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There has been no reduction in Control Period 6 budget for rail infrastructure renewals and enhancements activities in Scotland.

Responsibility for delivery of rail infrastructure renewal works rests with Network Rail as overseen by the Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government is aware that there have been some delays in the delivery of some parts of this renewal programme in Control Period 6 to date. Enquiries concerning this should be addressed to Network Rail or the Office of Rail and Road.

Transport Scotland and CMAL fully understand the importance and significance of engaging with the relevant trade unions on ferry services and future vessel contracts. In relation to the Islay vessels project regular meetings were held with unions by Transport Scotland, CMAL and CalMac, from the outset of the project in January 2019. Similarly, these bodies have provided unions with progress updates on the development on the new Islay vessels, listening and taking action on their views when appropriate. A similar approach will be taken with all future projects.

Emissions data for offshore oil and gas is part of the UK Government’s Greenhouse Gas inventory and is therefore required to decarbonise by 2050. Only refinery and onshore emissions data is part of Scottish Government’s inventory.

We recognise that countries around the world cannot continue to maximise economic recovery of fossil fuels if the Paris aims are to be met. As the First Minister said last week our focus will now be on achieving the fastest possible just transition for the oil and gas sector - one that delivers jobs and economic benefit, ensures our energy security, and meets our climate obligations.

That is why we have committed to undertaking a programme of work to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how this aligns with our climate change targets. We recognised that our vision and roadmap for the energy sector can’t happen in isolation - a Just Transition Plan for Energy will be at the heart of our refreshed Energy Strategy, publishing as one coherent document in 2022. The principle underpinning it will be the one already encapsulated in our Co-operation Agreement - that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels, or maximum economic recovery in UK policy terms, is not consistent with our climate obligations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03825 on ‎15 November 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
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Railway safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government and is overseen by the Office of Rail & Road (ORR), to whom enquiries should be addressed.

The published Statement of Funds Available (SOFA) covers funding available towards Network Rail operations, maintenance and renewal activities in Scotland as well as enhancement projects. The funding available for Control Period 6 as per the SOFA includes allocation for the completion of projects which carry over from Control Period 5 as well as projects commencing in Control Period 6.

As per the Statement of Funds Available, the budget figure for Control Period 6 in Scotland is £4.85 billion. We are currently in the process of considering the basis on which the funding required for Control Period 7 will be determined and expect this to be reflected in a further SOFA publication to align with the commencement of Control Period 7 anticipated as April 2024.

Further information on the SOFA can be accessed via:- sofa-2019-24-25-jan-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

The Scottish Government has provided a significant increase in funding on Control Period 6 for Network Rail to deliver weather resilience improvements, including drainage. Network Rail is responsible for the delivery of these works, as overseen by the Office of Rail & Road (ORR). Enquiries should be addressed to these organisations.

CMAL conducted an open tender process for delivery of the new vessels intended to service the Islay routes. Under procurement law, direct award of vessels to any shipyard is only permitted under limited circumstances. We have to approach the issue of direct award with care. We are looking at future contracts from public agencies and whether any might be legally open to direct awards. No decision has yet been taken regarding the direct award of future vessels to publicly owned shipyards or any other shipyard in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The Scottish Landfill Tax (Qualifying Material) Order 2016 sets out the material that qualifies at the lower rate of Scottish Landfill Tax and the qualifying conditions that have to be met.

The Order sets out specific circumstances in which incinerator bottom ash qualifies for the lower rate. As biostabilised waste is not listed in the Order, the standard rate of tax would apply.

Zero Waste Scotland has commissioned a study to better understand the potential for biostabilisation as a municipal residual waste treatment process in Scotland.