Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to reforming Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to ensure they drive the energy efficiency improvements we need and to incentivise zero direct emissions heating. In 2021, we consulted on the introduction of a new domestic EPC metric based on a dwelling’s energy use. Following feedback received through consultation, we have undertaken further work to develop options for EPC metrics, and wider reforms. We intend to publish a consultation on our final proposals for EPC reform this summer.

The breakdown of funding across the How to Save a Life campaign costs is as follows:

• social media – £9,989
• bus stops advertising including billboards and print media* - £178,847
• radio – £243,152

*this figure also includes digital displays and print media on buses and trains.

During the consultation process for the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, I attended the inaugural meeting of the Flytipping Forum, the purpose of which is to enable ongoing engagement between policy makers and stakeholders to support co-ordinated action to tackle flytipping. Membership of the Forum includes Scottish Land and Estates, National Farmers Union Scotland, Woodland Trust Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Police Scotland as well as local authority representation through a combination of CoSLA, SOLACE and further relevant networks.

I have been carefully considering responses to the consultation, and continue to engage on litter and flytipping issues as part of my engagement with local authorities, third sector organisations, community groups, and industry bodies. The Strategy will soon be published , following on from which the Flytipping Forum will be reconvened to discuss its implementation.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Prison Service.

Scottish Government has recently appointed an external professional advisor to provide guidance on the scope of building condition surveys required for Scottish Government buildings. It anticipates receiving details of the scope within approximately 8-10 weeks, surveys will be instructed immediately thereafter and in line with Scottish Government Procurement guidelines. The time to complete the surveys will be dependent on the scope provided, number of buildings and procurement guidance.

Responsibility for developing the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy sits within the remit of the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity.

The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition has not met with any organisations regarding the consultation on a national Litter and Flytipping Strategy.

During the consultation process for the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, the Scottish Government engaged a wide range of organisations and has been carefully considering consultation responses, of which there were 978. The majority of proposals received a high level of support, one of which is to conduct an evidence review of barriers to enforcement of litter and flytipping offences. The Scottish Government has commenced this research and has ensured that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is engaged in this research project. The research findings will be published later this year.

The Scottish Government is taking forward a range of measures that contribute to tackling litter and flytipping as part of our wider efforts to tackle Scotland’s throwaway culture. In 2022-23 this included ongoing investment in local authority recycling infrastructure and banning some of the most problematic single-use plastic products.

Within this wider context, the Scottish Government allocated approximately £265,000 to prevent fly tipping and littering for the financial year 2022-23. This includes:

During the consultation process for the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, the Scottish Government convened the inaugural meeting of the Flytipping Forum, of which Police Scotland is a member and the purpose of which is to support co-ordinated action to tackle flytipping.

The National Litter and Flytipping Strategy has been co-designed in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Furthermore, during the development of the Strategy, the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime, chaired by Police Scotland, has been regularly engaged on the strategy’s progress and provided the opportunity to feedback on consultation proposals.

The Strategy will soon be published, following on from which the Flytipping Forum will be convened to discuss the strategy’s content and priority actions.

Mental health remains an absolute priority for the Scottish Government, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone who needs support can get access to services that are appropriate to their needs. Through this approach we recognise that long-term conditions, such as kidney disease, can impact a person’s mental wellbeing. We encourage anyone struggling with their mental health and wellbeing to approach their clinical support team in the first instance, who can advise on appropriate support avenues. Information can also be found on the NHS Inform website and other online mental health and wellbeing support services.

We will shortly publish a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The Strategy will set out a long-term vision, and a set of outcomes, for the mental health and wellbeing of the population. We will subsequently publish a Delivery Plan to set out the work we will do over the coming years to make progress towards those outcomes, and set out how we will measure that progress.

This will include consideration on how the Strategy will set ambitions and actions to support people living with long term conditions. One of our key outcomes for the Strategy is to ensure people with mental health conditions, including those with co-existing health conditions, experience improved quality and length of life, free from stigma and discrimination

In order to achieve this, we will work with partners to develop actions that will see improved provision of services and support to people with long-term physical health conditions for their mental health and wellbeing.

In addition to this, the National Education Scotland and Scottish Government developed The Matrix: A Guide for Delivering Evidence-based Psychological Therapies in Scotland to support NHS Boards in planning the range, volume and quality of psychological therapies required to meet Scottish Government commitments. The Matrix is due to be refreshed in 2023 but already includes a section specifically on chronic kidney disease.