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All local authorities publish a Local Housing Strategy (LHS). This is supplemented with a Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP), which sets out over a five year period, plans to prioritise delivery of the objectives set out in the LHS. The number of homes for social rent being built in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20 and (c) 2020-21 will be determined by the SHIP. These documents are used as a basis for the development of Strategic Local Programme Agreements (SLPAs) between local authorities and the Scottish Government, enabling them to deliver their affordable housing priorities, including homes for social rent, in mixed communities that fit local needs.

The following table is based on management information extracted from the Scottish Government Affordable Housing Supply Programme, and presents the number of social rented units under construction on site as at 30 September 2016, in line with the time period of data presented in the most recent quarterly official statistics release on affordable housing approvals, starts and completions:

As well as new build homes under construction, there are also 234 units forming rehab and conversion projects currently underway.

The next official statistics release, covering the period to end December 2016, will be published on 14 March 2017.

In answer to (a) and (b), the financial year 2016-17 runs from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017. The number of houses for social rent built over this period are published as part of our quarterly statistics.

The most recent published on 13 December 2016 and covering the period 1 April to end September 2016, show there were 1,566 new build homes completed for social rent as part of the Scottish Government Affordable Housing Supply Programme. However, as well as new build homes, there were also 189 homes delivered for social rent by way of rehab projects and off-the-shelf projects. The next set of quarterly statistics for the period to end December 2016 is due to be published on 14 March 2017.

(c) All local authorities publish a Local Housing Strategy (LHS). This is supplemented with a Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP), which sets out over a five year period, plans to prioritise delivery of the objectives set out in the LHS. The number of homes for social rent being built in 2017-18 will be determined by the SHIP. These documents are used as a basis for the development of Strategic Local Programme Agreements (SLPAs) between local authorities and the Scottish Government, enabling them to deliver their affordable housing priorities, including homes for social rent, in mixed communities that fit local needs.

The second Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) annual progress report found at: , covers academic year 2015-16, and was published on 14 December 2016.

The report highlights significant progress made to date, including progress on the eleven Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for the DYW programme. The latest published data for the indicators highlighted in the question are highlighted as follows:

The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government as Rosyth to Zeebrugge is a commercial freight ferry route operated by DFDS.

Improvements to the port facility or vessel to increase the capacity and improve the environmental performance have been made by the port authority Forth Ports or ferry operator DFDS.

We understand this included improvements to the port infrastructure to allow double stacked containers to be loaded onto the vessel, as well as the installation of scrubber technology on the Finlandia Seaways to comply with Sulphur Emissions Control Area restrictions.

The Scottish Government paid 200,000 in January 2015 to DFDS, in support of the company’s operation of the Rosyth to Zeebrugge freight ferry service. The Scottish Government has not provided Forth Ports with funding for the route since January 2015.

The Scottish Government is committed to securing the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service on an environmentally and economically sustainable basis in the interests of the freight industry and businesses in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not raised the issue of seafarer pay rates on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge freight route with the UK Government or DFDS.

Scottish Ministers wrote to UK Ministers on 4 November 2016 asking the UK Government to investigate the wider issue of employment protection for seafarers, including the applicability of National Minimum Wage legislation in the maritime sector, specifically regarding seafarers working exclusively in UK waters.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-06601 on 8 February 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at

Data on the number of freight passengers travelling on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry is published in the Scottish Transport Statistics. The latest figures are at Table 9.13(b) in the report at:

It should be noted that the Finlandia Seaways can carry a maximum of
12 passengers per sailing.

Data on the volume of freight transported on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry is not retained in the format you request. The figures we receive from DfT Maritime Statistics are published in the Scottish Transport Statistics. The latest figures are at Table 9.13(b) in the report at: