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This is an operational matter for ScotRail. The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

The Purpose Built Student Accommodation Review Steering Group, which comprised representation from the Association of Student Residential Accommodation (ASRA), National Union of Students (NUS), Universities Scotland, College and University Business Managers (CUBO), Scottish Property Federation (SPF), private PBSA providers, individual universities, university student representative organisations and Unipol/National Codes, were fully involved in the formulation of the 11 recommendations which have been fully accepted by Ministers. The answer to question S6W-25244 on 22 February 2024 provides details of the recommendations.

The Review Steering Group will be reconvened to determine how best to take forward those recommendations that are to be progressed jointly with or by partners.

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 has been committed to ensuring that all children in primary school receive at least two hours of physical education (PE) each school week since 2011. Our decision to set a target of two hours of PE for primary school children was prompted by recommendations made by the National Physical Activity Task Force which recommended “taking part in at least two hours of quality physical education classes a week and gaining the appropriate movement and behavioural skills needed for an active life”.

Our international work provides us with significant opportunities to collaborate with like-minded partners, to share best practice, to learn from others and to help the Scottish Government develop and deliver effective policy at home. We have built links with international partners to discuss domestic interventions to tackle a wide range of issues, including demographic challenges and the conservation of biodiversity. In June last year, for example, we signed a memorandum of understanding with the Flemish Government to strengthen cooperation in a wide range of policy areas to support future collaboration and exchange best practice.

We will continue to engage with a variety of international partners on a range of policy areas, building on relationships where we already have strong links, such as in Europe and our near neighbourhood.

Since the publication of Scotland’s Arctic policy framework in 2019, the Scottish Government has helped establish Scotland as a valuable contributor to, and host of, Arctic dialogue. Edinburgh will be hosting Arctic Science Summit Week in March 2024 and the Scottish Government will continue to engage with Arctic partners to secure future opportunities for collaboration to enable delivery of the framework.

In the updated Climate Change Plan, we undertook to embed circular economy principles into our wider green recovery, prioritising areas with the biggest opportunities: construction; agriculture/food and drink; energy and renewables; procurement; skills and education; and plastics.

Last year we consulted on our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, which sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for Scotland's energy system to 2045 and a route map of ambitions and actions that, coupled with detailed sectoral plans and the forthcoming Climate Change Plan, will guide decision-making and policy support over the course of this decade.

We also published discussion papers on land use and agriculture Just transition in land use and agriculture: a discussion paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) , the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster Just Transition: Grangemouth (www.gov.scot) and the built environment and construction sector Delivering a Just Transition for the Built Environment and Construction Sector Delivering a Just Transition for the Built Environment and Construction Sector (www.gov.scot)

We are also consulting on a Circular Economy and Waste Route Map which sets out the clear actions we need to take to deliver sustainable use of our resources and progress a circular economy in Scotland by 2030 Circular economy and waste route map to 2030: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). This includes a package of measures to embed circular practices in the construction sector.

The Scottish Government has not done any modelling of any increase in HGVs on the A96 as a result of the Cromarty Firth Freeport announcement. However, the areas currently proposed for development as part of the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport largely align with those that were allocated for development in the 2015 Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan. The A96 Corridor Road Assignment Model (CRAM) which is the transport model applicable to this stretch of road, was last updated in 2019 and includes these allocations.

As the member is aware The Access for All scheme is a UK Government scheme and as such is managed by the UK Department for Transport (DfT).

It is anticipated the Department for Transport will announce which stations will be prioritised for funding through the Access for All Scheme in the course of this year.

The Scottish Government received 11 recommendations formulated by the Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) Review Group. These are listed below and have been fully accepted by Ministers.

Work is now underway on taking forward the three recommendations that fall specifically to the Scottish Government. We will continue to engage with the sectors regarding delivery of those recommendations that are to be progressed jointly or elsewhere, reconvening the Review Group as part of that recommendation.

Recommendations

1. That the Scottish Government works with partners to develop a Model Terms and Conditions to apply across all PBSA, both institutionally and privately operated.

2. That the Scottish Government consults widely on the scope to legislate on PBSA regulation, specifically in respect of notice periods and cooling off period for PBSA tenants, including identifying what circumstances should apply in such cases and potential impact on investment and rent levels.

3. That Higher Education Institutions work with partners to develop and distribute information packs for student tenants in both institutional and private PBSA properties, outlining the existing routes for progressing complaints and redress, including through the SPSO and the First-Tier Tribunals system. These information packs should contain clear links to regularly updated relevant online content.

4. That the Scottish Government works with partners to scope the development of a Model Complaints Procedure to be adopted across all types of PBSA.

5. That the Scottish Government convenes a national round table discussion with HEIs, private PBSA providers, investors/developers, students, and local authorities, to explore improvements in relation to ensuring the housing needs of students are met.

6. That strategic partnerships be established at local level, involving all those involved in provision / use of student accommodation to consider / address supply issues at local level in the short, medium, and long-term.

7. That the Scottish Government works with partners to identify and address barriers to expanding the supply of affordable accommodation for students through e.g. the repurposing of existing buildings and the utilisation of alternative housing models e.g. housing co-operatives.

8. That the Scottish Government and Higher Education Institutions actively engage with property investors/developers in the private sector to encourage the development of a more diverse range of student accommodation properties, which could meet the needs of families and those on lower incomes.

9. That Higher Education Institutions and providers of private PBSA work more closely together to ensure students get the information they need, including consideration of data sharing agreements.

10. That Higher Education Institutions provide to all tenants residing in University or privately-run PBSA information on student support available through institutions, and how to access this. This should be available in formats other than online, and frontline staff working within all types of PBSA should have ready access to this information in order to provide advice when needed.

11. That the Scottish Government engages with Home Office on the provision of student dependents’ data for international students taking up places at Scottish universities.

The Scottish Government is investing at least £100m more annually in culture and the arts by the financial year 2028-29. Through this increased investment we want to drive up opportunities for participation in creative pursuits, support the production of new works, and ensure that Scotland’s cultural output has platforms at home and abroad.