Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is aware of recent decisions of the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in England concerning the application of PAS 9980 assessments and remediation obligations under the Building Safety Act 2022.

These decisions were made within the legal framework that applies in England and Wales and do not alter the legal framework for building safety in Scotland. Decisions on building assessment and remediation in Scotland continue to be taken in accordance with Scottish legislation, building standards and the evidence available for individual buildings.

The cases nevertheless highlight an important principle: a fire risk assessment is one source of professional evidence and does not, in itself, determine whether remedial works may ultimately be necessary. Decisions on remediation require consideration of the full range of evidence available, including the construction of the building, the nature and condition of materials present, fire safety measures and any additional information obtained through assessment and investigation.

That is why the Scottish Government's Single Building Assessment (SBA) takes a holistic approach to assessing cladding risk in buildings, and in doing so considering a broad range of factors. Where further investigation is identified as necessary to establish the nature and extent of any risk, this can form part of the evidence used in determining appropriate next steps.

We will continue to monitor developments in building safety policy, practice and case law across the UK and consider any relevant lessons that may support our objective of ensuring residents are safe and feel safe in their homes.

The Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) is the primary vehicle for the Scottish Government to fund active travel infrastructure. The tiered model for infrastructure delivery increases flexibility and control for partners to meet the active travel needs and priorities of people living and working in their communities. Tier 1 of the Fund is provided directly to Local Authorities through their General Capital Grant and they have the flexibility to use the funding as required. Tier 2 funding, directly managed by Transport Scotland, was open to applications from Local Authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships and National Park Authorities for the funding of larger scale projects most recently at the start of the calendar year 2026. Transport Scotland did not receive an application from East Renfrewshire Council nor Strathclyde Partnership for Transport for this project.

Each project specific Seabird Compensation Plan is considered on case by case basis in line with regulation and relevant guidance – it would not be appropriate to comment further on the content of individual Seabird Compensation Plans until they are submitted. There is nothing in regulations to preclude Seabird Compensation Plans including compensation measures delivered outside Scotland or the UK as long as it can be demonstrated that the compensatory measures proposed benefit the UK Marine Protected Area network.

As More Homes Scotland is currently being established, arrangements for monitoring and evaluating its performance remain under development. Appropriate governance, accountability and scrutiny arrangements will assess the agency’s effectiveness and impact, including its contribution to increasing housing supply, delivering affordable homes and addressing homelessness.

The recommended community benefit fund level for solar developments will be set out in the refreshed Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments. Decisions on implementation arrangements, including when any revised recommended fund levels should take effect, are subject to Ministerial approval.

The Good Practice Principles are non-statutory guidance and the recommended community benefit fund levels are voluntary. The Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government to use its reserved powers to mandate community benefits for mature onshore renewable energy technologies.

The exact timing of the submission of the Berwick Bank Seabird Compensation Plan is a matter for SSE Renewables. Current indication from SSE Renewables for submission is late in 2026. As per the Section 36 consent condition, consultation will be undertaken with NatureScot; Natural England and any such other advisors or organisations as may be required at the discretion of the Scottish Ministers.

Scottish Government published statutory guidance on compensating for adverse effects from offshore wind in July 2026. The guidance sets out processes for accessing a wider range of compensatory measures, including a requirement to work through a compensation hierarchy. As set out, the guidance should be applied by offshore wind developers when preparing compensation proposals. This includes the developer of the Berwick Bank offshore wind farm.

The Scottish Government is carefully considering Environmental Standards Scotland’s (ESS) report Protecting Scotland’s Seafloor: as assessment of Scottish Ministers’ implementation of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010, and will work constructively with ESS to seek to agree an appropriate action plan within the timescale suggested in the report.

Officials are currently considering evidence gathered through the 2025 public consultation on the Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments and the subsequent stakeholder engagement undertaken in spring 2026 on the Working Paper: Onshore renewable energy - refreshing the good practice principles for community benefits: working paper - gov.scot. Subject to the completion of this work, the Scottish Government plans to publish the refreshed onshore Good Practice Principles before the end of 2026.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00690 on 10 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.