Chamber and committees

Transport Scotland currently have five vehicles allocated to their car fleet. Two electric: a Renault Fluence ZE Dynamique and a Nissan Leaf Teknaand three diesel: a Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 DI-D , Skoda Superb SE Greenline and Skoda Fabia Greenline Estate. Details of the number of times each of the vehicles has been used by officials (individual journey – signed out from base location & returned) in the last six months are provided in the following table:

The RAC Foundation’s report, Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure – What Can Be Done was published in September 2017, reflects many of the recommendations that already form part of our Switched on Scotland Action Plan. The RAC report refers to the need for infrastructure. With Investment of £15m since 2012 we have already delivered one of the most comprehensive networks in Europe. The recent Programme for Government announcement will further support this by leading the way on electric vehicles and expanding the electric charging infrastructure between now and 2022.

Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) will be the cornerstone of delivering the national infrastructure priority. We are developing Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme. During the initial phases of the Programme we are focusing on delivering existing programmes more effectively and developing new pilot schemes to test delivery mechanisms for domestic and non-domestic buildings. to, our residential, services and industrial sectors. We will publish a routemap on the future direction of the programme next year

We are delivering the 2016 PfG commitment to make half a billion pounds available over the next 4 years. The Scottish House Condition Survey is used to track improvements to the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes. The 2015 survey showed that around two-fifths of homes now has an EPC Rating of Band C or above. The 2016 survey will be published in December 2017.

The causes of winter excess mortality are varied and complex. The Scottish Government remains committed to improving health and to reducing health inequalities.

We have made an additional £5 million available to NHS Boards to support winter resilience across Health and Social Care. This funding is to support winter planning and enhance resilience across the services, making sure patients are seen quickly, efficiently and without delay. We are also committed to ensuring people can receive the right care and support, at the right time and in the right setting. Free personal care for people aged 65 and over in Scotland currently benefits approximately 77,000 older, vulnerable adults and we have committed to extending the policy of free personal care to all adults who require it by April 2019.

This Government has always prioritised tackling fuel poverty and we remain committed to improving the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes. We are delivering our 2016 Programme for Government commitment to make half a billion pounds available over the next 4 years. This means that by the end of 2021, we will have allocated over £1 billion since 2009 on tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency. In addition to this, we will consult on a new fuel poverty strategy and target shortly and take these forward in a Warm Homes Bill to be introduced to Parliament in 2018.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes and buildings. Work is on-going to develop Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) and we are committed to publishing a route map in 2018 that sets out the aim, objectives and clear milestones of SEEP. Alongside this, good progress is already being made and the share of the most energy efficient dwellings (rated EPC Band C and above) has increased by 74% since 2010. As set out in this year’s Programme for Government, we will confirm the introduction of new energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector to ensure tenants are able to enjoy homes that warmer and more affordable to heat, and we will consult owner-occupiers on improving the energy efficiency of their homes.

We are currently finalising our own Climate Change Plan which will set out the actions we will take in Scotland to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We will publish the final Climate Change Plan in early 2018.

A response to the recent Committee on Climate Change report on Scotland’s progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 12 October (laying number SG/2017/208). This makes clear that the Scottish Government will reflect carefully on all of the recommendations in the Committee’s report, alongside those arising from parliamentary scrutiny of the draft Plan and the most up to date evidence and modelling, as we work to finalise the Climate Change Plan for publication in February 2018.

We are working through the Committee on Climate Change’s report, as well as the recommendations of Parliament and feedback from stakeholders as we finalise the Climate Change Plan, which we will publish early next year.

The Scottish Government increased the operational budget of SFRS by £21.7m in 2017-18. The finding for SFRS would go much further if the UK Government would allow the service to recover VAT like other fire services across the UK, adding an estimated £10m to their annual budget. The Scottish Government will continue to press for a change to VAT legislation to remedy this long running inequity.

Consideration of the budget for 2018-19 is on-going.

The SFRS is currently exploring how it should develop to meet the new and emerging risks facing our communities including how transformation of the service could see the SFRS do more for communities across Scotland. No decisions have been made yet on what the transformation will look like and any transformation will involve liaison and discussions with SFRS staff, partners (including unions and staff associations) and the public.

The priority of the SFRS and the Scottish Government is to ensure the resources are in place to enable firefighters to deliver a modern, flexible and effective service for the people of Scotland.

Comprehensive assessments are undertaken prior to people being admitted to care homes and placed there by the relevant local authority/ integration authority. This incorporates a full needs assessment, including clinical needs, particularly for nursing care, as well as a financial assessment. For strategic planning and commissioning purposes, this information is aggregated at a local level to determine the overall number of placements which a local authority/integration authority may need in order to inform capacity planning in the care home sector.

In the last 12 months (Oct 2016 – Sep 2017) Transport Scotland officials made 830 claims for motor allowance through the Travel and Subsistence system. The Motor Allowance claim does not record the type of vehicle or fuel used so it is not possible to break this down further between petrol and electric vehicles.

The National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan will strengthen and harmonise workforce planning practice, take full account of the future demand for safe and high quality services for Scotland’s people and help to more accurately identify and address gaps in supply, including within the Social Care workforce.

• Part 1 of the Plan focuses on NHSScotland workforce planning and was published on 28 June 2017.

• Part 2, covering the Social Care workforce, will be published jointly with COSLA later this year. This approach will enable different workforce planning systems to take stock, and move forward incrementally towards improved integrated planning across the full Social Care landscape.

• Part 3, covering the workforce in primary care, will be published following the conclusion of GMS contract negotiations.

We are working with all major stakeholders across Health and Social Care, including NHSScotland Boards, COSLA, Scottish Care and other organisations as we take the Plan forward.