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Glasgow’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was the first of its kind in Scotland and a landmark in tackling harmful air pollution, and protecting public health in this country. Glasgow’s pioneering LEZ is also informing the delivery of similar schemes in Aberdeen, Dundee, and Edinburgh.

The Minister for Transport and I co-chair the Low Emission Zone Leadership Group, a key ministerial forum, with representation from all four LEZ cities. In addition Transport Scotland officials meet regularly with the local authorities starting LEZ enforcement in 2024, and with Glasgow and the DVLA to share knowledge and experience gained from operating the Glasgow scheme. Experiences shared so far have related to technical and operational matters and the importance of effective communications.

Glasgow City Council is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the city's LEZ.

The NUS report raises significant issues and no student should find themselves without somewhere to live. While the Scottish Government has no direct role in provision of student residential accommodation we are determined to work with partners to improve accessibility, affordability and standards in this area. Ministers have now considered the recommendations from the review of purpose built student accommodation and will make an announcement in the New Year.

In addition we are taking action to help students and have confirmed an uplift of £2,400 to the main undergraduate support package for the academic year 2024-25. This follows the £900 uplift applied to the package this academic year.

Students are also able to apply directly to their college or university for Discretionary Funding should they be experiencing financial hardship.

Depending on the nature, scale and location of a proposed development, planning authorities are required to consult specified statutory consultees before determining planning applications. For example, the relevant local roads authority, or Transport Scotland for trunk roads, must be consulted on proposed developments affecting existing roads or comprising the creation of a new road. It is for the relevant planning authority to take into consideration any responses from such consultees which raise material planning considerations in determining the application.

The use of planning conditions is subject to a series of tests, set out in Scottish Government Circular 4/1998. Case law has established that only matters which are relevant to planning can be the subject of a condition; furthermore planning conditions should only be used where they are necessary to make development acceptable (i.e. planning permission would be refused if not for the condition). In addition, planning conditions should not duplicate the effect of other legislative controls such as the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 or relevant Health and Safety legislation.

VisitScotland has provided the following data:

Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.

I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a reply to his question in writing.

The previous Minister for Culture, Neil Gray MSP, and Lorna Slater MSP (in a constituency capacity) met with Historic Environment Scotland in May 2022 to discuss specific issues relating to the management of Holyrood Park around speed limits and car parking.

I, and wider Scottish Government officials continue to meet with Historic Environment Scotland regularly to discuss a broad range of issues which affect our many and varied Properties in Care. The most recent regular meeting was held on 13 December.

Without further information about which status the member is referring to, it is difficult for the Scottish Government to provide any further information about the applicable procedure, as this could range from a statutory procedure set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 to a change in the legislation applicable to the Park in the Holyrood Park Regulations 1971 (as amended in 2001 and 2005). These regulations were made under the Parks Regulation Act 1872 and the Parks Regulation Amendment Act 1926, both of which are still in force.

There are also vehicular access restrictions in place for the Park. Some of these, such as the speed limit and the restrictions on commercial vehicles, are required by the Holyrood Park Regulations. Others, such as the road closures during the day on Saturdays and Sundays, have been introduced by Historic Environment Scotland in order to manage the safety of the Park users as well as improve visitors’ enjoyment of the Park.

For more clarity, I would advise the member to contact Historic Environment Scotland directly with her specific enquiry at chiefexecutive@hes.scot so it can offer a thorough and tailored response.

There is no record of funding being provided by the Scottish Government to “Nairn Trust” in 2022.

The Third-party provider, Allpay, supplies Best Start Food cards on behalf of Social Security Scotland.

Data from Allpay is only available from January 2021.

- Total quantity of live accounts: 76,071

- Total quantity of cards in the Not-Activated status: 6,859

- 9.02% of cards Not-Activated

This data may include multiple duplicate accounts.

A user with a Not-Activated account may also have an account in an Activated status.

The third party provider Allpay supplies Best Start Food cards on behalf of Social Security Scotland.

Data from Allpay is only obtainable from January 2021 therefore the information required is unavailable.