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a) The number of mergers and transfer of engagements of RSLs based in Glasgow between 2014 and September 2022 is 5.

b) The number of mergers and transfer of engagements of RSLs based in Glasgow between 2010 and 2014 is 0.

It is for Glasgow City Council as the statutory housing and planning authority to set out local housing requirements. The Glasgow Local Housing Strategy 2017 sets a Housing Supply Target of 15,000 new homes over five years, including 7,500 new affordable homes. Scottish Government published new housebuilding statistics, based on private-led completions data provided by Glasgow City Council along with social sector housing association new build completions data from the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, and these show a total of 4,923 all-sector completions over the four year period 2017-18 to 2020-21, with more than half of these being social sector housing association homes.

The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown significantly impacted the construction sector across Scotland with associated delays to delivery of homes.

There are a range of responsibilities on Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) to engage and provide information to their members and service users about proposed mergers or transfer of engagements.

RSLs are required by legislation to consult and seek the approval of tenants if it proposes to transfer its homes to another landlord. The regulator has published statutory guidance for RSLs to ensure RSLs consider and act in accordance with the views of their tenants and that tenants interests are protected.

An RSLs constitution will also set out how it should engage with its members regarding these decisions.

Standard 2 of the SHRs Regulatory Framework requires RSLs to be open and accountable and give tenants and service users information that meets their needs about the RSL, its services, performance and future plans.

Additionally, the Scottish Social Housing Charter sets the standards and outcomes all social landlords should aim to achieve when performing their housing activities, this includes that social landlords manage their business so that tenants and other customers can get the information they need about their landlord, how and why it makes decisions.

The Scottish Government is aware that the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) publishes an engagement plan for every Registered Social Landlord which is publicly available on their website. Their engagement plan for Reidvale Housing Association covering the period up to 31 March 2023 states that they are engaging with the Association on its strategic options appraisal.

As an independent Regulator it is for the SHR to make decisions about how they regulate. Their Regulatory Framework sets out how they perform their functions and regulate social landlords.

Like all Non-Departmental Public Bodies, Scottish Canals are required to seek approval from the Scottish Government for funding proposals above agreed threshholds. This ensures that larger projects are both affordable and in the best interests of wider public funds spend.

Proposals relating to Stockingfield Bridge will be subject to this process and will require Scottish Government approval before any undertaking can be made. I have yet to receive such a proposal from Scottish Canals but will of course give any such proposal full consideration.

We are committed to become a world leading, innovation nation, which will help us grow our economy and create sustainable, green jobs. As the recent figures from the UK Innovation Survey show, there is still work to be done.

That is why this year we will publish new innovation strategy which will ensure that our businesses, people and institutions are ready to meet the global economic challenges and opportunities we face over the next 10 years.

The Strategy will build on the support already available to businesses through our Enterprise Agencies, who since 2017 have distributed around £600m directly to businesses to build their capacity and capability to innovate, and initiatives such as the Digital Development Grant, which since September 2020 has invested almost £50m to over 5,600 SMEs to help them utilise digital technologies and enhance workforce skills.

Since 2007 Scotland’s business R&D expenditure has doubled, whereas the comparable figure for the UK as a whole was only 29% growth over the same period.

We recently commissioned The Scottish Council for Development and Industry to undertake research on the specific barriers to innovation faced by Scottish businesses. The findings from the report, together with our engagement with industry and key stakeholders, will inform a reformed package of support within the Strategy to ensure our businesses realise their innovative potential.

Trade unions are key partners in delivering our economic and social aspirations. We will continue to promote strong trade unions and collective bargaining arrangements in all sectors, including the renewable energy sector. We have made a clear commitment to promote collective bargaining through the inclusion of an employee voice indicator, measured by collective bargaining coverage, within the National Performance Framework.

We also work closely with Scottish Renewables, the trade body for Scotland’s renewable energy industry.

Scottish Renewables played an active role in the development of the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) which explores issues such as skills development and staff retention in many industries including Energy. Through CESAP’s Implementation Steering Group we engage with both employers and their workforce as they move through the just transition to net zero. We will continue to engage with partners to deliver the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) and will move forward with improvements to the Green Jobs Workforce Academy.

While employment law remains reserved to the UK Government, we will use our Fair Work policy to promote fairer work practices across the labour market in Scotland, including within the renewable energy sector.

We have concluded a public consultation on the action needed for Scotland to become a leading Fair Work nation by 2025. We will publish a refreshed Fair Work Action Plan this year, incorporating the views from our public consultation, and focusing on minority ethnic and disabled people’s employment and the gender pay gap.

Fair Work is a key driver for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth and a wellbeing economy. Through our flagship Fair Work First policy we are using the Scottish Government’s financial powers to drive fair work practices and achieve our ambition for Scotland to be a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025.

Through the landmark Bute House Agreement, we will strengthen Fair Work conditionality. We will introduce a requirement on public sector grants recipients to pay at least the real Living Wage to all employees and to provide appropriate channels for effective workers’ voice, such as trade union recognition, subject to limits on devolved competence.

In the National Strategy for Economic Transformation we have also committed to work with employers and trade unions in sectors where low pay and precarious work can be most prevalent to deliver sectoral Fair Work agreements, that deliver payment of the real living wage, better security of work, and wider "Fair Work First" standards.

The Scottish Government has made a commitment in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation to “Build on the findings from the Business Purpose Commission Report, to inform how businesses can deliver positive impacts on prosperity, wellbeing – including tackling child poverty – and environmental sustainability. ”

The Business Purpose Commission for Scotland launched its report Now is the time for purpose: Putting purpose at the heart of Scottish business on 28 June 2022. The report is comprehensive, and makes recommendations for a range of stakeholders across business, governments, and tertiary education and training organisations. We are considering the recommendations carefully, with particular focus on the two recommendations for Scottish Government to lead. This requires significant cross- government engagement and we look forward to sharing our response when complete.

ScotWind leasing is administered by Crown Estate Scotland who have confirmed that all companies that have a ScotWind seabed agreement with Crown Estate Scotland are required to comply with all applicable laws including meeting their obligations under employment legislation. Therefore, if those companies have a statutorily recognised trade union, they would be required to comply with their legal requirements in respect of collective bargaining arrangements.