Chamber and committees

The delay was due to the necessary detailed consideration and discussions required at all levels of Government in order to find a way to mitigate the impact on ferry fares of an unprecedented level of CPI of 9.1%.

I announced on 15 January that fares on the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides ferry networks will be frozen for six months.

The decision on fares allows operators to now release their timetables for booking until the end of September.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13720 on 24 January 2023. 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 Ar Turas Booking system implementation is not related to the timetable publication delay.

The delay was due to the necessary detailed consideration and discussions required at all levels of Government in order to find a way to mitigate the impact of an unprecedented level of CPI of 9.1%.

The delays to the publication of the timetable and confirmation of fare levels were not related in any way to the geographical location of Transport Scotland staff.

The delay was wholly due to the necessary detailed consideration and discussions required at all levels of Government in order to find a way to mitigate the impact on ferry fares of an unprecedented level of CPI of 9.1%.

The Scottish Government is acutely aware of the particular challenges faced by our island communities, where the ongoing cost of living impacts are arguably more challenging than in any other part of the country. Additionally, Ministers are mindful of the disruption on the ferry network in recent times - particularly in relation to the Clyde and Hebrides network.

I was pleased to announce last week a six month fares freeze, it is the right thing for our island communities and I hope it will go some way to encouraging tourism this summer as island businesses continue to recover from the pandemic .

The development of an investment prospectus, as mentioned in the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan , originated as a recommendation from the Just Transition Commission, in its ‘Making the Future – Initial Report of the 2 nd Just Transition Commission’ report. Officials are committed to the development of the investment prospectus over the course of this Parliament, with much of the detail emerging through the process of developing our next Climate Change Plan and the Just Transition Plans.

We will be seeking to make use of the Just Transition Commission's expertise as we develop our work. The investment prospectus will also be developed in consultation with key stakeholders, including financial institutions, trade bodies, and business, ahead of the finalised Strategy and Plan.

In November 2022, the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) Resources Committee approved Police Scotland's Initial Business Case for the introduction of National Body Worn Video, ahead of consideration by the SPA Board. Once approved by the Board, Police Scotland is expected to undertake a full procurement exercise this year which will provide more clarity on costs - both upfront purchase costs and ongoing costs.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to using the resources available to support the vital work of Police Scotland in delivering effective and responsive policing across Scotland. We have invested over £11.6 billion in policing since Police Scotland was created in 2013 and we will invest a further £1.45 billion in 2023-24. Despite cuts to the Scottish Government capital budget, we have also continued to maintain the £45.5 million capital investment in the police asset base for buildings, vehicles and technology. Operational policing decisions on the introduction and use of body worn cameras and budgetary prioritisation remain matters for Police Scotland to decide, acting under the oversight of the SPA.

Universities are autonomous institutions and are responsible for managing their own financial positions appropriately. As independent institutions, it is vital universities continue to develop their own mitigating strategies to minimise negative impacts on their short, medium and long-term financial sustainability.

The Scottish Government along with the Scottish Funding Council continue to explore options in conjunction with the university and college sectors, to ensure institutions across the whole tertiary sector are sustainable in the longer-term.

As independent institutions, it is vital universities continue to develop their own mitigating strategies to minimise negative impacts on their short, medium and long-term financial sustainability.

The Scottish Government along with the Scottish Funding Council, continue to explore options in conjunction with the university and colleges sectors, to ensure institutions across the whole tertiary sector are sustainable in the longer-term. To further support universities we have increased higher education resource funding by £20 million in cash terms as part of the 2023-24 Budget. This ensures that our universities continue to deliver a high standard of education for all students against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all veterans living in Scotland are able to access the best possible mental health care and support.

Scottish veterans are able to access support from the two veteran-specific mental health and wellbeing providers, Combat Stress and Veterans First Point (V1P). This year we awarded £658,000 to V1P and £1,424,090 to Combat Stress to continue to provide mental health support to veterans.

Additionally, the Scottish Government has worked in partnership with See Me , providing £50,000 to tackle stigma and promote the importance of veterans seeking help for mental health issues.

The Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Action Plan was published in December 2021 and the Veterans Mental Health Implementation Board has now been established to take forward the actions to improve access to mental health services for veterans.