Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid)

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Official Report 1016KB pdf

---

Topical Question Time

The next item of business is topical question time. To get in as many members as possible, I would be grateful for short and succinct questions and answers.

---

Free Under-22 Bus Passes

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported problems with applying for free under-22 bus travel passes. (S6T-00468)

I was delighted to visit Glasgow yesterday and, with Patrick Harvie, who is the active travel minister, to press the start button on free bus travel for Scotland’s under-22s. As we went live, more than 117,000 online applications had been received and more than 55,000 cards had been issued, with a further 16,000 cards issued offline by councils. [Jenny Gilruth has corrected this contribution. See end of report.] I appreciate that we still have a long way to go to reach the 930,000 eligible young people but, given that we opened for applications only 16 working days ago, that is an excellent achievement. I look forward to increasing numbers of young people enjoying the scheme’s benefits in the coming weeks.

I recognise that some people have found the application process complex and hard to undertake, not least because of the identification requirements. The Improvement Service, which runs the online portal, has made changes to the process in response to feedback—for example, it has relaxed the proof-of-identity criteria and is now accepting out-of-date passports and proof of address from the last 12 months, instead of three months.

Local authorities can also take applications in person. Yesterday, I wrote to all local authorities to thank them and encourage them to do all that they can to help to make the scheme a success. We are also engaging with stakeholder organisations that can help us to better reach young people and families. I assure Graham Simpson and the Parliament that I will continue to explore ways of making it easier for young people to apply for their national entitlement card, because the policy is vital for opening up work, training, education and leisure opportunities for Scotland’s young people.

I listened to the minister’s answer with interest. It should not really take the Improvement Service stepping in at the 11^th hour to make improvements that should have been there in the first place, although improvements are welcome.

Parents and youngsters have described the process as bureaucratic—one parent even called it “Stasi-like”. I heard today that people who have been lucky enough to get a card are reporting that it does not even work. The minister might want to look into that.

We have a backlog of about 40,000 applications from young people who are waiting for their cards. What will the minister do for them?

It is important to remind the Parliament of the context of the timescales that have been involved in introducing the new under-22 bus pass. Back in early January, we were still dealing with a steep rise in omicron cases, which directly impacted on the scheme’s launch and our subsequent messaging. Mr Simpson will recall that my predecessor wrote to all members earlier this month about that change.

The applications process went live on 10 January, when the focus was on young people who have an essential need to travel—it was described as a “soft launch” in the letter to all MSPs. The Government guidance that was in place on 10 January was still for people to work from home. I hope that Mr Simpson recognises that our focus changed to more appropriately support the public health guidance at that time.

It is worth saying that that approach was intended to help to minimise pressures on our local authorities, which were impacted by the pandemic situation and which are responsible for processing applications and responding to inquiries. I accept that pandemic restrictions have now eased, which has impacted on our approach, with the official launch in Glasgow yesterday and the Government’s marketing campaign to follow shortly.

On Mr Simpson’s specific point about the Improvement Service, which has direct responsibility for the scheme’s roll-out, I will meet that organisation at the start of next week to discuss in detail further changes that we might seek to make. I hope that he will accept that that does not detract from the importance of having a successful roll-out of the under-22s scheme. [Applause.]

I am not sure what the applause is about. I assure the minister—

Miserable.

The Deputy First Minister is speaking from a sedentary position. I am not sure what he is chuntering about.

I want the scheme to be a success. I will ask about another issue that has cropped up with it. Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Edinburgh Trams Ltd say that the introduction of the scheme will cost them money because youngsters will use buses rather than their services. Has the minister reflected on what they have to say and whether the scheme could be extended to Glasgow underground and the Edinburgh trams?

With regard to an extension, we are undertaking a fair fares review to consider a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares. I do not want to prejudge the outcome of that.

On the other part of Mr Simpson’s question, we have worked with the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK to arrive at reimbursement rates. It is hugely important to recognise that. We will ensure that we help bus services to recover from the impact of the pandemic. The scheme is also intended to do that. It will encourage more children and young people to travel sustainably.

The free bus travel scheme aims for bus operators to be financially no better or worse off as a result of their participation. I have received no direct representations on SPT and Edinburgh trams, but Mr Simpson might appreciate that I am just in post. However, if he shares that information with my private office, I will be more than happy to meet both organisations and have a further conversation on the issues that he raised.

How can local authorities help in the implementation of the scheme, which has the potential to offer life-changing opportunities to our children and young people by giving them a chance to access increased social, educational and work opportunities? As members might be aware, until recently, I was a local councillor. I am sure that my former Scottish National Party councillor colleagues in South Ayrshire are working hard to ensure that the local authority supports this great initiative, especially by enabling people who do not have the required identification for online application to apply successfully.

