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Robert, do you have any views on that? On value for money, although trying to get people back on to the railways is a way to decarbonise, in terms of less use of cars, there is a need for expenditure, perhaps more on capital, on hydrogen or, indeed, more electrification. On the value-for-money issue, is there a competition between those two things, or do we need to do both to achieve our net zero targets?

Thank you. I will stay with Mick Hogg for my second question, which is about the decarbonisation of ScotRail’s services. Scottish ministers aim to fully decarbonise ScotRail’s services by 2035, which will require a significant programme of electrification and the use of battery-powered or hydrogen-powered rolling stock. Is that target realistic? What needs to happen for that target to be met? How much confidence do those who operate the service have in the new systems, and what involvement do you want in ensuring that we can move to decarbonisation in a safe and responsible way?

It was about the operation of new stock—whether it is battery powered or whether we will see further technology changes and a move to hydrogen. What are the railway workforce’s expectations of that?

I come to Michael Clark next. You referred to Scotland’s experience of decarbonisation. Do you think that the 2035 target is realistic? I went on the hydrogen train at the 26th United Nations climate change conference of the parties—COP26—which, obviously, did not operate on hydrogen when it travelled. There are ambitions there, but there is also quite an expense. What is realistic? Is the target achievable by 2035?

This is an opportunity to look at the future of rail in Scotland. I will start with Michael Clark. Network Rail will be subsumed into Great British Railways. Is it your understanding that Scottish ministers will retain a role in specifying and funding rail infrastructure outputs in Scotland? Those have been very successful in recent years, not least the Bathgate-Airdrie line in my constituency. If so, what will that look like under the current periodic review system? Or do you anticipate there being a different system? Will that control remain? If it does, what will the relationship look like? Can you comment on any discussions that you are already having with colleagues in Transport Scotland and other rail authorities?

Mick, do you have any comments about Great British Railways and the future?

Do Robert Samson and Mick Hogg have any views about Great British Railways—I am conscious that Michael Clark is in the meeting—and what it might mean for Scotland?

That is a very expansive and informative answer—thank you.

Good morning. Thank you for coming in to give evidence.

I will ask about how you track customer satisfaction. The committee understands that Registers of Scotland customer satisfaction surveys traditionally focus on larger business customers. I understand that you do a quarterly survey of 100 of your top business customers and an annual survey of up to 400 of your top business customers. How does Registers of Scotland engage with smaller firms, sole legal practitioners and members of the public to understand the issues that they face and the level of customer satisfaction?

Many of your relationships are with solicitors and solicitor firms. If MSPs are approached about Registers of Scotland, by and large we refer the people involved to solicitors because many of the issues that are being dealt with are legal and we are not qualified or allowed to provide legal advice. MSPs tend to deal with public bodies’ processes and injustices. When something to do with land registration goes wrong—with title deeds, for example—it can be extremely distressing for a member of the public.

I have a current case. I will not go into the detail of it but I am concerned about how Registers of Scotland has dealt with it. After many years, my constituent now has a title deed that reflects the Ordnance Survey map. We have had many and extended contacts with Registers of Scotland.

My constituent paid to download the land register that appears on the website. Just a few weeks ago, they were told without notice that Registers of Scotland was going to change it after many years.

This is not about process: it is about how people are dealt with and their mental distress. Something that can seem very dry, because it is about legal contracts and registers, has a human face.

I do not know how many letters or contacts you have had from MSPs about that process. You may not have had the information to date—you have said that you are now going to find out about citizen customer satisfaction. Until now, there has been no means of knowing about that, except for the complaints process, which has not been as accessible as those of other public bodies.

You talk about the future. This meeting is part of our feedback to you about what matters. How can you improve your processes so that you are more alert? You are here as the keeper of the registers of Scotland. You have senior responsibility. When things go wrong and there is an injustice, you should be alert to that. That is about more than generalised customer satisfaction. I am being direct, but how our constituents come to us with issues about your organisation is pertinent and relevant.