Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is clear that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate commitments. That is why we are calling for a robust and transparent climate compatibility test to be applied to all new developments.

The Scottish Government has made our position clear, we are committed to a just transition for Scotland's energy sector. Our focus, as outlined in the draft Strategy, must be meeting our energy security needs, reducing emissions and ensuring a just transition for our oil and gas workforce as North Sea resources decline.

The draft route map to achieving a 20% reduction in car km by 2030, published in January 2022, outlines over 30 interventions across all parts of government to support people reduce their reliance on cars for a fairer, safer, and greener Scotland. The route map is designed to be as inclusive as possible for disabled people’s mobility and access needs, but it recognises that there will be some who cannot reduce their car use, or for whom it will be more challenging.

Just transition considerations run through the route map and reducing the volume of private vehicles on the road can have a number of wider benefits, including helping to create space and improve journey times for those where travel is more car-dependent, such as blue badge holders, buses, the emergency services and freight. Supported by the Transport Just Transition Discussion Paper , published in June 2023, engagement is being undertaken over the Summer, including with disabled people, to co-design the forthcoming draft Transport Just Transition Plan, embedding evidence of protected groups in order to tackle existing inequalities.

I further refer the member to the answer to questions S6O-02079 on 29 March 2023 and S6W-20314 on 28 August 2023.

The answer to the Oral question can be found on the official report and the link can be accessed here: Meeting of the Parliament: 29/03/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website

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 Scottish Government continues to make progress on drafting the refreshed Tobacco Action Plan and this is due to be published in Autumn 2023.

The Plan will renew our focus on meeting our ambitious target of a Tobacco-Free Scotland by 2034. We are considering a range of evidence, including the latest international evidence, and are working closely with stakeholders, including Smoking Cessation Co-ordinators, ASH Scotland, the Poverty Alliance, Trading Standards and PHS to deliver actions that will further reduce the smoking rates.

Enforcement of legislation around the sale and purchase of nicotine vapour products (NVPs) is carried out by Local Authorities as part of the Enhanced Tobacco Sales Enforcement Programme (ETSEP). This is overseen by the Society for Trading Standards Officers in Scotland (SCOTSS) and funded by the Scottish Government.

SCOTSS membership includes representation from every Scottish local authority trading standards service. We regularly meet with SCOTSS, our last meeting took place on 21 June 2023, and our standing agenda includes enforcement in relation to NVPs and tobacco.

Through this engagement, we continue to support strong national and local alliances to tackle the availability and sale of tobacco and NVPs to under 18s.

We funded ASH Scotland and Young Scot to develop online resources on vaping which are available for young people, and their teachers or carers on the Young Scot website. We are working with colleagues in Education to review additional resources on vaping and tobacco smoking to ensure they provide the best impact.

However, it is up to individual schools to decide what to teach against the experiences and outcomes of the Curriculum for Excellence. Children and young people will learn about a variety of substances, and explore the impact risk taking behaviour has on life choices and health.

The Scottish Government has a duty to ensure that Government policies protect the rights of disabled people and reduce inequalities. Strategies, Plans and policies related to net zero, energy and transport are thoroughly assessed to ensure they do not discriminate against disabled people through our Equalities Impact Assessment requirement.

We also engage with protected groups to develop fair policy. Examples include engagement on Scotland’s Accessible Travel Framework and co-designing Just Transition Plans for the energy and transport sectors.

We are currently working with several disability organisations to enable them to engage with their members on the development of our Just Transition Plans, to ensure the needs of disabled people are reflected both in the Plans and in wider Scottish Government policy.

The impact of climate change policies on disabled people is a key consideration in just transition planning. We are currently engaging widely on priorities for our Just Transition Plans to ensure the transition to net zero and climate resilience reflects the needs of everyone across Scotland before developing the specific policies and engaging in bilateral meetings at Cabinet Secretary level. We are currently working with several disabled people’s organisations to enable them to engage with their members on our behalf and ensure that the needs of disabled people are reflected both in the Plans, and in wider Scottish Government policy.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy published in October 2021 set out a pathway to achieve zero emissions from all buildings in Scotland by 2045. As part of a phased approach, our ambition is to see domestic buildings meeting energy efficiency standards of equivalent to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C by 2033, where this is technically feasible and cost effective. We are currently consulting on reform of EPC design to support our emissions reduction aim. Scotland’s non-domestic buildings are hugely diverse, we are working with partners such as Local Energy Scotland to ensure that each non-domestic building has the advice and support required to lower their energy demands and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

We recognise that approaches to regulating energy efficiency standards of Scotland’s listed buildings must be balanced with respecting and preserving the special characteristics of those buildings and places.

We also recognise it may be more challenging for some homes and buildings to meet the energy efficiency standards than for others. We are working with stakeholders, including Historic Environment Scotland, to consider our approach to buildings which are listed or in conservation areas.

There may be circumstances in which the scale and range of measures possible may vary from the standard required. These circumstances include, but are not limited to, the method of construction, cost of measures required, the measures having an unacceptable negative impact on the fabric or structure, or the need for, but lack of, third party permissions.

The suitability of Zero Direct Emission Heating Systems is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example: the age of the property, its location, available space, and any energy efficiency improvements that have already been installed or are required to support the efficient operation of a zero direct emissions system.

Home Energy Scotland (HES), administered by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of the Scottish Government, is a domestic advice service that acts as a single point of access for free, bespoke, impartial advice on energy efficiency, renewable heating and fuel poverty support in Scotland. HES provides in-depth support to householders on low and zero emissions heating technologies, other domestic renewables and more complex energy efficiency improvements.

Later this year we will publish our Heat in Buildings Public Engagement Strategy, outlining how we will work with stakeholders to increase public awareness and understanding of the need to transition to renewable heating, the different technological options available to achieve this and how to access existing advice and support.

Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of three critical missions of this government.

The Tackling Child Poverty Ministerial Oversight Group, which I will convene, will provide Ministerial-level oversight and assurance of the delivery of the actions set out in Best Start, Bright Futures.

Scottish Child Payment is already delivering targeted support directly to our priority family groups, as set out in our Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan. This payment is not available anywhere else in the UK – and it is available because this Government is prioritising lifting children out of poverty, despite our constrained resources.

Due to Scottish Government policies an estimated 90,000 fewer children are expected to live in relative and absolute poverty this year.