Chamber and committees

Following the publication of the UK Government’s equality analysis on the impact introducing means-tested Winter Fuel Payments, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 20 September urging the UK government to reinstate Winter Fuel Payment for all pensioners. The Cabinet Secretary also called for reform of the UK energy markets to address the root causes of fuel poverty in Scotland, such as high fuel prices.

This followed the previous letter to the Secretary of State on 14 August, in which the Cabinet Secretary urged the UK Government to undertake a benefits uptake campaign for Pension Credit and to move forward with plans for a social energy tariff.

In addition to the £600 million announced in December 2017, the Scottish Government has invested an additional £20 million with the UK Government's Project Gigabit programme contributing a further £31 million. This further investment has been deployed via the R100 contracts to extend and enhance the coverage footprint.

The R100 contracts form only one part of the overall R100 programme. The R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) is demand-led and, as such, there is no pre-determined amount of funding allocated for delivering connections via SBVS. As of 31st August 2024, £10 million has been paid to suppliers to deliver connections via SBVS.

These figures are rounded to the nearest million pounds.

GP practices are funded to provide cervical screening services as a default part of their contracts with health boards. Practices are responsible for ensuring appropriate provision.

The handbook for people performing cervical screening includes guidance which states that sample takers who work with physically disabled women should be confident and experienced in taking cervical samples. In addition, sample takers should consider whether it is appropriate to take actions or make adjustments based on the woman’s healthcare needs, such as making arrangements with local colposcopy services to ensure samples are taken at clinics where hoists are available.

The ground investigation report is being prepared by Petroineos for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The Scottish Government would not expect to receive it formally and has no plans to publish it, as this is an operational matter for SEPA.

We are advised that the ground investigation work has concluded that the contamination is localised and SEPA continue to work with Petroineos and their consultant Adler and Allan to ensure the physical remediation works, which have commenced, can be delivered timeously. Once the remediation has concluded SEPA will be in a position to publish a statement regarding the environmental condition of the site.

Latest assured figure (from 31 July 2024) showed that around 1,000 premises were still expected to be connected through the R100 Central contract in the Falkirk Council area.

Latest coverage figures, including premises connected that were beyond the scope of the initial R100 contracts, are available on our website at Data insights | Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband.

Scotland’s potential for renewable energy generation is one of our greatest environmental and economic opportunities. The forthcoming Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will chart a path to a clean, fair and secure energy system.

As part of a just energy transition, the Scottish Government is committed to working with partners to continue to grow a thriving community energy sector. This is evidenced by our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), which has recently awarded funding to 20 projects from 19 community groups across Scotland through the £1.5 million Community Energy Generation Growth Fund. This funding will support these communities to develop their own renewable energy projects.

Our ambition to reach 2GW of community and locally owned energy by 2030 includes different types of community and local ownership to reflect the different needs, requirements and opportunities available to communities across Scotland. The latest Community and Locally Owned Energy statistics show at the end of December 2023, there was an estimated 1,028 MW of community and locally owned renewable energy in Scotland.

Ethical commissioning was defined in the Bill, as introduced, as making arrangements for services in ways which were consistent with the NCS Principles. As a consequence of the agreement reached on shared accountability for the NCS these specific provisions were removed. There will be other requirements placed on relevant bodies to comply with the NCS Principles more widely which will achieve the same intent for ethical considerations to be embedded in commissioning and procurement of NCS services. Therefore the intent within the Bill remains unchanged.

We will carefully consider the responses to the Scottish Parliament’s call for views.

The Scottish Government committed to investing £10 million in Changing Places Toilets over the lifetime of the Parliament. Ultimately, the number of Changing Places Toilets that will be introduced as a result of investment will be determined by the number and quality of funding bids received. The Changing Places Toilets Planning Guide published by the Scottish Government provides information on Changing Places Toilets and guidance to those considering installing one.

The Scottish Government recognises the incredible contribution that Scotland’s unpaid carers, including our young carers, make to our communities as well as the pressures many carers are under.

The Young Carers Package, delivered by Young Scot, was put in place to provide additional benefits and opportunities for young carers. The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 defines a young carer as someone who provides (or intends to provide) care who is under 18 (or over 18 and still at school). The package is designed to support children and young people who are not eligible for social security benefits and other support available to young adults.

In recognition of the fact that transitioning from being a young carer to an adult carer can be difficult, as young people look towards work or further or higher education, the package includes a transition bundle to provide extra benefits before young carers turn 19. There is a Young Scot webpage with further information on the transition bundle and young carers transitions more generally at: www.young.scot/get-informed/young-carers-transitions

I would encourage anyone providing unpaid care to contact their social work department or local carer centre to find out what support they may be able to offer.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29341 on 25 September 2024. 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.