Written questions by Arthur.

With reference to the press notice entitled Awaab’s Law to force landlords to fix dangerous homes, published 6 February 2025, if he will take steps to extend Awaab's law to include all Service Family Accommodation provided by his Department.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) acknowledges serious concerns regarding damp and mould in Service Family Accommodation (SFA). A Damp and Mould Taskforce was established in 2023 to address reported cases of damp and mould in SFA and since then, over 9,000 Service personnel and their families have benefitted from the delivery of damp and mould packages of works. The severity of damp and mould cases now being raised, has reduced significantly since the Taskforce was first established, with circa 3% of reported cases now being at the most severe level.The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) will continue with its current approach to ensure cases of damp and mould are addressed on a priority basis.The table below shows the number of SFA properties available in Scotland, as at 1 April, from 2010 to 2014. This includes occupied and empty SFA available for allocation. YearNumber of SFAApril 20103,237April 20112,969April 20122,897April 20132,981April 20143,033 The number of SFA properties in Scotland between 2010 and 2014 with reported cases of damp and mould, is not held centrally. Information requested prior to April 2022, can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Due to the way in which Defence accommodation is managed, Awaab’s Law cannot be applied directly. However, the MOD has agreed to mirror or exceed any regulations set out in Awaab’s Law, in its own policies and procedures and this will continue to be a priority. The MOD will continue to move families to alternative accommodation in the most serious cases of damp and mould or if a family member has a known vulnerability.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of service family accommodation in Scotland.

Circa 97% of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in Scotland meets or exceeds the Government's Decent Homes Standard. This Government continues to invest significant sums to improve the quality of SFA in the United Kingdom. For Financial Year 2024-25, circa £445 million is forecast to be spent on maintaining and improving SFA. Work is now underway with the Defence Housing Strategy Review which started following the completion of the Annington Deal in January 2025. The Military Housing Strategy planned for publication in Summer 2025 will set out a roadmap to deliver a generational renewal of military accommodation.

What assessment he has made of the extent of any black mould problem in service family accommodation in Scotland.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) acknowledges serious concerns regarding damp and mould in Service Family Accommodation (SFA). A Damp and Mould Taskforce was established in 2023 to address reported cases of damp and mould in SFA and since then, over 9,000 Service personnel and their families have benefitted from the delivery of damp and mould packages of works. The severity of damp and mould cases now being raised, has reduced significantly since the Taskforce was first established, with circa 3% of reported cases now being at the most severe level.The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) will continue with its current approach to ensure cases of damp and mould are addressed on a priority basis.The table below shows the number of SFA properties available in Scotland, as at 1 April, from 2010 to 2014. This includes occupied and empty SFA available for allocation. YearNumber of SFAApril 20103,237April 20112,969April 20122,897April 20132,981April 20143,033 The number of SFA properties in Scotland between 2010 and 2014 with reported cases of damp and mould, is not held centrally. Information requested prior to April 2022, can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Due to the way in which Defence accommodation is managed, Awaab’s Law cannot be applied directly. However, the MOD has agreed to mirror or exceed any regulations set out in Awaab’s Law, in its own policies and procedures and this will continue to be a priority. The MOD will continue to move families to alternative accommodation in the most serious cases of damp and mould or if a family member has a known vulnerability.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of staff cuts at Dundee University on economic growth.

The Government recognises the crucial role of universities in the UK’s innovation ecosystem and in delivering the skills needed to drive growth as part of the Industrial Strategy. Education policy is however devolved in Scotland. It is for the Scottish Government to consider the broader impact of developments in the education sector in Scotland, including of any potential staff cuts in Scottish universities.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of Dundee University's plan to cut staffing by 20% on the Tay Cities Deal.

