Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has had no engagement with the administrators of British Polar Engines Limited.

The Scottish Government does not publish local authority analysis for single years from the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS), due to insufficient sample sizes.

The Scottish Government does usually publish local authority analysis using a three year pooled data set to ensure sufficient sample sizes. As set out in the most recent Scottish House Condition Survey 2021 Key Findings Report, (available at Scottish House Condition Survey 2021 ) there will be no Local Authority publication relating to the 2019 to 2021 three year period for two reasons.

Firstly, due to the Covid-19 pandemic the SHCS survey was suspended and there is no data for 2020. Secondly, the data from the 2021 external+ SHCS is not directly comparable with that for earlier years, due to methodological differences, and therefore it would not be appropriate to combine it with the data for 2019 (or earlier) to produce a multi-year analysis.

The role of legal services are central to the protection of human rights and freedoms, playing a vital role in upholding the rule of law and providing access to justice.

In this regard, the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill sets out a regulatory objective “to protect and promote the interests of consumers and the wider public interest”. There must be a public interest in ensuring that the basic needs of all citizens are satisfied.

Ministers are clear in their understanding of the need for independence in the legal profession, the Bill sets out a regulatory objective “to promote an independent, strong and diverse legal profession”.

There remains a need for regulation to operate in the public interest as well as that of the legal profession. Therefore, there should be a process to review the performance of a regulator in the light of issues being raised on how and whether regulators are delivering their regulatory objectives and the operation of regulation in relation to the public interest.

The provisions contained in the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill were considered by Cabinet in advance of the Bill being introduced to the Scottish Parliament.

As set out in the news release published on the Scottish Government website on 31 May, we recognise that proposals can take some time to be fully developed, so we have planned for up to £500,000 loan funding per annum to be available for investment in suitable proposals. We would strongly encourage prospective applicants to contact us in the earliest stages of their considerations via [email protected].

There is no recommended minimum distance between onshore wind turbines and residential properties. Policy 11 of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) makes clear that potential impacts on communities, nature and other receptors will be important considerations in the decision-making process. Additionally, the policy requires that project design and mitigation will demonstrate how impacts on communities and individual dwellings, including residential amenity, visual impact, noise and shadow flicker will be addressed. All applications are subject to site-specific assessments.

All planning applications must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), adopted 13 February this year, forms part of the statutory development plan alongside the relevant Local Development Plan (LDP).

NPF4 places climate and nature at the centre of our planning system and makes clear our support for all forms of renewable, low-carbon and zero emission technologies, including onshore wind.

NPF4 policy 11 makes clear that potential impacts on communities, nature and other receptors remain important considerations in the decision-making process. Additionally, the policy requires that project design and mitigation will demonstrate how impacts on communities and individual dwellings, including residential amenity, visual impact, noise and shadow flicker will be addressed. All applications are subject to site-specific assessments, including Environmental Impact Assessment where applicable.

NPF4 replaces Scottish Planning Policy (2014) ‘SPP’, including the approach to spatial frameworks for onshore wind previously set out in Table 1 of SPP.

On 16 June 2023, the First Minister represented the Scottish Government at the Summit meeting of the British-Irish Council hosted by the Government of Jersey. The meeting was attended by Ministers from seven of the eight of the BIC Member Administrations with Northern Ireland represented by senior officials in an observational capacity.

The Summit meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister of Jersey Kristina Moore, who welcomed delegates to Jersey at a dinner on the Thursday evening ahead of the Summit.

The Summit focussed on “Building for the Future: Green and Affordable” which offered the opportunity to discuss housing challenges faced by all of the BIC member administrations. This included affordable housing, decarbonisation of heat and modern methods of construction and whilst in Jersey, the First Minister attended a site visit to a building project in St Helier which employs offsite construction methods.

This discussion followed on from a meeting of the BIC Housing Ministers on 5 June at which I represented the Scottish Government. I welcome the opportunity that this forum presents the Governments of these islands for closer collaboration and look forward to increased engagement around the common challenges we face.

On the latest Political Developments item, the First Minster reflected on the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the importance of re-establishing political institutions in Northern Ireland. The First Minister highlighted the continued importance of developing measures to help support households and business during the cost-of-living crisis, EU relations intergovernmental relations in the United Kingdom, and voiced continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine. The First Minister also took the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with the Taoiseach, the Tnaiste, the First Minister of Wales, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and had introductory meetings with the Chief Ministers of the Crown Dependencies.

The Communiqué that was issued by the British-Irish Council after the meeting can be found on its website at: britishirishcouncil.org.

I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government has today published a high-level response to the Scottish Mental Health Law Review .

The Review, chaired by Lord Scott KC, recommended changes to mental health and capacity law, policy and practice to improve the protection and fulfilment of human rights in the short, medium and long term.

Our response outlines our intention to establish a new long-term programme of improvement and reform in response to the ambition set out by the Review. In it, we set out our vision for change and outline our priorities for reform.

The Mental Health and Capacity Reform Programme will update and modernise our mental health and capacity legislation to better align with international human rights. It will be a long term programme that supports change to give people greater control over their own lives, care and treatment.

An early focus will be on strengthening rights protections for Adults with Incapacity, improving support for decision-making and the way in which human rights are put into practice. The response and early priorities have been informed by our initial engagement with a range of stakeholders.

A process of broader engagement will commence over the coming months to develop and refine the detail of our plans and support progress in putting these into action. Further detail about the Programme and plans for delivery will be published in stages from Autumn 2023. I will seek to secure a slot for a Ministerial statement at that stage to ensure that members can contribute to a discussion on our plans for a Mental Health and Capacity Reform Programme.

Zero Waste Scotland will publish their report on the environmental impacts of single use vapes on 30 June 2023.

The review was commissioned by myself on 20 January 2023 in response to emerging concerns including litter, plastic waste and risk of fires. The report examines the impacts of single use vapes on the environment and considers potential policy options to tackle the issue. The report will be available on the Zero Waste Scotland website. Following publication, the Scottish Government will consider the review, with a view to setting out a preferred way forward as part of its response.

The detailed information requested is currently being collated by Skills Development Scotland and I will write to the member as soon as this data is available and a copy will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib number 64366).