Chamber and committees

Short-term let licensing and powers to designate control areas allow local authorities to strike a balance between the economic benefits of short-term lets and the needs and concerns of communities in their areas. It is for local authorities to use the powers available to them to achieve the right balance in their areas recognising the need for a thriving tourist economy, as well as having sufficient homes for people to live in.

The short-term let licensing scheme will ensure that all short-term lets in Scotland comply with basic safety standards. Many hosts will already be following these standards as a matter of compliance with existing law or best practice. We do not consider them to be onerous. Whether someone is sharing their own home or letting a portfolio of properties, in rural Skye or in central Edinburgh, safety matters.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering a Net Zero, Wellbeing economy and a highly skilled workforce is critical to this ambition. Our National Strategy for Economic Transformation is clear that we must adapt our education and skills system to become more responsive and agile so that it can deliver on our key priorities. Published in 2020, the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) provides a framework for green skills planning and investment across regions and priority sectors.

Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council are progressing Pathfinder projects to identify the skills requirements necessary to support the priority sectors identified in CESAP including in heat decarbonisation. The Pathfinders are operating in Glasgow City and Shetland Islands and the findings will strengthen the green skills evidence base and inform further action to address green skills gaps.

On behalf of the Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland work with Industry Leadership Groups and other key industry players to develop Regional and Sector Skills Investment Plans. They are created through a process of labour market and skills supply research and analysis, industry consultation and action planning with industry and partners across Scotland’s education and skills system.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17263 on 4 May 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 Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) details a variety of reasons why people do not always report instances of cyber fraud to Police Scotland. This includes dealing with the issue personally or reporting it to another authority, such as a bank.

Both the Scottish Government and Police Scotland encourage anyone in Scotland who may have been the victim of cyber fraud to call 101 or report it to any Police Officer or at any Police Station. Police Scotland will investigate all crimes reported to them whilst being mindful of the need to provide support and advice to the victim. Where an individual or organisation is subject to a cyber dependant crime, Police Scotland actively encourage reporting in order that their specialist investigative teams can offer support and guidance on mitigation.

The current contract between Ferguson Marine and BAE Systems ends on 30 June 2023.

This information is not held centrally. Criminal Proceedings data counts people proceeded against and convicted in Scottish courts. It does not include details of disposals relating to animals.

As a government, we are convinced that hydrogen, alongside renewable electricity, will play an extremely important part in our energy system going forward. We are scaling up renewable energy and taking action to transform and expand Scotland’s energy generation sector. The draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan which is open for consultation until 9 May, sets out actions to ensure that Scotland is home to a multi-skilled energy workforce, boosting our domestic supply chain and manufacturing capabilities.

Through the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET), the Scottish Government is driving forward the transformation of Scotland’s Economy by committing to six programmes of action that will focus on stimulating entrepreneurship; opening new markets; increasing productivity; developing the skills we need for the decade ahead; ensuring fairer and more equal economic opportunities; and creating a new culture of delivery. We have established a clear set of metrics, which we will use to assess our performance against the long-term objectives set in NSET, and have been chosen to represent the key areas where NSET seeks to shift the dial.

The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering work across Government, Parliament and beyond, to reduce drug-related deaths throughout Scotland, including Lanarkshire, and our National Mission will help achieve that. The National Mission has reviewed and learned from best practice at home and internationally and concluded that a public health approach to drugs is the most effective way forward.

A key part of that National Mission is the delivery of our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards and in Lanarkshire there is an Oversight and Implementation Group which has been established to oversee the implementation of these Standards. The group meet monthly and has Pan-Lanarkshire representation, including lived experience and family representatives.

They have submitted implementation plans to the Scottish Government, are reporting monthly on their progress, and are working with the Public Health Scotland led MIST (MAT Implementation Support Team) who are supporting areas to implement the standards.

NHS Lanarkshire is one of the highest performing Board areas in Scotland with regards to low waiting times. They continue to meet and exceed the waiting times target that 90% of people referred for help with problematic drug or alcohol use will wait no longer than three weeks for specialist treatment that supports their recovery.

There is a pan-Lanarkshire response to near-fatal overdoses in place via the Scottish Ambulance Service, and they have commissioned third sector outreach organisations to further support those with problem substance use and they have also implemented peer support initiatives. In addition to this work to support people still in active addiction, they also have a strong local recovery communities network.

The provision and deployment of Taser is an operational matter for the Chief Constable of Police Scotland.

As the First Minister said on Tuesday, he has asked officials to go back to the drawing board on potential proposals to restrict alcohol advertising and promotion.

It is crucial that we prevent and reduce alcohol-related harms, particularly to young people, but that aim has to be balanced with careful consideration of the impact restrictions may have on business.

We will be reflecting on the feedback we received from stakeholders during the recent Ministerial roundtables and will analyse the public consultation responses to understand the views and perspectives of those that responded. Further consultation and engagement with public health stakeholders and businesses will take place as our work progresses.