Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government works with a variety of stakeholders, who support and shape work on the just transition, net zero and energy. The input from our stakeholders is invaluable and plays a vital role in helping deliver a just energy transition to net zero.

The number and makeup of these working groups varies in line with government priorities. Examples of working groups which fall under the remit of just transition, net zero or energy include:

• The Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB)
• The Scottish Energy Networks Strategic Leadership Group
• The Renewable Energy Strategic Leadership Group
• Energy Consumers Commission
• Just Transition Commission
  

We remain committed to the expansion of universal free school meals in primary schools. In the Scottish budget for 2023-24, we announced additional investment of £16 million in revenue funding and £80 million in capital funding for free school meal expansion. This will continue to fund the next phase of our expansion, which will be targeted to Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, helping children most in need first. This will be the next step in fulfilling our commitment to universal provision of free school meals in primary schools.

There are currently a number of Scottish Government working groups that fall under the remit of Net Zero, Energy and Transport. A list of relevant groups has been provided below, set against the remit headings provided.

a)Climate Change

• Peatland Science and Technical Advisory Group (Peatland STAG)
• Analysis of Demand Management Options Steering Group
• National strategy for 20mph Working Group
• Zero Emission Truck Taskforce
• Private Water Supply Working Group
• Soils Working Group
• Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan Advisory Group
• Scottish Forestry Customer Reps Group (CRG)
• Scottish Forestry CRG Tree on Farms sub group
• Scottish Forestry CRG Technical sub group
• Scottish Forestry National Stakeholder Group
• Scottish Blue Carbon Forum

b)Environment

• Contaminated Land Advisory Group
• Scottish Noise Mapping Stakeholder Group
• Cleaner Air for Scotland 2:

1. Ministerial Group

2. Delivery Group

3. Public engagement working group

4. Health working group

5. Agriculture and Environment working group

6. Domestic (household) emissions working group

7. Placemaking working group

• Air Quality - LAQM/CAA Review Group
• Zero Emission Truck Taskforce
• Scottish Forestry Phytopthora ramorum review working group
• Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group

c) Land Reform

• The Land Reform Bill Oversight Group

d) Green Skills

• Transport Sector Skills & CESAP Transport Policy Working Group
• Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan Implementation Steering Group

o Education subgroup

o Travel subgroup

o Heat in Buildings subgroup

e) Circular Economy

• Single Use Cups Charge Advisory Group
• Waste Data Strategy Board
• National Flytipping Forum
• Zero Waste & Circular Economy Programme Board
• Food Waste Reduction Programme Board,
• Recycling Improvement Fund Programme Board
• Waste & Resources Sector Forum
• Joint Scottish Government/Local Government Strategic Steering Group on Circular Economy & Waste
• Biodegradable Municipal Waste Landfill Programme Board
• Deposit Return Scheme System Wide Assurance Group
• Deposit Return Scheme Executive Oversight Group
• Deposit Return Scheme Communications and Engagement Group

f) Biodiversity

• Science Advisory Group for Scottish Biodiversity Strategy
• Raptors & Forestry Joint Working Group
• Black Grouse Working Group
• Capercaillie Working Group

Local authorities have responsibility for delivering local economic development and local regeneration and are best placed to develop the right partnerships and identify suitable funding to support town centres and high streets including in the South of Scotland.

The Scottish Government is aware of how challenging the current economic climate is for businesses and communities in town centres and the issues around out-of-town shopping. We are committed to continue to working in partnership with local government, business, third sector and community partners to repurpose and revitalise town centres.

The Scottish Government has long-term funding and a strong framework with clear priorities and actions to help support local government and other partners to develop town centres in accordance with the needs of their own communities. This includes the Town Centre Action Plan 2, the Retail Strategy, and subject to parliamentary approval, and subsequent adoption by the Scottish Ministers, the National Planning Framework 4.

These recognise the critical importance of planning with and for communities and in diversifying the offer within town centres, to help them thrive, improve their resilience and anticipate continuing societal, environmental and economic change. The draft NPF4 recognises that our cities and towns are a national asset and strengthens support for development in centres to be considered first, while limiting out-of-town retail development. Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation contains bold and ambitious actions - within the powers currently available to us – and is a route to a strong, inclusive economy with good, secure and well-paid jobs and growing businesses.

The Government has committed in the recent budget to continue to deliver the Place-Based Investment Programme, which aims to accelerate ambitions for place, 20-minute neighbourhoods, town centre action and community wealth building and the complimentary Vacant and Derelict land Programme. In addition, as part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal and recognising the importance of our smaller rural market and coastal towns to the local economy, the Scottish Government is committing up to £20 million in the South of Scotland.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with COSLA regarding the expansion of free school meals.

As part of our planning with local authorities for free school meal expansion, we will consider the arrangements to pilot universal free school meals in secondary schools.

Organisations which develop and install wind projects should always allow for a sinking fund for repair and maintenance costs, or take out insurance for repairs, maintenance, breakdown and loss of earnings.

Our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) does not provide funding for continued maintenance of wind turbines. However, it has provided ad hoc support to communities looking to repair small scale wind turbines.

Local Energy Scotland has delivered CARES on our behalf since 2013. Since then, CARES has offered approximately £128,000 in funding support towards the repair of community-owned wind turbines, including associated viability studies. This is as follows;

2014: £12,362;

2016: £16,189;

2018: £20,000;

2019: £41,472;

2020: £14,375;

2021: £24,000.

The Scottish Government provides local authorities with an annual local government finance settlement which in 2022-23 amounts to almost £12.7 billion. Over 93 percent of this total funding, representing £11.8 billion, is by means of a block grant. Individual local authorities can allocate this sum together with their locally raised income through council tax and fees and charges to meet local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

The Scottish Government does not allocate education funding on a per subject basis and therefore does not hold the information requested. Statutory responsibility for the delivery of education sits with local authorities and schools as set out under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. This provides local authorities and schools with the autonomy and flexibility to plan their curriculum to best meet the needs of their learners and local circumstances. The setting of school budgets remains the responsibility of each local authority.

Education Scotland, Regional Improvement Collaboratives and local authorities provide direct support to schools in terms of teaching and learning across all subjects. The Scottish Government also funds other bodies direct to deliver additional support. For example, in 2022-23 we are funding the Scotland’s National Centre for Languages £570,000 to support teachers and schools in delivering high quality language learning.

Conditions may be attached to planning permissions for wind farm developments which “require wind turbines to be constructed and operated in accordance with the approved details and maintained in the approved colour, free from external rust, staining or discolouration, until such time as the wind farm is decommissioned”.

The Scottish Government does not monitor or enforce conditions attached to planning permissions, and therefore has not issued any fines relating to the failure to maintain wind turbines. It is the relevant local planning authorities who monitor and enforce development and operational controls imposed through conditions, and who can take enforcement action up to and including requiring removal of the turbine, as well as referring matters to the Procurator Fiscal to consider prosecution.

As per the answer to S6W-12989 on 22 December 2022, it is the responsibility of the wind farm operator to properly maintain their wind turbines, in accordance with their planning permission and any conditions imposed. The Scottish Government is not responsible for taking action in this area.

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

The legal and commercial arrangements for the Ardrossan project continue to be discussed between the project partners; Transport Scotland, Peel Ports Groups and North Ayrshire Council. The partners will provide an update at the next Ardrossan Task Force meeting on 24 January 2023