Seòmar agus comataidhean

Disused flares and other time expired pyrotechnics are likely to be hazardous (special) waste and should be classified and managed as such. Advice on management of special waste is provided by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Guidance is provided on how to classify special waste, how to consign this waste, and how to pay for the waste to be moved safely.

Some manufacturers of flares and pyrotechnics offer takeback schemes. There are specialist hazardous waste disposal companies and operators who can manage this waste in the correct manner.

With regard to maritime flares, maritime safety is a reserved matter. Certain HM Coastguard locations are licensed to store flares, and will accept flares for disposal at their discretion. There are a small number of coastguard operations bases in island and rural locations in Scotland where flares can be taken for safe disposal.

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning and delivering flood protection schemes. In recognition of the importance of reducing flood risk the Scottish Government has provided, since 2007, a total of £42 million a year through the General Capital Grant to local authorities to allow them to invest in flood protection schemes.

In 2012 an arrangement was agreed between the Scottish Government and COSLA whereby the flooding component of the General Capital Grant would be distributed to major projects according to an agreed set of eligibility criteria. Between 2012 and 2016, it was decided that 7 schemes were eligible for 80% Scottish Government grant funding, 2 of which were in the South of Scotland.

The Covid emergency gave rise to an unprecedented number of enquiries, questions and correspondence from members of the public. These covered a broad range of topics, including issues relevant to civil, political, economic, social and cultural human rights.

As announced on 24 August, the Scottish Government will establish an independent Scottish public inquiry this year to consider matters in relation to Scotland’s handling of the pandemic. The Scottish public inquiry is expected to adopt a person-centred, human rights based approach.

The Scottish Government is currently inviting views on the draft aims and principles of the public inquiry. Further information about how MSPs and other interested parties can submit their views can be found at www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-inquiry/ .

Transport Scotland will be in a position to confirm details in Spring 2022, once the option selection phase for the project is completed and the estimated costs and benefits have been determined against each option.

Currently there is no option being considered which does not see the allocated funding being spent on the route between Aberdeen and Dundee.

The Climate Change Plan sets out the Scottish Government’s commitment to develop a Routemap to meet our ambitious 2025 waste and recycling targets in a way that maximises carbon saving potential. The Scottish Government is working with partner organisations to develop the Routemap.

The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a tax on waste incineration services. We will however consider the role of fiscal incentives, such as a waste tax, in the context of the planned Routemap and the Climate Change Plan

We have also committed to review the role incineration plays in Scotland’s waste hierarchy, taking account of all available evidence. An update will be provided to Parliament this month regarding the plans for this.

As concluded in the South West Scotland Transport Study, a new station at Eastriggs was one of the interventions recommended for the next stage of appraisal. This option is one of 58 potential new stations across Scotland that are being appraised as part of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

The appraisal process for STPR2 is considering the performance of all options against the transport outcomes we are seeking, the Transport Planning Objectives, which are aligned to our National Transport Strategy priorities and outcomes. The interventions will seek to contribute to our vision of a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors.

Therefore, we need to consider the social and economic benefits and impacts based on performance against these objectives and the five Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance criteria, to determine the overall Value for Money. This also takes into account risks, uncertainties and other factors such as affordability, deliverability and the wider acceptability of options. This will be an important consideration given pressures on current and future public finances.

Also underpinning STPR2 is the Sustainable Investment Hierarchy where we will aim first to reduce the need to travel unsustainably, make better use of and enhance existing infrastructure, before investing in new capacity. This hierarchy is also central to Infrastructure Investment Plan. STPR2 will conclude later this year, with publication of recommendations for investment and an appropriate statutory consultation period.

Until the appraisal process is completed, it is not possible to make individual decisions on potential new stations such as Eastriggs.

Professor Iain Docherty’s report was commissioned by Abellio ScotRail to look at the future of rail across Scotland’s railway and the challenges and options facing the railway as the industry recovers from the pandemic. The Scottish Government was therefore not required to have any discussions regarding the public release of the report as this was a decision between Abellio ScotRail and Professor Iain Docherty.

These issues were addressed in my response to question S6W-01417 on 6 August 2021 and the name of the consultants, Ernst and Young LLP, was highlighted in our letter to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee of 11 March 2021. The contract was signed on 9 March 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

As set out in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan update published in December 2020, a route-map will be produced by the end of 2021, assuming the pandemic has moved to a phase to allow this.

The Scottish Government is committed to dualling the A9 between Perth and Inverness. We have underlined this commitment by commencing procurement of construction the section of the A9 between Tomatin and Moy. The procurement for this £115M section commenced with publication of a contract notice on the Public Contracts Scotland Portal on 19 August 2021, and the contract for construction is expected to be awarded in the second half of 2022.

Design work is progressing well with the statutory process well underway for seven of the remaining eight schemes. Made orders for two adjoining schemes, Glen Garry to Dalwhinnie and Dalwhinnie to Crubenmore were published on 30 July 2021. An additional two schemes, Tay Crossing to Ballinluig and Pitlochry to Killiecrankie, are due to be published in the coming weeks. The only section not to have started the statutory process is between Pass of Birnam and Tay Crossing, which was the subject of a co-creative process with the local community. Work is currently underway to identify the preferred route for this section.

A market consultation exercise commenced earlier this year to inform assessment of procurement options for remaining sections when the statutory processes are complete. Determination of the optimal procurement option is a complex exercise which is considering a pipeline of work in a form that can be delivered by the industry, supports the economic recovery post COVID and minimises disruption to users if this lifeline route.

It is expected this analysis will be completed in the coming weeks and will inform decision making on our procurement approach and phasing.