Seòmar agus comataidhean

We have this morning placed an update to the paper published on
‎ 8 September entitled Mandatory Covid Vaccine Certification in Scotland in SPICe under BIB 62718. The paper is also published on the Scottish Government website: www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine-certification-update-23-september-2021 .

The Scottish Government was deeply concerned to learn of the ongoing risk to jobs at both McVities and CalaChem. The member will be aware of the ongoing engagement between the Scottish Government and McVities, and I have already responded to the member in relation to engagements with CalaChem.

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation will represent a coherent Green Industrial Strategy for Scotland, which, supported by the Just Transition Plans for industry, will include a vision for reinvigorating the Scottish manufacturing and industry, supporting Scottish supply chains and creating high-quality jobs.

ScotRail engages with key stakeholders, including Mobility and Access Committee Scotland, throughout the timetable development consultation process to seek their views which will help inform the final May 2022 timetable.

ScotRail currently offers a range of discounted fares and concessions to reduce the cost of travel for a diverse range of passengers. The Scottish Government will require ScotRail to continue to review how it can offer lower fares to meet the needs of people on low incomes and in response to changing travelling patterns emerging from Covid-19. In addition, the Scottish Government has taken action to minimise the impact on passengers by capping fares increases for regulated ScotRail peak fares at the level of the Retail Price Index (RPI).

Regulated off-peak fare increases are capped at one percent lower than inflation. This means, in Scotland, average fares increases are lower than England. The average fares increase in March 2021 in Scotland was 1.2% compared with 2.6% in England. Overall, fares in Scotland are on average 20% lower than in the rest of Britain.

ScotRail continues to help facilitate a seamless transport network which combines rail journeys with bus, ferries, active travel, other transport modes and through smart and integrated ticketing to improve accessibility to those from households without access to a car.

ScotRail will continue to serve the diverse range of communities across Scotland, reflecting their changing travel needs. ScotRail’s proposed timetable for May 2022 would provide more seats than the current timetable and the vast majority of customers will find either no change to their current service or that their service improves with a more regular interval between services and/or some more trains provided each day.

I am grateful that these resources have been made available by the group. I would like to engage more with the group to discuss what actions we can take in Scotland to harness the benefits from this sector to the people of Scotland and the environment. My officials will be in touch to begin discussions.

ScotRail’s proposed timetable for May 2022 would provide more seats than the current timetable, responding to changing travel patterns. By also offering more service options this will help encourage passengers to choose train over car.

In the Programme for Government 2021 - 2022 we have updated the target from a minimum of 3,000 hectares per year of new native woodland creation, to a minimum of 4,000 hectares. That is an increase.

The Scottish Government is now determining how this work will proceed and the resourcing it requires, as we do for delivering our commitments across the whole range of our responsibilities in the interests of the people of Scotland.

The Programme for Government , published and debated in the Scottish Parliament on 7 September, set out that “The Scottish Government will work to ensure that a legitimate and constitutional referendum can be held within this Parliament, and if the Covid crisis is over, within the first half of this Parliament.”