Chamber and committees

The requirements of individual homes will likely depend on a number of factors such as overall power demand for the home, the size of the home and its general energy efficiency. We are currently conducting research with CXC, which includes looking at the impact of heat pump and electric vehicle uptake on the electricity network. We expect this report to be published shortly. Decisions regarding grid upgrades are currently reserved.

Social Security Scotland has not been subject to any denial of service (DoS) attacks during the period between the 1st of May 2021 and the 30th of June 2023. During that same period, our security controls protected against 314,285 cyber events, the majority of which being attackers scanning our internet facing benefit systems to identify potential weaknesses.

The Scottish Government is committed to the decarbonisation of the transport sector in a sustainable way to deliver a just transition. Our Climate Change Plan includes a commitment that by 2032, 30 per cent of Scottish Government owned ferries will be low emission. Many ports across Scotland have already published plans committing to decarbonising their operations, including the introduction of shore power.

The Scottish Government is working with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd to increase the availability and use of shore power on the ferry routes it directly supports.

As shipping policy is reserved, we are committed to working with the UK Government and other governments to support decarbonisation proposals both at a UK level and legislation to decarbonise the shipping sector globally through the International Maritime Organisation. It is vitally important that the UK Government, and all other governments, prioritise the decarbonisation of industries beyond current spending periods and in response to the Climate Emergency.

National Grid connection issues have been raised by port operators in Scotland as a significant barrier to installing shore power, so work to improve these connections is imperative. We note that the UK Government has committed to publishing an action plan later this year on accelerating new grid connections, including grid connections that may support shoreside electrical power at ports. We would intend to work closely with the UK Government on these matters to ensure that circumstances in Scotland, especially those prevalent at our more remote ports, are given proper consideration.

The Scottish Government fundamentally disagrees with the principle of the UK Government making decisions in devolved areas. Though the funding of Scottish projects is welcome, this ought to be channelled through the Barnett formula, allowing Scottish Ministers and Councils to make independent decisions about its use. By cutting across devolved policies, it results in unnecessary fragmentation and confusion for local authorities and partner agencies. Overlooking Scotland’s unique economic needs, and largely ignores rural, and sparsely populated regions.

The Scottish Governments SME Loan Scheme has been in operation since 2008. Loans are considered impaired when the loanee misses three consecutive payments. Since inception, the total level of SME Loan repayment default is £1,333,630 as of 1 April 2023. The SME Loan Scheme has paid out over £45 Million in loan funding since inception which means the percentage of default is just under 3%.

The Home Energy Scotland funding schemes are delivered under contract by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) on behalf of Scottish Government. Although delivered by EST, decisions around the design of the schemes are the sole responsibility of Scottish Government.

The purpose of the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan scheme is to decarbonise heat in homes through installation of zero emissions heating systems, and reduce heat demand through energy efficiency measures, in line with the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy.

Recently we have seen a substantial increase in the number of applications received to the scheme. Much of this rise has been driven by a surge in applications for solar PV and energy storage systems, the majority of which are not installed alongside a zero emissions heating system and therefore do not contribute directly to decarbonisation of heat in homes.

So we have reviewed funding to ensure that we are focusing finite public funding in the ways which best support the Heat in Buildings strategy aims.

Solar PV and energy storage systems will continue to be funded through the scheme, but only where installed alongside a certified renewable heating measure (such as a heat pump), or where there is already one in place. As such, funding is being targeted at measures which will have the biggest impact on reducing emissions from heating homes.

Measures and funding offered through the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme are currently under review, but in the meantime, the conditions under which solar PV and energy storage are offered loan funding have been aligned with the HES Grant and Loan scheme.

The Scottish Government provides baseline funding to NHS Boards, and it is for individual Boards to determine how best to utilise this funding to meet the needs and priorities of their local populations, including stroke care. The 2023-24 Scottish Budget delivers record funding of £19 billion for Health and Social Care services.

On top of this baseline funding, the Scottish Government has provided specific funding to NHS Boards for the development of a thrombectomy service to treat ischaemic stroke: £833,000 in 2019-20, £2.4 million in 2020-21, £6.6 million in 2021-22 and £7.2 million in 2022-23.

