In September, I committed to begin work on the review of the housing adaptations system by the end of 2025. This review will make recommendations on how best to improve and streamline the system and better target resources.

I am pleased to be able to confirm that this work is underway and my officials are currently finalising a project plan and contacted stakeholders in December to formally invite them to participate in the advisory group. Formal engagement with the group will begin in early 2026.

This preparatory work will ensure that the needs of all older and disabled people in Scotland, including ethnic minorities and those with protected characteristics, will be represented and considered as part of the review and that we have a system that is fit for purpose for anyone who needs to use it.

As set out in my answer to question S6W-42639 on 14 January 2026, I am pleased to be able to confirm that the review of the housing adaptations system, a commitment in our Housing to 2040 strategy, is underway.

My officials are currently finalising a project plan and contacted stakeholders in December to formally invite them to participate in the advisory group. Formal engagement will begin in early 2026.

We aim to publish a short report in the autumn of 2026, that sets out the future of adaptations in Scotland.

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 principle fund for Local Authorities to develop Active Travel routes, including routes to schools, is the Active Travel Fund Infrastructure Fund (ATIF), in particular Tier 1 formerly known as Cycling Walking and Safe Routes. Since 2021 North Lanarkshire Council have received £10,866,076 and South Lanarkshire Council have received £9,937,001 from this funding route.

Additional awards have been granted to both Lanarkshire Local Authorities from other tiers of funding which have contributed to improving active travel routes to schools, these are set out below;

In 2023-24 £1,230,000 was awarded to North Lanarkshire Council to deliver active travel links that improved school active travel connections in Airdrie and Wishaw through the Active Travel Transformation Fund.

In 2024-25 £420,000 was provided to North Lanarkshire Council through ATIF Tier 2 for pedestrians improvements around Motherwell Train Station with cycling and walking improvements on Oakfield Road, Watsonville Park, Camp Street and West Hamilton Street, creating safer corridors to schools.

In 2025-26 £1,074,898 has been awarded to North Lanarkshire Council for two additional projects. The first in Orbiston on key school routes that will upgrade crossings, lighting and drainage, with improvements to bus stops and cycle by-passes. The second in Wishaw aims to create high quality accessibility links between the train station, sports centre and hospital, benefits the whole community, including pupils journeying to school.

Design funding has been award for 2025-26 for South Lanarkshire Council, partnering with Strathclyde Passenger Transport. £65,2220 will be used to plan a safer route from Glespin to Douglas.

The draft Budget published on 13 January ensures the estimated revenues raised from non-domestic rates in 2026-27 will be 6% lower in real terms than pre-COVID, using the Consumer Price Index.

The draft Budget published on 13 January ensures the estimated revenues raised from non-domestic rates in 2026-27 will be 6% lower in real terms than pre-COVID using the Consumer Price Index.

The draft Budget, published on 13 January, does reduce the non-domestic property rate that retailers will be liable for, delivering the lowest Basic Property Rate since 2018-19. As a result of the decisions in the Budget, it is estimated the revenues raised from non-domestic rates will be 6% lower in real terms in 2026-27 than pre-COVID and 0.3% lower in real terms than the revenues collected in 2010-11, using the Consumer Price Index.

The Scottish Government Offshore Wind Hub in Aberdeen/the North East comprises a multi-disciplinary team including expertise in consenting, planning and offshore wind development. The aim is for the hub to provide a single Scottish Government front-door for developers who are bringing forward applications for offshore wind development as well as associated onshore infrastructure and supply chain opportunities.

Work is progressing on hub activities related to engagement with offshore wind farm developers and wider stakeholders on consenting and planning, including providing guidance and seeking feedback on our processes.

The Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) have not conducted an audit. They worked jointly with the Student Loans Company (SLC) to conduct a reconciliation exercise. This identified a small number of customers whose loan balances required correction. This exercise relates to the correction of historic Tuition Fee Loan data, and not the creation of new liabilities. The corrective action taken ensured that loan records accurately reflect what customers had borrowed and was due to be repaid under existing loan terms in the declaration signed by the student.

SAAS recognises the sensitivity of retrospective corrections and is working closely with SLC to ensure that affected borrowers are treated fairly, clearly informed, and supported where adjustments are required.

Scottish Ministers are accountable for the use of public resources and the way in which public funds are spent. This includes payment of student loans and repayment of outstanding balances.

The Scottish Government is committed to seeing Fair Work embedded in practice across the public sector and beyond in Scotland. Implementation of Fair Work First must be the guiding criteria to promote fairer work practices for staff within tertiary education, and in particular in colleges and universities. The Scottish Government made this clear in its most recent Letter of Guidance to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The SFC monitors compliance of fundable bodies through annual reporting and accounts, and as part of their Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model, and considers any appropriate interventions to support compliance.

Colleges and universities in receipt of government funding through SFC are currently expected to meet two mandatory Fair Work First criteria (payment of at least the real Living Wage; and provision of appropriate channels for effective workers’ voice, such as trade union recognition), while being encouraged to meet all other non-mandatory Fair Work First criteria.

I can announce today that, from April 2027, fundable post-16 education bodies in Scotland will be expected to adopt all Fair Work First criteria and that SFC will look to include these as a condition of grant. In acknowledgement of the fact that these bodies will be at different stages of implementing the five currently non-mandatory Fair Work First criteria, the SFC will take forward appropriate transition periods for planning. Therefore, an individual body may be given a longer lead-in time to implement a specific criterion, where they, in partnership with recognised trade unions or work representatives, can make a case to do so. This will be done alongside ongoing work by the SFC to undertake closer monitoring of governance at colleges and universities, and consider enhancements to its current processes, including in relation to Fair Work, through its Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model.

The Scottish Government has not carried out any assessments in relation to these matters as the deployment and management of officers, including Human Resources matters, are operational matters for the Chief Constable. Oversight is provided by the Scottish Police Authority rather than by Scottish Ministers directly. These arrangements are in place to ensure the operational independence of Police Scotland.