Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Government has provided support for employees affected by developments at Carpetright through our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative.In agreement with Carpetright's Talent Acquisition Manager, a PACE Introduction to Redundancy Support webinar took place on 7 August for all impacted staff across Scotland to inform them of the support on offer. In addition, information on PACE services has been issued to the impacted staff to support their self-referral to partnership services. Skills Development Scotland will also be undertaking promotion of PACE support to former Carpetright staff via social media activity.Through providing skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time individuals affected by redundancy are out of work.

The Aviation Statement focusses on new actions where the Scottish Government can make a meaningful contribution to growing Scotland’s direct international connectivity, securing lifeline services in the Highlands and Islands and contributing to decarbonising aviation. The Memorandum of Understanding with Heathrow airport is designed to ensure that any expansion of Heathrow approved by any UK Government results in significant job creation and investment opportunities in Scotland. As this has not changed, and as Heathrow expansion is not approved or underway, even though the new UK Government may support it, there was no need to include it in the Aviation Statement.

The Scottish Government’s response to the UK Climate Change Committee's report, including its recommendation on Air Departure Tax, will be published shortly.

We continue to explore all options to implement Air Departure Tax in a way that protects Highlands & Islands connectivity and complies with the UK Government’s subsidy control regime. We will set out the high-level principles of ADT, including how it will support emissions reductions, and will proceed with more detailed policy development as soon as possible.

Following Stage 2, we will provide a revised Financial Memorandum for Stage 2 amendments that have been agreed to which will also note the value of costs incurred to date on the Bill.

The UK Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme provides a partial guarantee to a lender making a loan to a ship-buyer or operator, so that new vessels, or refits, retrofits or repairs of existing vessels can be procured from UK shipyards. This type of finance guarantee is not required where the Scottish Government or its agencies are the buyer/funder. As the Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland, is the funder of CMAL vessels projects, the scheme does not benefit these kinds of contracts. The scheme may be applicable to commercial clients or funders looking to build or refit vessels at the Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow yard.

Making public transport easier for people to use is crucial in driving forward a greener, fairer Scotland, enhancing equality, growing the economy, and supporting communities.

With this in mind, I am pleased to announce the publication today of the Scottish Government’s updated strategy on smart, digital, integrated ticketing and payments.  https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/smart-digital-integrated-ticketing-and-payments-delivery-strategy-2024/

This strategy builds on the enhancements progressed since its first iteration published in 2018, such as enabling universal smartcards to be used across operators, supporting the provision of contactless payment to be available on 98% of buses in Scotland, and delivering smart concessionary travel for young people and on our ferry services to Orkney and Shetland. Technological advancements since 2018 have opened a vast array of new opportunities to rethink and evolve how we can continue to encourage use of sustainable public transport, and address the change in travel patterns and public expectations witnessed in the years following the pandemic.

It complements the delivery of my wider transport priorities and provides a refreshed vision, To increase the use of sustainable public transport by providing smart and integrated ticketing, payment, and journey planning data enhancements, contributing to a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland.

The strategy also aligns with the new National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board three year Work Programme, which is being published today as well, outlining the advice that will be provided to Ministers on the future of smart ticketing in Scotland. All of these actions seek to support the improved accessibility, availability and affordability of public transport.

The Scottish Government has subsidised the temporary removal of ScotRail peak fares for twelve months in a move to encourage modal shift from private car to rail while making rail travel more affordable and accessible over the pilot period. The cost of the full year subsidy was approximately £40m.

The success of the pilot has been measured through analysis, which uses daily patronage data (from April 2022 to start of July 2024) covering the period before and nine months of the pilot.

This analysis shows that while there has been a limited increase in the number of passengers during the pilot, it did not achieve its aims of encouraging a significant modal shift from car to rail. In light of the financial challenges facing the Scottish Government and the level of additional and continuing subsidy that would be required to continue the pilot versus its contribution towards tackling climate change with modal shift from car and tackling child poverty which are key Scottish Government missions, the pilot will end on 27th September 2024.

The pilot primarily benefitted existing train passengers and those with medium to higher incomes and although passenger levels increased to a maximum of around 6.8%, it would require a 10% increase in passenger numbers for the policy to be self-financing. The pilot will have been welcome in saving many passengers hundreds and in some cases thousands of pounds during the cost of living crisis but this level of subsidy cannot continue in the current financial climate on that measure alone.

I am aware, however, that a significant minority of people cannot choose when they travel to and from work who did and would benefit from lower priced rail travel and who might find the return to peak fares challenging. I can therefore announce the introduction of a 12-month discount on all ScotRail season tickets and permanently amending the terms of flexipasses to allow for 12 single journeys for the price of 10, used within 60 days, equivalent to a 20% discount for those who travel less frequently.

For example, prior to the pilot someone travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow would have paid £28.90 for an anytime return. They will now pay £31.40 for an anytime day return but with the 20% discount this reduces to £18.52 if they use an annual season ticket to travel at least 4 days per week or £21.25 if using a flexipass for a return journey. Weekly and monthly season tickets are also available with the 20% discount which offer savings over buying tickets on a daily basis.

Prior to the pilot, someone travelling between Barrhead and Glasgow would have paid £6.60. While this will increase to £7.20 for an anytime day return it reduces to £4.06 if they use an annual season ticket to travel at least 4 days per week. Someone using a flexipass on the same journey will pay £4.85 for a return journey.

Super off-peak tickets will also be reintroduced.

The final evaluation of the Pilot is available on the Transport Scotland website.

The Scottish Government would be open to consider future subsidy to remove peak fares should UK budget allocations to the Scottish Government improve in future years.

We remain committed to Phase 2 of the 2018 GP Contract and ensuring the stability and sustainability of general practice.

Discussions with the BMA on Phase 2 are ongoing and we are developing a refreshed delivery plan for this work – this will include a revised timeline for delivery.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28357 on 23 July 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 has been made aware of the ongoing commercial acquisition of Spirit Aerosystems by The Boeing Company, including the agreement Airbus has entered into in relation to a potential acquisition of some activities currently performed for Airbus.