Chamber and committees

Scottish Government through Energy Saving Trust provided loans through the Local Carbon Transport Loan to households on the following incomes:

A) £20,000 or under - 167 loans

B) £20,001 - £30,000 - 587 loans

C) £30,001 - £40,000 - 531 loans

D) £40,001 - £50,000 - 398 loans

E) £50,001 - £60,000 - 305 loans

F) £60,001 - £80,000 - 264 loans

G) £80,001 - 100,000 - 87 loans

H) £100,001 or higher - 85 loans

The figures are based on the combined income of the household and not the income of the applicant. The information is based on the loans paid from 1st January 2019 - 5th August 2021, we are unable to provide data from before January 2019, this data also includes combined family incomes.

Transport Scotland engages and consults with taxi operators on an ongoing basis through various strands of the agency’s work. Taxi operators are key consultees for matters related to rail station access and operators have participated in national Low Emission Zone consultations and attended various stakeholder events including Mobility as a Service. Transport Scotland values the ongoing participation from taxi operators in helping to inform and influence policy making through these engagement channels.

The Scottish Government’s public agencies are running promotional campaigns to support responsible enjoyment of the countryside, as part of the wider national visitor management strategy co-ordinated by VisitScotland. This includes messaging which relates to responsible lighting of fires, strongly emphasising for example the use of camping stoves. It also highlights the need to follow any relevant local guidance and promotes sensible behaviours. The campaigns are being taken forward through both traditional and social media, including work with online influencers to help reach audiences that are otherwise difficult to engage.

Figures show there has been widespread public engagement with these campaigns over the summer period.

£2.75 million has been allocated by Scottish Ministers this year for the Better Places Green Recovery Fund, administered by NatureScot, which partly provides for additional seasonal rangers to promote responsible behaviour. We are also providing our National Parks with an extra £3.6 million in 2021 which will support, among other things, seasonal rangers.

In addition, land managers have been advised to use time limited local signage or other communication methods to inform people when there are high risk conditions, working with local authorities and National Park Authorities.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss is unwavering. Many of the points made in the Dasgupta review align closely with our existing approaches, and with our Wellbeing Economy, Inclusive Growth and Green Recovery, and “four pillars” approach to economic development. The Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party have agreed to work together to develop a new Natural Environment Bill which will put in place key legislative changes to restore and protect nature, including statutory targets for nature restoration.

Our Environment Strategy and our Statement of Intent on biodiversity published in December 2020 fully recognise the value of nature and the essential services and benefits it provides to Scotland’s people. The Statement of Intent signals our ambitions for biodiversity in Scotland, and commits Scotland to development of a new biodiversity strategy within 12 months of COP15. It also commits us to:

• Endorsing the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, launched at the UN General Assembly in September which commits signatories to reversing biodiversity loss by 2030, sending a united signal to step up global ambition for nature, climate and people.
• Extending the area protected for nature in Scotland to at least 30% of our land area by 2030.
• Ensuring that National Planning Framework 4 works to secure positive effects for biodiversity.
• Increasing ecological connectivity through support for locally-driven projects.

In July 2021 we launched the Nature Restoration Fund, which provided an additional £10 million capital funding for projects that will restore nature, safeguard wildlife and tackle the causes of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Snaring is reviewed every 5 years under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the next review is due to be completed by December 2021. The Scottish Government will consider any recommendations from the review and will take further action if necessary, including introducing further legislation.

In recognition of the importance of monitoring our soils, the Scottish Government, through the Rural and Environment Science Analytical Services (RESAS), is evaluating proposals for a systematic soil monitoring framework for Scotland to begin April 2022.

The following table details the annual breakdown of estimated expenditure on new ferries and infrastructure improvements on the ferries network from 2021/22 to 2025/26.

At 31 March 2021 there were 7816 directly employed staff within the core Scottish Government, however all staff continued to work from home where possible during this time.

The average salary for staff normally based in each Local Authority is in the following table.

As concluded in the South West Scotland Transport Study, a new station at Thornhill was one of the interventions recommended for the next stage of appraisal. This option is one of 58 potential new stations across Scotland that are being appraised as part of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

The appraisal process for STPR2 is considering the performance of all options against the transport outcomes we are seeking, the Transport Planning Objectives, which are aligned to our National Transport Strategy priorities and outcomes. The interventions will seek to contribute to our vision of a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors.

Therefore, we need to consider the social and economic benefits and impacts based on performance against these objectives and the five Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance criteria, to determine the overall Value for Money. This also takes into account risks, uncertainties and other factors such as affordability, deliverability and the wider acceptability of options. This will be an important consideration given pressures on current and future public finances.

Also underpinning STPR2 is the Sustainable Investment Hierarchy where we will aim first to reduce the need to travel unsustainably, make better use of and enhance existing infrastructure, before investing in new capacity. This hierarchy is also central to Infrastructure Investment Plan. STPR2 will conclude later this year, with publication of recommendations for investment and an appropriate statutory consultation period.

Until the appraisal process is completed, it is not possible to make individual decisions on potential new stations such as Thornhill.

The operation of the MV Arrow on the Ullapool – Stornoway route is primarily a consideration for operator under the terms of the Time Charter. The Scottish Government has not requested detailed reports regarding the breakdown of the MV Arrow from either CalMac Ferries Ltd or Seatruck Ferries Ltd but was made aware of the situation as it developed.

The MV Arrow was removed from service on 24 July 2021 due to a fishing net or rope having been caught around the port propeller hub causing damage which required repair. The MV Arrow resumed the Ullapool – Stornoway freight only service on the evening of 3 August 2021.