Chamber and committees

Alcohol death reviews are a valuable practice for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships to undertake in order to gain a deeper and more detailed understanding of the circumstances surrounding alcohol-specific deaths. To assess to what extent the people who have died were in touch with local services, what interventions had taken place, whether there is an identifiable profile of the people who are suffering an alcohol-specific death and whether there are lessons that can be learned, changes or improvements that can be made to services to prevent future deaths in the local area.

We are aware of two alcohol death reviews that have been conducted since 2020. These were completed by the Borders Alcohol and Drug Partnership and NHS Fife.

No impact assessment has been made on the potential impact on people with chronic kidney disease or long term conditions as there are no plans to reintroduce prescription charges.

We committed to publishing the Green Industrial Strategy in summer 2024. The strategy was published on 11 September, following summer recess and the launch of the 2023-24 Programme for Government.

The strategy aims to ensure Scotland gets the maximum possible economic benefit from the opportunities created by the global transition to net zero and we are already getting on with delivering across the five opportunity areas, and wider system enablers identified in the strategy. For example, the Scottish Government is driving forward the recommendations of the First Minister’s Investor Panel to attract global capital investment around the physical infrastructure needed to achieve our energy transition. On skills, funding has been allocated to support industry-led development of the energy skills passport; to create an energy transition skills hub in Aberdeen; and launch a pilot scheme with the National Energy Skills Accelerator to determine the skills required for an energy transition. The new Planning Hub will strengthen capacity and accelerate decision making, with an initial focus on hydrogen applications.

A decision on Berwick Bank will be taken by Ministers in due course. We cannot comment on a live application but we are committed to a robust decision making process for offshore wind farms which considers the need for development alongside potential impacts to the marine environment and marine users.

The interest rate for Scottish domiciled students is currently 4.3%.

The interest rates currently applied across the UK are as follows:

Plan 1 – Northern Irish borrowers, English and Welsh pre-2012 borrowers – 4.3%

Plan 2 – Post 2012 Welsh borrowers, English borrowers between 2012 – 2023 – 7.3%

Plan 3 – English and Welsh postgraduate borrowers – 7.3%

Plan 4 - All Scottish borrowers – 4.3%

Plan 5 – English post 2023 borrowers – 4.3%

Information on student loan interest rates and further terms and conditions across the UK can be found here: Repaying your student loan: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Scottish Government Fiscal Statement (3 September 2024) and accompanying letter to the Finance Committee Scottish Government Pre-Budget Fiscal Update: Letter to Finance Committee - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)set out savings measures taken in the financial year to date, including those generated through the application of emergency spending controls. Alongside specific savings detailed in the statement a further up to £60 million savings are anticipated to be generated through the emergency spending controls over the remainder of the financial year. The controls require greater scrutiny over expenditure and whether it is truly essential or unavoidable, as well as targeting recruitment, overtime, travel and marketing, savings generated that result in revisions to budgets will be reported and published in the Autumn and Spring Budget Revisions, in line with usual in-year financial management processes.

The owner of any property, listed or otherwise is responsible for the repair and maintenance of their property. There is a Buildings at Risk Register online, hosted by Historic Environment Scotland at Welcome to Buildings at Risk Register | Buildings at Risk Register. This site provides information on properties of architectural or historic merit that are considered to be at risk, including listings by planning authority area. The Glasgow Planning authority currently list 143 properties.

Questions regarding Historic Environment Scotland’s day-to-day operational matters, such as their Grant programme and awards, are best answered by Historic Environment Scotland.

I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to her question in writing.

The Scottish Government remains committed to providing annual funding towards the Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF), administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), to enable libraries to undertake a wide range of pioneering initiatives within communities.

In 2024-25 we have allocated £450k for the PLIF.

On 19 August 2024 SLIC announced that this fund was open to applications Public Library Improvement Fund 2024 Open (scottishlibraries.org). Applications close at noon on 25 September.

For more information on how to apply, visit: The Public Library Improvement Fund (scottishlibraries.org).

The Scottish Government is committed to making Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, work, visit and learn. The BSL National Plan 2023-29 is a cross government plan containing 45 actions under the 10 priority themes. Education is a key theme within the plan, with stretch aims that will help improve access to BSL for children and young people in schools.

The BSL National Plan Implementation Advisory Group will consider this theme further over the course of the plan's six year life cycle. Activity to date has focused on understanding the support put in place by Local Authorities, who have responsibility under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those affected by deafness.