Chamber and committees

I would refer to the answer provided in respect of S6W-36157 on 2 May 2025 as regards my role as head of the system of prosecutions in Scotland and direction of the police.

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

Scheme allocations are not routinely published, however, Ms. Martin wrote to the convener of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on the 28th of February 2025 detailing the 25-26 budget allocation across the Heat in Buildings Schemes, including an allocation for the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund. As many of our schemes, including the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund, are demand-led, allocations may change within the financial year.

Social Security Scotland staff who assess applications receive comprehensive training developed in consultation with people with lived experience of health conditions and disabilities.

Due to the complexities and range of health conditions, decision makers are also supported by in-house Health and Social Care practitioners and equipped with the guidance necessary to properly assess the impact of young adult cancers and all other health conditions.

Training includes case studies which highlight a range of health conditions and disabilities, and Clinical Operations colleagues have delivered sessions on general cancer awareness.

As part of its commitment to providing a learning service, Social Security Scotland always welcomes feedback from clients. This helps the organisation understand clients’ views and improve their experience wherever possible.

A national public energy company that is involved in large-scale energy generation would only be possible in an independent Scotland where we had full powers over the energy market and full access to borrowing. The Green Industrial Strategy sets out how the people of Scotland will see maximum benefits from Scotland’s energy transition, including identifying Scotland’s wind economy as one of the five opportunity areas.

We are investing up to £500m over five years to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland and are almost tripling our capital funding to £150 million in 2025-26.

There are twenty-five operational windfarms on Scotland’s national forests and land, managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. None of the windfarms are community owned in whole or part.

The Scottish Government’s Circular Economy & Waste Route Map and 2020 Climate Change Plan update included our commitment to consult on the separate collection of textile waste from households. A consultation was launched on 25 March 2025: Changes to waste management services - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space

The consultation will provide evidence and views on how we can prevent textiles becoming waste through more recycling and reuse, including through kerbside collection or measures at Household Waste Recycling Centres. The findings will inform the co-design of the new household recycling Code of Practice and be subject to further policy development with local government and other waste sector stakeholders.

Zero Waste Scotland began research on product stewardship considerations for textiles in Scotland in 2023. The final report will be published in 2025 and will provide a detailed view of textiles material flow across the Scottish value chain, stakeholder insights to required policy interventions and analysis of potential measures that take account of practicality, feasibility and impact.

WRAP is taking action to transform the way that textiles and clothing are bought, used and re-used. They are working with leaders in the UK and globally to develop, share and scale new processes.

Transport Scotland doesn’t, as a matter of course, undertake assessments of traffic levels at Sheriffhall roundabout, or other locations on the strategic road network. Traffic data is captured on an ongoing basis for specific projects or studies.

Congestion and traffic levels were assessed as part of the transport appraisal that supported the first Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR), published in 2008, which led on to improvements to the junction being tabled under intervention 22.

Subsequently detailed consideration of traffic levels at this junction was undertaken in the SESplan A720 Cross Boundary Study, published in 2017, which recognised that the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass plays a fundamental role in providing strategic connectivity and supporting economic development within the region and noted that Sheriffhall roundabout is a well-known bottleneck for travellers using and crossing the A720.

Traffic counts were undertaken at the existing junction in 2014, 2017 and 2018 as part of the development of the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout project. This information helped inform the projected traffic flows both with and without the proposed improvements as part of the scheme assessment process. In addition, traffic data from permanent automatic traffic counters maintained by Transport Scotland between 2008 and 2017 was also examined.

Household soft plastics are not routinely recycled by Scottish Local Authorities. Data is not collected specifically on soft plastics, but Zero Waste Scotland extrapolate from SEPA annual estimates of the amount of plastic waste generated in Scotland and managed in / out with Scotland in the Waste From All Sources report: Waste (from all sources). It is not possible to break this analysis down into sub-types of plastic waste.

MV Glen Sannox was transferred to CMAL on 20 November 2024.

The Scottish Government welcomes this report and will fully consider the Action Against Stalking report recommendations and will work in partnership to consider current policy and how recommendations may be taken forward.