I am fully aware of the well documented financial situation with the University of Dundee and share concern that any job losses are regrettable, however the University is a key partner in the Tay Cities Region Deal and remains fully committed to delivering its objectives. Economic Growth is one of this Government’s key missions and I am absolutely committed to working alongside the Scottish Government to realise our shared ambitions for growth in Scotland. My officials will continue to collaborate with all of the Tay Cities Region Deal partners to ensure the maximum benefits for the region can be realised.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of staff cuts at Dundee University on the industrial strategy.

The Government recognises the crucial role of universities in the UK's innovation ecosystem and in delivering the skills needed to drive growth as part of the Industrial Strategy. Education policy is devolved in Scotland, and it is for the Scottish Government to consider the broader impact of developments in the education sector, including of any potential staff cuts in Scottish universities.

What steps he is taking to support people with long covid; and what steps he is taking to increase awareness of the impacts of long covid.

Across England, services within the National Health Service are available to support people with post-COVID syndrome, often described as long COVID. These services offer physical, cognitive and psychological assessment, and, where appropriate, refer patients onto existing services for treatment and rehabilitation.NHS England has recently completed a long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) stocktake, aimed to provide a national overview of service delivery in commissioning these services. It included assessing access, activity and outcomes. The findings confirmed significant variation in care delivery across England and a lack of comprehensive activity data.To support clinical leadership in this area, NHS England has worked in partnership with the British Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine to develop a new Clinical Post-COVID Society to facilitate the ongoing sharing of best practice to support people affected by long COVID. More information about the society is available at the following link:https://www.clinicalpcs.org.uk.Information on long COVID is widely available from the NHS and the Government in a variety of formats. Detailed information for people of all ages and background on symptoms and the healthcare support that is available for long COVID remains available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/post-covid-syndrome-long-covid/Over the last five years, the Government, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council, has invested over £57 million in long COVID research, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The NIHR specifically has invested £42.7 million towards research for long COVID. The projects funded aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease, and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate clinical care. Further information on the research into long COVID commissioned through the NIHR is available at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/about-us/what-we-do/covid-19/long-COVID

Whether she plans to provide additional funding to the Scottish Government for the cost of additional National Insurance contributions in the public sector from the 2025-26 financial year.

The Scottish Government will receive funding through the Barnett formula in the usual way in 2025-26, including for any support provided to UK Government departments for employer National Insurance contributions. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the support provided by (a) his Department and (b) energy suppliers for vulnerable households for the cost of energy.

The Government believes the only way to protect consumers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate off winter energy bills for eligible low-income households. On 25 February, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The Warm Home Discount regulations expire in 2026, and we will want to consider all options for future bill support beyond this point. We continue to monitor energy prices and the price cap and are working to ensure bills are affordable for consumers in the long-term, including through our work with Ofgem to reform standing charges, and through our Warm Homes Plan which will upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the support provided by (a) his Department and (b) energy suppliers for people with chronic ill health for the cost of energy.

The Government believes the only way to protect consumers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate off winter energy bills for eligible low-income households. On 25 February, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The Warm Home Discount regulations expire in 2026, and we will want to consider all options for future bill support beyond this point. We continue to monitor energy prices and the price cap and are working to ensure bills are affordable for consumers in the long-term, including through our work with Ofgem to reform standing charges, and through our Warm Homes Plan which will upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Scottish Government's National innovation strategy 2023 to 2033 on his industrial strategy.

Accelerating the rate of innovation and increasing the adoption and diffusion of ideas, technologies, and processes is an essential step for growing productivity of our growth-driving sectors. My officials are working with the Scottish Government on how we can drive growth in Scotland and the wider UK within the context of our Industrial Strategy. This includes the role of innovation in helping us reach our shared growth objectives. This partnership will help make the Industrial Strategy a UK-wide effort and support the considerable sectoral strengths of Scotland.

Whether he has had discussions with Scottish universities on the development of an industrial strategy.

The Government recognises the crucial role of universities in the UK’s innovation ecosystem and in delivering the skills needed to drive growth as part of the Industrial Strategy. My officials have discussed our Industrial Strategy plans with Universities Scotland.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a standardised battery health certification scheme for second-hand electric vehicles.

