Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not have powers to act in this area (as the generation, transportation and supply of electricity is reserved to the UK Government).

Electricity is a commodity traded on the wholesale energy market across GB, the price of which is set by the last (or marginal) unit, which in GB is typically gas.

New renewable electricity capacity that is supported by the Contract for Difference (CfD) framework will help to decouple the price of renewable electricity from the price of gas by setting a fixed ‘strike price’ for the sale of every MWh over a 15-year period.

The initial phase of the project is nearly complete. This early work has sought to understand how we identify communities which have been affected by repeated water scarcity events, to establish the proximity to public water mains, to assess the water network capacity and estimate the costs associated with extending the mains to potentially allow those on private water supplies to make a connection. Scottish Water is completing the studies with final results expected soon.

I refer the member to the Neurological Care And Support: A Framework For Action 2020-2025 – Midpoint Progress Report , which was published on 13 July 2022. This report provides an update on the progress under each of the five aims in the Neurological Care And Support: A Framework For Action 2020-2025.

A total amount of £2.1 million has been invested to date from the Neurological Care and Support: A Framework for Action funding.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally, however each NHS Board will hold information on dental practice registration capacity in their area.

We remain a position of relative strength in terms of workforce numbers and capacity in Scotland, with 59 dentists per 100,000 of the population providing NHS dental services, compared with 43 per 100,000 in England. Dental registrations project a similar picture, with a record number of people registered with a NHS dentist, more than 95% of the population of Scotland.

Further information on dental statistics, including NHS dental registration numbers broken down by NHS Board, can be found on the Public Health Scotland (PHS) website, at: Dental Statistics (publichealthscotland.scot) .

£25m digital inclusion funding was made available by Scottish Government in 2020-21 for local authorities to use to support learners, in line with their own local needs. This funding supported the provision of 14,000 internet connections and 72,000 tablets or laptops for learners across all local authorities.

A number of local authorities have also invested their own funding in technology and have distributed connections and devices to learners in line with their own digital strategies.

We continue to work with local authorities on plans to ensure every school-aged child has access to a device and connectivity by the end of this parliamentary term.

The recent targeted review of the Capital Spending Review does not include a new funding stream dedicated to supporting new theatre spaces. The Scottish Government currently considers any request for capital funding of cultural venues on a case by case basis, dependent on a robust Business Case. We have provided £5.5 million towards the Citizens Theatre refurbishment, including a recent £1.5 million of additional support through Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, and will provide £6.5 million to support the King’s Theatre Edinburgh redevelopment.

Data on developer led remediated buildings is not held by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government has committed to investing £10 million in Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) over this parliamentary term. This investment will increase the number of these facilities across Scotland and support mobile CPTs, to allow disabled people easier access to public spaces, events and venues around the country.

The funding will be delivered in phases over the course of the parliamentary term. Plans for the CPT fund are currently being developed and further information will be available in due course.

Paper £20 and £50 notes will be withdrawn from circulation on 30 September. This change will have an impact on individuals and businesses within Scotland.

The decision to withdraw these notes in Scotland coincides with the withdrawal of Bank of England £20 and £50 paper notes from circulation on the same date. In advance of 30 September deadline the Bank of England have issued multiple news releases to inform individuals and businesses that paper £20 and £50 notes will not be accepted beyond this date. This mirrors the approach of the previous decision to withdraw the legal tender status of paper £5 and £10 notes across the UK in 2018.

Additionally, a press release has been issued on 1 September by the Committee of Scottish Bankers on behalf of Bank of Scotland, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank to inform Scottish customers of the upcoming 30 th of September deadline.

It is important to note that 30 September is only the deadline for which paper £20 and £50 notes can be used to purchase goods and services in shops. Beyond this date paper notes can still be deposited into bank accounts at banks and post offices. Notes can also be exchanged for the corresponding polymer note at certain banks and post offices in Scotland, and Bank of England paper notes can be exchanged directly with the Bank of England via post.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how much it estimates it would cost to retrofit every street light to include an electric vehicle charging point. Costs will be influenced by a range of factors including the location of and type of lamppost, the electric vehicle charge point technology itself as well as any associated installation and civils works. Retrofitting would also need to factor in the variable on-going cost of operation and maintenance.