Chamber and committees

The decarbonisation of transport is expected to- continue to increase demand for electric vehicles (EVs), and therefore EV batteries. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of critical minerals for electric vehicle batteries however, it is expected that the majority of vehicle batteries will be imported, with battery manufacturing currently concentrated in China, Korea and Japan.

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 chemicals to end of life. This research is published and is available here: Battery use in Scotland now and in the future | Zero Waste Scotland. This research suggests that in the next decade other chemistries and technologies are expected to supersede lithium battery technologies.

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.

The Scottish Government received £19.4 million of capital Barnett consequentials at the UK Government’s Spring Statement in March as a result of the pothole fund announcement.

This funding announcement came after Stage 3 of the Budget Bill had passed and it was therefore too late for these amounts to be included in the 2023-24 Scottish Budget. At this stage the funding remains unallocated and, as with any funding received after the Budget is set, will be considered in the rounds as part of the upcoming Autumn Budget Revision.

The Access for All scheme is a UK Government scheme and as such is managed by the UK Department for Transport (DfT).

The Scottish Government has made a case for Springburn railway station to be nominated for Access for All scheme funding for Control Period 7 (2024-2029). We will continue to make representations to the UK Government on this matter.

The Department for Transport is expected to announce which stations will be prioritised for funding through the Access for All scheme this Autumn.

The work of the fiscal transparency programme, including the development on an online fiscal portal is a key part of the Fiscal Openness and Transparency commitment in Scotland's third Open Government National Action Plan Scotland's Open Government action plan: 2021 to 2025 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

Progress towards milestones in each commitment is regularly reported to the Open Government Steering Group in Scotland. These progress reports are published on the Scottish Government website: Commitment overview - Open Government action plan 2021 to 2025 - commitment 1: fiscal openness and transparency - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Highlighting action taken by the fiscal transparency programme to develop an online fiscal portal, in January 2023 a prototype portal was delivered, using existing data on infrastructure investment spending. This early pilot work has enabled the team to test the concept and understand better what it will take to develop it further. The programme team is now moving to the next phase of its work, with aim of delivering an internal product providing access to data on budget allocations, infrastructure spending and procurement data by the end of 2023. Following on from this it is the intention to turn the internal product into a public facing service, subject resource availability.

I am aware there is considerable interest in and support for this work from a range of users of Government data - including internally within Scottish Government, the wider public sector, Parliament, research and civil society organisations. It is the aim to follow the money through all aspects of the government’s systems and processes but it will take many years to deliver on this ambition. Following my predecessor's update on the progress of the portal (in correspondence to Convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 20 March) on 10 May, officials presented a demonstration of the prototype portal for the Scottish Parliament's Finance and Public Administration Committee and Public Audit Committee clerks, the Scottish Parliament's Information Centre, Audit Scotland, the Fraser of Allander Institute, the Open Government Partnership, Equalities and Human Rights Budget Advisory Group, and the Scottish Human Rights Commission.

I have been pleased to see this engagement with stakeholders, from the initial Discovery project, through the co-creation and oversight of the fiscal openness and transparency commitment in Scotland’s third Open Government National Action Plan, to the recent engagement on the online portal development. The team will continue its stakeholder engagement through the next stages in the development of the online fiscal portal, which, where appropriate, will include opportunities to become involved in user testing.

We are actively exploring various measures to address emissions from business travel. As part of this process, we will consult on amending the air travel policy to mandate terrestrial or maritime modes of travel for official domestic trips within Scotland and the UK.

While the potential amendment to the policy is under consideration, we are also mindful of the practical implications it may entail. Transitioning to alternative modes of travel will require careful planning, and consideration of the logistical requirements for ministers and officials. Ensuring efficiency, accessibility, and the ability to fulfil official duties effectively will be essential during this process.

As we move forward, we will engage with relevant stakeholders, to ensure that any potential amendments to the air travel policy are well-informed and representative of the broader public interest.

We are considering the calls for a meaningful and fitting recognition of the pain and trauma suffered by those with experience of historic forced adoption. It is Scottish Government policy that the costs of creating and maintaining memorials are not to be met from public funds. We will, however, continue to engage those affected and be led by their views on the most appropriate form of commemoration and validation for these past injustices. We would be happy to support to any specific initiative raising funding in this area.

We anticipate that the research will be published in late autumn and thank the people who have bravely shared their story as part of this work. Their voices will continue to shape the support that we put in place to help those affected by these historic practices.

Banking Hubs are a welcome industry initiative from UK Finance’s Cash Action Group. In October 2022 the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance visited the pilot Banking Hub in Cambuslang to see the positive impact it has had on the local area. The Scottish Government shares the industry’s aspiration that Banking Hubs can play an important role in servicing the banking needs of communities that have suffered recent branch closures.

The decision to open a new Banking Hub lies with the banking sector and is overseen by LINK, the UK’s cash machine network. The Scottish Government cannot mandate where and when a new Banking Hub is opened. Each time a bank branch closes LINK independently reviews the impact this will have on the local community’s cash access. Depending on the outcome of this review LINK can then recommend a Banking Hub is installed, amongst other additional services.

Scottish Government officials met with LINK in April 2023 to understand the process they follow when assessing a community’s cash access needs to ensure it is sufficient for LINK to properly determine the appropriate support measures required post branch closure in Scotland.

To improve a community’s access to cash and banking services any individual, including members of the public, elected officials, and community groups, can request a review of their areas access to cash from LINK - even if that community has not faced a recent branch closure. This can result in the installation of additional services in the area, including shared Banking Hubs .

Scottish Government officials meet bi-monthly with FCA officials to discuss a range of industry and regulatory issues. As part of these discussions the FCA have flagged the increased regulatory powers they will receive, through the Financial Services and Markets Bill, to act where they find impacts on consumers’ ability to access cash across the UK. The FCA have explained that the Bill provides a cash access framework within which they will seek to ensure the reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit services in local areas where they anticipate potential deficiencies. The FCA have also said that, before they make any rules under these new powers, they will conduct a public consultation.

These new powers have only been granted to the FCA upon the passing of the Financial Services and Markets Bill which received Royal Assent on the 29 th of June. Until now, conversations between officials on this topic have centred around the progress of the Bill through the UK Parliament, as opposed to its implementation. Officials will continue to meet bi-monthly with the FCA and discuss with them how these new powers, and any new rules implemented post consultation, impact on cash and banking services in Scotland.

It has also been suggested that senior representatives from the FCA meet with me in the near future to discuss these increased regulatory powers. I am conscious of the importance of banking services to our communities, particularly in rural areas and our islands, and officials are working with the FCA on a suitable date for this meeting. I would be pleased to report progress to the Member once this has taken place.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with National Records of Scotland and adoption agencies to understand further the challenges in accessing adoption records.

We have also commissioned research to explore the unmet needs of those people affected by historic forced adoption, and what services we could put in place to support them. Access to records forms a key part of that research which is due for publication in late autumn.