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I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19389 on 4 July 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answer.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19389 on 4 July 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19389 on 4 July 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answer.

The responsibility for the balancing of grid costs lies with the National Grid ESO, not the Scottish Government. Information on their work on this can be found here: .

The , which will give effect to the New Build Heat Standard, if passed, were laid in parliament on 8 June 2023.

An accompanying was published alongside these.

Commissioned research into ‘Zero Emissions Heating in New Buildings across Scottish Islands’ and a suite of impact assessments were published alongside the independent analysis of the New Build Heat Standard Consultation: Part II, also on 9 June 2023.

Work is now ongoing to update the building standards technical handbooks which will provide the relevant guidance for industry, and this is due to be published in Autumn 2023.

The study to map the net zero skills on Scottish Islands is progressing and we hope to be able to report on progress by the end of the summer.

The Scottish Government does not publish local authority analysis for single years from the Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS), due to insufficient sample sizes.

The Scottish Government does usually publish local authority analysis using a three year pooled data set to ensure sufficient sample sizes. As set out in the most recent Scottish House Condition Survey 2021 Key Findings Report, (available at ) there will be no Local Authority publication relating to the 2019 to 2021 three year period for two reasons.

Firstly, due to the Covid-19 pandemic the SHCS survey was suspended and there is no data for 2020. Secondly, the data from the 2021 external+ SHCS is not directly comparable with that for earlier years, due to methodological differences, and therefore it would not be appropriate to combine it with the data for 2019 (or earlier) to produce a multi-year analysis.

The Scottish Government welcomes the analysis set out in the Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon Budget, where Scotland’s contribution to Net Zero is laid out in Chapter 4.

We recognise the contribution that nuclear generation makes to the current energy mix in Scotland; however, its contribution is set to decrease as we increase electricity generation from renewable and other low carbon sources. As set out in our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, significant growth in renewables, storage, hydrogen and carbon capture provide the best pathway to net zero by 2045, and will deliver a climate friendly energy system that delivers affordable, resilient and clean energy supplies for Scotland's households, business and communities.

As the Scottish Government is not required to hold information on operational matters related to Scottish Water, I again refer the member to the published data available on Scottish Water’s website at and . Should the member wish further information on this data, he may wish to contact Scottish Water directly.

As environmental regulator, it is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to monitor, classify, protect and improve water quality at designated bathing waters. SEPA assesses the water quality of Peterhead (Lido) as “excellent” and further information is available on its website at .

I again refer the member to the answer to S6O-02060 for further information on wider measures to improve Scotland’s water environment. On 23 March 2023. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the Official Report can be viewed at: Meeting of the Parliament: 23/03/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website

I have met with a range of stakeholders in the energy industry since taking on this ministerial role. As the states, information on Ministerial engagements is routinely published online three months in arrears from the end of that month. Therefore, at the time of writing the current list, which provides details of engagements up to the end of February 2023, is up to date. It is anticipated that a list of engagements undertaken in March 2023 will be published shortly, with engagements held in April and May subsequently issued in line with the Ministerial commitment as described above. Once published the information can be found at: .