The Climate Change Committee has previously written to the Scottish Government setting out a series of recommendations for the reform on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). In response to this advice, the Scottish Government published a consultation on EPC reform on 25 July 2023. This consultation highlights proposals to revise the information displayed on EPCs by expanding the current suite of metrics and reporting other relevant information. This would provide a more holistic view to current and potential homeowners for all types of buildings.

An EPC assessment for existing buildings is a non-intrusive survey and so the methodology makes assumptions based on the age and characteristics of the building. Our consultation highlights that we are reviewing the assessment and quality assurance processes to enhance the accuracy of EPCs. It is a legal requirement that a valid EPC is made available whenever a building is advertised for sale or for let, or when a new building is completed. Listed buildings are not exempt from this requirement, as set out in the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008.

The consultation on EPC reform does not, however, cover Scottish Government proposals to ensure homes reach a particular standard of energy efficiency or decarbonise their heating systems. This will be subject to a separate consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill planned for later this year.

The Scottish Government does recognise it may be more challenging for some homes and buildings to meet the proposed energy efficiency standards than for others. We will work with stakeholders, including Historic Environment Scotland, to develop approaches and solutions to transition Scotland’s listed buildings, where it is technically feasible and cost effective, to achieve a good level of energy efficiency and transition to zero direct emissions heating while respecting and preserving the special characteristics of our historic buildings.

The Scottish Government places great importance on community sports and leisure facilities, such as swimming pools. They are crucial to the wellbeing of all our country and most importantly, for our children and young people to be healthy and active.

sportscotland are working with local and national partners to help them assess the impact of any potential facility closures and these discussions will continue over the coming weeks and months.

In addition, sportscotland are supporting Scottish Swimming to undertake the Scottish Swimming Facilities Project. This is a detailed piece of work to accurately understand the current pool provision and life cycle, and to predict the landscape in the short, medium, and long term. This important piece of work can help inform future investment decisions both nationally and locally to ensure sustainable facilities, in the right places, to serve their local communities’ needs.

We are fully aware that local authorities are facing challenging financial circumstances, particularly in the maintenance and operating of facilities such as swimming pools, largely due to energy costs and other cost of living pressures.

The 2023-24 Local Government settlement of £13.5 billion provides a cash increase in day to day spending of over £793 million, a real terms increase of £376 million. As confirmed in the Autumn Budget Revision on 28 September 2023, all consequentials available from the UK Spring Budget have now been allocated, with the Local Government Settlement increasing by £254 million accordingly. It is for democratically elected Councils to manage their own budgets and to make decisions on the priorities in their local communities.

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 following table lists the 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) made in each of the last ten years broken down into planning authority areas.

Applications 2013 - To date Excluding applications withdrawn

The Programme for Government commitment to publish proposals for a market framework will be taken forward during 2023-24. It will be developed as part of the commitment in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation to develop a values-led high integrity market for responsible investment in natural capital. It will be developed with engagement and input from a wide range of interests and be evidence-led.

The Criminal Proceedings in Scotland statistics reported 38 recorded police warnings for ‘other sexual crimes’ over 2018-19 to 2020-21. All but one of them relate to breaches of Section 127 (1) of the Communications Act 2003, which has the crime code description of Communications Act 2003 (Sexual). Whist the remaining case was for a different crime, Police Scotland have confirmed this was a data error and didn’t receive a recorded police warning.

Under Section 127 (1) of the Communications Act, it is an offence to send by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character; or to cause any such message or matter to be sent. When recording these offences, police officers judge whether the content of the communication is sexual or non-sexual in nature. If the former it will be recorded as a Communications Act (2003) sexual crime, within the ‘other sexual crimes’ category. If non-sexual, it will be recorded as a general post office / telecommunications offence.

During 2018-19 to 2020-21, over one thousand (1,071) recorded police warnings were issued for non-sexual breaches of Section 127 (1). In reviewing their data on recorded police warnings, Police Scotland have identified that a small proportion of those far more voluminous non-sexual offences have mistakenly been classified as sexual breaches of Section 127 (1). This was the case for 17 of the 18 warnings included in the 2020-21 statistics under the ‘other sexual crimes’ category, which should instead have been recorded as non-sexual breaches. Whilst the remaining incident was for a sexual breach of Section 127(1), it has been confirmed a different disposal was given to a recorded police warning.

Based on the above, it is therefore likely there have been no recorded police warnings issued for an ‘other sexual crime’ over 2018-19 to 2020-21.

The next Criminal Proceedings in Scotland National Statistics (for 2021-22) will be published on 24 October. Scottish Government statisticians have worked with Police Scotland to ensure the data on recorded police warnings in 2021-22 reflects the true position, as a result of actions taken by the latter to rectify the above issue. We will also amend the previously published 2020-21 bulletin to (i) urge user caution when interpreting the recorded police warning figures for sexual crimes and (ii) highlight that revised data for 2020-21 will be produced following publication of the 2021-22 statistics.

Support for young people now forms part of our all-age employability support delivered through No One Left Behind. Employability support is designed and delivered at a local level by Local Employability Partnerships.

Local Authorities have the responsibility of developing approaches with partners, including engaging with employers, to meet local needs. Local Employability Leads will be able to provide local information on employer engagement.

Employability contacts for each local authority can be found on the Employability in Scotland website which can be accessed here: https://www.employabilityinscotland.com/local-employability-services/

The Scottish Government has not assessed or commissioned any such independent analysis in respect of nature-based carbon credits or prices to date. Analysis of recent carbon prices commissioned by the Woodland Carbon Code will be published in due course.

The Scottish Government works in partnership with Local Government and Local Employability Partners to offer key worker led, person-centred holistic support. At a local level they work in communities and with partners to deliver employability services to those who are experiencing or are at risk of becoming long term unemployed. This includes people with disabilities or long-term health conditions. We engaged with all Scottish Local Authorities when we undertook reviews in the delivery of Supported Employment and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) to consider the most appropriate approach for improved outcomes.

Supported employment including IPS can offer assistance to those requiring intensive and specific help. Officials are working with a range of partners to develop and expand our Supported Employment offer which is currently delivered through Fair Start Scotland. From 2024 this type of support will be made available through our No One Left Behind approach with local partners.

In addition, we are considering the recommendations from the implementation evaluation of No One Left Behind and the Young Person’s Guarantee, alongside the outputs from our recent national stakeholder discussion events and actions will be reviewed to identify improvement measures.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with local employability partners in each local authority to promote and drive an increase in the reach of our services across all of Scotland.

At a local level, Local Employability Partnerships will deliver a mixed economy of provision bringing together a range of partners including, third sector organisations, ensuring that they continue to have a core role in provision of support based on local demand.