Chamber and committees

The number of households in Temporary Accommodation in (a) North Lanarkshire and (b) the rest of the country at the 31^st March is published by the Scottish Government in Table 17 of Homelessness in Scotland Statistics and is available at this link: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/RefTables.

The published figures show that as at 31 March 2017 there were 10,873 households in temporary accommodation across Scotland, and 570 households in temporary accommodation in North Lanarkshire.

The Scottish Government collects and publishes information on the number of households in Temporary Accommodation at the end of each quarter. This is collected from local authorities in the HL2 form which provides information, on a snapshot basis, i.e. on the number of households in temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter.

As set out in my statement to Parliament on 12 September 2017, the Scottish Government is engaging stakeholders further to inform its consideration in respect of the recommendation on charity relief from the Barclay review of non-domestic rates. Further detail will be set out in the context of an implementation plan by the end of 2017.

At the parliamentary debate on the Fairer Scotland Action Plan on 25 October 2016, a commitment was made to publish an annual report detailing how the action plan was being implemented. The first progress report is due for publication shortly.

With regard to temporary accommodation, a short-life Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group to make recommendations has now been established. One of its four key objectives will be transforming the use of temporary accommodation. This work will be supported by a £50 million Ending Homelessness Together fund, available over 5 years. We have also introduced a cap of 7 days (from 14 days) for families with children and pregnant women in unsuitable temporary accommodation.

The Ferries Plan, published in December 2012, committed to rolling out the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) for passengers, cars and coaches, on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services within the lifetime of that Parliament. RET does not extend to commercial vehicle traffic.

RET Evaluation Reports have been published for the initial phases of roll-out and are publically available on the Transport Scotland website. They can be found by following the link below:

https://www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/ferries/road-equivalent-tariff/

These reports include details of fare reductions.

The final roll out of RET in 2015 saw the price of a single passenger fare fall by an average of 44% whilst car fares were cut by an average of 55%. A similar evaluation of the impact of the full roll-out of RET will be produced once sufficient evidence of the impact is available.

The information requested is publically available in CalMac Ferries Ltd Directors’ Report & Financial Statements, under the section entitled Financial Statements and Notes. These can be found by following link:

https://www.calmac.co.uk/corporate/annual-reports

Capacity and demand considerations are part of the Vessel Replacement and Deployment Plan process which includes analysing carryings and predicted forecast growth. The Vessel Replacement and Deployment Plan is available on the Transport Scotland website by following the link.

https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/vessel-replacement-and-deployment-plan-2015/

In line with contractual and operational requirements, CalMac, as the operator, is solely responsible for deciding which vessels are deployed on which routes in order to deliver the CHFS contact.

The information requested is publically available and can be found on the CalMac website by following link below: https://www.calmac.co.uk/corporate/carrying-statistics

The Ferries Plan, published in December 2012, committed to rolling out the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) for passengers, cars and coaches, on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) within the lifetime of that Parliament. RET does not extend to commercial vehicle traffic.

We are committed to ensuring all temporary accommodation is the same standard as permanent accommodation. Most temporary accommodation in Scotland is in social rented housing, so will already be the same standard as permanent accommodation.

We have established a short-life Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group to make recommendations and one of its four key objectives will be transforming the use of temporary accommodation, including any action required on standards. We have also taken action to introduce a cap of 7 days (from 14 days) for families with children and pregnant women in unsuitable temporary accommodation.

The members of each organisation represented on the Joint Programme Board overseeing implementation of the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017 are:

1. Department for Transport - Rail Strategy and Security Directorate: Dan Moore

2. Scottish Government - Police Division: Donald McGillivray

3. Scottish Government - Transport Scotland: Frazer Henderson

4. British Transport Police Authority: Chief Executive - Charlotte Vitty

5. Scottish Police Authority/Police Scotland: Deputy Chief Officer - David Page/ACC Bernard Higgins

6. British Transport Police: DCC Adrian Hanstock

The Scottish Government believes that a progressive approach to industrial relations and to trade unionism is at the very heart of a fairer, more successful society. Trade union representation and collective bargaining agreements ensure that workers have an effective voice in the workplace. This is a vital aspect of Fair Work which we encourage all employers to adopt. Legislation which places unnecessary burdens and restrictions on trade unions is detrimental to our ambition for a fairer, more equal society. That is why we have continually called on the UK Government to repeal the Trade Union Act.