Seòmar agus comataidhean

Further to the description of each scheme provided in the response to S6W-16682, the requested figures for the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme and Warmer Homes Scotland (WHS) Scheme are set out below.

HES Grant and Loan Scheme

The following table shows the time from an application being received to a funding agreement being offered for zero direct emissions heating measures. Once a funding agreement has been put in place, applicants have 9 months to have the installation of measures completed and submit a claim to drawdown funding.

It is important to note the figures include time taken for processes outside the control of the Scottish Government and service provider, such as the time taken for applicants to submit the required documentation.

WHS Scheme

The following table shows figures for both the total time taken and time taken excluding periods where an application is paused due to external factors. The figures reflect the time taken from an application being received to the installation of zero direct emissions heating systems.

It is important to note that the total time taken to complete a zero direct emissions heating system installation includes factors outside the control of the Scottish Government and service provider, such as the time taken for District Network Operators (DNOs) to process applications for load checks and electricity connection.

The response to S6W-16682 did not include the above information as the Scottish Government’s heat and energy efficiency schemes are not designed to act as an emergency response for households who have experienced a sudden failure in their heating system. Therefore, the information requested for an emergency response scheme could not be provided as no such scheme exists.

There is no fixed definition of what a hard to treat home is. As noted in the response to PQ S6W-01910, the average cost of upgrading an off-gas property with an initial EPC rating between bands E and G to an EPC band C could be in the region of £17,000.

As set out in our Heat in Buildings Strategy, the cost for an individual dwelling can differ from this average depending on the building type, materials, existing levels of energy efficiency and type of heating systems being replaced.

A broad range of delivery programmes are available to provide advice and financial support to householders, including Home Energy Scotland, Warmer Homes Scotland, and the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan scheme, which offers grant funding of up to £15,000 to assist homeowners with the installation of zero emission heating and energy efficiency measures, as well as additional funding available as an interest free loan. There is an uplift of £1,500 for both the zero emission heating and energy efficiency grants for rural and island homes, meaning rural households can claim up to £18,000 in grant funding.

Around 160,000 of off-gas grid dwellings have an EPC rating of bands E to G, suggesting a total capital cost of around £2.7 bn to upgrade these homes to EPC band C.

The Strategy sets the target of all homes reaching a level of energy efficiency equivalent to EPC C by 2033, but acknowledges that there may be some circumstances where this will not be possible, and that meeting this standard will be predicated on it being technically feasible and cost-effective.

With widespread international interest in our work, the Scottish Government receives a great number of invitations, across all portfolios and both formally and informally, for Ministers to attend international events. As many of these requests are made personally at engagements, domestically or at different points across our international network, and are addressed in the moment, there is no way to provide an exact number of invitations received.

Remuneration for Professor Anna Glasier OBE, the Women’s Health Champion for Scotland, is paid at a daily fee of £300 per day in line with Tier 2 of the Daily Fee Framework as set by the 2022-23 Public Sector Pay Strategy.

Professor Glasier is contracted to work four days a month, as the Women’s Health Champion with her tenure coming to an end in June 2024.

Building on the Peer Support Evidence Review and Peer Support action plan the Scottish Government has worked with Inspiring Scotland and Evaluation Support Scotland to co-produce an Evaluation Toolkit for perinatal peer support, together with third sector partners. This was published on 1 March 2023 and provides guidance on how to complete an evaluation plan and apply it to their work.

To recognise and celebrate the benefits of peer support and experience we established an annual Peer Support in Perinatal Mental Health Event which brings together hundreds of practitioners from across Scotland to showcase good practice. These events highlight and celebrate the role of peer support in supporting and complementing clinical work.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living with lower gastrointestinal symptoms in Scotland are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

We have funded the Modernising Patient Pathways Programme (MPPP) which has a specific workstream continuing to promote improvements in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) care for patients across Scotland in partnership with third sector and people with lived experience. Scotland’s national IBD Steering Group has identified priority areas for work over the next two years. This includes consideration of referral pathways and models of IBD care to drive a more standardised and equitable service across Scotland. Work on the pathways started last month and should be completed next year.

There are currently three specialist endometriosis centres throughout Scotland. The centres are in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and NHS Grampian.

The three endometriosis specialist centres accept patients from across Scotland when specialist surgery for complex endometriosis is required.

The level of financial penalties incurred by CalMac Ferries Ltd since October 2021 is detailed in the following table:

Whilst the management of the prison estate – including privately operated HMP Addiewell - is an operational matter for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), I take very seriously the significant issues highlighted in the Inspectorate’s report.

It is clearly unacceptable that anyone in custody in Scotland should feel unsafe.

I have a meeting later this month with both the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and Sodexo Justice Services to discuss His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland’s (HMIPS) inspection findings for HMP Addiewell.

SPS and Sodexo Justice Services are engaging at the highest possible levels to ensure HMP Addiewell is a safe and secure prison and are committed to addressing the concerns raised in the HMIPS report.

Safety is an absolute priority and plans and actions are being scrutinised to ensure necessary improvements and changes are delivered. Abuse, threating behaviour, bullying and violence by prison staff will not be tolerated and any complaint of criminality is automatically referred to Police Scotland.