Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not hold that information. Annual school cycle training performance figures for 2021-22, including delivery data from all participating local authorities, will be available in September 2022.

Through Bikeability Scotland, cycling training is available to every primary and secondary school in participating local authorities via a named coordinator. The programme is run by Cycling Scotland and delivery has now resumed following Covid-19 related disruption. Cycling Scotland is now supporting Bikeability coordinators to implement and update their pre-pandemic delivery targets, with the objective that every child has access to on-road cycle training as a life skill.

Through funding from Transport Scotland, Cycling Scotland provides free access to resources and instructor training, and supports local authorities with grant funding totalling over £600,000 per annum to overcome local barriers and increase access to the programme.

The Heat in Buildings Strategy (7 October) sets out an ambitious policy package to deliver the transition to zero emissions heating, including at least £1.8 billion investment over the course of this parliament to kick-start market growth and support those least able to pay. This includes a minimum of £465 million to support those least able to pay, £200 million to support energy efficiency and zero emissions heat in the public estate, £200 million Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund, and £400 million for large scale heat decarbonisation projects. This year we have increased the budget for our Home Energy Scotland Loan and Cashback Scheme to £21 million. We have also increased the budget for local authority energy efficiency and green heating schemes to £64 million, and for our Warmer Homes Scotland programme targeted at those in fuel poverty to £50 million.

Over the longer term, the Strategy sets out the steps we are taking to develop a market framework that will create demand for zero emissions heating, help consumers overcome investment costs, and help secure private investment. We are committed to phasing out the need for new fossil fuel boilers in off-gas areas from 2025 and on-gas from 2030. We will bring forward legislation during this Parliamentary term which, subject to devolved competence, will include regulatory proposals to require the installation of zero or very near zero emissions heating systems in existing buildings – in both the domestic and non-domestic sectors.

The Strategy identifies energy efficiency, heat pumps and heat networks as near-term strategic priorities. Efficient heat pumps supply renewable energy and heat networks can supply heat from a range of sources. The Scottish Government supports the use of renewable heat in heat networks through a number of mechanisms, including enhanced non-domestic rates relief for networks run from renewable sources. The longer term balance between renewable and other sources of zero emissions heat will be determined by a wider whole systems approach and will be reviewed as part of the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan in 2022.

The Scottish Government works closely with Ofgem and the network companies to ensure timely network investment adequate to support the transition to net zero across all sectors, including heat in buildings. In March this year the Scottish Government published a set of principles for the development of Scotland’s gas and electricity networks, developed in partnership with Ofgem and network companies. These principles can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/principles-development-scotlands-gas-electricity-networks/

We have set up a new Heat Electrification Strategic Partnership with the Scottish Distribution Network Operators and continue to work with them as they prepare to submit final business plans to Ofgem this December. Once approved, these plans would unlock over £3bn investment in local electricity networks to support decarbonisation of heat and transport over the period 2023- 2028.

We are working with local government towards ensuring Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies are in place by the end of 2023 for all local authority areas, providing a strategic plan for network companies to draw on in targeting their investment.

The Scottish Government through Transport Scotland has engaged with Renfrewshire Council to discuss and agree the design of Transport Scotland’s proposals for upgrading the existing path alongside the A8 from West Ferry to Langbank and how this will integrate with the route along the local road network.

The current extent of the upgrade to the Clyde Coastal Path is within Renfrewshire Council area therefore no engagement with Inverclyde council has taken place.

Further engagement with other stakeholders will be undertaken as part of the detailed design.

There are no plans to hold a further Ferry Industry Advisory Group (FIAG) meeting. Ministers are grateful to former FIAG members for their contributions to the work of the group, which was wide ranging. But by mutual consent of the parties following the last meeting on 17 October 2019, a more targeted approach is now adopted to stakeholder engagement. This continues to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the knowledge and experience of international ferry industry best practice, alongside views of local authorities and the communities served by the ferry services operated on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Our significantly improved approach to community engagement for new vessel projects is evidenced in positive feedback from the Islay community on their new vessels. We are also working closely with Ferries Community Board to ensure community input into policy development such as regarding fares and managing demand.

The Scottish Government regularly engage with the British Horse Society (BHS) on road safety matters. The BHS sat on the Stakeholder Working Group which assisted officials in developing the new Road Safety Framework to 2030. The BHS is also a formal member of the Framework’s Operational Partnership Group where road safety challenges faced by horse riders in Scotland are jointly examined.

In April 2019, we published the Waste Markets Study which assessed the treatment options for Scottish biodegradable municipal waste. The study is available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/waste-markets-study-full-report/

We have also commissioned work to assess the residual waste treatment capacity needs up to 2025, in light of our commitment to end the practice of landfilling biodegradable municipal waste by 2025. This work is ongoing and we will publish it in due course, independent of timelines for the review of incineration.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03193 on 4 October 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
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The Scottish Government provides grant funding to a wide range of organisations to install electric vehicle charging stations. Grantees who are Local Authorities or public bodies appoint charge point installers through their own procurement process. Grantees in the private sector or members of the public select a local installer from the Energy Saving Trust’s list of approved installers ( Domestic charge point funding - Energy Saving Trust ). There is no cost for a business, including Scottish SMEs, to register to be added to this list, should they be interested in doing so.

We do not hold information on the proportion of electric vehicle charging stations that have been installed by small and medium-sized enterprises based in Scotland.

Installation of an electric vehicle charge point requires a range of skills, including works related to electrical connections, civil engineering and supply and installation of charging units. This range of work provides opportunities for local businesses, including SMEs, to benefit from investment in development of the electric vehicle chargepoint network and subsequent maintenance and repair.

We want to encourage new, innovative, home-grown ideas to aid the decarbonisation of transport in Scotland and ensure Scottish businesses are positioned to deliver competitive solutions and services across the sector. We have provided £780,000 of funding to Scottish SMEs through the Can Do Innovation Challenge framework , supporting businesses to design and to build the commercial case for innovations related to electric vehicle charging.

To support business and economic development across Scotland we are supporting Scottish innovation across Technology Readiness Levels to enable existing and new Scottish companies, including SMEs, to secure a share of the Zero Emission transport market. We are also providing support for the stimulation of the Zero Emission Mobility technology market and stimulating technological innovation which will improve user experience and encourage further uptake of zero emission vehicles.

The Scottish Government launched a consultation for a refreshed Onshore Wind Policy Statement on 28th October 2021 which sets out our ambition for an additional 8-12 gigawatts of installed capacity by 2030. The policy statement also references the potential for refurbishment and recycling of wind turbines, supporting the recent Zero Waste Scotland report 'The Future of Onshore Wind Decommissioning in Scotland'. The Scottish Government are fully supportive of this work and its alignment with our zero waste policies.