Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-44036 on 10 March 2026. 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 Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government has responsibility for the operational running of the organisation, including the workforce related hybrid working policy.

The Scottish Government’s hybrid working policy provides flexibility for alternative arrangements where regularly working in person in line with the 40% target may not be practical. Staff are able to have their circumstances considered via an interim, informal location-exemption process, which recognises that some staff may, for historical reasons, live a considerable distance from their contractual workplace.

I would encourage the member to direct any further questions on this matter to the Permanent Secretary.

The Scottish Government has published the analysis of our consultation on a potential Cruise Ship Levy.

The analysis report is now published here https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806433315

It will be for the next Government to consider the range of evidence received, including views from local authorities, industry stakeholders, and the public.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-44036 on 10 March 2026. 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.

Since the publication of the research report, Public Space CCTV in Scotland, the Scottish Government has been engaging with COSLA and Police Scotland to consider what the next steps in relation to public space CCTV should be. This includes consideration of whether there needs to be an updated National Strategy for Public Space CCTV. This work is ongoing and any work undertaken on auditing of community CCTVs will form part of this plan.

I am aware of the concerns raised by the Scottish Huntington’s Association regarding the running of Huntington’s services, and I met with the charity last year to discuss this.

The Scottish Government’s ninth annual update on support for Scotland’s veterans and armed forces community was presented to Parliament on 9 December 2025. It provides a comprehensive picture of the work undertaken to date but I would like to take this opportunity to draw attention to some specific work that is making a real impact across our armed forces community.

The Scottish Government's stakeholder group – the Scottish Armed Forces Education Support Group (SAFESG) – works collaboratively to mitigate and address issues affecting Service children. In this way they help to improve the experience of Service children and their families in Scottish schools.

There has been particular engagement with Moray Council, to understand availability of childcare in the rural area around RAF Lossiemouth, including the impact this has on the ability to attract and retain service personnel.

Work is also ongoing in relation to housing including updating the housing guide for service leavers on the Scottish Government website and working with the Scottish Veterans Housing Group on the top priorities for the veterans’ homelessness prevention pathway.

The Scottish Government is developing an Armed Forces Covenant Framework which translates Covenant principles into practical actions for NHS Boards, ensuring the Duty is embedded in everyday practice. It provides a clear but flexible structure to help Boards support the Armed Forces Community, prevent disadvantage in access to healthcare, and set consistent national expectations. The Framework clarifies Board responsibilities, strengthens local partnerships, and supports quality improvement through better recording, monitoring and evaluation. Its overall aim is to improve outcomes for the Armed Forces Community by ensuring timely, equitable and person centred care across Scotland. In parallel, work is ongoing to develop the Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Pathway across Scotland. Working with veterans, the third sector and statutory services, the core aim of the pathway is to ensure that every veteran living in Scotland can access timely, effective and compassionate mental health and wellbeing support. The pathway is projected to be stood up on a phased basis in financial year 2026-2027. Our aspiration is that, by improving accessibility to mental health and wellbeing services for all veterans, they will receive the most appropriate type of support for their needs.

Later this year the Scottish Government will review its 2022 Action Plan with a view to ensuring strong support for the armed forces community in Scotland, taking account of the new UK Veterans’ Strategy and with, at its heart, consistent application of the Armed Forces covenant.

CalMac does not hold data on sailing performance prior to January 2007. The data provided in the following table covers up to February 2026, although that month has still to be audited and may therefore be subject to change.

Sailings cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic are included in the "cancelled (other)" category. During the period that services were compliant with COVID-19 regulations, the original scheduled timetables for routes across the network were replaced with lifeline and essential travel timetables.

This data includes Tarbert/Lochranza statistics as, prior to the launch of CalMac’s new ticketing system in May 2023, these were reported under Claonaig/Lochranza.

CalMac does not hold data on sailing performance prior to January 2007. The data provided in the following table covers up to February 2026, although that month has still to be audited and may therefore be subject to change.

Sailings cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic are included in the "cancelled (other)" category. During the period that services were compliant with COVID-19 regulations, the original scheduled timetables for routes across the network were replaced with lifeline and essential travel timetables.

This data includes sailings which diverted to Gourock/Wemyss Bay/Rothesay. It also includes all Troon/Brodick sailings as they are reported together.

We know that change is needed to ensure that we have an adaptable, flexible, affordable and sustainable legal aid system in Scotland that supports people who are facing challenging issues and problems. Consideration is being given to primary legislation in the next Parliamentary term that will consolidate the Government's recent reform to legal aid in Scotland. This will ensure continued support to people who are facing challenging issues, of course including those in rural island communities. The decision to take this forward will be for the next Government.

This government has continued its investment in the legal aid system which is generally effective in delivering help to those in need, however we do recognise there are some challenges in relation to certain types of cases or locations.

There are several ways in which access to solicitors can be facilitated remotely, and funding is available to allow solicitors to travel to rural and remote parts of the country to carry out work, meaning that individuals do not have to rely on local provision alone when seeking publicly funded legal assistance.

The Civil Legal Assistance Office has been established and is a network of 3 offices in Scotland that helps people with civil legal problems. Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) employed solicitors can provide advice and assistance to people with particular types of civil legal problems across Highlands and Islands, Argyll and Bute, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and Edinburgh and the Lothians. Further, the Scottish Legal Aid Board manage 16 regional grant funded projects to support people facing legal action. This includes in island locations such as the Western Isles and Orkney Islands.

All of these services can operate across a wide geographical area and, through our ongoing reform programme, we are considering how different funding models can be used to strengthen access to legal aid where it is most needed.