The committee will report on the outcome of the instrument in due course, and I invite the committee to delegate authority to me, as convener, to finalise the report for publication. Is the committee happy with that?

Members indicated agreement.

Welcome back. Our next item of business is an evidence session?on environmental governance in Scotland. In June last year, the Scottish Government published its report on the effectiveness of environmental governance arrangements, as required by section 41 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021. The committee has since agreed to carry out a short assessment of the state of environmental governance in Scotland.

This morning, we will hear from a panel of environmental stakeholders and law practitioners on the Scottish Government’s report and environmental governance in Scotland more broadly. I am pleased to welcome Lloyd Austin, convener of the governance group, Scottish Environment LINK; Dr Shivali Fifield, chief officer, Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland; Professor Sarah Hendry, Dundee law school, University of Dundee; Bridget Marshall, chief officer, Scottish Environment Protection Agency; Professor Simon Parsons, director of environment, planning and assurance, Scottish Water; and, joining us remotely, Jamie Whittle, convener of the environmental law sub-committee, Law Society of Scotland.

Thank you for joining us today. We have an hour and a bit for this session. Before we move to questions from committee members, for fear of upsetting you all, I point out that, because it is quite a large panel, you might not get to answer every question. I invite committee members to target their questions at the people from whom they want answers.

However, I will give everyone a chance to answer the first question, because it is my question. Please do not overegg the response, but it is fair to say that concerns have been raised by stakeholders about how the Scottish Government approached the 2023 environmental governance review, which was a requirement of the 2021 act. Has the Scottish Government provided enough detail in the review? If not, what has it not provided detail on?

Lloyd, I will start with you and will come to Jamie Whittle last. By the way, if Lloyd gives all the answers on the points that you want to raise, you can just say, “Lloyd is correct.”

I accept that. I am asking how other local transport authorities will be able to take the plan forward if you are not giving them any money.

Jamie Whittle, are you going to break ranks and say that the Government’s review is brilliant?

I am sorry, deputy convener, but Sarah Hendry is keen to come in on that point, as is Lloyd Austin. I have opened a floodgate, but Sarah Hendry has been waiting patiently.

No. That is not me saying no to them answering; they are shaking their heads. Witnesses could have contributed if they wanted to do so.

Ben, I will give you, as deputy convener, the opportunity to ask your questions now.

I will bring in Jamie Whittle first, then, to give a legal point of view. [Interruption.] I think that everything is done for you, Jamie, as far as I remember from when I contributed remotely. People activate your microphone. They are usually quite good at ensuring that it is not activated when you are making a comment that you do not want to be heard. I think that that has been done for you.

That is interesting.

The deputy convener, Ben Macpherson, is on his way, but he is struggling slightly to get here, given the conditions, and might miss the first part of the meeting.

Agenda item 3 is consideration of a draft statutory instrument: the Bus Services Improvement Partnerships (Objections) (Scotland) Regulations 2024. I am pleased to welcome Fiona Hyslop, the Minister for Transport. The minister is joined by Liana Waclawski, a lawyer for the Scottish Government; Orsolya Keri—I might not have got the pronunciations right; I always struggle a wee bit, and I apologise, so if I have been clumsy, forgive me—the bus regulatory policy manager for Transport Scotland; and Bettina Sizeland, the director of bus, accessibility and active travel for Transport Scotland. Thank you very much for joining us today.

Following the evidence session, the committee will be invited, under the next agenda item, to consider a motion calling for the committee to recommend approval of the draft instrument. I remind everyone that the officials can speak during this item but not in the debate that follows.

I invite the minister to make a brief opening statement.

Okay. I was not going to get into concessionary funding, because that funds only a proportion of the actual costs. I am asking whether local transport partnerships have the money to create their own bus companies. I do not think that there is much money available. You said that £5 million in capital funding has been provided. I cannot remember the cost of a bus, but that would not even cover 15 buses, would it?