Chamber and committees

In June 2021, the Scottish Government and COSLA announced an open call for proposals from local authorities for pathfinder projects to be supported through the Green Growth Accelerator (GGA) programme.

The assessment of proposals was overseen jointly by Scottish Government and COSLA and proposals were scored against a set of criteria that were shared in advance with all local authorities. The assessment criteria included: carbon emissions reduction impacts, socio-economic impacts, maturity and deliverability of the project; additionality; and strategic fit with national and local net zero ambitions. Following the robust assessment process, the first tranche of GGA pathfinder projects was announced by Scottish Government in October 2021.

At present, there is no deadline for unlocking the full £200 million investment ambition. However, it is anticipated that the first six Green Growth Accelerator (GGA) pathfinder projects will collectively unlock more than £50 million investment in low carbon infrastructure over the next two years.

The Scottish Government has provided £120,000 to each of the six local authorities that were selected to deliver Green Growth Accelerator pathfinder projects (Aberdeen City Council, City of Edinburgh Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Highland Council, North Lanarkshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council). This funding was provided for development phase of the pathfinder projects, including feasibility work and business case development.

Further to this, the Scottish Government has worked with COSLA to agree funding from the Green Growth Accelerator 2022-23 budget to support local authorities with the development of low carbon infrastructure projects this year. Each local authority has been allocated funding of £26,000 to assist them in the development of a pipeline of low carbon infrastructure projects which could be supported through the Green Growth Accelerator.

The Scottish Government does not hold Cytosponge diagnostic service data broken down by individual Health Board, however the following press release provides detail on the national total delivered by NHS Scotland as at 15 November 2022: https://www.gov.scot/news/innovative-health-technology-helping-patients/ .

We have undertaken an external audit of the climate justice fund and an impact assessment to ensure policy coherence for sustainable development for the overall approach in order to better understand the needs for loss and damage support. As agreed following the evaluation, all Climate Justice Fund money for the £5m pledge will be allocated on the basis of an independent needs assessment with stakeholders and those communities impacted. Once conducted, we will respond accordingly and deliver a participatory, co-designed programme that fully meets the needs of the communities that it seeks to serve. In line with funds already delivered to loss and damage, all sums granted will be monitored and evaluated.

First introduced during the pandemic, Cytosponge is an excellent example of innovation in diagnostic services, supporting patients to access cancer checks closer to home and helping to reduce demand on health services.

Cytosponge has now been implemented in all mainland Health Boards, and collaborative discussions are ongoing between the NHS Scotland Centre for Sustainable Delivery and Island Health Boards to support implementation of a tailored model for Barrett’s Surveillance cohorts.

The timetable process is embedded and set out in both (a) Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service (CHFS) and (b) Northern Isles Ferry Service (NIFS) contracts and is monitored through the management of these contracts by my officials in Transport Scotland.

Both operators should engage directly with community groups on timetable issues.

Plans for the Coronation of The Monarch are traditionally led by the Royal Household. Any consideration of planning in Scotland cannot be made public until the Royal Household share their intentions.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12380 on‎ 2 December 2022. 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

Decisions on how the £5 million of loss and damage funding will be allocated are yet to be taken. Decisions will be made on the recommendation of needs assessments and undertaken in consultation with stakeholders and communities. These funds are in addition to the £2 million we announced last year, of which £1.7 million is already on the ground. Funds to date have been allocated through participatory mechanisms with those communities most impacted as well as to funding research on needs assessments and case studies.