Chamber and committees

Officials in the Energy Consents Unit (“ECU”) use internal process guidance to check that the data input by developers into the carbon calculator accords with the relevant information referenced in the application documentation and its environmental impact assessment report (“EIA report”). Once the data is checked, the submission is formally received and then thereafter available for scrutiny in the public domain by using the reference code published in the EIA report. The data check includes:

1. Checking that the number of wind turbines and capacity output of each turbine accords with the information provided in the EIA Report.

2. Checking that the operational period accords with the application information

3. Checking that the capacity factor is credible and backed up by evidence in the EIA report.

The Scottish Government recognises the horticultural sector’s important contribution to the Scottish population’s mental and physical health, and the environment through provision of plants and trees for public landscaping and domestic gardening. In addition, horticulture contributes to the Scottish economy, through retail, job creation and employment opportunities in green careers. That is why I welcomed the Horticultural Trades Association's Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy during the Holyrood launch event in March 2023.

The eight ‘Asks of Government’ outlined by HTA align with existing Scottish Government policy priorities, including climate change mitigation, nature networks as outlined in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and the local living policy principle of the National Planning Framework 4, which proposes the development of parks, green spaces, community gardens, local food production, allotments and recreation facilities to help improve wellbeing. These highlight opportunities for the sector and Scottish Government to work together towards shared goals across a wide range of policy areas. Officials will therefore continue to take forward detailed discussions with the HTA to ensure environmental horticulture is represented in relevant government strategies.

I recently chaired the short-lived Rural Energy Consumers Working Group, Non-domestic Energy Consumers Working Group and Priority (previously known as Vulnerable) Energy Consumers Working Group. Information on each of these groups can be found on the Scottish Government website at the following links:

Energy: Rural Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Energy: Non-Domestic Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Energy: Vulnerable Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Scottish Government will take decisions about the allocation of funding in 2024-25 and future years subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget process and associated approval by the Scottish Parliament.

Once the draft budget is published on 19 December we will engage closely with Creative Scotland and the wider culture sector as we develop plans for the £100m increased investment over the next five years.

The first phase of the review of the carbon calculator will assess its current operation and use and recommend any updates or improvements that may be required in a future phase.

This first phase is currently being tendered through ClimateXChange, and the intention is for it to be completed by summer 2024.

As part of the development of the Deposit Return Scheme, Zero Waste Scotland has undertaken various pieces of work for the Scottish Government. This includes impact assessments, including the Business Regulatory Impact Assessment, and managing the return point operator exemption process.

Zero Waste Scotland did not receive specific payment for performing these functions as they receive funding through annual grant awards from the Scottish Government’s Zero Waste budget.

The Scottish Government also used independent third party contractors to undertake services associated with consultation, publication of regulations and associated documents, evaluations, independent reviews and assurance. The total paid for these services was £224,956.05:

• £54,331.80 in 2018-19
• £30,758.37 in 2019-20
• £9,614.00 in 2020-21
• £88,307.64 in 2021-22
• £15,647.50 in 2022-23
• £26,296.74 in 2023-24

The General Practice Armed Forces and Veterans’ Recognition Scheme has been developed to be relevant for all staff, including locum GPs, who may come into contact with an armed forces family or veteran patient. It is hosted on Turas, which is an online training platform run by NHS Education for Scotland and accessible to all NHS staff. It can be accessed here: General Practice Armed Forces and Veterans’ Recognition Scheme – Training Website .

More information about the scheme can also be found by contacting: [email protected]

Scotland's Self-Harm Strategy and Action Plan 2023-27 has been published today by Scottish Government and COSLA. This strategy – which is a world first in its dedicated focus on self-harm - is an early deliverable from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan published earlier this month.

The views of people with lived experience of self-harm, and insights from services that support them are at the centre of the strategy. This has shaped our vision, which is for people who have self-harmed, of who are thinking of self-harming, to receive compassionate, recovery-focused support, without fear of stigma or discrimination.

• The three year action plan – which will prioritise support for people which evidence suggests are at higher risk of self-harm - focuses on three areas:deepening knowledge and compassionate understanding of self-harm to reduce stigma and discrimination;
• building support and services across Scotland;
• and improving and sharing data and evidence.

We have already invested £1.5m in the development of new, bespoke self-harm support services over the last two years through Self-Harm Network Scotland, and early evidence shows this is having a positive impact. We are committing a further £1.5 million to back delivery of the action plan, and this will secure the continuation of these vital services over the next 2 years (2024-25 and 2025-26).

We are extremely grateful to all the people who have contributed to this important work over the last 18 months, particularly those who shared their own experiences of self-harm to help shape our approach.

The response to the analysis of responses to the Access to Information Rights in Scotland consultation will be published today. The response concludes that the fundamentals of the access to information rights regime, provided by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) and Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), remain fit for purpose. The Scottish Government therefore does not propose to introduce new primary legislation to amend FOI law within the current session of the Scottish Parliament.

Rather, the Scottish Government proposes to address issues which have been raised in the post-legislative scrutiny process within the framework provided by the existing primary legislation – including through the use of existing secondary legislation making powers.

This includes a commitment to a future consultation on extension of FOISA to private and third sector care homes, and care at home services, with that consultation to take place once the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill has been passed by the Parliament. The full response will become available shortly on the Scottish Government website at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835217252

The Behaviour in Scottish Schools research has been published today and is available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835216668 .

I will update Parliament on the Government’s response, including the behaviour summit process, in a Parliamentary statement on 29 November.