advice and support to businesses and community groups who want to adopt those models and supports company growth through collaborative and employee ownership business models.