In addition, funding to support the delivery of the Stroke Improvement Plan was £40,574 in 2018-19, £42,050 in 2019-20, £175,674 in 2020-21, £182,980 in 2021-22 and £174,489 in 2022-23. The 2023-24 budget has allocated £12.5 million in revenue spending for the further development of a national thrombectomy service and development of stroke policy.

The purpose of the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan scheme is to decarbonise heat in homes through installation of zero emissions heating systems, and reduce heat demand through energy efficiency measures, in support of the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy.

Recently we have seen a substantial increase in the number of applications received to the scheme. Much of this rise has been driven by a surge in applications for solar PV and energy storage systems, the majority of which are not installed alongside a zero emissions heating system and therefore do not contribute directly to decarbonisation of heat in homes.

So we have reviewed funding to ensure that we are focusing finite public funding in the ways which best support the Heat in Buildings strategy aims.

Solar PV and energy storage systems will continue to be funded through the scheme, but only where installed alongside a certified renewable heating measure (such as a heat pump) or where there is already one in place. As such, funding is being targeted at measures which will have the biggest impact on reducing emissions from heating homes.

Measures and funding offered through the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme are currently under review, but in the meantime, the conditions under which solar PV and energy storage are offered loan funding have been aligned with the HES Grant and Loan scheme.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of energy generated from solar in contributing to the decarbonisation of Scotland’s energy supply and to a just transition to net zero. This is why we have set out a draft vision for solar in Scotland, in the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan 2023. The final solar vision will be published by the end of 2023.

Social Security Scotland has not been financially compromised or experienced any financial loss as a result of cyber attacks.

More than £711 million has been spent in the last five financial years to mitigate the effects of UK Government policy. It included investment in Discretionary Housing Payments, the Scottish Welfare Fund, money advice services, and Universal Credit Scottish choices.

The Scottish Government uses Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) to fully mitigate the bedroom tax and we have recently provided funding to mitigate the benefit cap as far as is possible within devolved powers. DHPs are also used to support those affected by the ongoing freeze to local housing allowance rates.

In 2023-24 we are making £83.7 million available to local authorities to spend on DHPs. Since 2018 (including 2023-24) we have invested over £452 million in DHPs, and a further £8.7 million to assist local authorities with the administration of the scheme.

The Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) is an essential source of occasional support for those most in need. In 2023-24 we are investing £35.5 million in the SWF. Since 2018 (including 2023-24) we have invested over £210 million in the fund and a further £32 million to assist local authorities with the administration of the scheme.

From 2018 to late 2022, the Scottish Government allocated funding from its overall welfare and debt advice budget for advice relating to UK Government welfare reforms. From October 2022, this funding stream was brought together with previously separate funding streams to support the Money Talk Team service delivered by Citizens Advice Scotland. Since 2018, £6.58 million has been invested in money advice services specifically relating to UK Government welfare reforms.

Since 2017, the Scottish Government has been giving people in Scotland the choice to receive their Universal Credit award either monthly or twice monthly and to have the housing costs in their Universal Credit award paid directly to their landlord. Since 2018, the cost to the Scottish Government of providing these choices has been £0.8 million.

A breakdown of spend on Discretionary Housing Payments, the Scottish Welfare Fund, money advice services, and universal credit Scottish choices in the last five financial years and the current financial year is provided in the following table.

There are no immediate plans to update our current educational resources into the Scots language. Our language policy is under review and once approved by the SPCB, it will determine what languages we offer resources in for the future.

Our current policy position is: “The SPCB publishes information in different languages to facilitate the engagement of people who live in Scotland with their Parliament. Languages selected for translation are reviewed on a regular basis and are updated to reflect population trends and perceived need.”

As part of our review, we have engaged with, and continue to engage with, stakeholders and monitor educational and linguistic trends. There are currently some resources in Scots and to date, these have met the level of demand we have from schools and MSPs.

I will update the Member as our review progresses and when it is approved. In the meantime, our Education Services team are happy to work with the Member and schools to see which resources that would be of use in Scots and to provide these within the school year that starts in August.