Chamber and committees

Since the publication of the first Strategic Transport Projects Review in 2008, a significant number of its recommendations have been implemented or constructed across Scotland. The first STPR was not a funded delivery plan, it was a set of recommendations which, with the exception of the four priority projects, would be subject to prioritisation through normal spending review processes.

The new National Transport Strategy (NTS2) provides a new policy context through which the recommendations from the first STPR that are not committed, will be reviewed as part of STPR2. The appraisal work for STPR2 will reassess these remaining interventions from the first STPR and determine if they are still relevant to the new priorities and outcomes set out in NTS2, particularly within the context of the published Sustainable Travel and Sustainable Investment Hierarchies.

Engagement on the Strategic Transport Projects Review, has to date included two rounds of regional workshops across Scotland (42 regional workshops in total since the early summer of 2019), 7 national/thematic workshops and 3 business focussed events and also a number of structured interviews with senior local authority officers and stakeholders who were not able to attend a workshop. The workshop events have involved representatives from some 300 organisations with more than 1,000 invitees. Sessions are also taking place with local elected members in the different regions and a programme of school engagement is also being undertaken across Scotland with 18 school workshops having taken place so far.

Stakeholders and the public will have an opportunity to review and comment on the outputs of the “Initial Appraisal: Case for Change” work which will be published next year. These reports will consolidate the extensive data analysis undertaken, together with the feedback from the stakeholder workshops and in turn will be validated by the results of the on-line survey that opened on the 2 December 2019.

The final outcomes of the Review will be published with an accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment for which there is a statutory 12 week consultation period.

Responses received as part of the consultation on the National Transport Survey (NTS) are being considered as the strategy is finalised. The NTS will inform the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), and many of the challenges identified relate to problems and opportunities with the strategic transport system in Scotland.

STPR2 is being undertaken in accordance with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance. Given that the purpose of STPR2 is to help deliver the NTS vision, priorities and outcomes, the consultation responses, along with the early engagement undertaken are being incorporated into the evidence base that supports the Initial Appraisal: Case for Change reports that will be produced as part STPR2.

A number of responses to the NTS consultation have included suggestions for new transport infrastructure and these have been included in the long list of potential interventions for consideration in STPR2.

We are currently assessing project appraisals from the initial round of funding. Once we have made significant progress with that review we will be in a position to give due consideration to the merit or otherwise of opening a third round of applications. We expect to make a determination within six months.

The Scottish Government is engaging with a range of stakeholders including the local authority sector, Police Scotland, business and active travel representatives to fully understand the issues being encountered with the various road order processes. This will inform the overall parameters of the work required, and we expect to finalise the scope in early 2020. On completion of this scoping work, we will determine an overall plan and timescale for the review.

The Scottish Government will engage with a range of stakeholders including the local authority sector, Police Scotland, business and active travel representatives to fully understand the issues being encountered with the various road order processes. This will inform the overall parameters of the work required.

A paper mapping current seaweed harvesting activity was tabled at the 2nd meeting of the Seaweed Review Steering group on 26 September 2019 and is now publicly available at: https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/marine/seamanagement/seaweedrev .

No trials have been commissioned to mechanically harvest kelp.

A work programme published following the 2 nd meeting of the seaweed review steering group included a proposed deliverable - Mechanical harvest of seaweed: Undertake desk study of species and activities identified in scenario mapping / industry consultation to inform field trials . Officials clarified this was included in the time line simply to indicate, subject to scenario mapping and subsequent desk studies, where in the chronology, any field studies would be likely to happen.

The steering group had previously agreed that a scenario mapping exercise should be conducted first to ensure that the review was grounded in where the future opportunities for the seaweed sector may be, balanced with environmental considerations and of those who share the space. This scenario mapping exercise will help identify priorities for future regulatory regimes relevant for seaweed industries. Only those species identified through scenario mapping as having potential (taking into account socio economic but also environmental considerations) would be subject to desk studies and only after that, if the criteria is met, could field trials commence. Any trial to harvest from the seabed would still need a licence from Marine Scotland, require consultation and only granted when Ministers are satisfied the activity is carried out within environmental limits.

The 2nd meeting of the Seaweed Review Steering group on 26 September 2019 considered the suitability of the current regulatory framework for seaweed harvesting. It is important to note that that the marine licensing regime was not developed for seaweed harvesting activity. All present agreed that the potential for a single regulator, responsible for licensing seaweed harvesting and cultivation is something which should be explored further, including who that would be. Marine Scotland, along with other relevant regulators, will consider options for any necessary amendments to current regulatory framework, including who the single regulator would be. Papers, including a note of the meeting. are publicly available and can be found at the following:https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/marine/seamanagement/seaweedrev .

No trials have been commissioned to mechanically harvest kelp and no trials for commercial use are currently planned

The relevant provision of the Scottish Crown Estate Act 2019 is expected to commence in 2020. At that point, Crown Estate Scotland managers will not be able to give a right to take any of the five kelp species named in the Act if (a) removal would inhibit the regrowth of the individual plant and the kelp removed is intended for commercial use; and (b) removal is a licensable marine activity and the Scottish Ministers have not granted a marine licence for that removal.

Currently, regardless of future requirements under the Scottish Crown Estate Act, any harvesting activity using a vehicle or vessel to remove a substance from the seabed, such as mechanical harvesting or dredging would require a marine licence from Marine Scotland and therefore public consultation. This includes trials as well as proposed commercial activity.