Chamber and committees

The UK Government has not advised Scottish Ministers that it has any plans to replace the ECO4 Flex scheme when the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme closes in December.

The Scottish Government continues to supports local councils to provide ECO Flex declarations and work with retrofit installers as part of our Area Based Schemes (ABS). In most cases, households that have been provided with a declaration of eligibility through ECO Flex will continue to be eligible for improvements delivered through local ABS schemes; national Warmer Homes Scotland or Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan schemes.

The Scottish Government would encourage households in this instance to get in touch with Home Energy Scotland to determine which scheme they are eligible for.

The Scottish Government launched the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme within weeks in response to the spiralling prices caused by the Iran conflict and wider instability, such as Russia's war in Ukraine, undermining energy security across Europe as well as other factors such as the increases to the cost of living due to the UK leaving the EU.

The scheme was put in place to ensure the most vulnerable households are supported during the cost of living crisis, which includes households on means-tested benefits but also those in financial hardship and at risk of self-rationing fuel who have unavoidable additional heating needs, with the first payment made within 24 hours of the scheme launching on 1 April 2026.

As at the end of 9 August 2026, £1,747,800 has been paid out to ensure the most vulnerable households are supported during the cost of living crisis, which includes households on means-tested benefits but also those in financial hardship and at risk of self-rationing fuel who have unavoidable heating needs.

The following table provides the outcome of applications that Advice Direct Scotland have received to the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme, as at the end of 9 August 2026.

These management figures are taken from a live administrative database and so could be subject to future revision. There are various caveats with the data and should not be regarded as official statistics, these caveats are noted in the following table.

A table containing the average daily traffic flows on the A96 in each year since 2020 has been lodged with SPICe, BIB number: 66727

The vast majority of funding (97.9% in 2026-27) continues to be provided to councils by means of a block grant from the Scottish Government. This is set out in the final Annex of the relevant Local Government Finance Circular, for example, Annex K of Local Government Finance Circular No. 2/2026.

It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and a number of national priorities agreed with COSLA. Many of those nationally agreed priorities entail additional funding being provided in-year by the relevant portfolio. In-year transfers are set out in the relevant chapter of the Scottish Budget, for example, Table 4.15 of the Scottish Budget 2026-27.

Work continues with COSLA and local government partners to reduce ring fencing and in-year transfers where possible and over £2.3 billion of previously ring-fenced funding and in-year transfers has been consolidated into the General Revenue Grant, since 2023.

The total funding provided to local government and the amount that was formally ringfenced and allocated as in-year transfers is set out in the following table, as requested.

The Non-Domestic Rates (Liability for Unoccupied Properties) (Scotland) Act 2026 (the Act) clarified the legal basis for local authorities to levy rates on the owners of unoccupied properties, subject to any reliefs that local authorities may choose to put in place, with retrospective effect from 1 April 2023. The Act gives effect to the original policy intention and the system as understood by local authorities and ratepayers, and applied by local authorities.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on any claims for refunds received by local authorities. This matter has not however been raised specifically by local government with the Scottish Government.

The Non-Domestic Rates (Liability for Unoccupied Properties) (Scotland) Act 2026 clarified the legal basis to levy non-domestic rates on the owners of unoccupied properties, subject to any reliefs that local authorities may choose to put in place, with retrospective effect from 1 April 2023. The Act brought the statute book into line with the original policy intention and the position as understood by local authorities and ratepayers, and applied by local authorities.

The Financial Memorandum accessible for the Non-Domestic Rates (Liability for Unoccupied Properties) (Scotland) Bill set out the estimated costs associated with the measures introduced by the Bill including costs for local authorities.

Local authorities have not specifically reported any exceptional costs in relation to this Act to the Scottish Government.

As set out in our manifesto, we will work in partnership with others, including administering authorities in the Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme, to progress funding models that safeguard fiduciary duties, provide secure inflation linked returns, and can accelerate the delivery of affordable homes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00834 on 12 June 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00791 on 12 June 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.

We are taking bold and ambitious action to reform and renew our health and care systems in line with our vision where people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives while recognising the financial pressures facing the health and social care sector now. The 2026-27 Budget provides almost £22.5 billion investment in health and social care services, exceeding consequentials and providing a real terms uplift to enable more sustainable and resilient services.

Delivering the transformation the people of Scotland need depends on improving prevention and ensuring that health and care services are accessible, high quality, and person led. The Service Renewal Framework provides a structured approach to drive the transformation necessary to realise our vision - responding to today’s pressures but also building the foundations for long-term sustainability and improvement. Renewing Scotland’s essential public services must be rooted in a long-term vision - one that prioritises prevention and early intervention.

The integration of health and social care planning is essential in ensuring services are well-coordinated and responsive to the population's evolving needs, and the report recognises the need for local collaboration in setting budgets. This means that local authorities are responsible for how they choose to invest in those services, not Ministers.