Chamber and committees

Information relating to processing times of new applications is published as part of routine statistics publications on Adult Disability Payment. The most recent publication provides information covering the period from 21 March to 31 July 2022. These statistics showed that:

• the shortest time taken to process an application was less than one day;
• the median average processing time was 36 working days; and
• 2% of new applications in the time period took 81 days or longer to process.

The published statistics can be found at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/about/statistics/social-security-scotland-statistics-publications . The next publication, covering to 31 October 2022, will be released in December 2022.

In the 2021-22 Programme for Government and as part of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Government committed to undertake an in-depth analysis to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero. Work is underway and analysis will include a detailed assessment of oil and gas production in Scotland; a study of energy demand; and assessment of the just transition implications of the energy transition. This work will enhance the evidence base for policy making and is expected to report by the end of 2022.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11011 on 4 October 2022. 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

In line with the Scottish Government’s evidence based approach to policy development, we have committed to undertaking a programme of work and analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how this aligns with our climate change targets. We continue to engage with BOGA and as part of a wider programme of analysis and engagement with a range of organisations and stakeholders.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10694 on 27 September 2022. 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 following table gives all Spaces for People expenditure for local authorities and other statutory bodies since April 2022. A small number of local authorities have yet to claim their full agreed grant.

The tender design stage is ongoing, and further work is required prior to the publication of the Invitation to Tender document. However I am hopeful that significant progress on this will be made this year and I will of course continue to keep the member and Parliament updated of any significant developments.

Through our £1 million partnership with the Climate Justice Resilience Fund (CJRF) we have begun to support communities to address the impacts of loss and damage in Bangladesh, the Pacific Region and Malawi. This includes supporting the rights and needs of climate-forced displaced people, as well as helping families make more informed decisions about migration as a means to diversify livelihoods. Separate to the CJRF funding, the Scottish Government is also providing £500,000 to support communities in Malawi facing losses and damages resulting from recent tropical storms. The Scottish Government is funding research on needs assessments and case studies as part of our commitment to build evidence around how to most effectively address loss and damage.

The First Minister and I will be hosting a conference in October [11 & 12] in partnership with the High Level Champions and Global Resilience Partnership, which will explore how we can mobilise finance, drive solutions and develop best practice for addressing losses and damages. We hope to demystify how to fund loss and damage by establishing clear routes to action with the outputs of the conference synthesised into a report launch at COP27.

Asylum is reserved to the UK Parliament and handled by the Home Office. The Scottish Government does not have access to Home Office systems or hold data on individuals who are in the asylum system or who hold refugee status, which could be used to identify how many people who arrived before 24 February 2022 are living in temporary accommodation.

As announced in the Programme for Government on 6 September, the Scottish government made a commitment that ScotRail fares will not increase before March 2023. The Scottish Government is clearly aware that any RPI linked fares rise would hit hard-pressed passengers in the pocket at a time when the cost of living crisis is at its height, and potentially turn them away from rail at a time when we should be encouraging them back.

The Scottish government supports calls for simplification of the current rail fares system and we will be exploring what we might be able to do with the powers the Scottish Government has to make fares easier for all, including through the Fair Fares Review.