Chamber and committees

The decision to close the SME Loan Scheme to new Solar PV was taken on 20 June 2023 and was implemented on 27 June.

Solar is a key part of our energy transition and is recognised as such in our draft strategy. Solar PV is also an increasingly established technology which is often deliverable without government support. On this basis, and considering finite budgets, the decision was taken in order to keep remaining budget resource available to support SMEs to install zero direct emissions heating and energy efficiency measures, in line with our Heat in Buildings Strategy priorities. We will regularly review our budget position and consider reinstating a more targeted Solar PV offering if additional funding becomes available.

The Scottish Government is working to issue the Primary Care Improvement Fund allocation letter to all Health and Social Care Partnerships as soon as practicable and by end of August 2023 at the latest.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Local authorities may hold this information.

The Scottish Government’s guidance ‘Included, Engaged and Involved Part 1: a positive approach to the promotion and management of attendance in Scottish schools’ makes clear the need for schools to follow up absence immediately, and to continue to follow up absence for those for whom there are welfare concerns.

Local authorities are expected to have robust processes and guidance for children who do not attend school from the first day they are missing until they are re-engaged with education. Where children are missing for extended periods of time, or are not on a school roll or being educated otherwise, the Children Missing from Education Guidance and Service can support local authorities in this.

The following table shows the average amount of time it has taken from a loan application being received to either a loan offer or rejection being sent. Applications processed are not dependent on measure types and there is a single application form for the SME Loan covering all technologies that are funded.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19534 on 24 July 2023. 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 .

Since the changes to SME Loan eligibility regarding Solar PV measures went live on 27 June 2023 on the Scottish Government’s SME Loan Scheme, there have been 18 rejected applications on this basis.

The requested application figures for solar PV and/or energy storage systems for the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme and Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme are set out in the following tables:

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19387 on 24 July 2023. 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-answer.

While the UK-led Warm Home Prescription pilot was reportedly extended into Aberdeenshire in late 2022, the Scottish Government understands that an evaluation of this pilot is not available at the present time and the Scottish Government does not hold data on general practice prescriptions for the Warm Homes pilot. The Scottish Government would consider the merits of the approach upon receipt of any evaluation and would discuss with partners as appropriate at that time, dependent on the data and research findings provided.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19456 on 24 July 2023. 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 .