Chamber and committees

Finally, in my experience, there are benefits to engaging employers and powerful institutions in communities, such as football clubs, when considering this issue. A big difference can be made with a collaborative approach beyond the school setting—as you emphasised, cabinet secretary. I want some reassurance that the Government is open-minded and proactive in that regard.

Given all the information and feedback that we have received through the process, including what we get in our constituency case load, how do we reassure those parents and those communities that we, collectively, as a Parliament, are making progress?

You might get an invitation following this meeting.

I have two questions that my constituents have raised with me, although they are relevant for the whole country. The first is regarding the Edinburgh to Inverness line. Issues about overcrowding on that line have been raised with me on several occasions. The line is an important artery for people living on the east coast and for tourist visitors. Do you have any comment or direct feedback on that?

My second question is on reliability. The Edinburgh to Glasgow connection, particularly between Waverley and Queen Street, has for certain periods been extended later into the night, such as during the Edinburgh festivals. That is a good thing, and I and many of my constituents think that there is a strong argument for it to happen more regularly so that people can go to concerts or football games and be able to come home later. Has that been raised with you? Is it part of your considerations and feedback?

That is interesting. Thank you.

These questions are primarily for Alex Hynes and Joanne Maguire. I am an MSP for the capital—Edinburgh—and my questions are on casework that I have received on two important issues that relate to the whole country.

First, it is well known that the line from Edinburgh to Inverness is often busy and sometimes overcrowded, given the tourist attractions on the line and its importance to the tourism economy, not to mention local travel. Can you comment on the prospect of increasing capacity on that line in the short, medium or longer term?

Secondly, we have two remarkable cities in the central belt; there are a number of other important areas, but the two cities are known world wide for having great night-time economies, cultural offerings and sporting events. Last summer, the festivals came to an agreement with you and the Government for later travel on the trains, and it was, by all accounts, successful. Is any thought going into providing later trains between Waverley and Queen Street on a more regular basis, say on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights? Earlier, you talked about the market and how demand is increasing around weekends, but the demand that could be created by later services serving the night-time economy has not really been properly explored as it has in other places.

I think that more people would use the services if they ran later into the night, but I guess that the question is how you survey and quantify that. Limited trial periods will give some insight, but I think that a longer trial period would be required to see the commercial benefits.

Thank you, both. That was interesting.

I also want to add that if the Government wants to relay any further comment to the committee following the committee stage in the House of Commons, we would be interested in that, too.

It strikes me that the engagement prior to the bill’s publication with regard to devolved matters was not as meaningful as it could have been. Would that be a fair assessment?

We empathise on the challenge.