Chamber and committees

Our consultation last year on a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS) asked for views on proposals to require social landlords to improve fabric efficiency and install clean heating where it is technically feasible and cost-effective to do so. Feedback from this consultation estimated the total upfront costs for the sector to 2045 of installing clean heating systems and improving energy efficiency would be around £6 billion, with an average cost per home of around £14,000.

We continue to discuss next steps for the proposed Standard and longer term financing options with key stakeholders from the social housing sector. I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-36595 on 24 April 2025 and S6W-36596 on 1 May 2025 for further context.

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

MPAs are managed in line with the conservation and management advice provided by NatureScot. Management measures are already in place to achieve the conservation objectives for native oysters where they are a protected feature, by reducing the pressures that affect them. Additional protection is being considered for native oysters through the proposed PMF management areas as part of development of the inshore fisheries management measures.

The Scottish Government, with support from NatureScot, is currently developing a Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan which will support the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy objective of accelerating restoration and regeneration.

The allocation of resources within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is an operational matter for the Chief Fire Officer and SFRS Board. Scottish Government has not allocated funding to SFRS for the specific purpose of tackling wildfires, the £422.2 million budget is allocated to support the whole range of SFRS functions.

The budget for 2025-26 provides SFRS with an additional £18.8 million in support of front line services.

Scottish Government is supportive of the SFRS Wildfire Strategy which was launched in 2023 and is supported by a planned spend of around £1.6 million over the course of three years. SFRS responds to wildfires using a tiered system of fire stations which include the latest technology and techniques to safely bring any incident to a conclusion.

SFRS remains ready and able to respond to any instance of wildfire that occurs across Scotland.

Recruitment and retention of Wholetime and On Call firefighters is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Chief Fire Officer and Board.

Terms and Conditions and pay of all firefighters are negotiated on a UK wide basis under a well-established collective bargaining process. Through this process there is a new nationally agreed pay banding system which offers far more flexibility in the contracts SFRS can offer to Retained Firefighters which SFRS hope will allow people who may not previously have been able to provide the requisite commitment to contribute to protecting their communities whilst maintaining a better work/life balance.

Recruitment and retention of Wholetime and On Call firefighters is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Chief Fire Officer and Board.

Terms and Conditions of all firefighters are negotiated on a UK wide basis under a well-established collective bargaining process. Through this process, there is a new nationally agreed pay banding system which offers more flexibility in the contracts SFRS can offer to Retained Firefighters, which SFRS hope will allow people who may not previously have been able to provide the requisite commitment to contribute to protecting their communities whilst maintaining a better work/life balance.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Dealing with large outdoor fires can be physically demanding on crews and often lasts for prolonged periods. SFRS has well established welfare arrangements in place to ensure that crews receive regular relief and that the appropriate level of resources are maintained.

SFRS remains fully ready and able to respond to any instance of wildfire that occurs across Scotland.

Recruitment and retention of Wholetime and On Call firefighters is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Chief Fire Officer and Board.

In common with other fire and rescue services both across the UK and internationally there are recognised challenges to the recruitment and retention of firefighters in rural areas. Scottish Government is supportive of the work that SFRS is doing to enable recruitment in these areas. SFRS has implemented a pre-recruitment engagement programme. This programme introduces candidates into the station environment for up to 12 weeks prior to their selection tests. Further initiatives include reimbursing candidate travel expenses, conducting localised fitness assessments and facilitating the migration from On Call to Wholetime employment for better career progression.

SFRS remains ready and able to respond to any instance of wildfire that occurs across Scotland.

SFRS remains ready and able to respond to any instance of wildfire that occurs across Scotland. I have received assurances from SFRS that they had the resources needed, along with working with partners, to deal with recent wildfires.

The budget for 2025-26 provides SFRS with an additional £18.8 million in support of front line services, which will bring the total budget to £412.2 million. Decisions on the allocation of the SFRS budget are a matter for the SFRS Board and Chief Officer.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government but may be retrievable from individual Health Boards. All state primary schools are involved in the basic inspection. The sample size for schools and the detailed inspection should be available from Public Health Scotland, which manages the National Dental Inspection Programme (NDIP).