Chamber and committees

Proposals for funding via the Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme are reviewed by a panel of technical experts to assess eligibility and value for money. The fund operates on a competitive basis and funding is offered only to projects that clearly meet the scheme’s objectives and have potential to progress to deployment, driving value for money from our investment.

When assessing value for money the panel consider how projects support key Scottish Government net zero priorities. Prior to receiving funding, projects must demonstrate that they have potential to deliver a significant reduction in energy consumption or meet clean heat objectives, provide savings for public bodies and show that the requested support amount is reasonable for the work being completed. In addition to this assessment process, all funding awarded is subject to public procurement regulations.

While the Scottish Government did award funding for the Edinburgh Crown Office project, it was the decision of the COPFS to take this project forward. The Scottish Government does not routinely publish panel appraisals of applications submitted to the scheme; however, a case study containing lessons learned will be published following completion of the project.

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Scotland are covered by both devolved and reserved regulations, including planning and fire safety. There is a statutory structure that must be followed for all decision-making.

To continue to provide the vital services that people need, our public bodies need premises located in our communities. Maintaining these buildings to modern standards – including, but not limited to, climate requirements – will mean ongoing investment in the public estate.

The Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme is a demand-led scheme. Project costs will vary on a case-by-case basis depending on the project scale, measures proposed and location of the public sector building. Details of projects that have received funding to date are included in the following reports on the Scottish Government website:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-central-government-energy-efficiency-grant-scheme-form-and-guidance/pages/quarterly-reports/

https://www.gov.scot/publications/central-government-energy-efficiency-grant-scheme-progress-report/

The policy direction is that public bodies should retrofit and maintain existing buildings, rather than building new ones, wherever possible. The options of building new and exploring a private lease were therefore not considered as an alternative to retrofitting the Edinburgh Crown Office. There are challenges with availability of public sector space at the required scale and location, along with constraints on taking out new private sector leases in line with the Scottish Government’s Property Controls Guidance for Public Bodies.

An assessment of different options to reduce emissions at the site concluded that an electric variable refrigerant flow system and air source heat pump, along with building fabric upgrades, was the most suitable solution. This is due to a number of factors including cost, space, electrical infrastructure and the technology being in successful operation at other sites across Edinburgh.

The building is also listed, located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and owned by the COPFS, within proximity to the Edinburgh Sheriff Court, High Court and the Scottish Parliament. It is the organisation’s headquarters, providing a strategic location from which its staff work to provide essential public services. It is therefore the intention for the building to remain in long-term public ownership which was part of the value for money considerations.

The Scottish Government can only comment on the funding we provide, rather than all ‘public money’. Any funding issued by the Scottish Government is done so in line with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, and Grant Offer Letters to all third sector organisations clearly set out the conditions for which the funding can be used.

Charities must act in accordance with the requirements of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, which sets out that a charity cannot be set up to advance a political party. Any breach of obligations under charity law is for OSCR, who are independent of Scottish Ministers, to determine.

However, charities can and do undertake campaigning activity. The Scottish Government fully support the right of charities to campaign on behalf of those they represent and influence changes in policy.

No decisions on the future regulation of gene edited crops have been taken at this stage, and we will ensure that any future position is both informed by the evidence base and is in Scotland’s national interests.

We are both closely monitoring developments on gene editing in the EU, and liaising with Scottish stakeholders, and will decide whether or not to allow gene edited crops to be grown, or food using gene editing techniques to be produced, based on what is in the best interests and needs of the Scottish people.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:

Scottish Water has already taken action and made commitments to improve the sewer network under its improving urban waters routemap, published in December 2021 at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/About-Us/What-We-Do/Urban-Waters-Routemap. The routemap set out how Scottish Water will invest to:

• improve water quality (to support Scotland’s River Basin Management Plan objectives)
• increase monitoring and reporting to cover all overflows that discharge into the highest priority waters
• significantly reduce sewer-related debris in the environment
• reduce spills from the sewer network

We are providing this information as at 31 December 2024 using data from the most recent official publication of the Scottish Government's workforce statistics. As at that date, the total number of staff employed within SG Core was 9,349. Of these staff, 8 were Senior Civil Servants who were registered as taxpayers elsewhere in the UK which represents less than 0.1% of staff and includes staff who are based in Scotland House, London or in overseas postings.

