Chamber and committees

The current licensing regime already encourages developers to use unexploded ordnance clearance methods which will produce the least underwater noise. The UK Government's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is in the process of updating the existing Joint Interim Position Statement on UXO clearance which sets out an expectation that low noise methods will be prioritised by developers. The current statement is co-signed by the Scottish Government, other UK regulators, and Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies. Following updated advice to be received from NatureScot, we will determine whether Scotland will remain a co-signatory to any updated position statement, or produce our own unilateral statement.

Protecting Scotland's marine environment is of paramount importance to the Scottish Government. We are moving towards low order techniques being the default method for unexploded ordnance removal in Scottish waters, unless there are extenuating circumstances in which low order cannot be used.

The Scottish Government has discussed the Red Sea shipping crisis with the Department for Business and Trade and we will continue to monitor the situation, as it develops.

This is an international concern, and we're aware of the potential challenges Scottish businesses and consumers might face due to the delays and rising logistical and insurance costs. This is a direct outcome of the security threat and commercial decisions to reroute vessels from the Red Sea to a safer but longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.

We expect a short period of adjustment for supply chains, with potentially some delays due to additional sailing times, but there will still be very regular vessel arrivals, and continual supply of goods arriving into the UK and Scotland. Operators are working to mitigate any potential impact on consumers, and the shipping and supply chain sectors are well practiced at putting contingencies in place to continue to meet their customer needs.

The combination of additional costs to the operators and changed market conditions (e.g. capacity) is seeing rate rises for container pricing. To what extent these cost increases are absorbed or passed on is a commercial decision.

The number of properties that have provided annual deer cull data to NatureScot in each of the past five years is as follows:

Scottish Ministers have advised the Operators of both the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Service contracts that bookings can be opened beyond the end of March 2024. Operators are now working to open bookings as quickly as possible.

A national marketing campaign raising awareness and encouraging uptake for the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme was undertaken in autumn 2022. PR and marketing activity was also undertaken during COP26 to promote the scheme ahead of its launch.

The following table provides the spend as at 13 December 2023 (inclusive of VAT where applicable) for both campaigns.

Messaging to promote the scheme was included in our Choose the Bus campaign, co-funded by the bus industry, however it is not possible to provide specific costs as under 22s was not the campaign’s primary focus.

As of the end of day 31 October 2023, there were 701,696 cardholders under the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme.

Transport Scotland officials have worked to improve and develop reporting processes since the scheme launched, and as such now report on cardholders rather than cards issued.

This data is supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office, who support the 32 local authorities by assisting with the integration of various national and local public services on the National Entitlement Card and are the joint controller with local authorities of this data.

Transport Scotland does not hold application information as the Improvement Service are in charge of applications made through getyournec.scot and all other applications are managed by local authorities.

The following table gives the number of homelessness applications live as at 25 December 2022, by local authority and the associated number of (a) adults and (b) children.

I fully appreciate the need to get bookings released early so that businesses and individuals can plan ahead. The Scottish Government is aiming to confirm fares in the coming weeks to allow bookings to be opened beyond 31 March 2024.

In 2021-22 the Scottish Government provided £22,709,353 to colleges for ESOL courses in Scotland and we are committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland whose first language is not English can contribute to Scotland’s future and the society they live in. Having support to learn English is key for many refugees and asylum seekers to communicate, enter education, find employment, and access information on healthcare, housing and other services that they require.

In addition, through the Supporting New Scots Fund, the New Scots partnership awarded a total of £179,431.00 to nine organisations across Scotland to deliver ESOL provision for refugees.

Figures for 2022-23 will be available in January 2024.

The draft national Good Food Nation Plan is currently in the final stages of preparation and will be published shortly.