The new Small Business Unit will be scoped out as part of a new Business and Better Regulation Directorate that will be formed from 18 September. Budget allocations will be finalised following budget planning work now underway.

Since 2018, the Scottish Government, through Zero Waste Scotland, has supported 4 companies with an interest in battery reprocessing/recycling through the European Regional Development Fund at a total cost of around 67500. Through the Just Transition Fund, we have also invested £626,734 in Ripcell, based in Aberdeen, to deliver an innovative pilot scheme using their patented BiCircular process which uses waste to recycle EV batteries.

In line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, Scottish Funding Council (SFC) publications including those reporting on college withdrawals, undergo systematic and periodic reviews on the strengths and limitations of the data.

As an example of the continuing work in this area, the SFC has initiated collection of students’ reasons for withdrawal from colleges. Experimental data has previously been collected, and SFC will be working with Colleges Scotland and College Development Network to improve the capture of student withdrawal data for publication in future years.

The SFC is also progressing an internal review of the definitions of college student outcomes metrics, to ensure that they provide the most appropriate measures of success for students.

Transport Scotland undertakes an annual assessment of the safety performance of the entire trunk road network, including the A702. Whilst accident patterns and rates in the form of Route Accident Reduction Plans (RARP) are considered, all locations where three or more personal-injury accidents have occurred in a three year period are screened. Further investigations are then carried out and, where appropriate, mitigation measures are prioritised for delivery.

Through this assessment, the Garvald junction, north of Dolphinton on the A702 has been identified for further investigation. The Operating Company, BEAR Scotland, has been instructed to carry out an accident investigation and prevention study. Road safety engineers will review recorded injury accidents and the operation of the junction, with recommendations for improvements being made as appropriate. The study is expected to be complete by the end of this financial year. Any recommendations for improvements will be considered thereafter and prioritised for delivery alongside other casualty reduction commitments in the South East Unit.

The second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) was published in December 2022 and will inform the Scottish Government’s transport investment programme over the next 20 years and help to deliver the National Transport Strategy. STPR2 recommends a potential Sound of Harris/ Sound of Barra fixed links as well as another between Mull and the Scottish mainland.

STPR2 included a considerable programme of engagement activities at a national and regional level with participation from local stakeholders, communities and businesses throughout the process. All of Scotland’s local authorities with island and remote communities were represented on at least one regional transport working group which helped to inform STPR2.

The STPR2 Delivery Plan is currently being progressed and will provide further insight on the programming and delivery of all 45 recommendations including the potential for the 3 fixed links. In the preparation of the Delivery Plan, Transport Scotland officials are currently considering how best to consult and engage with all stakeholders including islands, remote communities and other interested parties.

In Scotland 40.7% single-track railway kilometres are electrified.

The Scottish Government does not hold vehicle kilometres information centrally, however some 76% of passenger journeys are made by electric train.

The volume, route and traction type for rail freight varies considerably from year to year. It is estimated that in the financial year 2022 to 2023, 50% of rail freight moved in Scotland was electrically hauled.

A considerable constraint on increasing this proportion is the number of freight terminals and ports at the other end of rail freight journeys in England that remain unelectrified.

Research published in 2020 (commissioned by Zero Waste Scotland in partnership with Transport Scotland and Scottish Enterprise) assessed the current and future use of batteries in Scotland across the entire length of the battery supply chain, from manufacturing to predicted quantities available at end of life. This research is published and is available here: Battery use in Scotland now and in the future | Zero Waste Scotland.

More recently the Scottish Government commissioned further research with Zero Waste Scotland to identify what practical actions Scotland could take to encourage and benefit from a circular economy - encouraging the reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling of electric vehicle batteries. This research will be published in due course.

As part of its regular engagements with the Scottish and global battery supply chain, Scottish Enterprise have held meetings with AMTE which Scottish Government officials have joined. The relevant information will be placed in SPICe bib number 64366.

The Scottish Government does not hold or collate any information relating to waste from the decommissioning of wind turbines.

The Corra Foundation has distributed £8,821,977 of Scottish Government funding since 1 June 2023.