The Scottish Government through Transport Scotland instructed the Operating Company, Amey, to undertake investigation of the active travel route between Stranraer and Cairnryan to establish what infrastructure can be introduced. The route is being considered in two complementary sections; these being an upgrade of the existing facility from Stranraer to the Beoch Burn and the introduction of new infrastructure where none exists at present from the Beoch Burn to Cairnryan to provide a continuous route.

The investigation has been completed between Stranraer and the Beoch Burn and this has indicated the extent of upgrade of the existing infrastructure required. The investigation will continue this financial year on the section between the Beoch Burn and Cairnryan. This will initially encompass vegetation clearance and subsequently topographical surveys which will be completed to determine any constraints to implementing active travel infrastructure on this section of the route.

This investigation is a precursor to any future design work that may be undertaken and an essential step in the process, allowing the gathering of information to establish the feasibility of upgrading/ delivering an active travel facility between Stranraer and Cairnryan.

Should the investigation conclude that establishing active travel infrastructure is feasible for the whole section between Stranraer and Cairnryan, it is currently anticipated the principal design work will commence in financial year 2024-25.

The Low Carbon Transport Loan was introduced by the Scottish Government in 2012 and to date has supported a total of 685 applicants in the Glasgow region to purchase a new or second hand electric vehicle:

a) Total Domestic Loans supported – 415

b) Total Business Loans supported – 270

These figures are broken down by year in the table below:

The issues of slowing social rented approvals and starts were discussed with Homes for Scotland at meetings on 20 April, 27 April and 9 August.

The Scottish Government engages with Homes for Scotland on a regular basis through a range of official and ministerial led meetings and fora.

We continue to collaborate with all our partners to achieve our shared goal of delivering more affordable homes for Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02253 on 2 September 2021. The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of complaints of antisocial behaviour in short-term let properties, but Police Scotland continue to publish general recorded crime data by offence. This should be interpreted with some caution as it is drawn from a live operational database, and not produced as Official Statistics: Crime data - Police Scotland

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

The Scottish Government recently published the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy which sets out our ambition to ensure individual, communities and organisations have greater awareness of the problems caused by litter, understand their responsibilities in preventing litter and are enabled and motivated to behave responsibly. A 2023-24 Action Plan, published with the Strategy, details specific actions and interventions that will be progressed in the first year of the Strategy, including a national community-focused education programme.

If there is a broad stakeholder support for an annual national litter day going forward, then Scottish Government would consider endorsing it as part of wider awareness raising work with stakeholders to tackle littering in line with the Strategy commitments.

Developing an approach to address indoor air quality is a long term action in Cleaner Air for Scotland 2, due to be completed by 2026. The Scottish Government, with support from Public Health Scotland, will consider how to take forward this action during 2024.

Based on information supplied by delivery partners, the Scottish Government anticipates that the Affordable Housing Supply Programme will fully utilise the available 2023-24 budget of £752 million.

The affordable homes target was increased from 100,000 to 110,000 affordable homes following agreement by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party in developing the Shared Policy Programme.

The mid-point target was not revised as we know that annual levels of delivery will vary and it takes time to grow additional capacity within the sector to deliver increased targets.

The AHSP risk register identifies the potential impacts if there are insufficient skilled construction workers or problems with labour retention. Both factors could be affected by job losses in construction. Job losses in the construction sector are not necessarily, in themselves, a direct risk to delivery of the programme.