Chamber and committees

Engagement between the Scottish Government and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in relation to the timing of Winter Heating Payment next winter is already underway. That includes discussion on the transfer of client data to Social Security Scotland.

As set out in S6W-15012 on 6 March 2023, DWP were unable to provide the data prior to 31 January 2023 that would have allowed earlier payments in the first year of delivery.

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

Last year the Scottish Government consulted on proposals for a National Litter and Flytipping Strategy. The consultation included proposals to encourage behaviour change, improve infrastructure and services and strengthen enforcement, including a review of the current enforcement model. A final strategy will be published this year.

In addition, we are supporting local authorities to prepare for the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme next year, which will help to reduce the amount of waste, including litter, that local authorities have to handle, reducing the £36 million of public money spent annually on associated litter clean-up costs.

We will also be taking forward action to strengthen enforcement through the planned Circular Economy Bill this year.

The Scottish Government now mandates the real Living Wage in its contracts and those contractors will now pay the real Living Wage either through a change of supplier during a re-let or via contract management processes. As such, we are not aware of any suppliers who do not pay the real Living Wage to employees directly involved in services to the Scottish Government.

A consultation on the final Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and its first Delivery Plan will take place over Summer 2023. Publication of the final versions of both the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and the first Delivery Plan will follow in Autumn 2023.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17446 on 9 May 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at the https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

In March 2022 the then Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy wrote an open letter encouraging all businesses to sever links with Russia. The Scottish Government policy of not supporting trade and investment activity with Russia is in addition to the UK’s legally binding sanctions regime; ultimately we cannot force businesses to act if what they plan is otherwise lawful, including not breaching the UK sanctions regime.

Our economic agencies undertake a number of checks on businesses to identify any ongoing investment, trading, or other links with Russia, and steps they have taken to withdraw from them, while recognising where it may not be feasible, for example due to contractual obligations or if staff safety might be jeopardised.

All findings from the 2016–2022 Rural Affairs Food and Environment Research Programme evaluation can be found in the published reports:

2016-2022 Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Research Programme Evaluation Main Report .

2016-2022 Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Research Programme Evaluation - Highlights Report .

Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a Special Adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers.

The total cost of Special Advisers employed during the financial year 2020-21 was £1,618,713.47. Total cost includes all salary costs, employer NI, and employer pension contributions. The level of employer NI and pension contribution is not a matter for the Scottish Government.

The cost of Special Advisers during 2020-21 was based on the following Pay Bands and Pay Ranges:

The Third NASCO Performance Review was carried out to evaluate the functioning and effectiveness of NASCO and to identify areas where improvements are needed to strengthen the Organisation, and to enhance the implementation of the NASCO Convention, and it’s Resolutions, Agreements, and Guidelines. The report of the independent review panel will be considered by the Contracting Parties to NASCO at its 40 th Annual Meeting in June 2023.

The Scottish Government are committed to working with COSLA, ADES and our partners on the Additional Support for Learning Project Board to deliver improvements in additional support for learning implementation and to ensure meaningful change for children and young people through our Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.

The Project Board considered progress on the National Measurement Framework at its meeting on 30 th January 2023. The Project Board agreed that further work was needed to ensure that the correct outcome measures are gathered and measured so that the Framework can be properly utilised and deliver clear evidence of change or improvement in the implementation of additional support for learning. Once this work has been completed it will be further tested with stakeholders prior to being adopted into practice. It is anticipated that this work will be completed during the course of the coming year.

The Scottish Government will continue to report on the progress of implementation of the ASL Action Plan, including development of the National Measurement Framework, through formal progress reports. The next progress report is due to be published in May 2024.