Siobhian Brown is right that local authorities play a vital part in administering the application process for the free bus travel scheme. As I mentioned, I wrote yesterday to all local authorities thanking them for all that they have done to help support the launch of the scheme and encouraging them to do more to help us to encourage young people to sign up to make the scheme a success.

Although many applications are processed through online channels that are provided by the Improvement Service, a number will go directly to local authorities. Many local councils have dedicated staff on hand to help applicants who might have difficulty with the application process, including, for example, care-experienced young people and asylum seekers, who might need particular support. We have not directed councils on how they might provide that support but, where the necessary mechanisms are not in place, I ask local authorities to let my officials know as soon as possible to resolve any issues that they might have locally.

It is concerning to hear from the minister that more than 800,000 children and young people do not yet have their free bus pass. Will she confirm that it is the Government’s ambition to get every child and young person a bus pass? If not, what is the target and when will it be achieved?

It absolutely is the Government’s intention to have every child and young person sign up to the scheme but I reiterate to Mr Bibby some of the challenges that we faced at the start of the year, which I mentioned in my response to Graham Simpson. I already gave the example of where we were with the pandemic at the start of the year and the necessary requirement that my predecessor set out to delay the scheme’s implementation, which led to a soft launch earlier in January and then the firming up of the launch yesterday. I also laid out some of the changes that the Improvement Service introduced in recognition of some of the challenges that we face, as well as my action as minister in writing to local authorities. In addition to that, I will meet the Improvement Service again next week to look again at the numbers.

I take on board Mr Bibby’s point about the uptake thus far but I hope that he will also join me in ensuring that we get a higher uptake of applications to the scheme. It is vital for the children and young people of Scotland. It will open up work and leisure opportunities for them as well as fantastic opportunities to get out and about across the country.

I hope that Mr Bibby will help to support that message. I would be more than happy to discuss it with him in more detail, but I hope that he will also take cognisance of some of the actions that I have already taken on the matters that he outlined.

I warmly welcome the minister to her new role. I highlight the brilliant work that is happening in schools across the country, particularly those in Perth and Kinross, which are using the parent portal system to sign up entire age groups across the school. What more can schools do? Should we start to see a roll-out in primary schools as well?

We are absolutely determined to ensure that children and young people who might benefit the most from free bus travel do not miss out. As I said in my previous answer, we know that some families might not be able to apply online, or have the required proof of identity to do so. That is why there are a number of different ways in which to apply, including directly with a local authority.

We also know that some families might need additional help or support to access the scheme, so we are working with delivery partners, stakeholders and third sector children’s organisations, including Barnardo’s Scotland, the Poverty Alliance, Carers Trust Scotland, Citizens Advice Scotland and many others.

As Mark Ruskell alluded to, all local councils have the option of co-ordinating applications through schools on behalf of their pupils. Some are already doing that—Mark Ruskell gave the example of Perth and Kinross—and I hope that, for as long as resources allow, and when it is safe to do so, more local authorities take up that offer.

---

Storm Malik and Storm Corrie

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to support those communities affected by storm Malik and storm Corrie, including addressing the impact on the provision of services such as public transport. (S6T-00467)

We have been working closely with key partners to co-ordinate the preparation for and response to storm Malik and storm Corrie. The Deputy First Minister and the First Minister led Scottish Government resilience room ministerial meetings from Friday evening over the weekend, which I attended with other ministers, to ensure that that happened.

Local resilience partnerships, which continue to be active, are helping to provide welfare provisions for communities that have been affected. Power companies have worked throughout the weekend, deploying additional staff where necessary, to recover power supplies. That work is continuing in some areas today.

Throughout the weekend, I received regular reports from the Transport Scotland resilience team, and I attended ScotRail tactical command meetings on Sunday evening and throughout Monday. Rail and road staff have worked since Friday, including overnight, to ensure the safety and recovery of the transport network and to ensure that public transport provision can operate with minimal disruption where possible. I thank everyone who is working still, often in difficult conditions, to keep people safe, help recovery and maintain lifeline services.

The Scottish Government has also activated the Bellwin scheme to provide additional revenue support to local authorities that may apply.

Compared with urban areas, rural areas across the north-east have been disproportionately impacted by recent storms. In recent years, the Scottish Government has made a series of commitments around rural repopulation. That is why the resilience of rural communities and their infrastructure, such as broadband and power, is vital. Will the minister outline what steps the Scottish Government is taking to improve the resilience of rural communities, particularly with regard to infrastructure?

