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The Transport Scotland budget underspends form part of the Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity portfolio underspend reported in the portfolio outturn statement in the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2020 of £232 million, which in turn forms part of the overall Scottish Government outturn, with underspends carried forward in the Scotland Reserve to support the delivery of the Government’s outcomes, meaning there is no loss of spending power to Scotland and no underspend remains unallocated. Overall changes to the Scottish Budget are set out in full at budget revisions.

The Scottish Government has already given a point by point response [on 24 March 2021] to all recommendations from the four Committees that scrutinised our update to the 2018 Climate Change Plan.

As stated in that response, the Committees’ advice will be considered and incorporated as part of the wider approach to keeping our package of policies on climate change under review, with a view to outlining further policy action where appropriate in sector strategies or plans, as well as in the next statutory Climate Change Plan.

The Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) provides a framework to identify and appraise transport interventions. The process is designed to provide investment decision-makers with the information they need in a clear, structured format. The second Strategic Transport Projects Review is following STAG as the basis for undertaking its appraisal, therefore all 58 station options are being appraised in line with STAG.

The Cabinet Sub-Committee on the Climate Emergency is currently being established. Once finalised, the remit of the new Sub-committee, including its membership and operating arrangements will be subject to approval by the First Minister.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lived experiences of young people who require additional support and listening to what matters to them. I refer to the response provided in S6W-02859 on 24 September 2021.

We will continue to seek input and advice from the Disabled Children and Young People’s Advisory Group (DCYPAG), our long standing practitioner forum.

The Scottish Government also commissioned the Association for Real Change (ARC) Scotland to deliver the Principles into Practice Trial Programme, using good practice principles for transition, in 10 local authority areas. Principles into Practice sets out practical steps to be taken locally to coordinate planning and practice to improve the transition to young adult life.

The learning from early adopters of this work will be used to inform the development of a National Transitions Strategy alongside direct engagement with children, young people, their parents and carers, to fully explore the gaps in provision and support as they see them.

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 .

Our priority is to ensure a successful, safe and secure COP26 in November and Ministers and officials are working with UK Government counterparts, our partners in Glasgow and the relevant public health bodies to achieve this.

We are continuing to work closely with the UK Government, Glasgow City Council, and all our partners to ensure that strong COVID mitigation measures are in place that will support the full and active participation of international delegates, and protect public health.

Further details on vaccine certification for registered COP26 delegates will be announced shortly.

The offshore wind sector has a vital role to play in decarbonising our energy system and ensuring we become a net-zero economy by 2045. With a pipeline of new projects set to be provided by the first cycle of ScotWind leasing, the Scottish Government committed to setting out a Strategic Investment Assessment (SIA) for Offshore Wind within our first 100 Days of Government and this was published on 20 August. The findings contained within the report by Ironside Farrar were essential in assessing current and future marshalling and assembly capacity in Scotland’s ports and form a key element of the SIA findings and recommendations. Both the SIA and the Ironside Farrar report set out a clear path of the steps we must take to seize the economic opportunity offshore wind supply chain presents for Scotland. The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) co-chaired by Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise and Brian McFarlane of SSE, will be responsible for taking forward delivery of the recommendations and actions from the SIA which includes the findings from the Ironside Farrar report.

The Scottish Government considers that the provisions of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, as amended, are sufficient to ensure that action can be taken if the welfare of greyhounds, whether still racing or retired, is not being met. The provisions of Part 2 of the Act apply to all people responsible for animals, including breeders, trainers and owners of racing greyhounds.

As a result of the Scottish Government’s introduction of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 a person convicted of the offence of causing an animal unnecessary suffering can currently be sentenced for a period of up to 5 years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.

Future transport investment decisions, such as the reopening of the former stations at Glasgow Cross and Glasgow Green, are being considered within the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). As concluded in the Initial Appraisal: Case for Change for the Glasgow City Region, the re-opening of disused rail lines and associated stations within Glasgow City Centre was one of the interventions recommended for the next stage of appraisal, together with wider proposals for a Glasgow Metro.

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.

The Scottish Government has published the Evaluation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism 2011-21 today. In response I am delighted to announce £650k this financial year, for tests of change on adult neurodevelopmental pathways. Additionally I can announce new funding of £425k to trial the Scottish Government’s new Learning Disability and Autism leadership and engagement work, from the Recovery and Renewal fund. I would also like to announce £400k for the understanding autism project charity funding. This represents a substantive package of support of £1.4m, £1m of which is new funding from the Recovery and Renewal fund.

The evaluation is available to view at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802013696