Chamber and committees

This is a matter for ScotRail. The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

The Heat in Building Strategy (October 2021) states that we will build on existing regulations to require existing non-domestic buildings to reduce demand for heat where appropriate, and install a zero emissions heating supply, within the extent of our powers. The Scottish Government is committed to working with commercial and public sector organisations across Scotland to develop the regulatory and support framework that will enable all non-domestic buildings to reduce their direct greenhouse gas emissions. We will consult on primary legislative powers in the coming months. However, we have not, to date, made any proposals around requiring non-domestic rented properties to achieve EPC C by 2028.

The rating on a non-domestic EPC cannot be compared with the relative rating used on domestic EPCs. This is because non-domestic EPCs use fundamentally different calculation methodologies and rating scales. Domestic EPC ratings are currently based on calculated running costs for a dwelling. Non-domestic EPC ratings are based on calculated direct and indirect emissions from the building and estimate a building’s absolute energy demand. We recognise the need for reform of EPCs and first consulted on proposals in 2021. We will consult on finalised proposals later in 2023.

The range of non-domestic EPC ratings for buildings within the Scottish Government Estate reflect their varied use as greenhouses, laboratories, storage units and offices. The variety of activities and building types in the non-domestic built environment will require many different options for decarbonisation - reflecting, for example, the difference between an office in Edinburgh and a laboratory in Aberdeen. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the public sector playing its part and the Bute House Agreement includes a commitment to develop and agree a series of phased targets for all publicly-owned buildings to meet zero emission heating requirements, with a backstop of 2038.

An Estate Strategy for SG Core buildings is under development to support our asset planning and the future investment decisions required to deliver the Heat in Building Strategy and Net Zero targets.

As of Friday 9 June, 45 members of staff were working in the Deposit Return Scheme Division. The FTE is 43.2

We do not hold information on how many staff have worked on DRS each year since development began as DRS sat within a wider division with staff covering a range of issues. A separate division for DRS was created in March this year.

Details of the infrastructure improvements to be constructed as part of the Aberdeen Central Belt Journey Time Improvements Project will be contained with the Outline Business Case for the project, which will be available once complete.

A short-term pilot led by the Refugee Survival Trust and third sector partners in Glasgow commenced on Monday 30 January and will run until July.

The pilot provides free bus travel to people seeking asylum living in Glasgow for three months, along with information and digital support to access and use the pass.

The information gathered from this pilot will help inform options on how to deliver our Programme for Government commitment to consider how best to provide free bus travel to people seeking asylum in Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18475 on 16 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

The Scottish Government has committed to making £3.5 billion available in this Parliamentary term towards the delivery of more social and affordable homes as part of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

The report is currently being finalised and will be published later in 2023 once this process has been completed.

The First Minister’s vision for Scotland published in April 2023 sets out the commitment for enhancing protection for our most precious marine areas. This commitment also includes making progress towards halting biodiversity loss and reversing declines, protecting at least 30% of our land and seas for nature by 2030.

Specific targets relating to ensure the seabed habitats are healthy and sustainable can be found within Part One of the UK Marine Strategy which provides an assessment of our seas and sets objectives, targets and indicators for achieving Good Environmental Status (GES). The high-level objective for GES relating to benthic habitats is “the health of seabed habitats is not significantly adversely affected by human activities.” Under this objective there are four criteria and targets for measuring process towards GES which includes:

1. Spatial extent of physical loss- the physical loss of each seabed habitat type caused by human activities is minimised and where possible reversed;

2. Habitat condition- habitat loss of sensitive fragile or important habitats caused by human activities is prevented, and where feasible reversed;

3. Spatial extent of habitat types adversely affected by physical disturbance- the extent of habitat types adversely affected by physical disturbance caused by human activity should be minimised; and

4. Extent of adverse effects- the extent of adverse effects caused by human activities on condition, function and ecosystem processes of habitats is minimised.

This work was produced externally to the Scottish Government. Scottish public sector representatives on the project board were sighted on the methodologies and evidence used to calculate relevant estimates and were involved in discussions with the report authors during the lifetime of the project. As noted in the report, the authors are responsible for the final report.