Chamber and committees

Highlands and Islands (HIE) are the statutory public agency which delivers enterprise functions on behalf of Scottish Ministers and are responsible for day to day operational matters at Cairngorm mountain. They remain the most appropriate body to respond to matters on due diligence prior to Cairngorm Mountain Limited’s (CML) administration.

HIE report that their due diligence was ongoing prior to administration; holding regular meetings with CML from the time the company was appointed in 2014 until dissolution, including formal quarterly review meetings and agreed performance indicators.

I would refer the member to the published timetable on the ScotRail website. https://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/sr1812_12296_inverness-aberdeen.pdf .

The Carbon Assessment captures the emissions associated with Scottish Government's purchase of goods and services. The assessment does not, however, take account of the emissions or savings associated with all of the outcomes arising from this spending. For example, while the Carbon Assessment could include an estimate of the carbon associated with the cost of constructing a road, the carbon associated with the subsequent use of the road is not included.

The Scottish Government uses a range of other tools, during the policy development stage, to quantify emissions impacts over the policy/project lifetime. These tools include Strategic Environmental Assessments. The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 requires that every qualifying public plan, programme and strategy is considered for its likely environmental effects and, where likely to be significant, opportunities to avoid adverse impacts are sought and positive ones enhanced.

The Carbon Account for Transport also provides a balance sheet for Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions, and the expected emissions impacts of major transport infrastructure projects and regulatory measures.

Further to my answer to S5W-20237 on 7 December 2018, I can confirm that due to the amount and purpose of the funding awarded, which was for staff training, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) were not required to undertake an economic impact assessment.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Planning for rail projects in the next Control Period (CP 6) will follow the new pipeline approach set out in the Rail Enhancements and Capital Investment Strategy, published on 19 March 2018.

We have asked Network Rail to explore options for the next stage of the Aberdeen to Inverness project, including options for further doubling. This will build on the benefits which will be delivered from the current phase of works. New projects will be grant funded, and will only be progressed when the business case is fully developed and there is greater certainty on price, affordability and the capacity of the rail industry supply chain to deliver.

No bespoke assessment has been made of the length of time trains wait at passing loops on the Inverness to Aberdeen rail line. However, Scottish Ministers have made clear to Network Rail that they must do more when working with ScotRail to develop timetables that make the best use of the significant Scottish Government investment in the infrastructure between Inverness and Elgin. I would ask the member to support our call for Network Rail's accountability to be devolved to Scottish Ministers.

ScotRail's December 2018 timetable change introduced 9 additional services between Inverness and Elgin, delivering a near hourly all day service for Nairn, Forres and Elgin.

By the end of 2019, in conjunction with ScotRail's new trains, Revolution in Rail will deliver the following changes between Elgin and Inverness:

- an hourly service between Inverness and Elgin, providing 1,300 seats each day;

- high speed trains between Aberdeen and Inverness, providing 1,400 additional seats each day; and

- more through services between Inverness and the central belt via Aberdeen.

As I have said in both correspondence and in the Chamber the use of surveillance aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles ("drones") and rigid hulled inflatable boats adds considerably to our surveillance capacity.

However, I am sure that the member will recognise that for operational reasons it would not be wise for me to reveal their timings or locations of operation.

Neither surveillance aircraft nor unmanned aerial vehicles ("drones") were deployed to this incident. Use of such assets requires careful planning and preparation to ensure their most effective use.

If resources are available they can be re-tasked to gather evidence. Whether or not immediate action is possible all reports and intelligence received is fed into Marine Scotland Compliance intelligence database. All of this information is graded and assessed at a regular risk assessment and tasking session where priorities and tasks for coastal officers, shipos and aircraft are decided. Local officers also follow up intelligence reports from their area at a local level so even if no other action is possible some form of action is undertaken.

As I have said before in correspondence to the Member darkness curtails our use of these assets.

As I have said before in both correspondence and in the Chamber I keep the situation under constant review.

The Member is aware that in addition to the three Marine Protection Vessels (MPVs) we undertake regular rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) patrols, have two surveillance aircraft and make use of unmanned aerial vehicles ("drones") which adds considerably to our surveillance capacity.