Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has not permanently closed any trunk road bridges in the Highlands and Islands region. Decisions on the closure or re-opening of Local Authority bridges is a matter for the relevant Local Authority. Following consultation, Local Authority colleagues have indicated the following local bridge closures:

We do not hold information centrally on whether income from shared equity investments relates to tranching up or open market sales.

Providing the information requested prior to 2017 could only be answered at disproportionate cost. Following a change to the way we recorded shared equity sales from 2017-18 we are able to provide the information requested in the following table.

No review of the 50MW threshold set within the Electricity Act 1989 has been undertaken. I wrote to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy at the UK Government and am currently pursuing Electricity Act devolution and Habitats Regulations devolution to allow Scotland a modern consenting regime for both onshore and offshore wind matters.

The Scottish Government works closely on a four nations basis to ensure that vaccination records can be updated where required. In line with General Data Protection Regulations health records and associated systems can only be accessed by health officials from the same country within which an individual resides.

With Covid vaccinations, if a resident of Scotland is vaccinated in England and provides a Scottish address, this information is automatically transmitted to NHS Scotland records.

NHS Inform also provides a vaccination record update service for those who have received one of their Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations outwith Scotland, allowing them to upload proof of vaccination from another country to their Scottish vaccination record.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland (RoS). She advises me that RoS does not hold information on transfers which may have occurred but for which no registration application has been submitted.

In relation to registrations in each of the last 10 years the position is given in the following table.

These numbers include transfers for value (sales) and transfers which are not for value (such as succession), but do not include voluntary registrations (where a property owner voluntarily moves their property from the Register of Sasines to the Land Register with no change in ownership).

As at 24 August 2022, in total there are 545 titles with an area over 2000 hectares registered in the Land Register of Scotland. A further 61 titles with a provisional extent over 2000 hectares are currently undergoing first registration.

The Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce was a short-life working group, which worked to achieve the aims set out in its vision (copied below) by bringing together the top leadership from each sector with a role in transitioning fleets to zero emissions. The Taskforce was not vested with powers to exercise any statutory functions, nor did it handle any funds.

The Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce has delivered on its remit to identify and establish commitments to address the hurdles and opportunities in transitioning to a zero emission bus fleet.

Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce Vision Statement:

In the context of wider decarbonisation of the transport and energy sectors and the broader vision as set out in the Scottish National Transport Strategy, central to which is a vibrant bus sector with increased bus usage as people choose to travel by bus instead of car, the guiding vision of the Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce is a future where:

• Bus operators are exclusively running zero-emission battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell buses;
• The bus sector provides an excellent service meeting passengers’ day-to-day needs;
• People enjoy travelling on buses and knowing that doing so is one of the most climate-friendly choices they can make;
• There are vibrant ownership and leasing markets for buses which benefits operators, manufacturers and the finance sector;
• The smart technology on buses enables them to be operated in the most energy efficient way;
• There is an even stronger and diverse domestic manufacturing sector and supply-chain comprised of high-quality skilled jobs with continued innovation reducing manufacturing and supply chain emissions;
• Energy networks, bus operators and Local Government are used to working together to ensure depots are powered/fuelled and all potential users are able to benefit from the energy provision centred at depots and on-route charging infrastructure;
• Buses and infrastructure are fully recycled at the end of asset life contributing to the circular economy, reducing waste and supporting further decarbonisation efforts;
• After an important period of support, the Government has ceased subsidising battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell buses, but continue to support innovation in new zero-emission fuels and technologies of the future;
• Scotland is recognised the world over as a leader in the design, manufacture and operation of high quality zero-emission buses and other large road vehicles, alongside associated green finance solutions.

The Business Rates Incentivisation Scheme (BRIS) was introduced in in 2012-13 in recognition of the fact that the Scottish Government guarantees the combined General Revenue Grant (GRG) and distributable Non-Domestic Rates Income (NDRI) funding thereby reducing the incentive for local authorities to try and maximise their NDRI. The BRIS is focussed on incentivising local authorities to maximise their existing NDRI and also to grow their local business tax base. This is achieved by the Scottish Government setting annual locally based targets. Any local authorities that exceed their annual target retain half the extra income achieved from growth in their tax base until the next NDR revaluation assuming they maintain the extra income in the subsequent years. The amounts to be retained are calculated from local authorities’ audited annual non domestic rates returns. The information requested is set out in the following table.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on NDRI as a consequence of the enhanced relief package, Scottish Ministers took the decision to suspend the scheme for both 2020-21 and 2021-22.

The Scottish Government is committed to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our remote, rural and island communities. This is backed by £3.6bn funding available in this Parliamentary term including support of up to £30 million for the continuation of the demand-led Rural and Island Housing Fund.

SMEs play an important role in the delivery of affordable homes in all areas of Scotland both as developing landlords, contractors and the wider supply chain.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10920 on 20 September 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

No, I attended the Astley Ainslie Hospital on 25 August to visit NHS Lothian’s Mental health After Covid Hospitalisation (MACH) service. During the visit, I met with staff from the MACH team, service users who have been involved in group therapy delivered by MACH, and members of the MACH National Specialist Advisory Group.