Seòmar agus comataidhean

The number of flaring events and their cumulative duration over the last three calendar years is shown in the following table

The Abnormal Loads Legislative Reform sub-group last met on 6 December 2024.

At this meeting, Police Scotland committed to an action to develop a proposal for a dedicated police unit to transport abnormal loads associated with onshore wind equipment. The Scottish Government also took an action to investigate any potential issues relating to the creation of a dedicated unit.

We are not able to determine the detail of any consequential impact of the UK Government’s announcements on additional investment in relation to RAAC. These commitments form part of the UK Government’s decisions on departmental allocations at phase 1 and phase 2 of the UK Spending Review, which covers funding for 2025-26 onwards. At Spending Reviews, the Scottish Government receives additional Barnett funding for the net changes in departmental totals only, rather than being provided with a programme level breakdown.

However, through the £2bn Learning Estate Investment Programme, the Scottish Government will provide local authorities with significant funding support to replace 6 schools which contain RAAC.

Information on the turnover of Ferguson Marine can be found in its published annual accounts. The percentage of Ferguson Marine’s turnover from public entities is a commercial matter for the yard to respond.

The Onshore Wind Sector Deal, signed in September 2023, commits the Scottish Government and the onshore wind industry to working with Police Scotland to agree plans to ensure sufficient resources and the timely transportation of abnormal loads related to onshore wind.

Since then, Scottish Government officials have been working collaboratively with Police Scotland, the onshore wind industry and relevant stakeholders to develop a practical and effective approach to managing abnormal load escorts.

Scotland’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) network covers 37% of our seas, meeting the globally agreed target to conserve at least 30% of marine areas through protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures by 2030.

In addition to existing management arrangements, the Scottish Government is committed to introducing fisheries management measures within MPAs where such measures are required but not yet in place. This commitment also extends to a selection of Priority Marine Features (PMFs) located outside the MPA network.

Implementation of fisheries management measures for MPAs in offshore waters (beyond 12 nautical miles) is scheduled for 2025. A public consultation on proposed measures for MPAs and PMFs in inshore waters (within 12 nautical miles) is planned to commence in November 2025.

The Scottish Government has shown leadership in setting out positive policies that work for the rail freight industry through our rail freight strategy (published in 2016), our first of a kind regulatory growth targets for rail freight as part of our High Level Output Specification for Control Period 7 funding, and our mode shift grants. Scotland was the first UK nation to have a rail freight growth target and this focus is being retained with a target of 8.7% for the period 2024 to 2029 and a requirement for a longer term growth plan to be delivered by 2027. These policies have encouraged positive behaviours and collaborative working with the industry to grow rail freight and have been supported with investment of over £40 million in recent years in rail freight specific projects and over £421 million in wider projects with rail freight benefits. We will continue to maximise benefits for freight in our future investment in the rail network.

The development of a Scottish Government Mobile App is a commitment under the Digital Public Services strand of the Government’s Public Service Reform Strategy, published in June 2025.

The App is intended to serve as a single, secure gateway to personalised public services, enhancing accessibility and user experience across government platforms. It is scheduled for initial release within the current financial year.

Work is underway to develop a business case including expected expenditure, related financial and budgetary considerations. This is expected to be completed in Autumn 2025. Once approved, further details will be made available to Parliament and stakeholders.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring equitable access to electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure as we transition to a net zero transport system. Approximately 40% of households in Scotland do not have access to off-street parking, and we are committed to supporting innovative solutions such as cross-pavement charging to address this challenge.

The installation of cross pavement charging is complex, covering road works permissions, neighbourhood relations, pedestrian safety and ongoing maintenance, liabilities and responsibilities for residents and local authorities. This is why we are working closely with the Scottish Collaboration of Transport Specialists (SCOTS) – a strategic collaborative body representing Scotland’s 32 local authorities and seven regional transport partnerships - to develop Scottish specific guidance for local authorities. The draft guidance will be issued to stakeholders for consultation in autumn 2025.

This summer Scottish Ministers will also launch a new ‘cross pavement charging’ pilot scheme that will offer financial support to eligible residents without off-street parking in participating local authority areas. In order to ensure a just transition, it is critical that as many households as possible can access lower-cost home charging. The learning from the pilot scheme will complement the work with SCOTS, to demonstrate safe and legal ways of rolling out cross-pavement charging infrastructure across all of Scotland’s local authorities. More information will be made available on the Energy Savings Trust website later this month.

Ensuring a fair and just transition to sustainable transport is central the Scottish Government’s net zero ambitions; this is reflected in Scottish Ministers’ visionfor the future of public EV charging and the accompanying Draft Implementation Plan, which set out a clear direction for the future of EV infrastructure in Scotland. Through our £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund, we are also continuing to support local authorities to work in partnership with the private sector to expand public EV charging across Scotland.

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I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-30034 on 3 October 2024 and S6W-32189 on 23 December 2024. 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.