Chamber and committees

We will start work this year on designing an open scheme for National Towns of Culture, which will be launched over the course of this Parliament.

Officials will provide the me with delivery options and recommendations by the end of this year, and we will offer a further update at that point.

This builds on our strong track record of taking place-based approaches to our cultural programmes, such as our innovative Culture Collective scheme, launched earlier this year, which is working to increasing cultural engagement in some of our most deprived communities.

As referenced in the answers to S6W-03093 and S6W-03094 on‎ 29 September 2021, officials will provide me with delivery options and recommendations – including on funding – by the end of this year, and we will offer a further update at that point.

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

ScotRail is exploring potential options to provide contactless ticket infrastructure on the rail network as part of a mix of products to offer passengers.

Contactless payment is already accepted at all stations on ScotlRail’s network for tickets. Mobile ‘phone ticketing has also been introduced. To extend ticketing systems to tap in style contactless ticketing would need considerable investment in ticketing infrastructure, such as gates, as well as back office systems and potentially a fares structures review, which is why this is subject to consideration in the context of changing travel and ticket purchase patterns.

The fire safety review panel considered a broad range of evidence on fire safety of cladding systems. Some of the evidence supported the retention of the large scale fire test, BS8414, as a means to demonstrate the safety of cladding systems with some combustible elements. Whilst other evidence supported a ban on combustible materials. A fourth option allows respondents to set out alternative views.

We are aware that, following our successful public awareness campaign, there is significant public interest in carrying out work to comply with the new standard for fire alarms in all Scottish homes. It is, therefore, possible, that some retailers will have short term supply issues. However, we have been assured by manufacturers that there is a sufficient supply of alarms available to meet the expected demand by 1 February 2022, when the new standard comes into force.

Home owners are responsible for the costs of on-going work needed to protect and preserve their own property, which includes the costs for the fire alarms to meet the new standard. We have provided £0.5 million additional funding for Care and Repair Scotland to provide help installing alarms for older and disabled homeowners on low incomes. We have also provided £1 million to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to provide alarms for owners who are considered most vulnerable to the risk of fire. Local authorities also have broad discretionary powers to provide advice and support to owners.

The Scottish Government has undertaken a comprehensive awareness raising campaign across a range of channels including TV, Radio and digital to ensure people are aware of the new legislation and encourage compliance. This includes material to support third sector stakeholders and messaging on the importance of using reputable tradespeople, including signposting to local government Trading Standards.

The Strategic Framework within Scotland’s Scams Prevention, Awareness and Enforcement Strategy, published in 19 March 2021, focusses on prevention, disruption, awareness, education and enforcement. This is intended to help all consumers with practical steps they can take to recognise common scam tactics and avoid the risk posed by this criminal activity.

Further advice can be obtained from https://consumeradvice.scot/ , which is a free consumer helpline funded by the Scottish Government.

Home owners are responsible for the costs of on-going work needed to protect and preserve their own property, which includes the costs for the fire alarms to meet the new standard.

The Scottish Government has undertaken a comprehensive awareness raising campaign across a range of channels including TV, Radio and digital as well as leaflets in public libraries to ensure people are aware of the new legislation and to encourage compliance.

We have provided £0.5 million additional funding for Care and Repair Scotland to provide help installing alarms for older and disabled homeowners on low incomes. We have also provided £1 million to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to provide alarms for owners who are considered most vulnerable to the risk of fire. Local authorities also have broad discretionary powers to provide advice and support to owners.

Culture is more important than ever to Scotland’s collective wellbeing and prosperity. A central aim of our Culture Strategy is that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in, develop and enjoy culture, and we know this helps individuals and communities to thrive. The National Towns of Culture scheme intends to build on this, by making culture relevant to people’s lives and building meaningful connections between people and the place that they come from.

Specific aims and objectives of the National Towns of Culture scheme remain subject to robust scoping work. As referenced in the answer to S6W-03093 on
‎ 29 September 2021, officials will provide me with delivery options and recommendations by the end of this year, and we will offer a further update at that point.

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

We have no plans to review the Antisocial Behaviour Notices (Houses Used for Holiday Purposes) (Scotland) Order 2011 at this time. However, we are always open to listening to the police, local authorities, the court services and communities to see how we can improve the approach being taken to tackle antisocial behaviour for the benefit of all communities.

England introduced a ban on combustible materials used in the construction of external walls for all new residential buildings over 18m in December 2018. The 11m threshold introduced from 1 October 2019 is contained in regulatory guidance, with the alternative route of a large scale fire test being retained on the advice of the fire safety review panel. Since that time a number of stakeholders have made clear their views that the Scottish regulations should align with those in the rest of the UK, and we have therefore sought to include this as an option within the consultation.