Chamber and committees

Sports Heritage Scotland received £47,000 from the Museums and Galleries Scotland for the current financial year.

I work closely with Sports Heritage Scotland and spoke at the launch event on 31 March 2017, as did Maureen Watt, Minister for Mental Health. I recognise that Sports Heritage Scotland Memories Project is inspiring and shows how sports organisations are working together to develop a national sports reminiscence network to help people with dementia. I believe sport is a powerful force for good in communities – and this project highlights that.

Scottish Government works closely with UKG, industry and resilience stakeholders in Scotland, to ensure that robust risk assessment arrangements are in place. The UK National Risk Assessment, the Scottish Risk Assessment and the Resilience Partnership Community Risk Register arrangements, provide an evidence based and priorities approach to risk at UK, Scottish and Local level.

As part of their duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, Police Scotland, which is responsible for licencing, as well as other responders including Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Health Boards and Local Authorities have a duty to assess and plan proportionately for all risks and hazards within their area, with public safety and security at the forefront of this work. In addition the resilience partnerships carry out work to identify significant local infrastructure to aid the assessment of threats/hazards.

Scottish Government supports this work through the provision of 4 person
co-ordinator teams from resilience division, embedded in each of the north, east and west resilience partnerships.

Bus design and vehicle construction is reserved to the UK Parliament however the internal temperature on-board buses and coaches is not an area that the Department for Transport regulates.

There are no minimum or maximum temperature levels on buses and coaches or regulations forcing companies to maintain a heating system on a vehicle should one be fitted. There are currently no plans to introduce any domestic legislation to maintain a maximum or minimum temperature on public service vehicles in the UK.

Operators should ensure that both heating and ventilation systems are in full working order and well-maintained for the comfort of passengers and drivers.

Under the ScotRail Franchise, Service Schedule 25 - Train, Heating/Ventilation is measured through SQUIRE (Service Quality Incentive Regime). The SQUIRE Inspectors carry temperature guns to test this is between 10 and 25 degrees centigrade when a train is in service.

In relation to the engagements referred to in the answer to question S5W-12453, official attendance was as follows:

8 March – Directorate General for Economy

16 March – Directorate General for Economy, Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate, Environment and Forestry Directorate and Local Government and Communities Directorate

24 April – Directorate General for Economy

30 August – Environment and Forestry Directorate

The purpose of the site visit on 8 March was to see Scottish Natural Heritage in operation with developers through the example of a particular case.

The purpose of the meetings on 16 March, 24 April and 30 August was to explain procedures (at the pre-application stage) and to help ensure good communication with and between relevant agencies.

In the course of discussions between officials and stakeholders on a range of matters, some views from those opposed to the proposed development at Coul Links have been expressed. As the proposed development at Coul Links is now a live planning application, there are no plans for further engagement by Scottish Government officials. However the Scottish Government encourages all those with views on the proposed development to make them known to Highland Council.

The Scottish Government published the Marine Litter Strategy in 2014 setting out the approach to ensure the amount of litter entering the marine environment is minimised to bring ecological, economic and social benefits. There are over 40 action points listed in the Strategy to establish and address the causes of marine litter, covering the many different causes both on land and at sea. As well as the actions listed in the Strategy, including introducing new legislation to ban the manufacture and sale of rinse-off personal care products containing plastic microbeads, the Scottish Government has prioritised work to target marine litter in its Programme for Government. These include

• commitment to a deposit return scheme for drinks containers,

• £500,000 to begin to address litter sinks around the coast and to develop policy to address marine plastics working with community groups,

• establishing an advisory group to consider fiscal and other measures to reduce waste and boost the circular economy, and

• commitment to hosting an international conference on healthy seas with a marine litter focus, recognising that this is a global problem which must be tackled in partnership.

On 15 June 2017, I met with Spokes and other road safety partners to discuss road safety. Those attending the meeting were Daisy Narayanan, and Paul Matthews, Sustrans, Suzanne Forup, Cycling UK, Keith Irving, Cycling Scotland, Dave du Feu, Spokes, Henry Whaley, Spokes and Pedal on Parliament member in Edinburgh and Dr Alan Brown, Edinburgh Bike Station.

Spokes met with Transport Scotland's Chief Executive Roy Brannen and Bill Reeves, Director of Rail earlier this year to discuss cycle capacity on trains and also plans for the Sheriffhall roundabout in Edinburgh.

Spokes also attend the frequent Scotrail Cycle Forum meetings which are chaired by Scotrail with Transport Scotland in attendance.

In December 2016, Spokes attended a meeting with active travel stakeholders and Transport Scotland to discuss the Trunk Road Cycling Initiative which was being updated.

In 2015, Derek Mackay met with the active travel stakeholders on two occasions, including Spokes, to have an open discussion about Active Travel and what interventions were required to meet the 10% shared vision, commitment from Scottish Government departments and agencies to cycling and walking projects, increasing bike ownership and tackling inequalities, cycling infrastructure design and exemplar projects. Active Travel Stakeholders are: John Lauder, Director Sustrans Scotland, Keith Irving, CEO Cycling Scotland, Ian Findlay, CEO Paths for All, Stuart Hay, CEO Living Streets Scotland, Donald Urquhart, CTC (Cyclists’ Tourist Club) Scottish Secretary, Dave du Feu, SPOKES Lothians Cycle Campaign Group and Kim Harding, Pedal on Parliament.

There have been no meetings with the Highland Cycle Campaign.

The responsibility for the transportation of nuclear material to, from and within Scotland is reserved to the UK Government. We are in discussions with the UK Government on future arrangements for civil nuclear transport and other matters that arise from the prospective exit from the Euratom Treaty, as there are consequences for devolved responsibilities.

Traditionally, Marine Scotland Compliance vessels entered dry dock every year in order to carry out all statutory surveys, along with hull cleaning and painting.

Following the introduction of advanced high performance anti-fouling hull paint it is now possible and cost effective for the vessels to enter dry dock every two years for this work. All statutory surveys which are required to be performed are still carried out annually on the Compliance vessels, during a shorter lay up period which is proving to be a large saving for Marine Scotland.

This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked Charlotte Wright, Chief Executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, to contact you directly with the information you have requested.

The Scottish Government recognises the important role that the Corran Narrows ferry plays in connecting the Morvern and Ardnamurchan peninsulas to the mainland. The operation of the service is the responsibility of The Highland Council, therefore any decision to replace the current ferry service with a fixed link would be a matter for them.