Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has engaged extensively with local authorities and with a number of organisations representing the taxi sector including Unite the Union, the App Drivers and Couriers Union, the Scottish Association of Private Hire Operator and the Scottish Taxi Federation. Previously the Scottish Government provided £79.3 million directly to taxi and private hire drivers and operators in response to the pandemic. Further support of up to £28 million was announced on 5 January 2022 from within the £375 million package of funding announced on 21 December 2021, bringing total support for the sector to over £107 million. The Scottish Government is also calling on the UK Government to re-introduce schemes such as the Self-Employment Income Support Grant in order to make further support available. We recognise the pandemic’s impact on the economy and businesses across a wide range of sectors.

Historic Environment Scotland has already played a lead role in looking at the options for development at Mavisbank House, through its partnership with the Landmark Trust in the ultimately unsuccessful funding application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Historic Environment Scotland is continuing discussions with interested parties about the future of the property and I have asked the body to write directly to the member about the details.

We know that recent energy price rises will cause people to worry. My foremost concern is for households affected by these price rises, particularly those who are in or at risk of fuel poverty. It is worth noting that the setting of tariffs in the gas and electricity markets is reserved to the UK Government and subsequently we have called for action from the UK Government to address these issues. We are committed to using our available powers to support consumers however, that is why we are making £10 million available to help people struggling with their heating costs this Winter.

I would also encourage anyone struggling with their energy bills to get in touch with Home Energy Scotland for advice on how to reduce their fuel costs.

The Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with COSLA, local authorities, and the wide range of public bodies on the shared national endeavour to tackle the global climate emergency.

The Scottish Government and Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) has collaborated on new guidance, Public Sector Leadership on the Global Climate Emergency, published on 29 October 2021. The Guidance sets out that the public sector is crucial to the implementation of national and local climate policy and that public bodies are expected to show leadership by continuing to reduce their own emissions quickly and will need to reduce emissions close to zero without offsetting for Scotland to meet its national climate change goals.

No investigations have yet been undertaken under section 48 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

The Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with COSLA, Local Authorities and the wide range of public bodies on the shared national endeavour to tackle the global climate emergency. All 32 Scottish local authorities signed Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration in 2007 and COSLA recognises the twin climate and biodiversity crisis.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industry Strategy publishes annual National Statistics setting out the latest estimates of end-user carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) emissions for local authority areas. The purpose of these estimates is to assist those wishing to understand and assess changes in emissions from local authority areas. The Statistics show that between 2005 and 2019 end-user CO ₂ emissions fell by 35% in Scotland. The Statistics also provide information on per capita emissions in each local authority area and information on sector emissions.

Scotland will continue to use the pound sterling at the point of independence, establishing an independent Scottish currency as soon as practicable through a careful, managed and responsible transition when an independent Scottish parliament chooses to do so.

The SNP Growth Commission recommended a transition to a separate Scottish currency after six economic tests were met:

• Fiscal sustainability;
• Central Bank credibility and stability of debt issuance;
• Financial requirements of Scottish residents and businesses;
• Sufficiency of foreign exchange and financial reserves;
• Fit to trade and investment patterns;
• Correlation of economic and trade cycle.

The Scottish Government’s investments in private companies are made in line with the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM), supported by a clear economic and commercial rationale and have represented value for money at the time of the investment. While these investments are not without commercial risk, our interventions have protected hundreds of jobs and delivered a national economic return by safeguarding vital businesses and supply chains.

We are working closely with Audit Scotland to strengthen the framework for decisions on future investments in private companies. The SPFM will be updated in January 2022 following feedback from Audit Scotland on planned enhancements to our approach.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The review of SPS’ Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment policy is taking place in two main stages. The first stage involves an in depth analysis of evidence that has emerged since the existing SPS policy was introduced. This work is underway and will directly inform the development work for the next stage.

The second stage is a series of discussions with key stakeholders which will involve:

• engagement with prison staff who have experience of working with transgender persons in Scotland’s prisons, commencing December 2021.
• a series of interviews with transgender persons in prison, commencing January 2022.
• a survey of individuals living in custody across establishments in Scotland, commencing February 2022.
• an invitation being extended to identified stakeholders for one to one discussions with SPS between February and May 2022. This will include invitations to organisations representing communities of interest and identity.

In tandem with stakeholder discussions, the current policy will be available on the SPS website to invite comment and feedback from other interested parties. The full analysis of stakeholder feedback and evidence and a refreshed policy position is expected to be concluded in 2022.

Since 2015-16, around 180 listed Scottish public bodies have been required to report annually on compliance with their statutory climate change duties. To assess progress on emissions reduction, the Scottish Government funds the Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) Secretariat to produce an annual analysis of the submitted reports. Reported emissions from the public sector continue to decrease, with Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions down 28.5% since mandatory reporting began in 2015-16.

National Records of Scotland produce an annual National Statistics publication each year on drug-related deaths in Scotland. The most recent report provides information on drug-related deaths details in 2020 and earlier years. Section 7 of the report provides an overview of drug-related deaths by substances implicated. Tables SUB1 and SUB2 provide information on the substances which were reported for drug-related deaths in Scotland between 2000 and 2020. Tables HBX and CX provide figures for individual drugs, for NHS Boards and councils. Annex E and Table NPS1 provide information relating to New Psychoactive Substances.

The full report and supplementary tables can be accessed from the following link: Drug-related Deaths in Scotland in 2020 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

Hospital admissions

Public Health Scotland information on hospital activity relating to illicit drug use in Scotland are not specific enough to identify the substances specified (heroin and methadone are the only opioids with specific ICD-10 diagnostic codes).