Chamber and committees

STPR2 is a long-term vision of this government’s ambition for transport investment and highlights essential projects for the next two decades. Given that this is a 20-year programme, some elements will not commence immediately. The delivery of the STPR2 recommendations is subject to the funding allocations agreed by Parliament each year through the annual budget process.

The Scottish Government is facing a real terms cut in our capital budget. The flat and falling funding trajectory from the UK Government will and has significantly impacted our ability to deliver on our capital infrastructure commitments.

The UK Government have not inflation-proofed their Capital Budget which is forecast to result in 9.8% real terms cut in our capital funding over the medium term between 2023-24 and 2027-28.

Given the worsening outlook for capital, it will take more time to prepare the multi-year capital allocations and to refresh the infrastructure investment pipeline. We are therefore having to make tough decisions on our infrastructure projects pipeline to ensure we spend within our means while delivering for the people of Scotland.

Development of the STPR2 delivery plan is underway. This takes account of the current financial climate and is examining existing schemes across all modes in addition to the STPR2 recommendations.

Estimated costs for each recommendation was considered during detailed appraisal stage of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review.

The appraisal reports can be accessed here: Final technical report - December 2022 - STPR2 | Transport Scotland .

The Scottish Government’s current focus is on our previously stated objectives to complete the vessels for our island communities, to support the workforce of Ferguson Marine and to ensure a sustainable future for the shipyard.

The spend on the vessels is subject to oversight by the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee and scrutiny by Audit Scotland. This will continue.

I am advised that Education Scotland’s draft Professional Learning Framework has been an iterative process, developed as a result of formal and informal feedback from a wide range of practitioners and other users who have participated in Education Scotland’s professional learning. This includes direct work with Local Authorities, schools, teachers, Senior Managers in schools, and other stakeholders. Evaluations from these activities and discussions with users over a two-to-three-year period, has shaped our current offer.

Some of the stakeholders involved in shaping the concept and content of the draft Framework are:

• ES Inclusion Link officers National Network. Almost all 32 local authority officers attended a presentation of the Professional Learning Framework and provided feedback.
• ASLO (Additional Support for Learning Link Officer) National Network, which been involved in commenting over the development phase of the framework. Almost all authorities are represented on this Network.
• Social Emotional and Behavioural Needs National Network representing 31 Education Authorities.
• Complex Needs National Network. 32 Local Authority representatives working with the most challenging children and young people, have provided feedback.
• Evidence from recent Collaborative Improvement Activity with Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, and Scottish Borders, helped to identify gaps in resources, and where a refresh of resources and/or focus was required in current materials.
• Cheryl Burnet National Parent Council.
• National Network comprising Children’s Parliament, Young Scott, UNICEF, Children in Scotland all of whom are part of a and helped us to identify strengths and gaps in resources.
• SG Programme boards in Inclusion, behaviour, anti-racism, gender, Hate Crime, and LGBTI.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS). As such, operational decisions regarding power of attorney applications are the responsibility of SCTS under the leadership of its independent board headed by the Lord President.

The Scottish Government has provided SCTS with additional funding since 2021 to support OPG recovery and further additional funding last year to support the replacement of the Office of the Public Guardian IT system.

Work on the new OPG IT system, which is expected to reduce processing times for power of attorney applications, is progressing as planned and it is expected that the first phase of the work will be completed this year.

The Scottish Government typically meets OPG once every 3-6 months to discuss ongoing business matters, including registration of powers of attorney.

The Scottish Government has a broad range of delivery programmes which make advice and funding support on energy efficiency and low carbon heating available to households and businesses across Scotland. The Home Energy Scotland (HES) and Business Energy Scotland (BES) advice services offer free, bespoke, impartial advice, and also act as the gateway to our flagship fuel poverty scheme, Warmer Homes Scotland, and to other Scottish Government funding schemes such as the HES Grant and Loan and the SME Loan and Cashback.

Scotland’s Heat Network Fund (SHNF) supports the construction of new zero direct emission heat networks and communal heating systems, as well as the expansion and decarbonisation of existing heat networks across Scotland.

Registered Social Landlords are encouraged to make use of available funding sources for retrofit, which includes the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund. This fund supports both the deployment of clean heating and ”fabric first” enhancements, helping landlords deliver warmer and more energy efficient homes.

Communities and local council areas are also supported through Area Based Schemes (ABS), delivered by all local authorities in Scotland, which target fuel poor areas to provide energy efficiency measures to a large number of Scottish households and help reduce fuel poverty, and the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) which provides advice and funding to communities across Scotland looking to develop renewable energy, heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects.

It is anticipated that a modest budget would be required to support the initial development of a nationally-led mobility hubs framework.

Through best practice review and engagement with transport operators, service providers and local authorities across the country, this framework would provide guidance around delivery models for mobility hubs and the toolkit necessary to support the identification of appropriate locations, including the range of travel options suitable for different site types.

Further details on this topic can be found here: https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/52526/recommendation-22-framework-for-delivery-of-mobility-hubs.pdf

STPR2 will inform the Scottish Government’s transport investment programme in Scotland over the next 20 years. The timescale for the delivery of recommendation 22 has not yet been set. However, once this work commences, it is understood to take around 2 years to complete.

The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on a wide range of matters, which includes battery storage facilities to ensure the service is able to respond to incidents with the appropriate resources.

The Dornoch and District Christian Fellowship has not received Scottish Government funding since 2019.

Empty Property Relief was devolved to local authorities on 1 April 2023, and it is for individual local authorities to decide how they will tailor any support for unoccupied property, including listed buildings, to best support their local needs.

As indicated in the recommendations of the New Deal for Business Non-Domestic Rates sub-group, the Scottish Government will undertake an initial review of the devolution of Empty Property Relief before the next revaluation in 2026.

The Scottish Government previously asked the UK Government to confirm whether XL Bully dog owners who live in England and Wales would be committing the offence of sale of an XL Bully dog if a dog owner sought to do that outside of England and Wales. The UK Government were unable to give a definitive answer indicating it would be ‘unlikely’ an offence would be committed in such a situation.

As a result and in a decision not made lightly, the Scottish Government considers it necessary to introduce similar safeguards in Scotland to address growing public safety and animal welfare concerns.

The Scottish Government has worked at pace to develop regulations to introduce the first stage of new safeguards on XL Bully dogs. Subject to approval by Parliament, from 23 February 2024 it will be illegal to rehome, sell, buy, or transfer ownership of an XL Bully dog to another person.