Chamber and committees

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Operation Close Pass is an ongoing exercise carried out by Police Scotland and aligns with the latest version of the Highway Code introduced in January 2022 which highlights leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking people cycling at speeds of up to 30mph and giving them more space when overtaking at higher speeds. In the complementary 'Give Cycle Space' campaign funded by Transport Scotland, 62% of drivers report being more likely to give at least 1.5 metres of space when overtaking a cyclist. Based on research by West Midlands Police (available publicly) we know that Operation Close Pass can reduce the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on the road by as much as 20%. The Scottish Government will continue to support Police Scotland with Operation Close Pass in 2023-24 on specific dates or at locations as determined.

The Scottish Government is committed to investing in Changing Places Toilets over this parliamentary term, in order to increase the number of these facilities across the country and to support mobile Changing Places Toilets to allow people easier access to events and outdoor venues.

Funding for the construction of Changing Places Toilets has not yet been allocated. Further information about this fund will be available in the coming months. We have recently published our Changing Places Toilets: Planning Guide and an accompanying easy read for people who are planning to develop Changing Places Toilets now.

The Scottish Government has engaged with representatives of the Health and Safety Executive on this tragic incident and understand that it is now subject of a live police investigation and not a matter that the Scottish Government can comment on.

Recognising the challenging economic circumstances for businesses, the Scottish Budget 2023-24, published on 15 December 2022, delivers a strong non-domestic rates package to support business.

In addition to the lowest poundage in the UK for the fifth year in a row, ensuring that over 95% of properties in Scotland, including all small and medium sized properties, pay a lower tax rate than they would in other devolved nations, the Budget included a package of reliefs worth an estimated £744 million. This includes the UK’s most generous Small Business Bonus Scheme relief which will take 100,000 properties out of rates altogether and also Rural Rates relief which provides up to 100% relief for properties in rural areas.

To incentivise and promote Scotland's Deposit Return Scheme, parts of properties used solely to house reverse vending machines will not be liable to pay rates from 1 April 2023.

Within the powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament, we are delivering support packages for Scottish businesses that are not available elsewhere in the UK.

Given most of the levers to respond to the challenges that businesses are facing are reserved, we continue to urge the UK Government to use all the powers at its disposal to tackle this cost of living crisis on the scale required, including access to borrowing, providing benefits and support to households, VAT on fuel, taxation of windfall profits and regulation of the energy market.

The Scottish Government provides the most generous concessionary fare scheme in the UK, investing £300 million annually to provide free bus travel for over 2 million people. Over 2.3 million people, including everyone under 22 and aged 60 and over and eligible disabled people, can benefit from free bus travel.

We introduced free bus travel to everyone under 22 one year ago. In that time almost 45 million journeys have been made through the scheme helping young people and students cut their travel costs and also helping protect our climate. I strongly urge any under 22's, students or not, who have yet to make use of this scheme to do so.

Additionally, the Scottish Government is progressing the Fair Fares Review to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares that supports the long term viability of our public transport system as we recover from the pandemic. The Review is considering both the cost and availability of services and the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on all modes including bus, rail and ferry.

As part of the Fair Fares Review, we have announced a pilot to remove peak-time rail fares on all Scotrail routes for a six month period, during the next financial year, as a way of making rail travel more affordable and attractive to travellers. Further details on both the rail peak-fares pilot and the Fair Fares Review will be announced in due course.

I have commissioned an urgent review of the environmental impacts and management of single-use vapes.

Zero Waste Scotland will lead on the review which will examine available evidence, including the environmental impact of incorrect disposal of vapes.

We will consider the evidence and expert advice and bring forward policy options in due course.

Decisions on fares are a matter for those operators.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6O-01862 on the 2 February 2023 which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 02/02/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website .

We continue to monitor the introduction of the £2 fare cap in England, however in Scotland we already provide free bus travel for more of the population compared to the rest of the UK, investing £300 million annually to the benefit of over 2 million people, helping improve access to education, leisure, and work. The network support grant plus was also extended to 31 March 2023 which is conditional on participating operators meeting terms and conditions including in relation to freezing fares to help keep bus travel more affordable.

Additionally, the Scottish Government is progressing the Fair Fares Review to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares that supports the long term viability of our public transport system as we recover from the pandemic. The Review is considering both the cost and availability of services and the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on all modes including bus, rail and ferry.

Transport Scotland continues to collaborate with bus operators through the bus taskforce, to support the industry in addressing the immediate challenges, and improve bus services for people in Scotland.