Chamber and committees

The UK Climate Change Committee briefing on blue carbon, published in March 2022, recognised the challenges in estimating the climate change impact of fishing through disturbance to sea floor sediments and the current, significant, evidence gaps. The briefing concluded that fundamental scientific uncertainties currently prevent accurate quantification of this effect. This has been an area of focus for the Scottish Blue Carbon Forum since its establishment in 2018 and we continue to invest in research, through the Forum, to improve scientific approaches, fill key evidence gaps and understand the implications of this interaction.

Many of the habitats research has identified as important for blue carbon are priority marine features within Scotland’s Marine Protected Area network. Blue carbon will also be one of the search criteria for designation of Scotland’s Highly Protected Marine Areas, in 2026, affording the opportunity for enhanced protection.

After initial planning work with transport partners and stakeholder, Transport Scotland officials are engaged in finalising the programme for the National Rail Conversation, including the first significant public phase, of external stakeholder engagement. This will see key stakeholders, including rail staff representatives, invited to a number of events in the New Year. These sessions will enable those taking part to offer their views on the National Rail Conversation. Further details of the programme will be provided at these even and announced in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12057 on 24 November 2022. 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 information asked for is not fully available at this time. The Scottish Government intends to issue a proactive release on its attendance and expenses incurred.

Policing is a priority and will continue to be a priority for this Government. Scotland has the most police officers per capita, with the latest data from Scotland, showing that as of 30 September, there were 30 officers per 10,000 population in Scotland. The latest available data from England and Wales (from 31 March) shows there were around 24 officers per 10,000 population.

The HMICS review of Strategic Workforce Planning published this year rightly focused on capacity and capability. It is vitally important that the Chief Constable has the flexibility to develop his workforce in a way that responds to the challenges he faces by ensuring the right workforce mix.

Whilst the recruitment and deployment of police officers and staff in Scotland is a matter for the Chief Constable, the Scottish Government will continue to work with Police Scotland and the SPA to protect and prioritise the police response on those areas where police services can add the most value.

The report of analysis of responses to the consultation draft National Planning Framework 4 was published on 8 November 2022 and is available from the Scottish Government’s website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/draft-fourth-national-planning-framework-analysis-responses-consultation-exercise-analysis-report/ .

The right to peaceful assembly and protest is a right that we all have and the Scottish Government wants to encourage the exercise of that right wherever possible. While it is not an absolute right - and conditions and prohibitions can be imposed where required and in the interests of a democratic society - the Scottish Government is clear that it should not be dependent on the ability to pay.

For each march or parade, local authorities and their partners, including Police Scotland and Transport Scotland (where the event is to take place on a trunk road), will consider traffic management issues and the various powers available to the agencies involved to regulate traffic, including Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTROs).

In their report, published on 2 November 2022, the Independent Short-Life Working Group on Facilitating Peaceful Assembly in Scotland has made a range of recommendations including on traffic management issues as they relate to assembly. The Scottish Government will work with partners to consider these recommendations, including those on costs, in due course.

There are two principal types of carbon in marine carbon habitats: organic carbon (can be digested by microbes and hence converted back to CO ₂ - approximately 15%), and inorganic carbon (microbially indigestible and chemically stable shell and coral - approximately 85%).

Estimates of carbon stored in the marine environment have large uncertainties due to incomplete mapping of habitats, sparse direct measurements and assumptions used in predictive modelling. The uncertainties result in estimated values being updated as new data becomes available meaning there are no definitive values, only best current estimates.

The current best estimate of carbon stored in Scotland’s marine environment is 5,616,100,000 tonnes CO ₂ -eq..

Details are set out in the following table:

Current estimates of carbon stored / sequestered in Scotland’s marine environment

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12095 on
‎ 24 November 2022. 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

An interim inclining test of MV Glen Sannox is planned for late January 2023, with the full inclining test and sea trials scheduled for April 2023. Inclining tests for hull 802 will take place in 2023 with sea trials scheduled for early 2024. The test results are part of the handover documentation to verify compliance.