Chamber and committees

There are 107 entries in the pilot of the Cladding Remediation Programme.

Pilot assessments have been undertaken for 30 of the entries. A pilot assessment includes those carried out prior to the publication of the Single Building Assessment (SBA) specification on 21 June 2024. This number relates to known pilot assessments only; developers, homeowners or other organisations could have commissioned assessments without informing the Scottish Government. Therefore, the true number may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

Works to mitigate or remediate risks have started for five of the entries. Works in this context refers to any action taken to address known cladding-related risks, including Urgent Interim Measures. This number relates to known works on a pilot entry only; developers or other organisations could have carried out works without informing the Scottish Government. Again, this means the true number may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

Works to remediate risks have not been completed for any of the entries. Although work on the external wall cladding system has been undertaken on one building, an SBA – carried out to the standard to be specified by Scottish Ministers under section 32 of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024 – is required to ensure that all works required have been identified and completed ahead of the remediation being designated as complete.

Within the difficult financial environment a decision has not yet been made on the funding for the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) scheme for 2025-26.

Any decision on funding for LIFT will be made within the full context of the Scottish Government’s budget discussions for FY 2025-26.

The Scottish Government remains committed to maximising the important contribution forestry makes in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises, despite the most challenging budget settlement from the UK Government since devolution.

As announced in the Programme for Government in 24-25 around 10,000 hectares of new woodland, including around 4,000 hectares of native woodland will be created. Putting this in context, it will still allow Scotland to create more woodland than the rest of the UK combined.

To support this work Scottish Forestry continues to develop the Woodland Carbon Code, which provides an alternative revenue stream for land owners to support woodland creation. Scottish Forestry have already exceeded the target to increase the woodland carbon market by 50% by 2025. This year Scottish Forestry are piloting a new funding scheme allowing applicants to access a reduced public grant alongside Woodland Carbon Code funding, which will allow greater woodland creation to take place with reduced public funds. SF are also in the process of rolling out improvements to systems and processes to make the woodland creation application process more efficient and transparent, these are captured in a new Woodland Creation Route Map which will be published shortly.

The National Electricity Framework is used by all sectors including, Local Authorities, NHS bodies, Universities and Colleges, Central Government inc NDPBs and agencies, Housing Associations, Charities etc. The split of % usage of the electricity framework is as follows:

Information on Single Building Assessments and the number of buildings in the Cladding Remediation Programme and the level of spend on the programme, is published and updated on a quarterly basis on the Scottish Government website -Single Building Assessment programme: spending information - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The upcoming Disability Equality Plan, however, will set out an intention to improve disability-specific evidence in collaboration with Disabled Peoples Organisations.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of analysing, collecting and publishing disability data alongside other equalities breakdowns. This is set out in the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025.

There is currently no plan to repeat this publication.

A number of public health campaigns will continue to run. Public Health Scotland will continue to undertake targeted communications work for vaccine programmes, including Winter Flu, to ensure those who are eligible for vaccinations are aware and encouraged to take them up. The Scottish Government’s Detect Cancer Early and Dementia campaigns are currently running and a number of public health topics continue to be supported by social media, public relations and partner marketing, which is delivered directly by the Scottish Government Communications Directorate.

Protecting and restoring our natural environment is key to addressing the twin crises of nature loss and climate change. Our commitment to the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF), and to introduce a Natural Environment Bill which will set a framework for statutory targets to restore and protect nature, are reiterated in our most recent Programme for Government.

While capital funding of £5 million from this year’s NRF allocation to Local Authorities has been redirected to fund the public sector pay offer, it will be restored in 2025-26. The competitive strand of the NRF, administered by NatureScot, remains unaffected by this temporary reallocation of local authority funding.

I refer the member to the answer to question: S6W-26978 on 7 May 2024, which details the spend and homes delivered by local authority area; S6W-27110 on 14 May 2024, which provides details on applications approved; and S6W-27112 on 14 May 2024 which details the spend by applicant in the 2023-2024 National Acquisition Programme. 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 2023-2024, the National Acquisition Programme helped to bring almost 1,500 homes into affordable use, 94% (1,413) of which were homes for social rent. Due to the effectiveness of this programme in accelerating the delivery of affordable homes and boosting affordable housing supply, we have allocated the additional £40 million in 2024-2025 to acquire properties to help with temporary accommodation pressures or, where appropriate, to bring long term void properties back into use with a further £40 million being made available in 2025-2026.