The Department for Transport has worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to develop a Global Technical Regulation on electric vehicle batteries (GTR 22). If implemented, the regulation would set standards for the lifespan of a battery and its minimum durability. It will also ensure that information about electric vehicle batteries is easily accessible, accurate and comparable. The Government is currently considering options for the implementation of GTR 22 battery regulations in the UK. In the meantime, the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate requires all new electric vehicles to be sold with a warranty that includes battery replacement if capacity falls below 70% in the first 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever is sooner.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with the build to rent sector to increase the supply of housing.

The government is committed to supporting the Build to Rent sector. We are unlocking nearly £2 billion in additional lending through the Private Rented Sector Guarantee Scheme and have announced a £700 million extension to the Home Building Fund to help deliver more homes alongside institutional investors, including those provided by Build to Rent operators.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support the Build to Rent sector.

The government is committed to supporting the Build to Rent sector. We are unlocking nearly £2 billion in additional lending through the Private Rented Sector Guarantee Scheme and have announced a £700 million extension to the Home Building Fund to help deliver more homes alongside institutional investors, including those provided by Build to Rent operators.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing Multiple Dwellings Relief.

The previous Government announced the abolition of Multiple Dwellings Relief following an external evaluation which found no strong evidence the relief was meeting its original objectives of supporting investment in the private rented sector. In addition, and as highlighted in the November 2021 consultation on reforms to MDR, the relief was subject to high levels of abuse. Larger investors who purchase six or more properties in a singletransaction can still continue to benefit from the non-residential rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax. The Government will continue to engage with stakeholders in the build to rent sector to understand any concerns. On housing more broadly, the Government has committed to delivering 1.5 million new homes and is reforming the National Planning Policy Framework to get Britain building, including by reintroducing mandatory housing targets.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of increased investment in active travel infrastructure on public health outcomes.

Investment in active travel schemes makes it easier for people to walk, wheel or cycle, and thereby plays a significant role in improving people’s physical and mental health. Ministers from this Department have met regularly with their counterparts in the Department of Health and Social Care to discuss this as well as the other ways that the Department can contribute to the Government’s health mission. On 12 February, Active Travel England announced almost £300 million of funding for new walking, wheeling and cycling schemes. The health benefits of these will lead to 43,000 fewer sick days per year, easing pressure on the NHS.

Whether she plans to create local walking and cycling networks to enable more children to stay active on the way to school.

it is for local authorities to make their own decisions about where to prioritise investment in local transport networks. Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) aim to help authorities take a strategic approach to improving conditions for walking, wheeling and cycling. Revenue funding awarded by Active Travel England can be used by local authorities to support LCWIP development. In addition, Active Travel England supports a range of programmes to help enable more active travel for schoolchildren, including Living Street’s Walk to School Outreach, Modeshift STARS and Bikeability cycle training. The Department has also recently published guidance for local authorities on implementing School Streets, which can encourage more active travel to schools.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of scrapping Multiple Dwellings Relief on housing supply.

The previous Government announced the abolition of Multiple Dwellings Relief following an external evaluation which found no strong evidence the relief was meeting its original objectives of supporting investment in the private rented sector. In addition, and as highlighted in the November 2021 consultation on reforms to MDR, the relief was subject to high levels of abuse. Larger investors who purchase six or more properties in a singletransaction can still continue to benefit from the non-residential rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax. The Government will continue to engage with stakeholders in the build to rent sector to understand any concerns. On housing more broadly, the Government has committed to delivering 1.5 million new homes and is reforming the National Planning Policy Framework to get Britain building, including by reintroducing mandatory housing targets.

What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential economic merits of investment in active travel infrastructure.

The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions by helping to revitalise high streets; enabling people to live longer, healthier lives; and helping to reduce transport emissions. The Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6 on 12 February. The Department’s Ministers will be having regular discussions with their Treasury counterparts as part of the ongoing Spending Review which will conclude later this Spring.