Chamber and committees

The Marine Directorate Licensing Operations Team has met with SSE Renewables on multiple occasions, both at regular planned meetings and topic specific meetings, to discuss and provide advice and guidance on the requirements for Berwick Bank post consent plans including the Seabird Compensation Plan.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with local authorities around matters of air quality, and used these communications channels to inform authorities of the updated guidance when it was published in March 2026. Local authorities were also closely involved in the drafting of the updated guidance.

National Railcards are managed and administered by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) under UK Government rail industry rules, and the terms and conditions of use are set at the UK level. The Scottish Government officials engage regularly with its counterparts at Department for Transport and with ScotRail on various matters pertaining to rail.

This is a matter for ScotRail, as the train operator. The member may wish to contact ScotRail directly to request this information.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service paid ALLIANCE £18,416 (ex vat) for the design, facilitation and reporting on in-person public meetings as part of the Service Delivery Review (SDR) consultation. This included the participation of multiple ALLIANCE staff as note-takers during breakout table discussions.

The Scottish Government remains committed to introducing Road Traffic Diversionary Courses (RTDCs), including Speed Awareness Courses, as part of Scotland's Road Safety Framework to 2030. However, legislative changes by the UK Government are required before they can be introduced in Scotland. While no implementation date has been confirmed, we will continue to work with the UK Government to bring forward the necessary changes as soon as possible.

The exact timing of the submission of the Berwick Bank Seabird Compensation Plan is a matter for SSE Renewables. Current indication from SSE Renewables for submission is late in 2026. As per the Section 36 consent condition, consultation will be undertaken with NatureScot; Natural England and any such other advisors or organisations as may be required at the discretion of the Scottish Ministers.

The Scottish Government is carefully considering Environmental Standards Scotland’s (ESS) report Protecting Scotland’s Seafloor: as assessment of Scottish Ministers’ implementation of the Marine Strategy Regulations 2010, and will work constructively with ESS to seek to agree an appropriate action plan within the timescale suggested in the report.

Officials are currently considering evidence gathered through the 2025 public consultation on the Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments and the subsequent stakeholder engagement undertaken in spring 2026 on the Working Paper: Onshore renewable energy - refreshing the good practice principles for community benefits: working paper - gov.scot. Subject to the completion of this work, the Scottish Government plans to publish the refreshed onshore Good Practice Principles before the end of 2026.

Transport Scotland has not had any discussions regarding funding of the Neilston to Uplawmoor link through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund.

Transport Scotland did not receive an application from East Renfrewshire Council for the proposed Neilston to Uplawmoor link through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) Tier 2 since it started.

In addition, East Renfrewshire Council did not allocate any of its ATIF Tier 1 funding to the proposed Neilston-Uplawmoor link in 2025-26.