The following table shows how many SMEs have applied to the Scottish Governments SME Loan and Cashback scheme since its inception in 2008.

The following table shows how much the Scottish Government has spent on the SME Loan and cashback Scheme in each year since its inception in 2008.

We do not collect a breakdown of homes brought back into use by local authority.

The number of empty homes returned to use with support from the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership for each year since it was established in 2010 is published in their annual report and is available to view on the website: https://emptyhomespartnership.scot/ 

I refer the member to the question S6W-17702 on 19 May 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Scottish Government collects information on whether any member of a household making a homelessness application to a local authority (in Scotland) slept rough a) during the 3 months preceding and b) the night before the application.

Data broken down by financial year and local authority is published in the annual Homelessness in Scotland publication, with the most recent providing data up to 2021-22. Tables 2 & 3 of the Main Tables associated with the latest publication contain data related to rough sleeping.

Data is not available prior to 2002-03 as this is the year data collection began.

The data collection defines rough sleeping as any member of the applicant household who has slept outside, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters) or slept in a building or other place not designed for habitation (such as barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations etc.).

Data is not gathered for any household rough sleeping who does not make a homelessness application to a local authority in Scotland.

Scotland remains committed to ensuring the right homes are delivered in the right places and to working with local authorities in the planning and delivery of new homes. The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a New Homes Bonus Scheme.

Scotland has led the UK in the delivery of affordable housing having delivered more than 122,000 affordable homes since 2007, of which more than 86,000 are for social rent. The 10,458 affordable homes delivered to end March 2023 is the highest figure since the start of the statistical series in 2000.

Since 2007, Scotland has seen over 40% more affordable homes delivered per head of population than in England, and over 70% more than in Wales. We have also delivered over three times as many social rented homes per head of population than England over this period.

The number of all-sector new build homes completed in Scotland was up by 9% in the latest year to end March 2023, the highest annual figure to end March since 2008.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

Following the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act), a Memorandum of Understanding was developed between Scotland’s Integration Joint Boards and Independent Hospices. Individual memorandums of understanding between hospices and NHS Boards are a matter for those Integration Joint Boards, their health boards and independent Scottish Hospices. Prior to commencement of the Act, any individual memorandums of understanding would have been matters for NHS Health Boards and independent hospices.

Ministers are required by the Community Empowerment Act (2015) to review the National Outcomes within five years of their previous publication, and the next review is currently underway. The Scottish Government intends to lay the statutory document in Parliament in early 2024. This will outline the work undertaken during the Review, including any proposed changes to the National Outcomes.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

It is the responsibility of Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to plan and commission adult palliative and end of life care services for their areas using the integrated budgets under their control. As such, service level agreements between hospices and health boards are matters for Integration Authorities, their health boards, and independent hospices. Prior to commencement of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, any service level agreements would have been matters for NHS Health Boards and independent hospices.

No-one Dies Alone is one way to provide emotional support and companionship to people at the end of life, especially those who may be more isolated. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of this support and an overarching aim of the new Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy that we are developing is that Scotland is a place where people and communities can come together to support each other, take action, and talk openly about planning ahead, serious illness, dying, death, and bereavement.

The Scottish Government does not have plans to roll out the No-one Dies Alone initiative but does support the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care to develop and promote public health initiatives such as No-on Dies Alone, to support communities and volunteers to care for those who are near the end of life.