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Restricting high value contracts to participation by suppliers based on their location would not be in keeping with the requirements of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. However our public procurement policy and legislation has driven high levels of local business participation as well as investment in jobs, skills and subcontracting with Scottish SMEs.

The majority of chargers on the publicly funded ChargePlace Scotland network are owned by local authorities who are responsible for procurement of their charging infrastructure. Scottish ministers do not hold information on these contracts. These contracts are however covered by public procurement policy and legislation, this includes a requirement to consider how procurement processes can facilitate the involvement of SMEs, third sector bodies and supported business and how public procurement can be used to promote innovation.

There are no specific provisions in the Scottish Government Offers of Grant that require contracts to be awarded to one cohort of companies over another.

Grantees in the private sector or members of the public select a local installer from the Energy Saving Trust’s list of approved installers ( Domestic charge point funding - Energy Saving Trust ). There is no cost for a business, including Scottish SMEs, to register to be added to this list, should they be interested in doing so.

Installation of an electric vehicle charge point involves various aspects, including works related to electrical connections, civils and supply and installation of charging units. This range of work provides opportunities for local businesses, including SMEs, to benefit from investment in development of the electric vehicle charge point network.

Responsibility for delivery of rail infrastructure renewal works rests with Network Rail as overseen by the Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government is aware that there have been some delays in the delivery of some parts of this renewal programme in Control Period 6 to date. Enquiries concerning this should be addressed to Network Rail or the Office of Rail and Road.

There has been no reduction in Control Period 6 budget for rail infrastructure renewals and enhancements activities in Scotland.

The sustainable procurement duty in the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 requires public bodies to consider how their procurement activity can be used to contribute to social, economic and environmental well-being and to act in a way to secure this. To demonstrate progress and compliance, public bodies are required to outline in their Annual Procurement Strategy how procurement will deliver local environmental impacts and, report progress in their Annual Procurement Reports.

Scottish Government provides funding to a wide range of organisations to install electric vehicle charge points under Section 70 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001. The majority of funding to develop the ChargePlace Scotland electric vehicle charging network has been awarded to public bodies. Many local authorities and public bodies carry out procurement using frameworks established by organisations such as Scotland Excel. These frameworks are also covered by the Sustainable Procurement Duty and therefore consider the wider social, economic and environmental aims of procurement in a consistent manner as required by the sustainable procurement duty under the Act.

Grant funding awarded to other types of organisations would be to individuals or to small and medium-sized enterprises with a base in Scotland. There is no obligation for these organisations to comply with the Act.

The published Statement of Funds Available (SOFA) covers funding available towards Network Rail operations, maintenance and renewal activities in Scotland as well as enhancement projects. The funding available for Control Period 6 as per the SOFA includes allocation for the completion of projects which carry over from Control Period 5 as well as projects commencing in Control Period 6.

As per the Statement of Funds Available, the budget figure for Control Period 6 in Scotland is £4.85 billion. We are currently in the process of considering the basis on which the funding required for Control Period 7 will be determined and expect this to be reflected in a further SOFA publication to align with the commencement of Control Period 7 anticipated as April 2024.

Further information on the SOFA can be accessed via:- sofa-2019-24-25-jan-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

Network Rail is responsible for maintaining and renewing the rail network across the UK including Scotland. While the Scottish Government fund Network Rail north of border, its operations are a reserved matter therefore any questions on employment issues would be for UK Ministers.

Our view remains that a fully devolved, public sector controlled and better integrated railway would deliver more for Scotland’s economy and communities. The UK government is more than aware of our position and, yet, the Williams-Shapps proposals not only ignore these requests, they add further complexity in terms of how GB/devolved operations will interface.

Despite these complexities, we are future proofing Scotland’s rail network through our Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 and our Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan. Our work to remove diesel services by 2035, through a mix of electrification and alternative powered trains, will create more skilled and sustainable jobs which can provide a significant contribution to our economy.

Further information on the decarbonisation action plan can be accessed via:- rail-services-decarbonisation-action-plan.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03825 on ‎15 November 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
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The Scottish Government has provided a significant increase in funding on Control Period 6 for Network Rail to deliver weather resilience improvements, including drainage. Network Rail is responsible for the delivery of these works, as overseen by the Office of Rail & Road (ORR). Enquiries should be addressed to these organisations.

Railway safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government and is overseen by the Office of Rail & Road (ORR), to whom enquiries should be addressed.

CMAL conducted an open tender process for delivery of the new vessels intended to service the Islay routes. Under procurement law, direct award of vessels to any shipyard is only permitted under limited circumstances. We have to approach the issue of direct award with care. We are looking at future contracts from public agencies and whether any might be legally open to direct awards. No decision has yet been taken regarding the direct award of future vessels to publicly owned shipyards or any other shipyard in Scotland and the rest of the UK.