Chamber and committees

Scotland's Gross Fixed Capital Formation in 2022 was £34,384 million. This was 18.4 percent of onshore GDP in that year.

The Scottish Government does not hold the specific information you have asked for. However, information about Circularity Scotland Limited’s (CSL) creditors is available on Companies House at the following link CIRCULARITY SCOTLAND LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (company-information.service.gov.uk) .

The UK Government’s 11th hour decision to undermine DRS in Scotland will have affected businesses across Scotland that were preparing for the launch of the Scottish scheme. We wrote to the UK Government on 16 May, 19 May and 23 May 2023 to inform them of the potential impact a delayed decision on the Internal Market Act exclusion, or not providing an exclusion, would have on businesses. In our letter dated 2 June 2023, we specifically highlighted our concerns about the impact this would have on CSL.

The Scottish Government is enabling access to superfast broadband through the R100 contracts (North, Central and South) and the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS).

As at 30 June 2023, the total number of properties included in the R100 contracts yet to receive a connection in the (a) Aberdeenshire and (b) Angus local authority areas are as follows:

Core central funding for digital technologies across health and social care in each of the past three years is as below:

22-23 - £99,522

21-22 - £ 112,267

20-21 - £103,232

The Scottish Government is aware of the pressures faced by the Social Care sector at present and while the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, it is local authorities and health and social care partnerships who have the responsibility for commissioning appropriate services for local needs. We are however, taking steps at a national level to assist in reducing these pressures.

We are continuing to invest in social care to support the people who deliver, and rely, on these services with £1.7bn being provided for social care support and integration in 2023-24.

We have invested a further 3.6 million pounds to continue the development and expansion of Hospital at Home services. This additional funding brings the Scottish Government’s total investment in Hospital at Home services to more than 10.7 million pounds since 2020 and will see the number of patients accessing Hospital at Home grow by 50%.

We are progressing our commitment to increase spend in social care support by 25% by the end of this Parliament - an increase of over £840m, laying the groundwork for the establishment of a National Care Service.

The number of probationers local authorities bid for was greater than the number of probationers required to be allocated.

As at May 2023, local authorities bid for 3,818 probationers. The number of probationers allocated were 3,161.

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) is responsible for administering the Teacher Induction Scheme and as such undertakes seminars and information sessions with prospective probationary teachers. This includes encouraging probationary teachers to consider taking a placement further afield.

The Preference Waiver Payment (PWP) was introduced in 2004-05 to attract newly qualified teachers to more remote and rural local authorities who experience difficulties in securing probationers . Students can opt for the PWP whereby they waive their right to express a preferred local authority and will be prioritised to remote and rural local authorities such as the north east in return for an additional payment.

Currently the PWP is £6000 per annum for Primary teachers and £8000 per annum for Secondary teachers.

Public transport operators undertook detailed planning for the UCI Cycling World Championships.

With regards to the rail network, ScotRail ensured it was capable of meeting the demands of both competitors and spectators alike during the period of the Championships.

Specifically for the Argyle Line, many services were strengthened from 3 to 6 carriages, serving Dalmarnock for the Velodrome, Scotstounhill for the BMX venue and for general travel across Glasgow. Additionally, to take account of events at the Velodrome, on 6 and 13 August, all train services before 1000 hours and after 1800 hours made an additional stop at Dalmarnock Station.

The Scottish Government published both the National Low Emission Framework, and Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Guidance to assist any local authority wishing to introduce a LEZ to improve air quality.

Substantial grant funding has also been provided to assist local authorities in establishing and enforcing their LEZ.

Scottish Government also provides grant funding to support lower income households and smaller businesses to adapt to LEZs via the LEZ Support Fund.

Transport Scotland and their operating company, BEAR Scotland, have taken a number of actions following the recent A86 landslide at Roybridge and further measures are in hand.

A series of landslips emanating from private land adjacent to the A86 trunk road occurred on Tuesday 13 June 2023. Six separate locations along the A86 were affected with an estimate 900 tonnes of material reaching the A86. An unoccupied private dwelling was also affected with material depositing close by. The property was secured and no further action was required. Records indicate that 100mm of rain fell in a localised area within a 3 hour-period. This led to the mobilisation of material from the land, leading to closures of both the trunk road and the parallel rail line

Geotechnical and operational response teams attended, leading to the road reopening under traffic lights by Wednesday 14 June 2023 and fully reopening on Monday 19 June 2023. The railway opened on the same day.

Additional heavy rainfall on 11 July led to an overnight closure with the A86 reopening at lunchtime 12 July under traffic lights, which were removed on 13 July.

As noted above, the immediate response by the geotechnical and operational teams enabled access to be returned as soon as it was safe to do so. This helped to reconnect communities and business access in the area. This work was undertaken in conjunction with both Network Rail and the private landowners from whose land the mobilised material emanated. These locations along the A86 continue to be monitored by BEAR Scotland.

For the medium to longer term, measures are currently being discussed with the adjacent landowners to help them develop remediation works, including inspections for any blocked culverts in their land, to prevent further incidents affecting the A86.