Justice of the peace courts deal with less serious summary crimes such as speeding, careless driving and breach of the peace. Being a Justice of the Peace is a voluntary role that is filled by lay people from within the local community who receive training in criminal law and procedure. They are assisted by lawyers who can provide advice on the law and procedure.

These courts help improve the overall efficiency of the justice system as they reduce the number of cases that need to be considered at Summary Sheriff level (the next most senior court). Justice of the Peace cases are also less expensive to run than Summary Sheriff cases saving public money which can be spent elsewhere in the justice system. Additionally, by hearing less serious criminal cases in a Justice of the Peace Court this helps prevent backlogs in the Sheriff courts.

Our Operating Companies are required to undertake a series of activities aimed at improving journey time reliability by minimising the risk of disruption to the operation of the trunk road network.

To minimise disruption, we programme work to take place during quieter periods whenever possible. Due to the strategic importance of Scotland’s trunk road network, our Operating Companies are required to minimise the potential disruption and inconvenience to road users caused by essential maintenance by planning works, combining activities and coordinating with all stakeholders, including statutory undertakers (e.g. utilities and telecoms companies). We also continue to demonstrate a strong ethos in the communication of timely and consistent information on upcoming road works. Engagement includes advertising road works where there is an impact on road users via a number of mediums including social media platforms, radio adverts, email alerts, media releases and where practicable leaflet drops for high impact schemes.

Transport Scotland is responsible for managing the Traffic Scotland service which enables the collection and distribution of real-time traffic information relating to incidents and events taking place on the Scottish trunk road network. The Traffic Scotland website (Traffic Scotland | Trunk road traffic updates & route planner) provides up-to-date information on current and planned road works, and advance warnings are also displayed to road users on variable message signs. We also work closely with the Scottish Road Works Commissioner, established to oversee the planning and coordination of works on Scotland’s roads by all roads authorities and statutory undertakers.

Delays are continuously monitored on the Trunk Road Network. Any delays exceeding 12 minutes are reported to Transport Scotland who then communicate delays through their various public access systems

There is a total of 2,297 street lights on the A90 broken down by local authority area as follows:

Aberdeenshire Council - 637

Aberdeen City Council - 154

Angus Council - 405

Dundee City Council - 474

Edinburgh City Council - 411

Fife Council - 41

Perth & Kinross Council - 175

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33099 on 22 January 2025. 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 the question S6W-33028 on 22 January 2025. 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 the question S6W-33028 on 22 January 2025. 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

While exact data on the percentage of Foundation Year 2 doctors who applied for NHS specialty training who were offered a place is not available, the General Medical Council education data tool shows the proportion of doctors in training each year following completion of Foundation Year 2 from 2012 to 2023: https://edt.gmc-uk.org/progression-reports/recruitment-from-f2

The Scottish Government is fully committed to the decarbonisation of its vehicle fleet. To support this, a replacement strategy has been in operation since 2015 to replace end of life vehicles with zero or ultra-low emissions vehicles where possible.

I have asked Alison Byrne OBE, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Registration service fees are set by the Registrar General for Scotland with the approval of the Scottish Ministers under The Registration Services (Fees, etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

Fees contained within the schedules were last amended in 2010 and 2022. These regulations provide instruction for the charges associated with accessing records through the Scotland’s People website.

The fees for inspecting, searching and issuing copies of any records transmitted to the Keeper of the Records of Scotland are set by the Court of Session with consent of Scottish Ministers under the Act of Sederunt (Fees in the National Archives of Scotland) 2005.

In 2022, the Registrar General for Scotland, with the approval of the Scottish Ministers, increased the fees payable for submission of a marriage notice and submission of a notice of a proposed civil partnership from £30 to £45 per party to the intended marriage or civil partnership.

All other statutory fees have remained unchanged since 2020.

The Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group undertakes an annual review of medical training establishments (the number of established training places in each specialty) and makes subsequent recommendations to Scottish Ministers around the need to expand in order to meet increased service demand and future anticipated consultant need. This annual review process has led to year on year increases in additional training places being created across multiple different specialties since 2014, including 47 new specialty training places that will be created in 2025.