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Offshore oil and gas licensing is reserved to UK Government. Scottish Government is clear the world cannot extract fossil fuels indefinitely, if we are to reach the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Instead, we must accelerate development of renewable sources of energy, providing new jobs, and enabling a faster transition from oil and gas.

We are conducting analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as we transition to net zero, ensuring an approach that supports and protects our energy security and our highly skilled workforce whilst meeting our climate obligations. We will publish our Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan later this year.

We welcome the valuable input from the First Minister's Environment Council, which we will take into account as part of wider policy development, for example work to develop Scotland's battery technology supply chain.

Social Security Scotland has 16 working days to complete a re-determination for Low Income Benefits. In the case of Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment, the timescale for completion of a re-determination is 56 calendar days. Work on a particular case may fluctuate during these time periods depending on progress to reach a conclusion. The number of hours invested by colleagues will depend on the complexity of the case.

Therefore Social Security Scotland is unable to provide an estimated cost of a re-determination request. How long it takes can vary depending upon the benefit involved and the complexity of the case - with a key factor in this being time taken to gather any further evidence. We do not monitor hours spent on processing a re-determination, we monitor the total turnaround time for providing a response to clients to ensure we do this in a timely manner and within the statutory periods. As our staff become more experienced, we would expect to see further efficiencies in this service.

Re-determination is an important part of our decision-making process and gives people the opportunity to ask us to look again and reconsider their application. At the re-determination stage, people often provide additional information that can be used to determine eligibility.

If on re-determination someone is found to be eligible, they will be paid from the date they first applied. Providing the option for re-determination minimises the need to go through the Tribunal Service with an appeal.

On behalf of the Scottish Government, Element Energy conducted analysis of the technical suitability of low-carbon heating technologies in Scottish domestic buildings, which included Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) in off-gas areas. A copy of this report is available below.

Scottish Government (2020). Technical Feasibility of Low Carbon Heating in Domestic Buildings. URL: https://www.gov.scot/publications/technical-feasibility-low-carbon-heating-domestic-buildings-report-scottish-governments-directorate-energy-climate-change/

The research concluded that, where homes were able to adopt the energy efficiency improvements required to reach EPC C, the number technically unsuitable for an ASHP would sit around 39,500 and 40,400. This is out of a total of around 170,000 off-gas-grid homes using high-emissions fuels. The underlying data is not published. For the minority of properties where ASHPs may not be viable, alternative options under current technology include air-to-air heat pumps, other electric heating or bioenergy from sustainable sources. We continue to review which technologies may be considered as zero direct emissions.

The Scottish Government has engaged with a wide range of drinks businesses throughout the policy development and implementation stages for our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), including through two stages of consultation (running from 25 June 2018 – 25 September 2018 and 10 September 2019 – 10 December 2019) which any business could participate in. We have not carried out any engagement relating to DRS specifically directed at retailers selling hampers, parcels, or gift sets, but many such retailers would have been captured by this wider engagement.

We are continuing to engage with industry in order to ensure a successful launch of Scotland's DRS in August next year.

It is currently the intention to regulate to prohibit direct emissions heating (DEH) systems being installed in new buildings applying for a building warrant from 1 April 2024 through amendments to the Building Regulations. Therefore, enforcement/penalties would be through the existing legislative framework.

As all new buildings require a building warrant prior to construction, the absence of a direct emission heating system will be demonstrated to the local authority verifier as part of that process and also confirmed on completion of building works.

Enforcement of any subsequent non-compliance with building regulations is the responsibility of the local authority in the area the building is sited.

I reaffirm the answer to S6W-11746, and in my letter of 26 October 2022 to the convener of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee in which I updated on progress with establishing the virtual energy agency and the dedicated National Public Energy Agency. I indicated that the virtual Agency - Heat and Energy Efficiency Scotland - which was launched on 26 October, is the first step in transitioning to a dedicated body by 2025. In addition I stated that the virtual agency and the transition to a dedicated body will be supported by an independent Strategic Board, chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar. The Board met for the first time on 11 October 2022, and will next meet on 13 December.

The costs associated with the Agency to date are £14,468.

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

The Super Sponsor Scheme continues and displaced Ukrainians are still arriving and benefiting from welcome accommodation, advice and support. The scheme is paused to new applications, and reopening to new applications must be predicated on ensuring we are able to honour our commitment to displaced people already in Scotland and those yet to travel and meets the seven criteria as set out in our paper published on 1 November - Super Sponsor Scheme review paper .

This criteria includes ensuring displaced people already here are in safe and suitable accommodation with access to advice and services; mitigating pressures on local Councils; ensuring accommodation is available for people who are yet to travel; assessing the current situation in Ukraine, including unforeseen developments leading to mass migration; and understanding costs related to re-opening the scheme with confirmation funding is in place. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the situation closely and only re-open the scheme when it is safe and deliverable to do so.

The Scottish Government recognises the difficult decisions that some pet owners are now facing due to the cost of living crisis. Although the Scottish Government is unable to provide direct support, we will continue work with animal welfare charities and organisations and monitor the situation.

The six-month secondment of two officers from the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to Police Scotland concluded in April 2021. The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with Police Scotland on plans to further engage with the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security.

Human trafficking has no respect for borders and it is vital that Police Scotland develop and strengthen professional relationships with international law enforcement partners in order to disrupt the networks behind this crime.

Police Scotland’s National Human Trafficking Unit continues to seek out and engage with relevant international partners.