Chamber and committees

Finally, what assurances do the bus companies have that the Government’s on-going subsidy costs of £55 million to support the scheme will be sufficient, are baked in and cannot be reduced in future years? Do you know off the top of your head which budget this is going to come out of?

Following on from Jackie Dunbar’s question about local authorities, minister, I wonder whether you can clarify something. It says in our papers that, if the reimbursement is too low, bus companies might need support from a local authority. How do you plan to support what are already cash-strapped local authorities if they suddenly find themselves having to fund bus companies because their reimbursement is too low?

Hmm. I have no further questions, convener.

I asked the question because, according to your documents, the local authorities will have to pick up the pieces if things get to that stage. However, I have heard your answer.

Finally, given that the bus companies will be carrying more passengers for, I presume, less revenue, what incentive will they have to add new routes, particularly in rural or outlying areas?

I have two brief supplementary questions that arise from that line of questioning. Where are you with the development of plans to ensure that plastics from the deposit return scheme are ultimately recycled in Scotland rather than being shipped abroad?

My second question concerns the cut in the Scottish Government’s budget allocation to Zero Waste Scotland of £4 million between 2019-20 and 2020-21. When I had a look at your latest accounts, I saw that the Scottish Government grant was down by £1.5 million in 2020-21. One would have thought that that would have had quite a significant impact on your ability to deliver the outcomes that you are trying to deliver. What impact has it had?

Nick Halfhide, you talked in your opening remarks about the nature crisis and biodiversity loss. You have just spoken about biodiversity targets. Do you have plans to mark the current baseline for biodiversity to ensure that the impact of any new policies or of your work to achieve those targets can be measured?

I have three very quick questions. First, given that the reimbursements to bus operators for the under-22s and over-60s schemes are significantly less than 100 per cent, what does your modelling show with regard to the impact on adult fares—that is, the fares for those between 23 and 59 years of age? Is there any risk that adult bus fares will have to increase to compensate for lost revenue?

Please answer that one first, minister.

I will explore a slightly different issue although, again, this might be a case of clearing up my understanding. I think that I am right to say that the bank is not currently authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority or the Financial Conduct Authority. How is it still a bank, given that it is not regulated in that way? Do you have plans to formally become a bank or to become so regulated?