Chamber and committees

SaxaVord Spaceport has the potential to have a major beneficial impact for Shetland’s economy.

An economic impact assessment produced as part of the Spaceport’s planning application, estimates that once operational the spaceport will support over 209 jobs in the Shetland Islands, and generate c.£7.5 million GVA per year. This increases to 255 jobs and £9.3 million GVA when considered at a Scottish level.

According to the Spaceport's website the company is set to invest upwards of £43m over the next 18 months, rising to £100m in the next five years as it seeks to establish three launchpads and continues to attract both domestic and international launch customers.

As is standard practice, any planned changes to Scottish Income Tax will be announced during the regular annual Budget process. Our approach to taxation will continue to be guided by the strategic objectives and principles set out in our Framework for Tax, which underpins our fair and progressive approach.

We are committed to engaging with the public to explore how best we can use our existing powers to continue to deliver the most progressive taxation system in the UK, and achieve the Government’s three key missions of equality, opportunity and community.

I have engaged with a number of stakeholders across the energy sector since taking on my new role. These include meetings with a range of stakeholders in Aberdeen on 4 April 2023, including Aberdeen South Harbour; OPITO; Net Zero Technology Centre; Opportunity North East and ETZI; and Aberdeen Grampian Chamber of Commerce.

I also met INEOS on 19 April 2023, and Forth Ports Grangemouth.

Net mental health expenditure is published on the Public Health Scotland website Scottish health service costs under data files mental health expenditure Excel workbook . This information is available for financial years 2011-12 to 2021-22 for each NHS Board in Scotland, split by various types of expenditure including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), adult mental health services, and older adult mental health services. Please note that expenditure data is collected by broad specialties and therefore categories may include multiple ‘services’.

The Scottish Government cannot comment on live legal proceedings. As usual in relation to legal action, the Scottish Government has taken legal advice and considered the position in connection with the Section 35 Order. It is too early generally to determine any impact of possible changes the UK Government might be considering to the Equality Act.

Tables 1 and 2 reflect the relevant bursaries and grants since 1997-98 when consistent data recording started. The types of relevant bursaries and grants that were available each year varied. Bursaries and grants available to students depended on their circumstances as well as the type of course they were studying.

I refer the member to the question S6W-16845 on 25 April 2023 which details how we arrived at our restoration targets. We are currently reviewing the proposals put forward in the Climate Change Committee’s Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland: 2022 Report to Parliament and will publish our response in due course.

Annual budgets are allocated and approved based on delivery forecasts and budget requirements from our delivery partners. The pipeline of work changes from year to year and so, therefore, does our allocated budget. We allocated around £20 million, £23 million and £23.7 million in funding in the years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively. There has been underspend in each of these years due to a range of factors including a reduction in the number of hectares delivered and over-estimation of capital required.

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

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is the owner and operator of Glasgow Subway and they are responsible for decisions and funding for subway operations.

The Scottish Government is providing up to £246 million to SPT, towards the estimated total project cost of £287.5 million for the Subway modernisation programme, which includes: a smartcard ticketing system; new rolling stock and signalling; refurbished stations with improved accessibility.

Operation times are a decision for SPT and this is not a matter they have raised with the Scottish Government.

Information on benefits administered by Social Security Scotland is routinely published as part of official statistics releases. Excel tables released as part of these publications include information on the value of payments issued for each benefit since launch, and provide financial year breakdowns of payments.

The latest statistics publication for each benefit can be found at: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/about/statistics/social-security-scotland-statistics-publications .

To enable Ministers to reach a decision on the next steps for the Deposit Return Scheme, a number of discussions were held with those involved in the scheme in the weeks prior to the announcement including Circularity Scotland and business groups. The First Minister then met with Circularity Scotland on 20 April 2023.