Chamber and committees

Caledonian Sleeper and Transport Focus, the independent passenger watchdog, publish statistical information on passenger satisfaction. Recent survey results can be accessed here: Caledonian Sleeper_GSS_Dashboard_2027_RP03https://www.sleeper.scot/about/our-performance/#3; and https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/publication/caledonian-sleeper-guest-satisfaction-survey-25/.

Previous results of surveys undertaken by Transport Focus can be found in the ‘Publications’ section of its website: https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/publications/?hba_otd_searchable_posts%5BrefinementList%5D%5Bpost_year%5D%5B0%5D=2022.

The Marine Directorate continuously reviews to ensure that its duties and functions are being discharged in accordance with all relevant existing regulatory regimes and legislative requirements. This includes all requirements under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. No dedicated review or reform of the Directorate is therefore expected in this regard as it is already considered as part of the Directorate’s business as usual approaches.

Our enterprise agencies provide support to businesses, including horticulture businesses, through a range of mechanisms aimed at supporting business development, investment and growth. For example, Highlands and Islands Enterprise has provided support to Inverness-based root vegetable supplier NessGro to invest in advanced grading technology, software and production improvements. It has also provided advice to Nortenergy, a social enterprise which makes storm proof polytunnels to enable fruit and vegetables to be grown undercover in extreme climates. South of Scotland Enterprise has provided funding to a garden centre in its region to support energy efficiency measures.

Businesses may be able to access a combination of grant funding, specialist advisory support and investment assistance from Scottish Enterprise where projects have the potential to deliver measurable economic and environmental impact for Scotland. Businesses can also access support provided by their local authority or Business Gateway.

The Find Business Support website at https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/ gives businesses an overview of all funding and services offered by public sector organisations across Scotland.

Transport Scotland offers a subsidy through Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) to fund operational costs of the Caledonian Sleeper Limited (CSL), which are not met by other income, including passenger revenue. The information on level of that subsidy including capital funding is available publicly from various sources, including Caledonian Sleeper Ltd accounts submitted to Companies House: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC328825/filing-history. No loans are offered to CSL by the Scottish Government or Transport Scotland.

The national minimum amounts for School Clothing Grant were agreed with local government. Local authorities are responsible for administering the School Clothing Grant, including setting eligibility criteria, and have the flexibility to pay families more than the national minimum. The Scottish Government is providing increased funding of £14.6m in 2026/27 financial year to support local authorities to maintain the School Clothing Grant. We have committed to uprating funding in line with inflation during this Parliament.

Our 2024 national guidance on school uniform and clothing makes clear that schools should consider their uniform policies in the context of the national minimum School Clothing Grant and design those policies on the basis that families can purchase all items needed for the school year within that budget. The guidance was developed in collaboration with key stakeholders and informed by a range of evidence and stakeholder engagement, including consultation with pupils, parents and carers.

Caledonian Sleeper Limited (CSL) is responsible for the assessment of rolling stock on its services, with oversight from Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH). The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is responsible as the safety regulator for ensuring that the rolling stock is maintained in line with the safety management system. The Member may wish to contact these organisations directly regarding this matter. The Scottish Government does not hold the information centrally.

The Scottish Government has worked with other governments across the UK to develop the Fair Dealings Obligations Regulations, which have been introduced to address fairness in the supply chain. The regulations are currently in place for the milk and pig sectors and set out legal requirements for how purchase contracts must operate between farmers and buyers of certain agricultural products. They are designed to make contracts fairer, more transparent and more predictable. Stakeholders with concerns about compliance are able to raise these with the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator.

The regulations are subject to a statutory review process which will consider their effectiveness, and similar regulations are being considered for other sectors such as eggs. Whilst the Scottish Government’s position is that this legislation relates to devolved matters, we will continue to work with Defra and other governments in the UK on legislation covering contractual fairness, in the interests of industry.

Responsibility for assessing grid stability, system inertia and generational adequacy rests with the UK Government and the National Energy System Operator (NESO), as electricity security of supply is a reserved matter.

The Scottish Government recognises concerns about the welfare impacts of conventional farrowing crates and remains committed to our 2021-2022 Programme for Government commitment to consult and I welcomed the commitment by the new UK Government in its Animal Welfare Strategy to consult on phasing out farrowing crates, and I have confirmed that we will consult jointly on this issue.

In developing its position, the Scottish Government has considered evidence on sow and piglet welfare, including research funded through Scotland’s Rural University College on alternative farrowing systems, alongside wider scientific evidence, stakeholder views (including a summit of stakeholders from all sides at Holyrood) and industry experience.

The Scottish Government continues to listen and work with the industry and stakeholders on how best to achieve improvements in animal welfare as well as monitoring industry information to allow us to determine how to ensure best practice is delivered.

The Scottish Government undertakes work to improve public awareness and knowledge of animal welfare matters on an ongoing basis and recognises the importance of continuing to educate and inform the wider public on the best practice for animal welfare.

Recent examples include the publication of updated welfare guidance for pigs and ongoing work on updating welfare guidance for equidae, cattle and sheep, and funding support for Farm Advisory Service events providing education on new tail docking and castration techniques for lambs, among a range of other education and awareness work.