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Applications for onshore wind development with a capacity in excess of 50 megawatts (including applications to extend and vary wind farms in excess of 50 megawatts where an application was made to Scottish Ministers) that have been withdrawn by the applicant in the last 10 years are presented per planning authority area, for each year from 2013 - to date, in the following table.

Withdrawn applications - 2013 - to date

The Young Person’s Guarantee was introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic as a measure to prevent long-term adverse impacts for young people in the labour market. It contained a number of aspects, covering skills, education, and employability. Employability support for young people is now delivered through No One Left Behind, as part of the long-term ambition to simplify the employability landscape for service users.

In recognition of the importance of the employability aspect of the Young Person’s Guarantee, we commissioned a joint Implementation evaluation of No One Left Behind and the Young Person’s Guarantee to inform future direction of devolved employability support. This was published on 10 August 2023.

We will consider the recommendations from the evaluation alongside the outputs from our recent national stakeholder discussion events and actions will be reviewed to identify how we can improve.

There is no specific qualification required to investigate and confirm the presence of RAAC in a building. The Institution of Structural Engineers note on their website that: “Identification can be undertaken by an experienced estate/ maintenance manager/ or building owner”.

It is recommended that the investigation and assessment of RAAC, once identified, should be undertaken by a suitably competent structural engineer.

Issues of RAAC competence and capacity building were discussed at the Cross-Sector Working Group meeting of 22 September. Minutes from that meeting are published on The Scottish Government Website at: Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC): Cross Sector Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22080 on 23 October 2023. 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

By the end of 2023, we intend to confirm the future scope of SIETF applications, taking into account the needs of Scotland's industrial base and the remaining allocated funding at that time. The decision will be informed by liaison with the UK Government regarding responses to the IETF consultation and consideration of options to extend the fund.

There are a number of overhead microphones in place in the Chamber. These microphones allow the inclusion of ambient noise in broadcast outputs so that coverage can provide a sense of the atmosphere of the Chamber during proceedings. The overhead microphones do not form part of the audio system that has been designed to ensure that Members contributions can be heard with sufficient clarity by those in the Chamber but is used for broadcast and webcast output and for the purposes of producing the Official Report. The design of the audio system in the Chamber also reflects that contributions are made through the Chair and that Members should primarily be facing the Chair while speaking. At this point there are no plans to add additional microphones.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to bring forward proposals for the regulation of carbon market participation for Scotland. It is committed to developing a values-led high integrity market for responsible investment in natural capital and will publish proposals for a Natural Capital market framework to support this commitment, and to strengthen the Interim Principles on Responsible Private Investment, in 2023-24.

Scottish Ministers are currently processing applications from SSE Renewables (via its project company Berwick Bank Wind Limited) for the construction and operation of the proposed Berwick Bank offshore wind farm. This process includes consultations with statutory and non-statutory consultees, as well as the opportunity for the public to make representations.

SSE Renewables has also submitted proposals to compensate for the potential adverse environmental impacts of the proposed wind farm, if a derogation under the Habitats Regulations is required. This includes a proposal regarding the guga hunt, which SSE Renewables has submitted on a without prejudice basis.

As this is a live application, it would be inappropriate to comment on the application further.

In determining an application for any project, the Scottish Ministers will consider a wide range of issues, including the environmental impacts it may have and whether a derogation under the Habitats Regulations is required. Any derogation under the Habitats Regulations, will include an assessment of the feasibility of compensation measures.

Within the Scottish Government funding of Health and Care Research comes under the remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).

CSO is funding the following research project:

ENDOCAN-1: A pilot randomised controlled trial of the efficacy of a Cannabinoid Oral Tincture in the management of Endometriosis-associated pain

Lead Investigator Dr Lucy Whittaker University of Edinburgh

Funding commitment £299,509

Project start date 01 April 2024

Voluntary carbon credits generated in Scotland and purchased from the UK’s Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code can only be used to compensate for UK-based emissions, in a UK-wide market.