Chamber and committees

Discussions continue with the operators of ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper to secure appropriate arrangements for the maintenance of rail services beyond the 20 September.

The implementation of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 has been affected by the Covid 19 Pandemic. This has impacted particularly on the development of guidance and regulations and the related consultation processes. This, along with the limited parliamentary space available in this term, means that the Act will not be implemented in full by the end of the current parliamentary session.

We are currently consulting on the best time to launch the Bus Partnership Fund, as we recognise that local authorities and bus operators have ongoing pressures, due to the pandemic. However, we expect the Fund to be launched by the end of the financial year so that local authorities can begin to access funds in 2021-22.

The allocated budget for this year of £10 million was repurposed for the Bus Priority Rapid Deployment Fund, which has already made awards to local authorities for temporary bus priority infrastructure to reduce the negative impacts of congestion on bus services, and is currently being administered.

Funding announced for the Agricultural Transformation Fund in the 2020-21 Scottish Budget was £20m capital and £20m Financial transactions. A total of £11.5m of capital expenditure has been announced so far this financial year which is made of £1.5m for forestry machinery and small farm and croft woodland planting and £10m for the Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme.

None of the Financial transactions funding has yet been allocated. Opportunities to utilise this funding have been limited due to Covid restrictions on business earlier in the year.

Other options for funding are being investigated and further announcements on those will be made in future. Allocations of funding for future years will be dependent on the outcome of the Capital Spending Review and the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review.

The information requested can be found on the Air Quality in Scotland website at: http://www.scottishairquality.scot/laqm/aqma

The Scottish National Investment Bank team are working with partners across the public sector to develop investment opportunities, including in the transport sector. Once formally established, the Scottish National Investment Bank will communicate its outcomes accordingly.

The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the economic benefit delivered to Scotland by amending the current economic link provisions set out in licence conditions.

We will publish firm plans as part of our Future Fisheries Management Strategy later this year.

All local authorities and public bodies which successfully applied for Spaces for People funding have schemes that are not yet completed.

Local authorities are at different stages with implementation of their schemes.

Sustrans Scotland, who administer the Spaces for People programme, is providing guidance on monitoring as part of a package of support offered to local authorities. Guidance, which is bespoke and based on need, typically includes advice on developing monitoring plans, undertaking data collection, analysing data and reporting.

A national monitoring and evaluation framework for Spaces for People has been developed by Sustrans in partnership with Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland and distributed to local authorities.

It is for local authorities to determine, through evaluation of projects, whether or not they merit being made permanent. The Scottish Government provides support to local authorities for the creation of permanent walking and cycling infrastructure through the Places for Everyone programme.

The implementation of Spaces for People schemes is a matter for the local authorities and public bodies which successfully applied for funding. Sustrans Scotland, which administers Spaces for People, is offering support to help overcome any barriers to delivery.