Seòmar agus comataidhean

Lead responsibility for Ayr Station Hotel rests with South Ayrshire Council while Network Rail has lead responsibility for the railway station itself.

All parties are aware of the disruption to travel caused by the dreadful vandalism which set fire to the Station Hotel. Rather than conduct post-event impact assessments, the focus of all partners involved is on working collectively to restore services to normal as soon as it is safely possible to do so.

Until rail services can be restored, a replacement bus service is in place to enable passengers on the affected route to access work, leisure, education and any other personal matters, including medical appointments.

The Scottish Government did not meet with Glasgow City Council on the 19 or 27 of February.

The Scottish Government has a longstanding commitment to protecting teacher numbers, and we are offering local authorities £145.5m in this year’s budget for that purpose. This funding will allow councils to protect teacher numbers in order to support children’s education.

We have informed councils that we will issue this funding in the form of grants and councils will be required to commit to maintaining teacher numbers as part of those grant conditions.

Officials from Transport Scotland are in regular dialogue with South Ayrshire Council, ScotRail and Network Rail regarding the ongoing disruption caused by the fire at the Ayr Station Hotel. Officials have separately kept the Regional Transport Partnership apprised of developments.

Feedback from ScotRail is that demand for the replacement bus service on the routes South of Ayr has been low.

Officials in Transport Scotland, and the rail industry, are working closely with South Ayrshire Council to ensure that every effort is made to complete the required safety related works affecting services as swiftly as possible to enable the restoration of rail services as soon as it is safe to do so.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27091 on 10 May 2024. 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 draft Islands Connectivity Plan Strategic Approach, published for consultation on 1 February 2024, said that we would take forward detailed consideration of proposals for under 22 year old island residents to provide free foot passenger travel on inter-island ferries within the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Island groups and extend the existing National Ferry Concessionary Scheme.

The online consultation concluded on 6 May 2024 and responses will now be collated and analysed. Further detail on next steps and timescales will be confirmed in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27131 on 10 May 2024. 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 value of consultant contracts held by Transport Scotland relating to the Ardrossan Harbour Re-development Projects since 2016 are provided below:

• MacWilliams Consulting – Gateway Review, £8,491.60
• Turner and Townsend – 2023 Cost Estimate Review, £60,800.40

Work by Morton Fraser MacRoberts (previously MacRoberts Solicitors) on the Commercial and Legal agreements is still ongoing. From financial year 2019-2020 to 2023-2024 our records indicate that payments of £202,353.60 have been made.

All costs are inclusive of VAT.

Transport Scotland are currently reviewing their financial system for costs associated with the 2016-2017 STAG report undertaken by Peter Brett Associates and I will provide an update to the member separately on this item when the review is complete.

The Strategic Board for Teacher Education last met on 21 March, to discuss progress against the three workstreams contained in the Board’s workplan.

These are:-

• Workstream 1 – Workforce Planning and Increasing Diversity of the Profession
• Workstream 2 – Improving the Promotion of Teaching as a Valued Career
• Workstream 3 – Continuum of Teacher Education

The agenda, minutes and papers from this meeting and future meetings will be published on the Scottish Government website in due course. The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for 15 May.

Section 42(4) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 states the statutory walking distances are two miles for children aged under eight, and three miles for children aged eight or over. Any changes to these distances would need to be via primary legislation and subject to the will of the Scottish Parliament.