Chamber and committees

We are currently reviewing the F-gas Regulation jointly with the UK and Welsh Governments. We will publish an assessment report on the efficacy of the Regulation in the coming weeks.

Following the report, we will jointly consider policy options to ensure our regulations continue to support our ambitious Net Zero targets. As part of this, we will also consider other important issues including leakage incidents. We expect to publish a joint consultation on these future policy proposals in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12798 on 12 December. 2022. 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 .

Crown Estate Scotland does not have powers to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order.

The 15km value noted in the Strategic Transport Projects Review is representative of the average maximum range from the benchmarking study of similar cities and aligns well with the adjoining urban area of Greater Glasgow. However it is indicative, the exact extents of any Metro system will be for consideration as part of the future business case and design development work to determine.

No further flood protection schemes or engineering works have been removed from the list of the 42 formal flood protection schemes since the answer to question S6W-05146.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) are currently consulting with data users to ensure that census outputs are accessible and provided in a format which meets the needs of census data users.

As previously noted, NRS are planning to publish the first census outputs approximately one year after conclusion of the census data collection phases. Census data collection phases concluded in Autumn 2022.

As recommended by the Auditor General, National Records of Scotland will, as planned, continue to reflect on all relevant lessons learned from the census programme. Upon conclusion of the census programme, an over-arching General Report will be laid before Parliament in 2024.

The legislative changes recommended by the completed Review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland (‘The Sludge Review’), are being implemented via the forthcoming Integrated Authorisation Framework (IAF) regulations.

Progress on developing the planned IAF regulations was delayed due to Covid-19 and other priority work such as Brexit. This work has now been reprioritised and has recommenced. A consultation on proposed IAF regulations is due to be published early next year and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals relating to sewage sludge.

Other recommended actions from the Review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland which have already been completed include publication last year of the James Hutton Institute report on the impacts on human health and the environment arising from the spreading of sewage sludge to land, and implementation of the remedial actions that were recommended to be taken by Scottish Water.

Recommended actions from the Review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland which have already been completed include publication last year of the James Hutton Institute report on the impacts on human health and the environment arising from the spreading of sewage sludge to land, and implementation of the remedial actions that were recommended to be taken by Scottish Water.

The legislative changes recommended by the review are being implemented via the forthcoming Integrated Authorisation Framework regulations. A consultation on proposed regulations is due to be published in 2023 and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals relating to sewage sludge.

The members of the Hill, Upland and Crofting Group were selected on the basis of their experience of their sectors, reflecting as far as possible geographic spread including practical farming experience and academic expertise. The Group had 22 members of which six (27%) were from island communities.