There is an expectation that individuals will relocate to live in Scotland if they are employed by us, however this is not a legal requirement unless there is an occupational reason to reside within a certain travelling distance of the workplace. Employees are required to attend their contractual work location in Scotland as required for business need.

This information has been compiled with reference to address information held on our HR systems as at December 2024. It is therefore a snapshot as at that date and does not, for example, reflect where individuals may have since relocated to Scotland following their appointment to the Scottish Government or where a revised tax code is awaited from HMRC.

The Scottish Government has not carried out modelling of this type.

The Scottish Government appreciates the unique challenges faced by remote, rural and island communities across the country. As such, a Task and Finish Group focussing on supporting sustainability of health services across Scotland has been created. Utilising a population-based planning approach, the Group aims to improve access to safe, quality healthcare for our population.

Working with stakeholders across the Remote, Rural and Island landscape, this Group will determine a framework for a sustainable model of care in these areas, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by patients and Health Boards within these regions.

Guided by the eighty-three recommendations of the 2008 Delivering for Remote and Rural Healthcare Report, and aligning to the principles of the National Clinical Strategy and forthcoming National Clinical Framework, the Group will develop a sustainable operating model for the provision of high-quality, efficient healthcare services, offering parity of care across these communities.

Over the last two months, the Group has facilitated two workshops with a variety of key Remote, Rural and Island stakeholders, including healthcare and policy professionals. Through examination of current ways of working, the Group has identified a number of areas where improvements to service delivery may be possible.

This work forms the basis of the Group’s Remote, Rural and Islands Action Plan, which will be further developed and implemented over the coming months.

We do not want to see the closure of good quality care homes and we understand the concern this causes for residents and their families, as well as for the wider community. Of course, when a home closes this can have a knock-on impact to the local economy, this particularly is felt in rural and remote areas of the country.

The economic impact on families and communities can go beyond traditional economic measures and can be greatly influenced by individual’s own circumstances and their reactions to any such changes.

We know that Scotland’s Adult Social Care sector is a significant contributor towards the Economy, adding multiple billions in Gross Value Added and employing tens-of-thousands of people. Whilst challenging to estimate we do note recent reports, commissioned by the Skills for Care and Development Alliance, which provides some indication of the potential scale of the economic value of social care in Scotland (Economic and social value of the UK adult social care sector: Scotland).

Additionally, I would highlight that although we have overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, the statutory responsibility for delivering, commissioning, providing appropriate social care capacity at a local level lies with local authorities, NHS boards and integrated Health and Social Care Partnerships. This includes the responsibility for these local authorities to develop contingency plans for each service they commission or provide, to have robust plans in place should a service close, as well as risk assessments to determine potential impacts on the local social care sector, wider system and economy.

While I recognise the seriousness of the risks faced by the social care sector, the projections from partners such as Scottish Care are the worst-case scenario. Investment by the Scottish Government into the social care sector has increased quite substantially, during a period in which pressures on public finances have been most acute

We do understand the anxiety and growing concerns within the care home and wider social care sectors regarding the current pressures on the financial viability of the sectors. Pressures that have been significantly added to by decisions taken by the UK Government, such as the increase in employers National Insurance Contributions, changes to the social care visa system and salary threshold levels.

Scottish Government officials are undertaking a programme of work to understand and respond to the current financial viability pressures in the sector and the impact that this change will have. That work remains ongoing and will continue to work with partners across social care to help manage the current risks and move towards a more sustainable future for social care within the country.