Mercedes Villalba mentioned some of the challenges that rural communities face, which were present at the start of the weekend, when we saw power outages in the north-east of Scotland. My colleague Gillian Martin has previously raised such issues on a number of occasions.

With regard to the specifics of Mercedes Villalba’s question, and the preparations that we made in advance of storm Malik and storm Corrie, we have been working closely with responders, power companies, local authorities and Transport Scotland to co-ordinate the preparation for and response to the storms. Previously, the Deputy First Minister commissioned a Scottish Government review into the response to storm Arwen. That review was published just last week, and any lessons learned were taken forward in our planning for and response to storm Malik and storm Corrie.

It is important to say that every such event is different, and although we can learn lessons from storm Arwen, the storms over this weekend were unique. At the start of the weekend, we were perhaps preparing for a more challenging situation, but as the conditions eased, things started to get better. Before I came into the chamber, I saw that power has been restored to the vast majority of homes across Scotland, which I hope that Mercedes Villalba will welcome.

Mercedes Villalba also asked specifically about our rural communities. I will defer to the Deputy First Minister to get a more detailed answer for her, if she is content for me to do so.

In 2020, the National Infrastructure Commission published a study into resilience, which made key recommendations, such as Government setting resilience standards every five years, and referred to the need for infrastructure operators to carry out regular stress tests and have long-term resilience strategies in place.

I appreciate that we have had a spate of storms recently, but there is a need for long-term planning for such events. Will the minister outline whether the Scottish Government supports the NIC’s recommendations? If so, how is it engaging with the United Kingdom Government on the development of a national resilience strategy?

On the specifics of Mercedes Villalba’s questions, the answer is yes. I will respond to her in detail, but I am aware that work is on-going with the UK Government on the matter.

Presiding Officer, on resilience, can I reflect on some of the challenges that the rail network experienced during the weekend? I know that that was not specifically part of the question, but it is, nonetheless, relevant to the transport portfolio, for which I am responsible.

Please do so very briefly, minister, as other members are very interested in putting a question.

I will very briefly put on the record my thanks to ScotRail and Network Rail for all the work that they undertook during the weekend to improve some of the rail lines.

I very much recognise the challenges that have been faced. Late on Sunday evening, ScotRail decided to cancel services from 18:00, which impacted on travel on Monday morning. I thank ScotRail staff for their work in putting in place bus infrastructure in particular. That speaks to some of the resilience challenges that Mercedes Villalba mentioned in her question.

Winter always brings disruption to ferry schedules, and today’s on-going high winds are also causing issues. How is the Scottish Government ensuring that no resilience or welfare issues arise on island communities as a result of periods of prolonged service disruption?

The decision to delay or cancel a sailing is never taken lightly, as the operator fully recognises the importance of the ferry services to island and rural communities. Both CalMac Ferries, which operates the Clyde and Hebrides route, and NorthLink Ferries, which operates the northern isles route, have an effective working relationship with Transport Scotland’s ferries unit and Transport Scotland’s resilience team.

Operators will ensure that, where possible and when safe to do so, lifeline and remote island mainline services are provided to connect communities when opportunities arise. They liaise with key local stakeholders and local resilience partners to ensure that welfare issues are addressed.

The Scottish Government is currently working with island community stakeholders and representatives to establish reporting mechanisms that will provide regular overviews of the current challenges and issues impacting on island communities. The information gathered through that approach will provide an understanding of the impacts of operational approaches, and will be shared with national and local government, local resilience partnerships and other key agencies to ensure that there is a collective understanding of the experience of our island communities.

Yesterday, I was in Stonehaven, where around 13,000 people were without power. The main feedback from those affected was that they found it almost impossible to access up-to-date information. Recommendation 5 of the storm Arwen review emphasises that

“opportunities for coordination and communication”

should be

“maintained”

where responders

“and those in need of assistance, are without power or telecoms.”

What is the Scottish Government doing to take that forward?

We previously heard from another member about the challenges in the north-east. I know that, just before I came into the chamber, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said:

“As of 12pm, power has been restored to 105,000 customers with around 9,500 customers remaining off supply.”

On the specific question on energy networks, both SP Energy Networks and SSEN contributed to the SGoRR meetings during the weekend.

On the specific question about learning lessons from storm Arwen, the recommendations of the review are being taken forward. The member will appreciate that the review was published only last week, but I give her an assurance that we have taken forward the lessons from what happened during storm Arwen into our dealings with storm Malik and storm Corrie, while recognising that the situation that every storm presents is unique and that we must be cognisant of the local pressures and immediate challenges at the time.

That concludes topical questions. I apologise to those members whom we were unable to reach.