Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19355 on‎ 29 June 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19355 on 29 June 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

Transport Scotland owns and manages a small number of buildings but has not carried out any assessments of this kind. They have confirmed with its building occupiers that no assessments for this material have been carried out. Transport Scotland lease their corporate office space, so don't have any property management responsibilities in this regard. They will now consider the relevant guidance, explore what may be needed and advise once these investigations have been carried out.

The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. We advise the member to contact the NHS Board directly.

Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL) was put into administration in 2019 and since then the company has been dissolved. Operating the Crane at Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow is classed as an operational matter for Ferguson Marine as such the Scottish Government does not hold this information.

We recognise that points have been made around the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership and whether young people need more protection.

This is why we have been meeting with interested stakeholders.

There are a range of views here. Increasing the minimum age can be argued to increase safeguards for young people, but such a change can also be seen as removing their right to marry or to enter a civil partnership. Additionally, given the range of rights that people acquire when they reach 16, we need to consider carefully whether broader implications would arise from a change to the minimum age of marriage.

The number of registered marriages in Scotland involving 16- and 17-year-olds is very low. However, we are also aware that there are some concerns regarding unregistered marriage ceremonies and about children and young people being taken abroad to be married.

The forced marriage offence in England and Wales has recently been extended, so that it is an offence there in all circumstances to do anything intended to cause a child to marry before they turn 18. No form of coercion requires to be used and the offence applies where the marriage is to take place outside England and Wales, and regardless of whether the marriage would have legal effect.

We would need to assess if this approach would be right for Scotland. Introducing a similar measure here might have the adverse impact of driving forced marriages even further underground. Forcing someone into marriage is already a criminal offence in Scotland and applies to any religious or civil ceremony of marriage whether or not legally binding. This offence will extend later this year to include forced civil partnerships.

The Scottish Government will continue to listen to stakeholders and the wider debate, as we actively consider our next steps. This will help ensure that we properly assess the potential impacts of changes and, if we take forward a full public consultation, that this includes robust evidence.

The Scottish Government remains committed to its aim of providing an integrated community hearing service, as highlighted in the 2021 Manifesto. As set out in the 2022-23 Emergency Budget Review, ongoing impacts of the cost crisis - as well as the need to consider outcomes from the National Audiology Review - have necessitated re-phasing of this commitment.

The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 , which will give effect to the New Build Heat Standard, if passed, were laid in parliament on 8 June 2023.

An accompanying policy note was published alongside these.

Commissioned research into ‘Zero Emissions Heating in New Buildings across Scottish Islands’ and a suite of impact assessments were published alongside the independent analysis of the New Build Heat Standard Consultation: Part II, also on 9 June 2023.

Work is now ongoing to update the building standards technical handbooks which will provide the relevant guidance for industry, and this is due to be published in Autumn 2023.

Introduction of the new trains into passenger service is a matter for Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) given SPT is responsible for both the Glasgow Subway modernisation programme and the operation of the Glasgow subway. Introductory dates for the new trains into passenger service have not been set by SPT nor has SPT previously set out proposed introductory dates in reporting. Testing of the new trains and development of the safety case is ongoing as part of the new rolling stock subway modernisation workstream towards new fleet introduction to passenger service in autumn 2023.

Since its first meeting on 17 May 2023, the New Deal for Business Group has been working at pace to examine how the Scottish Government can improve its relationship with businesses and partners to help build a fairer, greener and growing wellbeing economy.

The group, which I co-chair with Dr Poonam Malik of Strathclyde University, has been considering the key areas of a shared awareness of economic conditions and performance; ensuring the best environment to do business; enhanced partnership working and a transition to a wellbeing economy

Today, I am publishing a report on the progress of and the recommendations of the group which can be found here:

https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835210826

The report has been informed by the work of five subgroups and focusses on regulation, business partnership, Non-Domestic Rates, Wellbeing Economy and Data and Metrics.

The report has been sent to the First Minister for his consideration and we are developing an implementation plan to support the recommendations being taken forward.

I would like to thank all of those who have contributed to the NDBG and its Subgroups, bringing their knowledge and expertise to this important work.