Chamber and committees

Spawning and nursery grounds were a key consideration in the planning exercise for the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind energy. Existing spatial information on the likely locations of spawning and nursery grounds were incorporated into the opportunity and constraint analysis that provided the basis for the initial identification of areas of search for the planning process. Later, when areas of search were narrowed down, the Strategic Environmental Assessment, part of the wider Sustainability Appraisal, assessed the potential for the plan to negatively impact these spawning areas and outlined suitable mitigation measures, where required. The plan highlights where this may be necessary and where further assessment maybe required at a project-level.

Community benefits from renewable energy developments can help generate lasting social and economic benefit for communities across Scotland.

Our longstanding Good Practice Principles for Community Benefit from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments (2019) set national standards, which we encourage all renewable energy developers and communities to utilise, regardless of technology type.

We are keen to see the number of solar installations offering community benefit increase and, as we work with the solar sector towards solutions for its future in our forthcoming draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Strategy, will continue to encourage the sector to consider what packages of community benefit it can offer.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10967 on 23 September 2022. 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 alcohol ban on ScotRail trains and in stations is enforced by the British Transport Police who assist railway staff to ensure that the rules are being adhered to as far as possible.

The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a new Scotland paper, 'Independence in the modern world. Wealthier, happier, fairer: why not Scotland?', are set out in the following table.

The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a new Scotland paper, ‘Renewing democracy through independence', are set out in the following table.

Transport Scotland is aware of the DfT Roadside Vehicle Noise Measurement trials and will continue to monitor their progress and effectiveness. There is an established Transport Scotland remote sensing programme for vehicle emissions and how these relate to air quality. My officials are preparing to include noise monitoring in the next round of this programme later this year.

Setting of legal limits for noise levels from new vehicles is reserved to UK Government via the Construction and Use Regulations and enforced by Police Scotland. Any noise monitoring and enforcement trials tackling excessively noisy car exhausts within Scottish towns or cities would be the collective responsibility of Police Scotland and the relevant road authority, which we would be happy to support as appropriate.

The Scottish Government have purchased the following laptops since 1st March 2020 for use on the SCOTS network.

All women in Scotland should be able to access timely abortion care without judgment or intimidation. Last year, a Ministerial-led working group was formed to explore possible ways to solve the problem of women being harassed outside abortion clinics as quickly as possible. The working group is made up with partners including CoSLA, Police Scotland and affected councils and Health Boards to look at how to address the protests and vigils that take place outside of abortion clinics. A number of pieces of work have been commissioned by the group to explore views in this area, including this work and research to develop a detailed picture of women’s experiences as a result of the protests.

Those leading this work met separately with various parties to hear their views. This work has now concluded.

This is one of a number of actions being taken. Subject to the detail of a forthcoming Supreme Court judgment, the Scottish Government will also support Gillian Mackay MSP with the development and drafting of her proposed Members Bill to protect safe access for women to healthcare facilities that provide abortion services.

The work of the cladding remediation programme will gather data as it progresses with Single Building Assessments. This information will be used to build a reliable register of information as set out in the Ministerial Working Group on Mortgage Lending and cladding report in March 2021.