Chamber and committees

I have asked Richard Dennis, the Accountant in Bankruptcy and Agency Chief Executive, to respond. His response is as follows:

Under section 200 of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016, the Accountant in Bankruptcy has the general function of supervising the performance of trustees in sequestration cases. Accountant in Bankruptcy hold records in relation to this function in line with our retention and destruction policy.

The Scottish Government has developed, with fleet managers, a public sector fleet decarbonisation Action Plan. This takes into consideration key factors such as whole life vehicle cost, access to infrastructure and operational requirements.

The Plan is based on most public-sector fleet vehicles decarbonising through battery electric technology, reflecting the advanced nature of this solution, whole-life costs and access to expanding charging infrastructure. The Plan also recommends Public Bodies to develop bespoke fleet decarbonisation strategies for their organisations, supporting development of operating models that ensure access to reliable infrastructure, meet operational requirements and mitigate risks. Alternative technologies, including hydrogen, may have a role, particularly for some heavier-duty or specialist applications. However, hydrogen vehicles and green hydrogen currently remain more expensive than battery electric alternatives, with limited refuelling infrastructure. Lessons from deployments, including Aberdeen's hydrogen buses, add to the evidence base to support a bespoke fleet decarbonisation by each local authority.

In a letter to the Criminal Justice Committee dated 16 December 2025, the then Minister for Victims and Community Safety set out the Scottish Government’s response to the report published by the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour. The response set out details about work that has been taken forward. A copy of the response can be found at: https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/criminal-justice-committee/correspondence/2025/asb-iwg-response-letter-from-minister-vcs-16-december-2025.pdf. Since this letter was issued, work has continued in implementing the actions to which the Scottish Government committed.

Of the organisations mentioned, the Scottish Government has engaged with the UK Government’s Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) on the issues noted. The engagement, in May 2025 and January 2026, focussed on geo-engineering practices following media coverage highlighting ARIA’s launch of outdoor geoengineering experiments as part of a UK government-funded programme. ARIA confirmed that no projects or outdoor experiments were planned to take place in Scotland.

The Scottish Government will continue to ensure that the promotion of Gaelic is a priority commitment and that this is supported in education and learning, in arts and culture, in media and broadcasting and in other relevant sectors in Scottish public life. For example, in education, the Scottish Government will continue to support the growth of GME and welcomes the excellent support and resources which Storlann and Sabhal Mor Ostaig provide for GME teachers and pupils. In arts and culture, the work of Feisean nan Gaidheal, Ceolas and the Royal National Mod continue to provide opportunities for young and old and enrich the cultural life of Scotland. In broadcasting, MG ALBA provides a wide and diverse range of high quality programmes and adds value to other important areas of Gaelic activity with our support. In connection with Gaelic speaker communities in the Highlands and Islands, the Scottish Government will build on the wide range of projects and initiatives that are in place in these areas with the provisions that are set out in the Scottish Languages Act, 2025. A number of Gaelic bodies and projects are based in island communities and the work of centres such as Cnoc Soillier, Carinish and Grinneabhat are important for the promotion of Gaelic in these communities. In particular the 2025 Act, enables local authorities to designate areas of linguistic significance for the Gaelic language. This intervention will be supported by Statutory Guidance, by the preparation of Standards and Requirements and with additional funding. In these matters the Scottish Government will continue to provide support and to work closely with relevant local authorities.

The Scottish Government recognises that successful deployment of further zero-emission buses requires appropriate depot infrastructure, sufficient grid capacity and vehicle charging infrastructure. Funding through the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) has supported the deployment of charging infrastructure at bus depots across Scotland to establish the foundations of a wider heavy-duty vehicle charging network. As a result of Scottish Government investment, Scotland has the highest proportion of zero emission buses of any UK nation, according to the most recent data.

The Scottish Government has established a Strategic Transport Electrification Group (STEG) to bring together electricity network operators, the National Energy System Operator and Scottish Futures Trust to support sharing of information and planning so that the energy network is in a position to respond to the changing energy demand from transport. This provides a forum for discussion of future transport energy requirements, including those associated with bus fleet decarbonisation. Bus operators are encouraged to engage directly with network operators at an early stage to ensure depot electricity connections can be secured in the required timescales

Manufacturers and supply chains have a key role to play in supporting the transition to zero-emission transport. The Scottish Government continues to examine opportunities for Scottish firms in vehicle manufacture, adaptation, charging infrastructure and associated engineering services. We continue to engage with manufacturers, operators and industry stakeholders to understand the opportunities and challenges associated with the transition to zero-emission buses.

The following table provides the number of injury road collisions recorded by Police Scotland, by road speed limit for the years 2021 to 2025.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Scotland's Places of Worship Fund announcement by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) on 18 August 2026. This new pilot scheme for 2026-27 will provide up to £1 million to help eligible listed places of worship across Scotland recover VAT costs associated with repair and conservation works.

The Fund has been developed in direct response to the closure of the UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and is expected to open for applications in autumn 2026.

The Scottish Government and HES have worked closely to explore options to ensure that Scotland's listed places of worship are not disproportionately affected by the withdrawal of the UK-wide scheme. This pilot scheme will help assess demand and gather evidence to inform consideration of future arrangements.

Listed places of worship may also continue to access support through HES's wider grant programmes, details of which can be found on the HES website.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01941 on 19 August 2026. 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.

The Scottish minister with responsibility for energy has met Crown Estate Scotland twice since 2024.

• The Minister for Energy and the Environment met the Chair and Chief Executive of Crown Estate Scotland on 16 January 2024 to discuss Energy
• The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy met the Chief Executive of Crown Estate Scotland on 20 November 2025 to discuss Offshore Wind

All ministerial engagements are published on The Scottish Government website at - www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/