Chamber and committees

My final question is on a very different topic. Last week, we had evidence from cultural organisations that pointed to where they may find additional sources of income. A number of the organisations pointed to the potential to use a transient visitor levy to raise money directly for culture. Have you had discussions with local authorities and others about that?

I am never finished when it comes to buses, but I am finished with my questions for the time being, convener.

My question is in this general area. Cabinet secretary, what will be in the wildlife management (grouse) bill and what is the scope of the bill?

I will come back to transport again. With the national transport strategy’s strategic transport projects review 2, there has been a shift over time towards working with the transport hierarchy, prioritising active travel and public transport. Is that reflected within local authority investment plans, city deals and local transport strategies or is there a gap? Are we all moving forward together or are some local authorities still hanging on to high-carbon projects when the world has moved on?

Will the bill include reforms to the powers of the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which are currently restricted to domestic animals rather than wildlife?

I will ask an additional question about highly protected marine areas, if I may. It is good to see those mentioned in this one-year PFG. Can you detail what exactly will happen to develop such areas in the next 12 months? There is quite a timescale here, out to 2026. I imagine a lot of stakeholder negotiations and discussions are needed and a lot of lines on maps. It would be good to know what is happening in the next year.

The session has been really interesting. There is definitely a sense of a pipeline of opportunities for renewables.

Coming back to public transport, I note in the PFG a range of commitments, including reinforcing the roll-out of free bus travel for the under-22s. Can you say a bit more about the Government’s vision for buses? How does it cut across your work on capital investment, concessionary travel or better regulation or opportunities for local authorities to regulate bus travel? People have written to me to say that although free bus travel for the under-22s is great, there are still issues with the reliability of local bus services, and they are frustrated about how bus services are being run and the quality of service. What is the Government’s vision for bus services, particularly the work that will be taking place in the next year beyond concessionary travel?

Do you see the community bus fund as a way of building up the business case for more transformational change?

I suppose that there is a hint of that in the programme for government, where you talk about potential new duties on public bodies to take account of well-being and sustainable development. That feels like more futures thinking, which obviously encapsulates some of the climate change issues. Minister, do you have anything to add to that?

Are there issues around transport governance—who is making decisions and who is implementing projects—that need further consideration?