Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government continues to be committed to finding ways to make sustainable travel modes more attractive and supporting people to take fewer journeys by car. The forthcoming route map to 20% car kilometre reduction will aim to set out our approach to support this recommendation.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29458 on 17 September 2024. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29439 on 17 September 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility, which can be found at: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Tier 2 will deliver Enhanced support payment which is designed to be a universally accessible payment that supplements Base.

Funding will also be made available through Tier 2 for a replacement for Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS), where people are farming and crofting in the most marginal and challenging of circumstances. We are working with stakeholders on how best to deliver this type of support under the new Framework.

Enhanced has the clear purpose of incentivising and supporting agricultural businesses to undertake best practices and/or actions that actively improve nature and climate outcomes that are consistent with the transition towards sustainable and regenerative farming. Many of these practices and actions will improve business efficiency and productivity.

Enhanced will use levers to reward behaviours, practices and measures aligned to this aim, which are broad enough to allow all type of agricultural businesses to take part while delivering against the overarching objectives of the Vision.

There are no current plans to issue additional guidance covering cases where an owner occupier wishes to sell their home to a local authority or a Registered Social Landlord and remain in it as a tenant in the social rented sector. These matters are covered in our operational procedures for local authorities and Registered Social Landlords on (a) the grant-funded element of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme and (b) the Mortgage to Rent scheme which is part of the Home Owners Support Fund.

In due course however, we intend to issue additional guidance to local authorities and Registered Social Landlords on the purchase of properties from landlords leaving the private rented sector with a tenant in situ through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

Marine Directorate - Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT), on behalf of Scottish Ministers, investigated the unlicensed construction of a causeway between Luing and Torsa between September 2021 and July 2022. During that time, several site visits were undertaken by authorised Marine Enforcement officers (MEOs) and remedial works were instructed under Section 44 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Following a final visit to the site by MEOs, these works were completed to the satisfaction of MD-LOT on 26 July 2022. No further enforcement action is planned in this case.

Young people aged 16-18 (or 19-25 for full time volunteers) who live on the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland, plus islands in North Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute and Highland Council areas are entitled to receive ferry vouchers.

Transport Scotland has been undertaking a project to modernise ferry concessions by introducing digital vouchers which are stored on a National Entitlement Card. This was rolled out to cardholders in Orkney and Shetland in April 2024.

Whilst we intend for digital ferry concessions vouchers to be used on any Scottish ferry route in time, the initial focus has been introducing the digital vouchers in Shetland and Orkney as a pilot area. At present, all other eligible cardholders continue use paper vouchers.

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.

Transport Scotland has had no engagement with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar regarding reported calls to upgrade the road leading into the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village. Transport Scotland has responsibility for the trunk road network, and as such has no responsibility for that road as it is not a trunk road.

Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic.

Ultimately, it is for locally elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to deliver services to their local communities.

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.