Chamber and committees

The following table sets out the comparisons on passenger data for the Aberdeen to Inverness and Glasgow / Edinburgh to Inverness rail services prior and during the peak pilot.

We don’t hold a breakdown of the Perth to Inverness section due to the way the data is collated by route.

Historic Environment Scotland will continue to consider all options available to sustain and enhance the sites across its estate as it develops its Properties in Care strategy. However, it is important that we recognise climate change effects have been accelerating, and the increased rainfall and variations in temperature have continuing impacts on both Scotland's natural and built heritage.

I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to write directly to the member to update him of the position.

Following the appointment of Lord Cameron of Lochiel as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Scotland Office, I wrote to him on 17 April 2024 seeking an update on the proposed Order under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998.

Alister Jack, the then Secretary of State for Scotland, wrote to me on 15 May 2024. In his letter, Mr Jack apologised for the delay. He said he was satisfied that a section 104 Order under the Scotland Act 1998 was the appropriate legislative vehicle, and he was content to provide his in-principle agreement to this Order. He indicated that his officials in the Scotland Office would shortly be setting up a working group of officials to consider the work plan for the Order, including timescales and Parliamentary requirements.

The UK General Election was then called on 23 May and took place on 4 July. Given the change in the UK Government, I wrote to the new Secretary of State, Ian Murray MP, on 12 August 2024 seeking his in-principle agreement to proceed with the section 104 Order. I have not yet received a reply.

Following the award of the construction contract for HMP Highland in April this year, the construction is progressing to plan on site and is scheduled to complete in 2026.

In line with agreed practice, an FCDO official was not present at this meeting.

The timing of the Making the Most of Scotland’s Canals document reflected the split from the Canals and Waterways Trust in 2012 and Ministers’ desire to set the policy context for a fully devolved Scottish Canals. That context is maintained and refreshed through corporate documents such as the Framework Document and Scottish Canals' Corporate Plan and also through the oversight of the Ministerially appointed Board and Transport Scotland's regular dialogue with Scottish Canals’ CEO and Directors.

The Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment was announced in the 2023 Programme for Government and is currently underway. The review is being chaired by Edel Harris OBE and the final report will be published in July 2025.

The Scottish Government will provide a written response to the review within 6 months of the submission of the final report. The response will comment on each recommendation. The implementation of recommendations will be subject to rigorous assessment of delivery requirements and the affordability of changes. It will also be dependent upon the provision of resources in the relevant Scottish Budget.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29676 on 18 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.

A delayed discharge occurs when a hospital patient (aged 18 or over) who is clinically ready for discharge from inpatient hospital care continues to occupy a hospital bed beyond the date they are ready for discharge. Public Health Scotland hold data relating to people aged 18 and over affected by delayed discharge.

Data for August 2024 is not yet available as it is due to be published on 1 October 2024. Therefore Table 1 presents the total number of people aged 18 or over who faced a period of delay, for any reason, in NHS Western Isles between 1 January and 31 July 2024.

Table 1: Number of people1 who faced a period of delay in NHS Western Isles hospitals in the period 1 January 2024 to 31 July 2024, by age group.