Chamber and committees

Since 2021, we have provided almost £90 million of funding to social housing providers, including local authorities, through the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund (SHNZHF). This has supported the installation of clean heating and energy efficiency measures to over 13,000 homes, helping tenants reduce their energy bills and emissions, while addressing poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty.

In our 2026-27 budget, we committed over £300 million to Heat in Buildings capital programmes for retrofit and energy efficiency improvements, including in social housing. I can confirm that the SHNZHF opened to new applications on 23 March and closed on 11 May, with the appraisal of the applications received now underway.

The Private Jet Tax will be implemented as higher rates of Air Departure Tax (ADT)which will apply to the carriage of passengers by air on private jet flights from Scottish airports.

Social Security Scotland regularly publishes statistics on Adult Disability Payment statistics to 31 January 2026 - Social Security Scotland.

However, information on the number of people in receipt of Adult Disability Payment where anxiety is recorded as the principal qualifying condition, broken down by age, sex and local authority area, is not available. Published statistics provide data on primary disabling conditions at a broader level.

Latest figures, published on 17 March 2026, show that as of 31 January 2026, 88,315 people were recorded in the sub-category neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (F40–F48), which includes anxiety. Breakdowns by age, sex and local authority area are available for the overall caseload, but not for individual conditions or sub-categories.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to delivering on its commitment to increase the number of GPs in Scotland by 800 by 2027. Since 2017 GP headcount has increased by 526 and there are 5,423 GPs now working in Scotland.

In regards to a) Highland Main Line, I refer the Member to the answer to question S6W-27087 on 7 May 2026.

In regards to (b) Far North Line, the Scottish Government granted authority and funding for enhancements to the Radio Electronic Token Block signalling system on the Far North Line and for line speed improvements at various points on the Line and the majority of these enhancements are now completed. In relation passing loops, I refer the Member to answer to question S6W-29458 on 17 September 2024.

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

Transport Scotland continually revises its programme of works against priorities in the context of available funding. This ensures it can deliver the right projects at the right time as it seeks to progress its rolling programme of decarbonisation, whilst also delivering rail passenger and freight services that meet user expectations.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is still at an early stage in developing its franchising framework and assessment. It is important that their business case for improving bus services through franchising is made robustly and in an evidenced based way to support any future consideration of funding. Decisions on the allocations of Scottish Government funding in future years is subject to the annual Budget Bill process.

We are committed to investing £4 million in 2026-27 to support local transport authorities to build their business cases for local bus improvements through franchising. We want all local transport authorities to explore the powers available to them and make the necessary improvements as they see fit. Work on the appropriate governance arrangements is continuing to help administer this fund.

Protecting and preserving war memorials remains a priority demonstrated through ongoing support, including funding from Historic Environment Scotland to the War Memorials Trust, and through the ability for sites to be considered for listing or designation. More broadly, Ministers remain committed to ensuring that service personnel, veterans and their families can access the support and services they need, reflected in their commitment to the UK Veterans Strategy.

On the protection afforded to war memorials from damage by the criminal law, Ministers can reassure communities and armed forces groups that existing law already allows such offences to be prosecuted, that current offences available to independent prosecutors includes a common law offence of malicious mischief where the sentencing powers are unlimited and that the court and prosecutors already take into account community impact and trauma as highlighted in evidence to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee during consideration of the Desecration of War Memorials (Scotland) Bill in the last session. Additionally, Ministers will be making decisions on further action and in that context, Ministers welcome representations - including from Members - on further action.

Global events continue to reinforce the impact of high energy prices with the crisis in the Middle East significantly increasing the cost of heating oil and liquid petroleum gas ("LPG"). That is why the Scottish Government launched the Scottish Emergency Heating Oil Scheme on 1 April, more than doubling the support made available from the UK Government. Eligible households can apply for support of £300 towards the cost of heating oil or LPG.

The Scottish Government also proactively supports vulnerable households through our energy efficiency schemes, winter heating benefits, investment in free income maximisation support, welfare and debt advice. We have maintained investment in the Scottish Welfare Fund, providing vital support to those in crisis.

However, energy pricing and regulation is fully reserved to the UK Government, and that is why the Scottish Parliament recently passed a motion calling for energy powers to be immediately devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

The UK Government must take their responsibilities seriously by putting in place robust and effective consumer protections and introducing targeted energy bill discounts, available to all fuel users, to reduce the number of households in fuel poverty.

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Action Plan on Wildfires sets out a coordinated approach to preventing, preparing for and responding to wildfires, including through national initiatives to strengthen resilience to all climate-related hazards as outlined in the Scottish National Adaptation Plan, such as peatland restoration.

Through our world leading Peatland ACTION programme, we have carried out restoration on over 59,000 hectares of peatland since 2020, including a record 15,448 hectares in 2025-26. This work will continue in 2026-27, investing a further £28 million to deliver at least another 10,000 ha of peatland restoration, towards our aim of restoring more than 400,000 ha of peatland by 2040. In the immediate aftermath of wildfire, however, time is required to allow natural revegetation processes to take place before significant restoration interventions can be implemented.

Over time, this will ensure that healthy peatlands will continue to play their significant part in the multi-faceted approach we are taking to managing the increasing risk of these devastating events, with healthy restored peatland providing significant protection against the spread of wildfire.

In a Statement to Parliament yesterday, I confirmed the Scottish Government’s intention to change the law to facilitate phone free learning environments.

I confirmed we are beginning a consultation on phone free classrooms legislation within our first 100 days, and are working with education authorities to update guidance to encourage action from the start of the new school year in August, in advance of a change in the law. These commitments reflect the fact that personal devices can cause distraction and disruption and are not ordinarily used for learning. International evidence indicates that purposeful use of digital technology in education can enhance learning experiences. The level of impact depends on the nature of the task, the educational purpose it serves, and how well it is supported by effective pedagogy and professional judgement.

In schools, digital tools support structured activities such as research, writing, collaboration, creativity and accessibility. This is fundamentally different from the recreational or open-ended use often associated with personal devices at home. Decisions about when and how these tools are used are for local authorities and schools. Teachers use their professional judgement, taking account of the age and stage of learners, the wider needs of the child, and the need to balance digital activity with play, interaction and physical activity.