Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has not engaged in any such discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council's Mixed Tenure Improvement Service. Homeowners who have purchased properties under the Low Cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) are able to participate in such improvements schemes in the same manner as other residents.

The purpose of ScotRail peak fares removal pilot is to encourage modal shift from car to rail, therefore any information promoted by ScotRail aimed to target people who commuted by car and encouraged them to switch to rail.

ScotRail was actively promoting rail travel and rail travel uptake during the pilot. Several advertisements with the key messages of the pilot have been promoted regularly through various channels, including social media, with an average reach of 4 million each.

The deployment of officers and staff is a matter for the Chief Constable, the Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Government has provided a record £36m towards road safety in this year’s Scottish Budget. This funding has supported councils to improve safety on local roads, campaigns to tackle the behaviours identified as causing most harm on our roads, and the continued development of learning resources for children and young people.

The prescribed Notice to Leave that landlords must use to end a private residential tenancy includes important information for tenants and signposts to a number of organisations, such as Citizens Advice Scotland and Shelter Scotland, should they need advice and support to understand their rights. It also directs tenants worried about having somewhere to live to contact their local authority to discuss their circumstances.

Local authorities are obliged by law to offer minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance for people who are at risk or who are experiencing homelessness. They are best placed to provide advice on housing options and what further support they can offer.

For short assured or assured tenancies, the Notice to Quit landlords must use to end the tenancy advises tenants about getting legal advice or contacting organisations who provide housing support if they are unsure of the validity of the Notice. It advises that help with all or part of the cost of legal advice may be available under the legal aid legislation.

Scottish Government are providing up to £2 million this year to support the Early Resolution Advice Programme administered by the Scottish Legal Aid Board, which supports projects in the third sector, to provide assistance and representation for people at risk of, or facing court action related to debt and housing matters.

The interest rate is applicable to debt where private property owner occupiers pay back over an agreed period of time. The City of Edinburgh Council consider this a last resort for private property owners who may be able to source more favourable rates through re-mortgaging or external finance. This rate was agreed within the council in 2021 alongside the approval of the enhanced Scheme of Assistance and extension of the debt recovery terms. It is worth noting that interest rates were much lower in 2021.

The policy is aimed at getting the balance right for both the council and debtors whilst not encouraging owners to agree payment plans with the council by default. Debt recovery from owners for the works in Wester Hailes is very positive so far with 77% of debt paid or secured in payment plans.

The Scottish Government has discussed with ScotRail and Scottish Rail Holdings its live procurement exercise for a technology partner to deliver an ecommerce solution to ensure it is compatible with our new Smart, Digital, Integrated Ticketing and Payments Delivery Strategy, published on August 21st 2024.

This strategy builds on the work delivered under the 2018 Smart Ticketing Delivery Strategy, setting out Scotland’s vision for smart ticketing. Reflecting on views from the public, local transport authorities, operators and the newly established National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board, it aligns with the National Transport Strategy and supports the delivery of the Fair Fares Review actions.

The approach to the transport sector is consistent with other sectors in the Climate Change Plan (update) (CCPu) Securing a green recovery on a path to net zero: climate change plan 2018–2032 - update - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) which outlines a sectoral approach to meeting emission targets, it also recognises clear synergies and interdependencies across sectors. Part 2 of the CCP(u) outlines this coordinated approach, with specific reference to transport demand.

A key element of the Climate Change Plan update was the presentation of emissions envelopes for each sector annually over the period 2020 to 2032 and this includes the emissions envelope for the transport sector.

Our Net Zero Assessment aims to assist Ministers to make better informed decisions on budgets and policies by providing information on impacts on carbon emissions. Following completion of the current pilot within Scottish Government, it intends to roll the pilot out across all significant new Scottish Government expenditure decisions from the beginning of 2025.

Consistent with other sectors, transport sector policies and proposals will be included within the next Climate Change Plan covering the period of 2026-2040. The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill, which was laid in Parliament on 5 September, seeks to amend the current deadline to bring forward a draft of the next Climate Change Plan for Scotland, so the Plan can align with the timescale for carbon budgets.

Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to any repair and maintenance works, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.

I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.

I welcome the recent pay deal agreed between college employers and EIS-FELA, which brings an end to strike action across the college sector.

I am aware that local agreements are in place, as part of the pay offer, to repay any deductions of pay to staff once outstanding results have been processed.

I welcome this move and hope this now brings this long running period of industrial action to a close.

The Scottish Government is committed to providing over £3.8m of grant funding towards the delivery of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy in 2024-25. This includes funding for Scottish Refugee Council to provide a comprehensive, nationwide Refugee Support Service. There is also funding made available to progress a Family Reunion service with the British Red Cross, a contribution to the continuation of Bridges Programme's Refugee Doctors Project, and partner resourcing to ensure actions they are responsible for delivering are progressed.

Additionally, we continue to fund a number of third sector organisations to support refugee integration. This funding totals £488,000 in 2024-25, with a number of these organisations working to the outcomes of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy.