Chamber and committees

The invitation to host an Investment Zones was not subject to a bidding or application process, so no expressions of interest were solicited by the UK or Scottish Governments.

Electricity network policy and regulation is reserved to the UK Government with the Electricity System Operator responsible for strategic planning of the network. We are therefore continuing to engage with the UK Government, the Electricity System Operator and Ofgem to ensure that the network will be ready to support the delivery of our renewables potential.

The creation of data sets relevant to planning performance and housing need and demand has been discussed recently with COSLA and Homes for Scotland in the context of the following:

• Housing to 2040 Strategic Board – the role of data in the housing sector was discussed. Both COSLA and Homes for Scotland are represented on the Board.
• Housing Review Group – the group is using data to inform responses to pressures on affordable housing availability. COSLA is represented on this group.
• Meetings with Ministers and/or officials – the Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning and the Minister for Housing met jointly with Homes for Scotland in June 2023 and discussed data sets in the context of additional data to supplement existing Housing Need and Demand Assessments (HNDAs). Scottish Government officials have also met with Homes for Scotland to discuss the HNDA process.
• Digital Planning Data Strategy – this aims to unlock the value of planning data. COSLA is engaged in the future implementation of the strategy.
• Developing research proposals for a Gypsy / Traveller Accommodation Needs Toolkit – COSLA has been involved in the development of the research bid.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19827 on 17 July 2023. 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

The Scottish Government recognises that good quality, affordable housing is essential to help attract and retain young families and young people in Scotland’s rural communities. We are committed to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 of which 10% will be in remote, rural and island areas.

We are funding up to £25 million over the next five years for local authorities to identify affordable homes for key workers in rural areas.

In Autumn, we will publish a Remote, Rural and Island Housing Action Plan to help attract and retain people in these communities.

In line with the annual reports published on Creative Scotland’s website, no bonus payments have been awarded to the senior leadership team at Creative Scotland since its establishment in 2010.

Scottish Government pay policy for public bodies has not permitted performance-related payments for Chief Executives or for staff at director/executive level over this period.

The National Youth Arts Advisory Group has met 37 times and it is next due to meet in August or September 2023. The exact date is yet to be set.

The Forest Research National Forest Inventory (NFI) provides ecological data on all types of woodland using data drawn from the Woodland Ecological Condition (WEC) assessment. This is a systematic and statistically robust evaluation of ecological condition in all types of woodlands.

The Woodland Ecological Assessment is based on 15 measures of ecological condition, including the amount of deadwood, proportion of favourable land cover around woodland, vegetation and ground flora, herbivore grazing, and invasive non-native species which all provide an indication of biodiversity value. Measures that relate to habitat connectivity, such as proportion of favourable land cover around woodland are also measured. A WEC score is produced against each of the indicators and aggregated to produce an overall score. The benchmark is an Ancient Semi-Natural Woodland in good condition. Results are produced approximately every five years, with next cycle of reporting is due in 2024-25.

Currently the National Youth Arts Advisory Group comprises ten young people from the following local authority areas: three from Edinburgh and one from each of Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Highland, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire and Scottish Borders.

The total amount of funding that was allocated to support the work of the National Youth Arts Advisory Group in each year since it was established is as follows: