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In appointing the membership of the Community Wealth Building (CWB) Bill Steering Group, we aimed to ensure that all key groups of partners, in public, private, community and third sectors were represented.

Membership of the CWB Bill Steering Group can be altered over time, as different expertise may be required as development of legislative proposals is progressed.

Scotland’s public transport network currently offers passengers a mix of smartcard, smart payment and digital platforms for their travel needs. Transport Scotland made smartcards interoperable in 2019, and via our £1.1m Smart Pay Grant fund, we’ve supported operators to accept contactless bank payments, with around 98% of buses now enabled for this.

As technology advances, we are committed to progressing with smart, digital and integrated ticketing and payment with operators to facilitate easier, tailored ticketing enhancements to meet local needs.

We are progressing measures in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, setting a smart ticketing delivery framework, enhancing governance, technology and powers. The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board will be established this year, with representatives from different modes, authorities and user groups. Advice will be provided on strategic direction and a smart technological standard for smart ticketing which will be specified by Scottish Ministers. The Act will also enhance the ticketing powers of local authorities, including for ticketing arrangements to include connecting rail and ferry services.

We are refreshing our Smart Delivery Strategy which will set out our approach and timescales to supporting the future of smart ticketing, so it enhances integration, accessibility and satisfaction. This is informed by a public survey that ran in Spring 2023.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving digital access for learners and ensuring that every school aged child has access to a device by the end of this Parliament. We continue to work COSLA to progress delivery of this commitment.

To inform this process we have committed to developing a digital strategy in partnership with COSLA. This will help ensure digital provision supports the wider aims of the education system. Development of this strategy will aim to deliver the right technology, in the right place, with a workforce that knows how to use it and supporting the work to continue the rollout of devices across Scotland.

Information from local authorities indicates that around 280,000 digital devices have already been distributed to learners across Scotland (including 72,000 funded by the Scottish Government in 2020-21). These devices have been distributed in line with our council’s own digital strategies and budgets, recognising it is they who hold delivery for education locally.

From May 2021 until the end of March 2023 £4,367,055 was spent on 3,800 bikes distributed under the Free Bikes pilot. This figure includes the costs associated with various methods of providing maintenance of the bikes and we are unable to disaggregate the figure into parts (a) and (b) of the question.

In the year 2023-24 we have provided £900,000 of funding to the Cycling Scotland Free Bikes Partnership to continue the scheme, in the first quarter of the year the partnership confirmed £219,000 to 13 organisations that will deliver 612 bikes throughout the year, further funding will be confirmed as the programme continues.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02957 on 12 October 2021. 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 .

The total number of free bikes issued during the free bikes pilot until the end of March 2023 was 3800. This number relates to bikes issued to school age children between P1 and S6. The bikes would have included a number of specialist and adaptive bikes, which can cost anything between £812 to £2,980.

Cycling Scotland has been awarded further capital grant funding to continue to offering cycles to young people through a free bikes partnership. In the first quarter of the year the partnership confirmed £219,000 to 13 organisations that will deliver 612 bikes throughout the year, further funding will be confirmed as the programme continues.

We continue to work in partnership with local authorities and COSLA on delivery plans to ensure every school-aged child has access to a digital device by the end of this parliamentary term in 2026.

This work includes consideration of procurement processes and other costs related to devices, as well as developing a digital strategy for education to help ensure that digital provision supports the wider aims of the education system.

We are currently continuing to develop detailed proposals for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS). We will include financial provision for this of up to £1.5m in the 2024-2025 budget.

Following the establishment of the Anti-Racism Observatory we are committed to ensuring its continued funding. The budget allocation for each financial year will be subject to work with those leading the Anti-Racism Observatory as to what is required and will be subject to confirmation in each annual budget.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21068 on 14 September 2023. 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

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that workers whistleblowing rights are protected, as outlined in the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. Employment powers are a matter reserved to the UK Parliament, however, the Scottish Government encourages all employers to provide fair and inclusive work, including an effective voice, to all workers.

All public sector organisations should have their own whistleblowing policy and procedures in place which should be consistent with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, and with their own nominated officer and process for investigation. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to whistleblowing policy as policies will vary depending on the size and nature of the organisation. It is for each organisation to consider what training is required to support the effective implementation of their whistleblowing arrangements.