Chamber and committees

Estimated spend on the specified areas is detailed in the following table (this doesn't include the circa £3.5 billion of Social Security benefits which while devolved supports and supplements UK welfare benefits):-

The Scottish Government does not hold complete information on the number of birds killed by windfarm activity. Prior to consent, surveys are undertaken in relation to the impact any proposed windfarm would have on bird populations. The survey results then determine whether mitigation and/or further monitoring is required and a specific condition to that effect is included in the windfarm’s consent. The information gathered from this monitoring is provided to the relevant Planning Authority. Not all windfarms have significant levels of bird activity and therefore they are not all required to report collisions.

Since 2013 NatureScot has operated a voluntary reporting scheme via their website, and have received 51 collision reports.

Some collisions are recorded by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA), and these reports are published quarterly on the SASA website and can be found here: https://www.sasa.gov.uk/wildlife-environment/wildlife-incident-investigation-scheme-wiis .

A table containing the average daily traffic flows on the A96 in each year since 2017 has been lodged with SPICe, BIB number 63000.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of mobile and broadband connectivity for almost all aspects of everyday life which is why we work closely with Local Resilience Partnerships, telecoms providers and the UK Government - both in preparing for, and responding to severe weather events which may impact telecommunications in Scotland.

It is important to note that resilience of the Communications Sector, which includes telecommunications and internet, is reserved and therefore the responsibility of the UK Government.

Major outages are extremely rare, but most telecoms equipment is dependent on a power supply in order to function which can be disrupted by extreme weather.

During the Storm Arwen response effort, welfare centres offered Wi-Fi and mobile phone charging facilities where possible. Additionally, in the in the run-up to Storm Arwen, the Scottish Government’s Ready Scotland campaign was activated using local radio and digital channels and was geographically targeted on the areas affected by the Amber and Red Met Office warnings.

The ‘Ready Scotland’ website, at ready.scot , provides advice to the public on how to prepare for and respond to emergencies; including utilities loss and severe weather.

We will continue to press the UK Government and the regulator (Ofcom) for assurance that increasing resilience of the telecoms network in Scotland is a priority.

The Scottish 4G Infill Programme is investing £28.75M to build up to 55 mobile masts designed to bring 4G connectivity to rural and island communities around Scotland. Updates are published on a regular basis at Scottish 4G infill programme: progress update - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

In the areas specified, the current breakdown for new activated masts is:

(a) Argyll and Bute (2) – Bunessan, Glenbarr

(b) Western Isles (2) – Lemreway, Ranish

(c) Highland (8) – Applecross, Blairmore, Glenborrodale,, Killilan, Littlemill, Polbain, Strathconon, Tarskavaig

(d) Orkney (2) – Burray, Deerness

(e) Shetland (1) – Reawick

(f) Moray (1) – Chapeltown

We set out an initial £20 million allocation for the Fund in our draft Budget document on the 9th December. Building on our commitment to co-design, we will take forward a series of engagements in the new year with partners across the region to design the approach for the implementation of the Fund, including how investments can demonstrate alignment with the national outcomes we set out in our response to the Just Transition Commission in September 2021.

We are fully committed to ensuring this Fund benefits communities fairly across the North East and Moray region. Our engagement activity will cover the region as a whole, ensuring that communities and businesses in Moray, with others, are able to influence the approach taken for the Fund.

Table 1 shows the number of secondary teachers in each Local Authority at the time of the census and who did not hold a post in the following year's census. Some teachers may be double counted if they are recorded as working in two different local authorities.

Table 2 shows the number of secondary teachers by their main subject at the time of the census and who did not hold a post in the following year's census. Some teachers may be double counted if they have a post at more than one schools and are recorded as having a different main subject at different schools.

In both tables teachers who were not teaching at the time because they were either on leave or seconded from their post (e.g. on maternity leave) are counted as holding a post. The total figure in table 1 and table 2 are different as some teachers may be double counted.

There are a number of reasons why a teacher would not hold a post in the following year's census, these include resignation, retiring, end of contract, moving to independent schools etc.

Table 1

Local authorities are responsible for the provision of local waste services and are, therefore, best placed to comment on their readiness to comply with the ban on sending biodegradable municipal waste to landfill in 2025.

However, we understand that 18 local authorities have contracts in place for 2025 that comply with the landfill ban, these are: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, City of Edinburgh, City of Glasgow, Dundee City, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Fife, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney, Renfrewshire, Shetland, and South Lanarkshire.

We are providing centrally supported procurement to help other local authorities secure contracts in preparation for the forthcoming ban. As part of this support, Zero Waste Scotland is working with local authorities to provide technical, legal and procurement advice on their contracts.

Glasgow Prestwick Airport continues to develop as a specialist airport, carving a niche in a very competitive aviation market. The challenge facing the aviation sector because of the Covid pandemic is a global one and, like all airports, Prestwick is adapting to that challenge. The Scottish Government is laying the annual report and accounts today in Parliament which show that the business continues in a positive direction with a profit posted for 2020-21.

In the current year, the team at Glasgow Prestwick Airport were heavily involved in supporting COP26, providing a professional and flexible service to its customers during this major event. Glasgow Prestwick Airport continues to provide essential services for the importation of cargo, including supplies for the NHS, as well as continuing to develop all other revenue streams in the business. Staff at the airport have played and continue to play a key role in the success of such activities and that is valued and recognised.

Scottish Ministers’ still intend for Prestwick Airport to return to the private sector at the appropriate time and opportunity. Having carefully considered bids received under a recent sales process, I can advise that Ministers have decided to not proceed with a sale at this time.

The Scottish Government remains supportive of the business. The airport has recently made several new appointments to the operating Board, including a new Non-Executive Chair. With a refreshed board and management in place, the Scottish Government is confident the business will continue to develop its strategy for growth.

The construction of the A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement project is well advanced.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures to combat the impact of the pandemic, it was confirmed in the publication of the Infrastructure Investment Plan in December 2020 that completion was anticipated in Winter 2021, noting that this date was subject to any unforeseen circumstances.

The latest information received from the Contractor now indicates an anticipated date for completion of works allowing roads to open to traffic by the end of March 2022. The Contractor has reported impacts to programme critical work within the previous month due to adverse weather from Storm Arwen and Storm Barra. Until these recent events the Contractor had been able to maintain an expected completion date within the Winter 2021 period, despite the challenges posed throughout 2021 by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and industry-wide supply chain issues. However, the risk of such events causing delay to the expected completion date has always been highlighted, to indicate that any estimated date must be understood to be subject to an element of uncertainty. Although this revised date remains subject to no further disruption occurring due to events such as adverse weather and the COVID-19 pandemic, Transport Scotland continues to engage with the Contractor as they work to mitigate any delays on site.