Seòmar agus comataidhean

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10585 on‎ 22 September 2022. 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 a publicly owned and controlled railway, it is important that ScotRail plays its part in delivering Scottish Government ambitions for its success. As part of that, ScotRail quite rightly reviewed the ban on alcohol and brought forward proposals for consideration. Following robust scrutiny against wider Scottish Government priorities and policy implications, it was considered that further work on these proposals would be required including wider consultation on the implications.

Given the diversity of views on the sale and consumption of alcohol on ScotRail services, consideration of its reintroduction will form part of the National Conversation on Rail. This will enable a wide range of views to be taken into account before any final decision is made. In the meantime, everyone needs to be mindful that, while many of the pandemic restrictions have been lifted, Covid hasn’t gone away and the Scottish Government’s advisory guidance remains in place.

Scottish Government Framework Agreements include pricing clauses which may differ depending on the products and services being procured.

The majority of our frameworks have fixed prices for the duration of the agreements, therefore providing a degree of protection from inflationary pressures.

Where the frameworks do not include fixed prices for the duration of the agreement, any potential price increases, as a result of inflationary pressures, will be addressed in accordance with the framework terms and conditions.

The Scottish Government is reviewing its framework agreements to assess likely price increases, where applicable.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the sustainability of local news publishers as a key part of the public interest news sector in Scotland. We recognise the value that local newspapers bring to their communities, and the important role they play as part of a well-functioning democracy.

In 2021, the Scottish Government set up the Public Interest Journalism Working Group to consider the long-term sustainability of public interest journalism, including local news, in Scotland, and to recommend ways to ensure its ongoing resilience and relevance. We responded to the Group’s recommendations in June 2022. This included a commitment to facilitate a roundtable event this Autumn, to support the creation of a new Scottish Public Interest Journalism Institute.

While it is not for Scottish Government to influence the remit of the Institute, it is likely, in line with the Working Group’s recommendations, that part of its role will be to support local news.

Separately, the Scottish Government spent £258,056.00 on local newspaper advertising in the financial year 2021-22.

Officials are engaged in regular discussion with Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities colleagues on a number of matters including the block grant expenditure and the possibility of further funding for cladding remediation. The Inter Ministerial Group, which last met in May this year, agreed that official level engagement on areas of policy of mutual interest on cladding safety would be increased. The next Inter Ministerial Group will meet again in Autumn where matters of building and fire safety and finance will be discussed.

The Scottish Government has no plans to prevent people taking cans from wheelie bins following the introduction of DRS.

The First Minister announced the Programme for Government 2022 to 2023 on 6 September 2022, which set out the action to ‘Establish a dedicated Food Security Unit within the Scottish Government with a view to monitoring ongoing supply chain vulnerabilities and linking with future food security work’. The Food Security unit is in the process of being established.

Work is also being taken forward on other recommendations from the Short Life Food Security and Supply Taskforce Report and Supply Taskforce Report, some of which have already been completed such as the launch of a digital gateway, specifically designed for the food and drink sector to access additional business support.

Information about the change is available in the Joint Implementation Plan . Letters have been sent to local authorities and sector representative bodies to remind them of the upcoming change and encourage them to review local processes and communications. An evaluation of the pilot areas is ongoing and will inform discussions and advice in Spring 2023.

There have been no recent discussions between Scottish Government and National Records of Scotland regarding access to the Historical Search Room and no discussions regarding service user requests for a new transparently-established users group.

The national frameworks for the Supply of Electricity wholesale volumes are bought up to 2½ years in advance in tranches, following a proven ‘hedging’ purchasing strategy overseen by a cross-sectoral Risk Management Committee. The Committee comprises senior managers representing procurement, finance and energy management interests.

Whilst energy prices have risen to unprecedented levels because of global influences, the Scottish Government purchasing strategy has mitigated some of the increases for customers on the framework. However, given the substantially increased price risk that this market volatility has brought, the Risk Management Committee has temporarily suspended the on-boarding of all new customers with immediate effect in order protect the organisations currently using the framework from increase costs. Organisations that are currently customers (including some third sector bodies) will remain on the framework.

The Risk Management Committee will keep that decision under regular review and when market conditions and risk profile allow, will permit new customers to join.