Chamber and committees

Highland Council-run services between the Ardnamurchan peninsula and Corran have been cancelled for at least seven weeks as two vessels are repaired. The implementation of any temporary replacement service is a matter for the local authority.

The Scottish Government understands that in addition to the alternative foot passenger routes in place, significant work has taken place to improve road safety measures for vehicles using the detour along the A861. We understand that 24-hour works have been ongoing on the A861 and since the start of these arrangements a number of additional passing places have been introduced and extended, as well as improvements to drainage, patching works and use of roadside recovery where required. Further information on mitigations taken by the local authority can be found here .

The Scottish Government continues to engage with the Council on this important issue and the Minister for Transport met with the Council on 26 April. We understand that the expected return to service of the MV Corran remains early June.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government recognises the challenge for local authorities, including The Highland Council, that have responsibility for ferries, and have provided more than £136m over the last 5 years to support the running of these services.

The Scottish Government are investing £7.08m through the Scottish Safety Camera Programme in 2023-24 to reduce the number of casualties on Scotland’s roads by encouraging improved driver behaviour through the targeted deployment of safety cameras.

A range of safety camera resources are already deployed across the North Coast 500 and plans are in place to increase the level of resources during peak tourist season.

In addition, Transport Scotland are in regular discussions with local stakeholders to explore ways to further enhance road safety in the north of Scotland. This includes discussion through the Road Safety Framework Local Partnership Forum – North which next meets on 15 June 2023.

Highland Council-run services between the Ardnamurchan peninsula and Corran have been cancelled for at least seven weeks as two vessels are repaired. The implementation of any temporary replacement service is a matter for the local authority.

The Scottish Government understands that in addition to the alternative foot passenger routes in place, significant work has taken place to improve road safety measures for vehicles using the detour along the A861. We understand that 24-hour works have been ongoing on the A861 and since the start of these arrangements a number of additional passing places have been introduced and extended, as well as improvements to drainage, patching works and use of roadside recovery where required. Further information on mitigations taken by the local authority can be found here .

The Scottish Government continues to engage with the Council on this important issue and the Minister for Transport met with the Council on 26 April. We understand that the expected return to service of the MV Corran remains early June.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government recognises the challenge for local authorities, including The Highland Council, that have responsibility for ferries, and have provided more than £136m over the last 5 years to support the running of these services.

Highland Council is currently working with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to explore options for military support. Once those discussions are complete, it will be for Highland Council to decide whether to proceed with a request for Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA)), at which point it would request support in processing from the Scottish Government.

Scottish Government Directorates and Departments do not submit requests directly to the MoD. Applications are submitted through the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Scottish Government is able to assist with this process, and the First Minister would consider whether to support any requests received.

The Scottish Government understands that the MoD was on site on 20 and 21 April to undertake an assessment of its capability to assist. The Scottish Government further understands that the Council has received a report from the MoD and this is being reviewed by the Council to determine what action, if any, can be taken as a consequence of the MOD’s findings.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the steering group, made up of Disabled People’s Organisations, to co-design the new Disability Equality strategy. The group met several times in 2022 and are focused on developing responses to the challenges and obstacles disabled people face.

The group last met in April 2023 and a further meeting is planned for June 2023. It is anticipated that the strategy will be published on the conclusion of the co-design process.

Our current focus with the Disabled People’s Organisations is the development of an Immediate Priorities Plan that will respond to the negative impact of the cost of living crisis on disabled people. This plan will be published in the Summer. A publication date for the Disability Equality Strategy will be determined following the work on the Immediate Priorities Plan.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17036 on 4 May 2023. 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

Transport Scotland officials have liaised with Argyll and Bute council and Police Scotland regarding the road safety performance of the A815.

As a Police investigation into a recent road traffic collision is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time.

Argyll and Bute council are responsible for local roads in their council area. For any further information about road casualties on the council’s local roads please contact: Hugh.O'[email protected] or [email protected] who will be able to help you further.

Such bike hire schemes are generally run at a local level, and as such the Scottish Government does not record data on their number and we do not directly promote them. We provide grant funding to the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to run the e-bike loan fund which provides interest free loans to help people with the cost of purchasing e-bikes and e-cargo bikes. EST also run on our behalf the e-bike grant fund, which provides small grants to businesses and community organisations to purchase e-bikes and e-cargo bikes. Data on these schemes is held by EST and they are promoted by EST via the Home Energy Scotland advice network, via third party referral and on digital media.

Scotland's Blue Economy Vision has been developed from the fundamental principle that Scotland's economy is embedded within nature, not external to it. At its core, our Vision recognises that economic prosperity and well-being are underpinned by nature and in order to secure long term economic prosperity from our seas, we must transform our economy and society to thrive within the planet’s sustainable limits.

The marine sectors within Scotland's Blue Economy depend on nature but current trends in nature degradation place a significant risk on Scotland's economic prosperity.

Scientific studies indicate that fish stocks can increase in HPMAs, providing spill over benefits for fishers and making sure there are sustainable levels of fish and other marine products to be derived and benefitted from our seas. For example, a study by Lenihan et al in California has shown spill over benefits with increased stocks of spiny lobster.

As set out in our initial consultation, which closed on 17 April, any specific potential impacts can only be considered once specific site proposals have been developed, following close stakeholder and community engagement.

The National Plan for Scotland’s Islands says that, as part of Strategic Objective 2, the Scottish Government will “Build on Scotland’s National Marine Plan to ensure that fishing and other economic activities stemming from the sea provide increased opportunities for island communities, but at the same time that they are pursued in a sustainable manner.”

We are proposing that HPMAs protect ecosystems and the services they provide, including essential fish and shellfish habitats, which will deliver societal benefits, including for island communities. By being properly designed and located we believe HPMAs would be compatible with, and could contribute to the objectives of, the Islands Plan by providing long term and sustainable benefits for island communities.

As part of our initial consultation on our overall approach to HPMAs, which closed on 17 April, we sought views on a partial Island Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA). These views will be factored into the ICIA process which can only conclude once specific site proposals have been developed. No sites have been proposed. Site selection will be a participatory process with meaningful island and coastal community engagement at every stage to ensure that any potential differential impacts on islands can be understood and assessed before final site proposals are formally consulted on.