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Railway Safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and regulated by the UK Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government has funded the determination of the ORR for the current regulatory control period. The determination provides an increase in 21% in the funding available to Network Rail for the safe operation, maintenance and renewal of the Scottish Railway network.

Transport Scotland has no information nor has Transport Scotland been updated on the progress of the work by these two taskforces other than what is known publicly.

Discussions with all three parties have taken place and are ongoing, and have already yielded results. On the Northern Isles Ferry Service network, the MV Hamnavoe has been fitted with cold ironing equipment that allows the vessel to utilise shore side power rather than having to run off its own engine’s whilst berthed overnight. Once the shore side works have been completed by Orkney Islands Council, an estimated annual generation of over 2,600 tonnes of CO 2 will be prevented.

Working with CMAL and CalMac, our recently announced Small Vessels Replacement Programme for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service network will explore the possibilities for full electrification of the new vessels where possible to do so as well as investigate alternative fuel options and the investigation into improving efficiency and performance via hull design has already begun within the new vessel for Islay project.

As part of the Island Connectivity Plan investigation of the opportunities and technologies available to the maritime sector will take place. Setting out pathways towards the delivery of vessels that will operate with zero or significantly reduced carbon emissions helping Scotland achieve its ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2045.

The Scottish Government has not held specific discussions regarding this matter, however we are in regular contact with the UK government to ensure that we can continue to support the sector. For example,the Oil and Gas and Energy Transition Strategic Leadership Group (SLG) which I co-chair has continued to be updated on the progress of the Energy Services Agreement by Trade Unions and industry at these meetings, most recently in December where I welcomed the progress by UNITE, RMT and GMB and the 15 employers on the Energy Services Agreement, noting that the number of signatories demonstrates the value of this agreement. I also directly encouraged businesses to discuss this with those who have signed up with a view of becoming part of the ESA recognising its longer term value to the UKCS in terms of providing transparency, certainty and stability for operators, supply chain companies and employees. A further update to the Group was provided at the last meeting of the SLG in February.

Railway Safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and regulated by the UK Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government has funded the determination of the ORR for the current regulatory control period. The determination provides an increase in 21% in the funding available to Network Rail for the safe operation, maintenance and renewal of the Scottish Railway network.

Network Rail is therefore responsible for maintaining and renewing the rail network in Scotland and as such Transport Scotland has no locus in these matters and does not hold information relating to the proportion of inspections and works undertaken in this regard.

The last meeting of the FIAG was held on 17 October 2019. No further meetings have been held due to the focus remaining on the response to COVID, although we continue to engage closely with key stakeholders

Membership, Terms of Reference and minutes of meetings, including papers discussed, are published on the Transport Scotland Website:

https://www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/ferries/ferry-industry-advisory-group/

Transport Scotland does not routinely publish correspondence, however on review Transport Scotland can find no such correspondence from members on these specific topics affecting Scottish ferry workers in their FIAG role. There is of course ongoing correspondence between Group members including between Transport Scotland, CMAL and CalMac on a variety of policy matters, albeit in their own capacity rather than in relation to their FIAG roles; that correspondence would not be routinely published.

We have other channels for dialogue on issues affecting Scottish ferry workers. For example, we continue to engage quarterly with trade unions on matters affecting Scottish ferry workers, the delivery of ferry services in Scotland and the deployment of fair work principles in procurement decisions. Those discussions continue to be valuable and constructive.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-36192 on 23 March 2021 . In addition, Transport Scotland is aware of the ongoing recovery works as a result of land slips in the Largs area which Network Rail advise are progressing well and to programme.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Independent Prescriber (IP) community optometrists, as with all community optometry practice staff, are a key and valued part of the frontline NHS workforce and have significantly contributed to the safe management of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twenty five percent of community optometrists now hold the IP qualification, meaning that they can prescribe and manage a wide range of eye conditions within their practices. Their role prevents the need for patients to access care and/or treatment elsewhere and supports the role of optometry as the first port of call for eye conditions within the community.

Sixteen IP optometrists in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian, NHS Fife and NHS Grampian have just been accredited to manage lower risk glaucoma and treated ocular hypertension patients discharged from hospital, and this number will increase further as this service is rolled out across Scotland.

With unprecedented waiting times pressures in hospital eye services, the Scottish Government will work with stakeholders to consider further options to utilise IP optometrists to manage more patients in the community.

As planning and consenting authorities we regularly engage with counterparts in the UK Government and The Crown Estate. We have recently liaised with them on offshore wind and the leasing process managed both by The Crown Estate and by Crown Estate Scotland.

While the Scottish Government seeks to promote our Fair Work Framework and fair work principles in respect of all ferry services for which we are responsible, we have not held specific, recent discussions with the UK Government regarding employment conditions for merchant seafarers working on ferry routes between Scotland and Northern Ireland, although we are aware, due to ongoing engagement with trade unions, of concerns that unions have on these matters.

Shipping safety, seafarer welfare and employment conditions are matters reserved to the UK Government. The Maritime Labour Convention came into force in the UK on 7 August 2014. It sets out the minimum working and living rights for seafarers with the onus on operators. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is accountable to UK Ministers, is responsible for auditing vessels to ensure compliance.

The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety and crew welfare and employment conditions and for these to be applied in the case of those vessels and personnel accessing Scotland’s ports and coastal areas.

My officials are in regular contact with Skills Development Scotland although, as I understand it, there are no immediate, live concerns around Scotland’s ability to meet future demand for seafarers, but I agree this is something that would be important to keep under review.

The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council’s (SOWEC) Skills Group is led by Jim Brown, Director of Energy Skills Partnership, who has a wealth of expertise and invaluable knowledge of the key skills specific issues in Scotland. One of the Skills Group’s areas of focus at SOWEC meetings has been, and will undoubtedly continue to be, understanding the Skills demand in Scotland and, moreover, how colleges and the sector-at-large can best meet this demand. Energy Skills Partnership is also a member of the Energy Skills Alliance and the Offshore Wind Industry Council’s Investment in Talent Group.

I am aware that the Energy Skills Partnership has established a Marine and Maritime Training Network to consider this issue and I would encourage the sector to engage with our Skills Agencies and SOWEC to ensure that it receives appropriate coverage.