Chamber and committees

Providing the information requested prior to April 2017 could only be answered at disproportionate cost. Following a change to the way we record shared equity sales from 2017-18 we are able to provide the information requested.

Since 2017-18 there have been 7 partial tranche-ups where the Scottish Government still hold an investment. This includes 3 properties purchased through the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme, 2 through the Help to Buy scheme and 2 through the New Supply Shared Equity Scheme.

The Scottish Government have been working with Scottish Swimming, Education Scotland, sport scotland and Scottish Water to develop interventions and approaches to provide opportunities for children to become confident, safer and competent swimmers.

Scottish Swimming aim to run a number of Delivery Model Pilots in 2022-23 to support schools to understand and consider different approaches and models of delivery to help educate and provide opportunities for children across Scotland to experience the water in a fun, safe and inclusive approach. This reflects the many different scenarios faced by schools when deciding how best to support young people to access school swimming.

In terms of the issues reported in Dumfries and Galloway, we understand that the waiting list expanded significantly due to the reduced capacity available to deliver lessons whilst they operated from the temporary swimming pool at Dumfries Ice Bowl. This was then further exaggerated by COVID closures. The local authority are looking at their swimming pool timetables with a view to securing lessons for as many children as possible within their existing resources and available teaching complement.

This information is not collected by Scottish Government.

We do collect information for the number of people accommodated on the MS Victoria. This is published in our monthly statistics on our website. The latest publication was on 20 October 2022 and can be found via: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-in-scotland-statistics-october-2022/pages/welcome-accommodation/

To end of March 2021 629,335* people have accessed Self-directed Support (SDS) since April 2014, with year by year data listed in table 1.

This information is not collected by Scottish Government.

We do collect information for the number of people accommodated on the MS Ambition. This is published in our monthly statistics on our website. The latest publication was on 20 October 2022 and can be found via: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-in-scotland-statistics-october-2022/pages/welcome-accommodation/

As part of the response to the cost crisis, the Scottish Government has engaged closely with business organisations, industry groups and individual businesses to hear their concerns during this significantly challenging time.

As noted in the Emergency Budget Statement on 2 October, this crisis is unprecedented; since the advent of devolution Scotland has not faced a situation that has combined the significant reduction in the Scottish Government's spending power with the massive impact of the cost crisis on households, businesses, public services and the third sector. We are constrained by both the limitations on our powers and on our budgets. This is why the Scottish Government has consistently called for more support from the UK Government to businesses.

Nevertheless, we committed to looking at what we do have devolved competence over, such as devolved regulation. That is why the Deputy First Minister announced that we will be establishing a Joint Regulatory Taskforce with COSLA, local authorities, regulatory agencies and businesses. This will support and drive early progress towards meeting our commitments in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation to review and improve the process of developing, implementing and reviewing regulation to meet our economic and societal aims. Reviewing regulatory burdens on business will be a critical component of this work and we will seek to balance the essential role that regulation plays on driving innovation and achieving economic, societal and environmental goals with the concerns that businesses have expressed about the impact of new regulations during the cost crisis. The intention is to bring members together as soon as possible, hopefully before the end of the year.

There has been no change to the programme timeline.

The following table shows the number of properties, by local authority area, as shown in the Scottish Landlord Register for each month in 2022 to September 2022. In relation to the social rented sector there is no monthly data available. Figures on the new supply of social housing are published as part of Quarterly Housing Statistics that includes information on the number of completions for social rent each quarter. In addition, the Scottish Housing Regulator collects annually, stock data by local authority area as part of social landlords Annual Return on the Charter Statistical information | Scottish Housing Regulator , although the data does not contain stock gain or losses, only figures at year end.

We have been in contact with the representatives of over 50 buildings about the Single Building Assessment programme, with plans to expand this throughout 2023.

The Community Cycling Fund is initially a two-year programme funded by sportscotland and EventScotland and in partnership with the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. It is made up of two separate funding opportunities with investment awarded separately.

The development strand of the fund is administered by sportscotland. This investment will be distributed to all 32 local authorities, through sportscotland’s existing local authority integrated investment processes, to support cycling activity in their area. Awards will range from approximately £5,000 to £33,500 per authority per year, depending on population and levels of deprivation.To date, sportscotland has invested £69,274 across four local authorities and we expect further investment to be issued to local authorities in the coming months. Local authorities have the flexibility to use the fund to meet local needs, building on what is already in place, and responding creatively to what communities want. Engagement between sportscotland and each local authority will take place during the planning stage, prior to any funding request.

The events strand of the fund is administered by EventScotland. The first round of funding has resulted in a commitment of £160,000 to successful events throughout Scotland. The second round of funding is currently open to applications, until 16 November. The events strand is an open fund for local authorities and other organisations to apply, however non-local authority organisers can only apply with the endorsement of their local authority.