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There is no budget crisis within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The Scottish Government has provided a £14.4m increase in the budget cover for SFRS in 2023-24.

In common with all public bodies in Scotland it is right that SFRS continues to review its operations to ensure it is effective and delivering value for money. Decisions on how they spend their budget is a matter for the SFRS Board.

The Scottish Government is in close contact with SFRS on the management of its budget.

The capital budget allocations to SFRS for each year since its establishment are as follows (in £ millions):

SFRS was formed in April 2013 and the Resource budget for its first year of operations in 2013-14 was £277.23 million. Adjusting that figure using the ONS annual inflation figures for CPIH (Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs) means the equivalent annual budget for 2023-24 would be £340.185m.

The SFRS Capital budget for 2013-14 was £15.292m. Using the same adjustments means the equivalent annual budget for 2023-24 would be £18.765m.

The non-fiscal element of the SFRS budget has not been included for the comparison of the impact of inflation. Whilst this element is included in the total budget allocated to SFRS each year, the amount is allocated on the basis of actual cost to SFRS to cover accounting elements such as depreciation. As such, this element of the SFRS budget is not subject to inflationary pressures.

We are aware of the proposals in the Renters (Reform) Bill in England introduced last month. The Shared Policy Programme in August 2021, followed by our ‘New Deal for Tenants’ consultation in December 2021 sought views on proposals to strengthen the rights of tenants including, specifically, greater rights to have a pet.

Our proposals for reform are in development ahead of a future Housing Bill. The timing and content of that Housing Bill is currently being considered as we continue to deliver our emergency response to support tenants through the ongoing cost of living crisis.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. She advises me that that on 13 June 2023, out of the 2025 registered titles with a footprint area over 500 ha, 432 are owned exclusively by a company. These titles comprise a combined footprint area of 939,133 ha.

A further 213 titles are leased exclusively by a company and 2 are mixed tenure titles registered under the Land Registration (Scotland) 1979 Act.

This figure excludes public bodies, charities, trusts, and titles with a complex proprietorship structure consisting of a mix of natural and non-natural persons acting in various capacities.

Of the 616 unregistered areas of land over 500 ha, which have been linked to a Sasines Search Sheet in the RoS Unlocking Sasines dataset, an estimated 189 are owned by a company. Together, these areas comprise an indicative area of 667,178 ha.

I am pleased to inform the Parliament that the Scottish Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to give people the information they need to make an informed choice about their future, and is today publishing Creating a Modern Constitution for an Independent Scotland.

The fourth paper in the Building a New Scotland series sets out the proposals for developing a written constitution for an independent Scotland, providing the opportunity to replace the sovereignty of the Westminster Parliament with the sovereignty of the people in Scotland.

The paper sets out how the people of Scotland would have the direct opportunity to shape and build a better country. It contains this Government’s proposals for how an independent Scotland could put in place an ambitious written constitution, that would enshrine and protect rights. A written constitution for Scotland, designed by the people who live here, could also protect key features of Scotland’s democracy, such as the Scottish Parliament and the courts, and provide constitutional recognition of the NHS in Scotland, giving people the right to access a system of health care, available free at the point of need.

The Scottish Government intends to seek agreement of the Parliamentary Bureau to a debate on this paper in the next week.

The next paper in the Building a New Scotland series will give more detail on citizenship in an independent Scotland and will be published in the summer.

Building a New Scotland: Creating a Modern Constitution for an Independent Scotland is available to view on the Scottish Government website from today at www.gov.scot/newscotland .

ScotRail advises it is not currently planning to introduce further charge points. New EV charging points are being introduced by Network Rail as part of new station proposals e.g. Levenmouth.

Details of the EV chargers at ScotRail stations and installation dates is a matter for ScotRail. The information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful and shares the urgency communities and businesses place on maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route.

The identification of the preferred route option through the Glen Croe valley on 2 June 2023 is a very important milestone in finding a solution to this long-standing problem. The proposed new debris flow shelter will help protect the road and road users from future landslides.

Work is now being taken forward at pace to further develop our proposals, including the detailed development and assessment of the preferred route option along with the preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment, draft Road Orders and draft Compulsory Purchase Orders. Transport Scotland will continue to look to expedite the programme where possible as we take forward the next stage in the process with a view to publishing draft Orders by the end of 2024 for formal consultation.

Progress thereafter will depend on the level and nature of any representations, including objections, to the published draft Orders. Should objections be received following publication of draft Orders then a public local inquiry may be required to consider all unresolved objections. The Scottish Government is duty bound to properly follow the correct statutory procedures which rightly include the opportunity for local communities to input and have any objections received resolved appropriately.

Procurement of a main works contractor for the permanent, long term solution can only commence upon completion of the statutory processes.

Transport Scotland publishes the results of all regulated procurements through contract award notices on the Public Contracts Scotland website. In addition to the award of contracts and conclusion of framework agreements, we also apply this requirement to call-off contracts awarded under framework agreements; these include the contract with Turner and Townsend for work associated with the provision of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

To date one call-off contract has been awarded under this Framework Agreement. This was awarded to Stantec UK Ltd for the first of a planned series of community needs assessments as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan, this one looking at ferry connections to Cowal and Rosneath.