Chamber and committees

We will provide details of the defined characteristics of an XL Bully dog as the relevant legislation introducing the new safeguards for XL Bully dogs is developed and published. Practical and helpful guidance and support will be provided to XL Bully dog owners on the Scottish Government website to help identification of relevant dogs by owners.

The Scottish Government continues to keep fares comparatively lower on average than across the rest of Great Britain, as we have done for over a decade. ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper provide fares offers throughout the year. For example cheaper advance fares, ‘Kids for a quid’, and Highland Railcard which offers residents 50% reduction on specified routes.

We know that any increase is unwelcome for passengers, but it comes against the backdrop of real constraints in the total block grant from the UK Government. If we did not implement this increase, we would need to consider alternatives such as reducing services and cutting back on investment in the railway and its people.

The increase has been delayed from the traditional January increase until April, follows a below inflation increase last summer and a period fare freezes for flexi-pass and season tickets.

The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement for large retailers in advance of the next Budget. The exploratory work will be carried out in compliance with the Framework for Tax, including engagement with all relevant stakeholders.

The Scottish Government is committed to keeping all Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) policy reforms under review to ensure that the NDR system delivers the most competitive environment to do business whilst also supporting our communities. The Basic Property Rate will be frozen in 2024-25 for the second year in a row, maintaining the lowest such rate in the UK for the sixth year in a row. Over 95% of properties in Scotland - those with a rateable value up to and including £100,000 - will continue to liable for a lower non-domestic rate than anywhere else in the UK in 2024-25.

Scottish Government has no plans to reintroduce previous guidance on the extended use of face masks in hospitals and care homes or use in public spaces.

Our guidance remains the same; if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19, try to stay at home and avoid contact with others – if you do need to go out, wear a well-fitting face covering. You may also wish to consider wearing, and you may be asked to wear a face covering in other settings.

Advice about the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (including face masks) in health and social care settings is contained in guidance from Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland – the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NICPM) and the Care Home Infection Prevention and Control Manual (CH IPCM). This advice, which is based on the current stage of the pandemic and the availability of vaccines and treatments, recommends a person-centred approach based on clinical need and risk assessment.

As part of our enhanced surveillance systems, we continue to monitor, assess and be ready to respond to COVID-19 and other health threats. Any change in response will be driven by the data and evidence gathered, as well as expert advice.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:

Scottish Water develops appraisals on an ongoing basis, prioritising based on the risks to water supply. Scottish Water currently has plans to appraise seven systems, supplying a population of over 1 million people, over the next 3 years. As and when these appraisals are complete they are shared with regulators and stakeholders.

The investment programme is dynamic and regularly reviewed and prioritised as circumstances change; as such there is no conclusion to the overall process, only for individual systems.

The announcement in the Scottish Budget 2024-25 signalled the Scottish Government’s intent to explore the reintroduction of a Public Health Supplement for large retailers in advance of the next Budget. As set out in the 2024-25 Scottish Budget publication, the Scottish Government has however committed to introduce or explore six new taxes. These comprise three national taxes: Scottish Aggregates Tax, Air Departure Tax, and a Building Safety Levy; and three local taxes: Visitor Levy, Cruise Liner Levy, and a Local Carbon Land Tax.

My letter of 27 October 2023 shorttermlets27oct.pdf (parliament.scot) to the Scottish Parliament indicated I would write again by the end of January 2024 to advise on progress with this work and it is still my intention to do this.

The Scottish Government can confirm today work has commenced on the 4 Day Working Week Public Sector Pilot to assess the wellbeing, environmental and productivity benefits a 4 Day Working Week could bring.

We have appointed Autonomy as our expert partner to support the pilot. The team involved in this project have previous 4 Day Working Week pilot experience including from the Valencian Government pilot, and the Icelandic public sector pilot.

The South of Scotland Enterprise 4 Day Working Week pathfinder work is being folded into Autonomy’s methodology, and engagement will continue with other public bodies interested in participating in the 32-hour working week pilot.

Autonomy will also provide support and evaluate organisations moving to a contractual 35 hour working week. This will capture valuable insights from a wider range of public bodies on different shorter work week models and be included in the 4 Day Working Week evaluation report.

Further to my response to the question S60-02933 on 10 January 2024, I have not set a deadline for the full or partial reopening of sites affected by high level masonry issues. Historic Environment Scotland continues to put the health and safety of individuals first and will continue reopening sites when safe to do so.

Details of the inspection programme and site reopening's are published on the Historic Environment Scotland website: High Level Masonry Inspections | Historic Environment Scotland . Indeed the member will be pleased to note that the website currently advises that Bothwell Castle in her constituency is due to reopen for Easter 2024.

I will continue to engage with Historic Environment Scotland on the inspection programme and the reopening of sites affected.

Information on Ministerial engagements is routinely published on the Scottish Government website and can be found at: www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ .

Visits are not recorded by parliamentary or constituency region.