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Freight works on a commercial basis so the decision to move products by rail is a decision for the customer and its logistics provider.

However, I can confirm that a dedicated express rail logistics service is currently running into Scotland. This service which runs between Birmingham and Mossend, started with a trial period on 17 October 2022 followed by a full operational service running five nights a week from 9 January 2023, is operated by Varamis Rail.

(a) Transport Scotland received the following number of applications for the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme since 2018:

2018-19 2 applications for support in Scotland and contributed to 6 cross border flows.

2019-20 2 applications for support in Scotland and contributed to 5 cross border flows.

2020-21 2 applications for support in Scotland and contributed to 5 cross border flows.

2021-22 2 applications for support in Scotland and contributed to 6 cross border flows.

2022-23 2 applications for support in Scotland and contributed to 7 cross border flows.

(b) Transport Scotland received the following number of applications for the Freight Facilities Grant scheme since 2018:

2018-19 - 0

2019-20 - 1

2020-21 - 1

2021-22 - 0

2022-23 - 2

The shift to electric vehicles is an important part of responding to the climate emergency. To help incentivise this shift, Scottish Government and Transport Scotland have since 2011 invested over £65 million to support a range of organisations – including local authorities, other public bodies, businesses and third sector organisations – to install public charge points across Scotland. These organisations own the charge point infrastructure, and many of them use back-office services provided by ChargePlace Scotland, which is funded by Scottish Ministers.

A shift towards a public charging network largely financed and operated by the commercial sector is necessary to grow the network at pace and improve the consumer experience overall. To support that, the Scottish Government recognises that it’s vital that the public charging network has tariffs which are fair, sustainable and which enable the growth and maintenance of the network.

Responsibility for setting tariffs and overstay charges on ChargePlace Scotland lies with charge point owners. In considering whether to set a tariff, owners may consider a range of factors including local circumstances, utilisation levels and running costs. ChargePlace Scotland routinely provides charge point owners with data relating to the utilisation of their assets. ChargePlace Scotland do not advise charge point owners on tariff levels or overstay fees, however, they may signpost owners to the EV Association of Scotland (an independent group who represent the interests of EV users) website where tariff guidance can be found.

The Scottish Government recognises that overstay fees have a role to play in ensuring the public charging network is used efficiently and that bays are not occupied by a single user, and therefore unavailable to others, for extended periods of time.

Responsibility for setting tariffs and overstay charges lies with charge point owners. A shift towards a public charging network largely financed and operated by the commercial sector is necessary to grow the network at pace and improve the customer experience overall. To support that, it’s vital that the public charging network has tariffs and fees which are fair, sustainable and which enable the growth and maintenance of the network. There are 680 public charge points out of 2475 on the ChargePlace Scotland network where an overstay fee applies.

Evidence over the last 6 months shows a continued growth in usage across the ChargePlace Scotland network with increases of approximately 25% in new driver account registrations, 8% in charge sessions and 13% increase in Kwh being drawn. Statistics published by the Committee on Climate Change in 2022 highlight that the share of total new car sales in Scotland which are electric rose from approximately 8% in 2020 to 12% in 2021.

Between September 2022 and February 2023, 112 electric vehicle charge points were commissioned on to the ChargePlace Scotland network. The Scottish Government does not routinely collate data on electric vehicle charge points added to other public charging networks.

Zap-Map publishes monthly statistics including the total number of public charging devices across the UK and has historically underrepresented CPS data. The Scottish Government understands that Zap-Map resolved this issue in January 2023 and subsequent Zap-Map data sets included the correct number of CPS public charge points.

The shift to electric vehicles is an important part of responding to the climate emergency. To help incentivise this shift, Scottish Government and Transport Scotland have since 2011 invested over £65 million to support a range of organisations to install public charge points across Scotland.

Responsibility for setting tariffs and determining the terms of when tariffs and overstay charges are levied lies with these charge point owners. In considering whether to set a tariff, owners will consider a range of factors including local circumstances, utilisation and cost. ChargePlace Scotland implements the tariff set by the owner and manages the reimbursement of tariffs from the driver to the owner, including any overstay fees incurred.

The table below sets out the number of charge sessions where an overstay fee has been applied over the last 6 months, and the total value of such fees. If the member wishes more historic data, I would ask him to specify the time period and my officials will be happy to provide this.

a) At ScotRail, First Aid requirements are assessed on a First Aid Needs Assessment that aligns with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance. This has highlighted the importance of engineering locations due to the level of risk of employee injury and likely severity of possible injury at these locations should an accident happen.

ScotRail has provided the following data which shows the figures at each depot:-

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16183 on 5 April 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16183 on 5 April 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 publishing an aviation strategy. Our public consultation document on developing the strategy noted that sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) were most likely to deliver the biggest reductions in lifecycle emissions for aviation in the medium term. The consultation invited views on what the Scottish Government could do to help increase the use of SAF. An independent analysis of the responses has been published. In addition, Transport Scotland is working with Scottish Enterprise who have commissioned a SAF supply chain mapping study for Scotland in order to review the economic opportunity.

Since the conclusion of our consultation, the UK Government has published its own ‘Jet Zero’ aviation strategy. As aviation is reserved, this strategy contains various SAF-related measures that will apply throughout the UK, for example, the introduction of a SAF mandate.

Research commissioned by Sustainable Aviation UK claimed that SAF production could create between 1,060 and 2,310 jobs in Scotland and generate between £153 and £332 million Gross Value Added per year. The Scottish Government has not specifically assessed the number of jobs that SAF could create in Scotland nor the future value of SAF.

The Scottish Government will consider all such material in determining potential actions on SAF for inclusion in the final aviation strategy.