- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation there has been of the CAVForth project, and how any lessons learned from any such evaluation will be cascaded across Scotland’s transport authorities.
Answer
Transport Scotland's involvement in Project CAVForth demonstrates the Scottish Government's belief that a modern transport system is fundamental to sustainable and inclusive economic growth and has the potential to deliver economic and societal benefits.
Transport Scotland’s involvement in Project CAVForth, as a partner, came to a conclusion at the end of July 2023 when the funding period for the project ended. The project aim of delivering an autonomous bus service was successfully achieved and my officials obtained considerable operational knowledge relating to the steps required to support the safe implementation of such a service. As Transport Scotland was only a partner for a 12 week period of the trial service, there was a constraint on the amount of evaluation that could be undertaken within that time period. Nevertheless, through Transport Scotland’s involvement, my officials met regularly with City of Edinburgh Council and Fife Council to provide updates on the project, in addition to sharing learning at a number of industry events that representatives from various local roads authorities attended.
As the trial service continues until March 2025 under the successor project (CAVForth 2), the project partners (which does not include Transport Scotland) are continuing to evaluate the project including via Stagecoach as the operator of the service. In Transport Scotland’s role as the roads authority for the majority of the route, my officials will continue to support the project and share further learning with other Scottish Transport Authorities. Most recently this was done through the delivery of a presentation by my officials at an ITS UK event, which was attended by Glasgow City Council on 8 February 2024.
My officials also continue to actively engage with partners to gain a greater understanding of the impact that the deployment of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, the benefits that they bring and opportunities to share this knowledge more widely.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its work to secure a sustainable future for Ferguson Marine, what discussions the net zero secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding potential plans for a direct award of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme contract to Ferguson Marine.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2024
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to implement Air Departure Tax, in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer
The introduction of Air Departure Tax (ADT) was deferred due to state aid issues raised in relation to the Highlands and Islands exemption. In January 2023, the UK Government replaced EU state aid rules with its own subsidy control regime.
We continue to explore all options to implement ADT in a way that protects Highlands & Islands connectivity and complies with the UK Government’s subsidy control regime.
The Scottish Government recognises the critical role air connectivity plays in the lives of residents and communities in the Highlands and Islands, and in the promotion of sustainable economic growth across the region.
Once a solution to the Highland & Islands exemption has been identified, we will review the rates and bands of ADT prior to the implementation of the tax, to ensure they are aligned with our net zero ambitions.
The UK-wide Air Passenger Duty will continue to apply in Scotland until ADT is implemented.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to work with the UK Government to develop "an infrastructure strategy for deploying the required charging and refuelling infrastructure for zero-emission HGVs", in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer
In May 2022 Transport Scotland convened the Zero Emission Truck Taskforce comprising senior leaders from haulage operators, the manufacturing, energy and financial sectors, government, and unions with the purpose of co-designing an ambitious pathway to HGV decarbonisation in Scotland. This pathway was published on 19 March 2024 and identifies four key challenges, including energy infrastructure, with clear actions to address them. The pathway and the evidence that supported it has been shared with the UK Government to inform the development of its HGV and coach energy infrastructure strategy.
As one of the actions within the pathway, the Scottish Government is working with academics and haulage fleets to understand where energy infrastructure will be required for trucks on longer journeys in Scotland. The UK government is aware of this work.
At the Inter-Ministerial Group meeting on transport between the four nations on 5 February, I reinforced the need for close collaboration in both the HGV energy infrastructure strategy and the zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrator projects.
Scottish Government officials are participating in a series of working groups that have been set up since that ministerial meeting, working with counterparts from the UK Government and devolved administrations on issues relating to the strategy.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the A96 Corridor Review, and for what reason it has been delayed.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the A96. This is despite stark challenges we face as a result of the severe budgetary restrictions imposed by the UK Government including an almost 9% cut in our capital budget.
The current plan is to fully dual the route and as part of this process we are undertaking a transparent, evidence-based review of the programme.
The significant interest in the review’s initial consultation, with nearly 4,600 responses, generated 11,000 options to improve the corridor. It is only right that it has taken more time than originally anticipated, in order to properly examine and fully appraise these.
It is expected that the draft outcomes from the Review will be consulted on in the coming months, before a final decision can be reached.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 23 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the recommendations in the Climate Change Committee’s 2023 Report to Parliament, how it plans to align its climate targets with the UK Government's targets, and, if it has no such plans, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to decarbonise faster than the UK average and is absolutely committed to reaching net zero by 2045 – five years ahead of the UK. The Scottish Government has no intention of delaying our net zero target date of 2045, in recognition that tackling climate change is the fight of our lifetime and must be addressed at the earliest possible date.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to set out how the aviation sector will decarbonise in line with Scotland’s emissions targets, while managing technology risks, in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s Aviation Statement, which will be published shortly, will set out actions that the Scottish Government will take to help achieve our aviation emissions reduction targets. As noted in the Climate Change Committee’s report, aviation decarbonisation will require UK-wide co-operation and progress across all aviation emissions mitigation solutions.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will explore options to address the reported rise in van traffic, which "has risen faster than that of any other vehicle type in the past 20 years", in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Government is grateful for the latest advice from the Climate Change Committee and remains fully committed to delivering net zero by 2045. As published alongside the statement to the Chamber on the Climate Change Bill, we will develop measures to accelerate the switch from ICE to zero emission vans and other vehicles in order to help reduce ICE van kms, with the intention of achieving early progress with the largest companies while ensuring appropriate support mechanisms for smaller businesses and independent traders.
We will carefully consider the report’s recommendations in relation to van traffic and provide a response in due course.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it will assist Scottish airports in developing the infrastructure required for aviation decarbonisation, in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s Aviation Statement, which will be published shortly, will set out actions that the Scottish Government will take to help achieve our aviation emissions reduction targets. Our Hydrogen Innovation Scheme previously provided £150,000 of funding to Glasgow Airport for a study to explore the feasibility of a hydrogen production, storage and distribution hub that would support zero emission transport at the airport. The Scottish Government has also provided grant funding to Edinburgh Airport to support its low carbon energy system.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to meet the Climate Change Committee’s reported recommendation that the annual rate of transport emissions reduction will need to be almost four times higher from 2021-30 than it was from 2012-21, in order to meet the sector’s contribution to the Scottish Government’s 2020 Climate Change Plan update.
Answer
The Scottish Government is grateful for the latest advice from the Climate Change Committee. We have always been clear that meeting the legislated 2030 target – agreed by Parliament on a cross party basis - will be extremely challenging, and may not be feasible. Scotland is already half way to net zero and continues to decarbonise faster than the UK average.
On the 18th of April, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy, outlined plans for a package to accelerate our actions to achieve net zero by 2045, which include a timeline for implementing demand management, to help us achieve our much needed target to reduce car usage.
We will carefully consider the report’s recommendations and provide a Scottish Government response in due course.
