Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31455 on 4 December 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 Scottish Government works closely with CMAL in relation to improvements and upgrades to its ports and harbours as required. Ministers and officials meet with CMAL regularly to discuss challenges and opportunities for the sector and how these can be considered in future funding and business plans.

The Scottish Government also provides grant funding to support CMAL to adapt and modernise their ports and facilities to changing demand and to facilitate new investment. Regular maintenance of harbour facilities are the responsibility of CMAL as Harbour Authority and this aspect of work is led by them.

The Vessels and Ports Plan outlines the need for significant and sustained funding to achieve its delivery as an integral part of progress towards establishing a secure and sustainable long-term financial foundation for our ferry networks, as set out in our Strategic Approach paper.

The proposed reforms are about making the determination process more efficient, not less robust. Environmental assessment standards will remain unchanged. Scottish Ministers will continue to consider each proposal on a case-by-case basis, following review of the application information, consultation responses and representations made by members of the public.

Potential impacts on communities, nature and other valued natural assets or cultural heritage are important considerations in the decision-making process.

Through the consultation, Scottish Government is keen to understand what further support mechanisms, and practical measures, could be explored within a collaborative framework to reduce the time needed to provide consultation responses.

Through the consultation, Scottish Government is keen to understand what further support mechanisms, and practical measures, could be explored within a collaborative framework to reduce the time needed to provide consultation responses.

Historic Environment Scotland are a key stakeholder in the consenting process.

The ‘Verity House Agreement’ and the ‘New Deal for Business’ have set out how the Scottish Government intends to work collaboratively with local authorities and others to deliver a just transition to net zero.

The reform process launched by this consultation creates an opportunity to re-set the expectations on the bodies providing essential support to the application process, taking account of their views, suggestions and their specific circumstances.

We continue to work with CMAL and a range of other port owners including Local Authority, Trust Port, and Private operators, to invest in essential infrastructure required to maintain and enhance the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles routes. The Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) sets out the Scottish Government’s long-term objectives and policies for ensuring necessary and sustainable transport links for our islands.

As a key element of the ICP, the Vessels and Ports Plan provides detail on the Scottish Government’s objectives for the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) and Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS).

The ICP consultation report and responses were published on 3 September – there was overall support for our proposals and some suggestions for improvement. We aim to use the consultation responses to inform the final versions of the Strategic Approach and the Vessels and Ports Plan.

The Scottish Government’s HIV Transmission Elimination Delivery Plan sets out our approach to ensuring that people living with HIV have equitable access to high quality care and treatment to support them to live well.

We are aware of the recent HIV Outcomes Beyond the Virus report and will be working with the HIV Transmission Elimination Delivery Implementation Group and the Scottish Health Protection Network’s HIV Clinical Leads Group to consider its recommendations and ensure that psychological support for adults living with HIV meets the high standards we would expect.

The Scottish Government is also providing NHS Education for Scotland with around £30 million in 2024-25 to deliver multidisciplinary education, training and workforce expansion for staff supporting adult and children’s mental health and psychological wellbeing. In September 2023, the Scottish Government published the National Specification for Psychological Therapies and Interventions and the Core Standards for Mental Health. These set out the standards to which we expect psychological therapies and mental health services to be delivered, including appropriate staffing.

The Scottish Government is committed to early and meaningful community consultation. It is important that communities and stakeholders are appropriately engaged throughout the pre application and application journey.

As noted in the answer provided for S6W-31574 on 4 December 2024, resourcing requirements for the Energy Consents Unit are kept under review, with a view to addressing the expected intake of applications.

Introducing fees for pre-application activities will allow the Energy Consents Unit to be adequately resourced to administer any increases in pre-application activities.

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

P&O’s ferry services at Cairnryan Port are commercially operated and in a competitive environment. The Scottish Government has no locus to intervene in such situations.

However, Transport Scotland through its operating company manages and maintains the A75, A751 and A77 trunk roads which provide direct road-based access to the port.

Long term investment plans for improving access to both ports at Cairnryan are set-out in Recommendation 40 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review.