Chamber and committees

Proposals for funding via the Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme are reviewed by a panel of technical experts to assess eligibility and value for money. The fund operates on a competitive basis and funding is offered only to projects that clearly meet the scheme’s objectives and have potential to progress to deployment, driving value for money from our investment.

When assessing value for money the panel consider how projects support key Scottish Government net zero priorities. Prior to receiving funding, projects must demonstrate that they have potential to deliver a significant reduction in energy consumption or meet clean heat objectives, provide savings for public bodies and show that the requested support amount is reasonable for the work being completed. In addition to this assessment process, all funding awarded is subject to public procurement regulations.

While the Scottish Government did award funding for the Edinburgh Crown Office project, it was the decision of the COPFS to take this project forward. The Scottish Government does not routinely publish panel appraisals of applications submitted to the scheme; however, a case study containing lessons learned will be published following completion of the project.

To continue to provide the vital services that people need, our public bodies need premises located in our communities. Maintaining these buildings to modern standards – including, but not limited to, climate requirements – will mean ongoing investment in the public estate.

The Scottish Central Government Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme is a demand-led scheme. Project costs will vary on a case-by-case basis depending on the project scale, measures proposed and location of the public sector building. Details of projects that have received funding to date are included in the following reports on the Scottish Government website:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-central-government-energy-efficiency-grant-scheme-form-and-guidance/pages/quarterly-reports/

https://www.gov.scot/publications/central-government-energy-efficiency-grant-scheme-progress-report/

No decisions on the future regulation of gene edited crops have been taken at this stage, and we will ensure that any future position is both informed by the evidence base and is in Scotland’s national interests.

We are both closely monitoring developments on gene editing in the EU, and liaising with Scottish stakeholders, and will decide whether or not to allow gene edited crops to be grown, or food using gene editing techniques to be produced, based on what is in the best interests and needs of the Scottish people.

The Scottish Government’s immediate priority is to identify and attract investors that will seek to progress the outputs of Project Willow and other such propositions across the industrial cluster to ensure a sustainable future for industry in Grangemouth. The public sector has a critical role to play in accelerating the buildout of new technologies at Grangemouth which is why we have established a £25 million Grangemouth Just Transition Fund to catalyse private sector investment.

We will continue to engage with business, the workforce and the community to ensure that the Scottish Government’s support meets their needs.

The scale of investment required to transform Grangemouth is vast and will require the UK Government to contribute its fair share. The UK Government has promised £200 million from within the National Wealth Fund to ensure that any gap between the cessation of refining and the phasing in of new projects is as brief as possible, and the process for identifying projects is continuing at pace.

The Scottish Government can only comment on the funding we provide, rather than all ‘public money’. Any funding issued by the Scottish Government is done so in line with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, and Grant Offer Letters to all third sector organisations clearly set out the conditions for which the funding can be used.

Charities must act in accordance with the requirements of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, which sets out that a charity cannot be set up to advance a political party. Any breach of obligations under charity law is for OSCR, who are independent of Scottish Ministers, to determine.

However, charities can and do undertake campaigning activity. The Scottish Government fully support the right of charities to campaign on behalf of those they represent and influence changes in policy.

As head of the system of prosecutions in Scotland, I have primary responsibility for the investigation and prosecution of criminal offences in Scotland.

I have, along with Procurators Fiscal, who hold commissions on my behalf, legal authority to instruct the police in their investigation and reporting of crime and all suspicious, sudden and unexplained deaths, both under the common law and on a statutory basis.

Instruction and direction may be issued in relation to specific matters in the context of ongoing liaison between the police and Procurators Fiscal who can instruct the police during the course of investigations and when further investigation is required in a case. Instruction of the police is a continuous process in the discharge of the Lord Advocate’s duties as regards the investigation and prosecution of criminal offences in Scotland.

In general, if the police consider that there is insufficient evidence of a crime being committed, they will not make a report to the Procurator Fiscal. In some instances, particularly in more serious cases, where police are not sure there is sufficient evidence that a crime had been committed, they may report the matter to the Procurator Fiscal for advice and direction. This structure recognises the expertise of the police in investigating crime, the responsibility of prosecutors in respect of the investigation of crime, and the independence of prosecutorial decision-making.

Communication by the Police as regards conclusion of their investigations is a matter for them: an announcement by the Police confirming conclusion of their investigation does not preclude the Crown from raising proceedings in the future should subsequent investigation uncover evidence providing potential sufficiency in terms of criminality which is then reported to prosecutors for consideration. Neither do any such announcements have any bearing on future prosecutorial decision making– every case reported to prosecutors is carefully considered in terms of its own facts and circumstances and in line with the Prosecution Code and is made entirely independently of any other person.

MV Glen Sannox was transferred to CMAL on 20 November 2024.

The following table provides the full list of projects funded through the Recycling Improvement Fund with a breakdown of the projected tonnage and funding allocated to each project, for which tonnage increase is a direct impact. N/A indicates projects where recycling tonnage impacts are indirect to the project e.g. in-cab technology for drivers.

The eight schemes highlighted in answer S6W-30798 on 7 November 2024 as withdrawn from the cycle one flood protection scheme funding programme, and the one scheme highlighted as no longer required, were not included in the list of 16 schemes complete at that time.

18 schemes are now complete.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the system of Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTROs) remains effective and responsive to the needs of local communities and road users. A review of the TRO process was undertaken by Transport Scotland in 2021. While there are no immediate plans to undertake a formal review of the entire TTRO system, we continue to engage with local authorities and stakeholders to monitor its effectiveness.