Chamber and committees

Currently, 10 students applied to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland under the pilot scheme to study in Europe in 2014-15.

Seven students are receiving support. All of the students are studying in the Netherlands – six at Maastricht University and one at the University of Groningen.

The expected spend on (a) repayable support to students on the pilot scheme for study in Europe in 2014-15 is £31,500.

The expected spend on (b) non-repayable support to students on the pilot scheme for study in Europe in 2014-15 is £2,900.

The expected spend on (c) other costs for the pilot scheme to study in Europe in 2014-15 is £1,782. This cost was spent on marketing materials for the scheme.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as we do not have this data in the format requested. Information on the Scottish Government’s performance in responding on time to freedom of information (FOI) requests is available in the annual reports on information request handling at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/Information/FOI/Reporting

The Scottish Government is working to increase the proportion of FOI and Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 requests and reviews which are responded to on time.

The new limit and the benefits of improved road safety will apply across all parts of Scotland.

The Scottish Government undertook a public consultation in late 2012 on the proposal to reduce the drink drive limit. 74% of respondents supported the proposal, including Shetland Islands Council, Orkney Islands Council, the Highland Council, the Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service and the Shetland Community Partnership.

The National Advisory Committee on Heart Disease is scheduled to meet on 27 October 2014 which will be the thirteenth time the group has met since it was reconstituted in September 2010.

The National Advisory Committee on Heart Disease (NACHD) was re-formed in September 2010. Since that date the role of heart failure nurses in Orkney has been mentioned on three occasions with no recommendation made by the NACHD.

Since the outcome of the referendum I have spoken to all three Island Councils, and just this morning my ministerial colleague, Fergus Ewing met with Councillor James Stockan from Orkney Islands Council at the Island Renewables Delivery Forum.

Proposals for minimum energy efficiency standards for private sector housing are still under development with stakeholders for proposed public consultation in spring 2015. The public consultation will include proposals on the level at which regulations may be set and what homes may be affected by the standard.

We plan to consult on proposals in spring 2015, subject to development of options through our work with external stakeholders. The consultation will include questions on the level of regulation and the sectors it will apply to.

Scotland’s Sustainable Housing Strategy, published in June 2013, set out our commitment to consult on draft regulations on the energy efficiency of existing private sector homes. This work is being taken forward with input from a steering group including representatives of fuel poverty and consumer interests. The consultation exercise will seek views from all parts of Scotland and Scottish Ministers will take account of the responses received in considering the final level of regulations for consideration by the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Government funding for our Home Energy Efficiency Programme: Area Based Schemes (HEEPS: ABS) is distributed across all local authorities in Scotland and is allocated on the basis of need, taking into account levels of fuel poverty and the types of properties within areas. This ensures that funding is directed to those areas most in need of assistance, particularly in rural areas which are likely to have a higher proportion of homes in fuel poverty, particularly those where heating oil or electricity is their main source of heating. We allocated over £5 million more in HEEPS: ABS funding to rural authorities this year than in 2013-14.