Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00062 on 2 June 2026. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00062 on 2 June 2026. 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.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is still at an early stage in developing its franchising framework and assessment. It is important that their business case for improving bus services through franchising is made robustly and in an evidenced based way to support any future consideration of funding. Decisions on the allocations of Scottish Government funding in future years is subject to the annual Budget Bill process.

We are committed to investing £4 million in 2026-27 to support local transport authorities to build their business cases for local bus improvements through franchising. We want all local transport authorities to explore the powers available to them and make the necessary improvements as they see fit. Work on the appropriate governance arrangements is continuing to help administer this fund.

The Scottish Government estimates that initial start-up costs of More Homes Scotland will be around £2 million from 2026-27 to 2027-28.

Projected annual budgets and agency running costs remain dependent on key decisions yet to be taken through the ongoing design and wider policy development process. Further detail and updates will be provided to Parliament after the conclusion of this stage.

The Scottish Government has a track record of investment to improve croft housing. Since 2016, 220 croft houses have been built and recorded with Registers of Scotland.

Since 2021, we have provided almost £90 million of funding to social housing providers, including local authorities, through the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund (SHNZHF). This has supported the installation of clean heating and energy efficiency measures to over 13,000 homes, helping tenants reduce their energy bills and emissions, while addressing poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty.

In our 2026-27 budget, we committed over £300 million to Heat in Buildings capital programmes for retrofit and energy efficiency improvements, including in social housing. I can confirm that the SHNZHF opened to new applications on 23 March and closed on 11 May, with the appraisal of the applications received now underway.

In a Statement to Parliament yesterday, I confirmed the Scottish Government’s intention to change the law to facilitate phone free learning environments.

I confirmed we are beginning a consultation on phone free classrooms legislation within our first 100 days, and are working with education authorities to update guidance to encourage action from the start of the new school year in August, in advance of a change in the law. These commitments reflect the fact that personal devices can cause distraction and disruption and are not ordinarily used for learning. International evidence indicates that purposeful use of digital technology in education can enhance learning experiences. The level of impact depends on the nature of the task, the educational purpose it serves, and how well it is supported by effective pedagogy and professional judgement.

In schools, digital tools support structured activities such as research, writing, collaboration, creativity and accessibility. This is fundamentally different from the recreational or open-ended use often associated with personal devices at home. Decisions about when and how these tools are used are for local authorities and schools. Teachers use their professional judgement, taking account of the age and stage of learners, the wider needs of the child, and the need to balance digital activity with play, interaction and physical activity.

In regards to a) Highland Main Line, I refer the Member to the answer to question S6W-27087 on 7 May 2026.

In regards to (b) Far North Line, the Scottish Government granted authority and funding for enhancements to the Radio Electronic Token Block signalling system on the Far North Line and for line speed improvements at various points on the Line and the majority of these enhancements are now completed. In relation passing loops, I refer the Member to answer to question S6W-29458 on 17 September 2024.

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

Transport Scotland continually revises its programme of works against priorities in the context of available funding. This ensures it can deliver the right projects at the right time as it seeks to progress its rolling programme of decarbonisation, whilst also delivering rail passenger and freight services that meet user expectations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00272 on 3 June 2026. 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 Scottish Government has made significant progress in addressing Audit Scotland’s 2023 recommendations to strengthen the evidence base on the size, cost and composition of the devolved public sector workforce.

In June 2025, we published the first consolidated estimate of the devolved public sector pay bill, including a breakdown by workforce - addressing a priority recommendation identified in Audit Scotland’s report.

Further information on public sector employment is available here: Public Sector Employment: Employment by organisation: 2019 Quarter 1 to 2025 Quarter 3 - gov.scot.