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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 12 December 2024
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Displaying 469 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 16 January 2024

Sarah Boyack

This will be my final question, as we have to move on. Have you done any analysis of how many routes will be saved or added through the bus priority fund partnerships? What analysis has been done on modal shift?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 16 January 2024

Sarah Boyack

Very briefly, there have been a lot of questions to the minister, because there is a degree of scepticism whether it will deliver big change. At the end of the day, the question is whether bus users will get better and more reliable and sustainable services. I will let this piece of legislation go through today, but what I am really interested in is the report and the action that is taken afterwards.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Environmental Governance

Meeting date: 16 January 2024

Sarah Boyack

Yes, the point is that getting it right in the first place means that you do not need the redress. Dr Fifield, do you want to come in on that point?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Environmental Governance

Meeting date: 16 January 2024

Sarah Boyack

Okay. Thanks very much.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Environmental Governance

Meeting date: 16 January 2024

Sarah Boyack

From the written evidence, for which we are very grateful, and the oral evidence so far, it has come across that there are some really big-ticket issues that need to be addressed. What difference has been made as regards engagement with Environmental Standards Scotland? It is now sitting there, but I was struck by Scottish Environment LINK’s comment that it

“welcomes the acceptance that Scotland is in breach of the access to justice requirements of the Aarhus Convention in relation to costs”.

How do we ensure that a difference is made in that respect?

Perhaps we can start with Lloyd Austin. There seems to be a big gap between what Environmental Standards Scotland was meant to achieve and the narrowness of what has been expected of it thus far. Once Lloyd has commented, we can pick up what the other submissions had to say.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 16 January 2024

Sarah Boyack

Have you analysed the different costs of increasing modal shift? We have lost so many bus services. Part of the issue is how you stabilise and sustain those services, as the minister has said, but it also about creating new services that attract people, which could be a matter of timings or routes. The community bus fund is £1 million. Is there some issue with start-up costs in order to get this going? Is that the block? Having introduced the 2001 act, I know that there is a huge gap between having the powers available and actually using them.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 16 January 2024

Sarah Boyack

I am sorry—I was using the fund.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 5 December 2023

Sarah Boyack

Infrastructure is the issue. Councils are setting their budgets for 2024-25 now, so 2030 is not far away. They are having to make estimates about waste and recycling centres, vehicles and the need for infrastructure, as well as about communication. Local authorities and SOLACE have said that they do not agree with the statistics in the Scottish Government’s financial memorandum. What is your response to that? Do you have other information to fill the huge gap between what Government and local authorities are saying?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 5 December 2023

Sarah Boyack

This has been a really useful debate and, like others, I was interested to see it coming forward. Again, a lot of this comes back to the issue of finance for local authorities not just to ensure that facilities are available but to communicate with our constituents so that they take the right route and we do not see any more fly-tipping. After all, it damages our communities, and we need to get rid of it.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 5 December 2023

Sarah Boyack

The minister’s opening statement referenced £1 billion of investment in recycling services for local authorities during the previous decade. Is it possible for the committee to get a breakdown of that? Can we also get more information about the recycling improvement fund? The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers said that the fund is ending in the next year to 18 months. What will replace that? Finance has been an issue for local authorities since the first consultation on the bill in 2019.