Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-33259 on 11 February 2025 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 draft budget for 2025-26 proposes planned investment of £768 million in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, an increase of more than £200m compared to the 2024-25 published budget. This will help tackle the housing emergency while contributing towards our target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 of which at least 70% will be social rented homes and 10% in rural and island areas.

Discussions on the use of the Financial Transaction (FT’s) funding for the 2025-26 financial year are ongoing and no decision has been made at this time.

The Scottish Government continues to support home ownership and have interventions in place to help first time buyers through our Low Cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) scheme which helps people on low to moderate incomes to buy their first home.

Scottish Government Ministers and Officials engage with major energy companies and employers on a regular basis as part of their duties.

As part of this engagement, Energy and Climate Change Directorate officials most recently met with Equinor in February 2025. The Marine Directorate also regularly engages with offshore oil and gas operators, including Equinor, as part of its chemical assessment contract with the UK Government’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero; and with respect to Equinor’s floating offshore wind project Hywind. Ministers and officials also attend a range of industry events where developers and investors in offshore energy are present.

The consulting process provided for under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 and the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 ensures that public bodies, communities and members of the public are consulted on proposals for electricity infrastructure. The decision whether to grant consent is taken only after careful and fair consideration of environmental information, consultee responses and public representations. The Scottish Government is committed to strengthening the pre-application consultation process by working with the UK Government on their proposed reforms to electricity infrastructure consenting in Scotland.

As shown in Scottish Water’s Long Term Strategy which was published on 4 February 2025, resolving water deficits is a matter for everyone not simply Scottish Water. At 180 litres per person per day Scotland has one of the highest rates of water consumption, compared to 125 litres in Germany and 105 litres in Denmark. As set out in its Strategy, it is important that Scottish Water continues to reduce rates of leakage, support demand reduction by customers and invest in new water sources and water treatment works.

Scottish Water will publish its draft business plan for the 2027-33 period this summer which will set out prioritised investment proposals to reduce the number of zones in deficit and secure supplies for customers. Each zone is unique and will have its own set of measures to put in place to secure supplies for customers.

From a trunk road maintenance perspective, the following upgrades are currently being planned for the A82 in the 2025-26 financial year:

Renton Rd U/B to Cardross Rd U/B – Structural Maintenance

• Lomond Gate roundabout to Barloan Toll roundabout NB & SB - Structural Maintenance
• A82 Dalnottar Int to Dumbarton Rd Jct NB - Structural Maintenance
• Between Dunglass roundabout and Dumbuck – Drainage improvements
• A82 Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit - New northbound layby
• A82 Glen Coe - Rock slope mitigation works
• A82 Grotaig - Rock slope mitigation works
• Glenurquhart Road, Inverness – Footway improvements
• Auch Estate - Edge strip hardening works
• Stoneymollan to Luss - Junction improvements
• Glen Falloch - Vehicle restraint upgrades
• Fort William to Spean Bridge - Vehicle restraint upgrades
• A82 Lomondgate Roundabout - upgraded road markings and localised widening
• A898/A82 interchange - Road safety measures identified from an investigation in 2024/25 will be programmed for construction.
• A82 Erskine to Dunglass - installation of an advanced direction sign (pending resolution of slope remediation works)
• A82 1110 Leagann Bridge - Concrete repair
• A82 1160 Ceannside Bridge – Re-waterproofing and concrete repairs
• A82 1390 Borlum Bridge – Re-waterproofing
• A82 615 C19 Auch 4 Culvert - Verge repair
• A82 500 Allt Fionne Ghlinne N Bridge – Parapet replacement
• A82 1080 W53 Loch Lochyside 2 Retaining Wall - Gabion repairs
• A82 240 Fruin Old Bridge - Scour repairs

The exact dates for the works are still to be confirmed as all schemes are in the process of being investigated.

There is no record that Scottish Government has had any correspondence with Hampton Group International, Pitch@Palace or the UK Chinese Business Association, nor with Mr Yang Tengbo, in the last 12 years.

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

NatureScot held seven online conference calls to discuss the legal opinions and definition of land which should be included in a 16AA licence.

This is a matter of law, therefore the Scottish Government do not hold a position on these issues. Lease agreements will vary depending on the circumstances and individuals should take their own legal advice.