Chamber and committees

Payments to generators are made by licensed electricity suppliers through the purchase of renewable obligation certificates (ROCs). While the published buy out price acts as a ceiling, the actual price paid for certificates is a matter for negotiation between the supplier and the generator and therefore the Scottish Government does not hold that data.

Energy pricing is fully reserved to the UK Government, and despite Scotland being an energy rich country, bills remain £73 higher than at the last election. The UK Government must set out how it will deliver its promised £300 reduction.

The Scottish Government is supportive of extending the operating lifespan of Torness if strict environment and safety criteria continue to be met.

On 14 March, the First Minister announced a financial package worth up to £10 million to help businesses rebuild and renew the part of Glasgow affected by the Union Corner fire. Glasgow City Council will administer the scheme based on engagement with local businesses to understand how they have been affected.

In addition, up to £1 million will be made available to help the council with demolition costs.

Local authorities can also award up to 100% non-domestic rates Hardship Relief to ratepayers if they are satisfied that the ratepayer would be in financial difficulty without it and awarding it is in the interests of local people.

Scottish Government’s contribution to discretionary non-domestic rates Hardship Relief in Glasgow City Council for those impacted will increase from 75% to 95%.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally, as the data provided by Police Scotland for the production of recorded crime statistics consists solely of aggregate counts of the number and categories of crimes and offences recorded. We do not receive further detail that would allow us to identify whether any of these crimes, including offences of sexual assault, occurred within hospital settings.

Both Police Scotland and NHS Boards operate robust and well established recording systems, and they continue to gather and manage detailed operational information for their respective purposes. However, this level of detail is not supplied to the Scottish Government. The data we receive from Police Scotland does not specify whether a crime took place in a hospital, nor does it identify the NHS Board area in which crimes were recorded, although it does include the relevant local authority and police division.

All aspects of the incident at Union Corner in Glasgow are being thoroughly investigated via a multi-agency investigation; this is currently underway and will establish the full circumstances when it is safe to do so. If there are lessons to be learnt from this fire, all levels of government will need to do so and, if it leads to the need for further regulation or policy guidance to ensure the safety of people and buildings, the Scottish Government is very open to that. However, it is important that the investigation is allowed to conclude so that the facts can be fully established, rather than speculated upon.

Planning applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, including an assessment of potential impacts.

The Scottish Government response to the independent Expert Group’s Roadmap, published in November 2025, sets out the associated actions we are already taking to transform the lives of people across Scotland.

However, the UK Government retains powers over a number of key policy levers, including the minimum wage, living hours and Universal Credit, needed to fully address the Group’s recommendations .

We are making progress towards the ambitions we share with the Expert Group by investing in policies which tackle poverty and address the cost of living, providing the strongest package of financial support for families anywhere in the UK.

NHS Highland remains committed to implementing the agreed hybrid vaccination model, with GP practices leading childhood vaccination delivery and the Board’s immunisation team supporting harder to reach families. This approach reflects the flexibility needed to ensure safe, local access to services.

This is not about shifting vaccination wholly to GPs, but adopting a model tailored to Highland’s specific challenges. I reassure Mr Ewing that I continue to encourage constructive collaboration to achieve the best outcomes for children and families.

Police Scotland is a key partner on Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, which I chair. At our meeting in February, Police Scotland updated members on a range of SOC-related issues including illegal drugs. In 2025 Police Scotland seized almost 80 million pounds worth of drugs including multiple high-value cannabis cultivations.

The largest cultivation found in Scotland to date was in Kirkcaldy in June, when plants with an estimated value of 12 million pounds were seized.

The childhood assistance section of the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2025 provides powers to legislate for Scottish Child Payment as a standalone benefit. Any future developments would need to take into account finance availability, cost effectiveness and delivery and legal implications.