Chamber and committees

It is anticipated that there will be no change and that ScotRail Trains Limited will continue to publish the same information on operational performance as is currently published by Abellio ScotRail.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04716 on 13 December 2021. 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

There have been no major changes to the opening hours of ScotRail ticket offices since 1991.

Table 1 shows the total number of patients seen for first treatment following referral to CAMH Services, and the number of patients seen who waited more than 18 weeks between referral and first treatment appointment in CAMH Services for each year between January 2015 and up to the latest published data for quarter ending September 2021.

The Scottish Government national standard is that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

Table 1: Total number of patients seen and waiting times from referral to treatment, NHS Scotland

Over 6,000 affordable homes were delivered in rural and island areas across Scotland during the last parliamentary term. Our Programme for Government commits to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 of which at least 70% will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our remote, rural and island communities.

As part of our Affordable Housing Supply Programme, communities will also be supported by the continuation of the demand led Rural and Islands Housing Fund backed by up to £30 million of investment in this parliamentary period. The fund has been described in a Scottish Land Commission report as ‘game changers’ for community-led housing development and were developed in collaboration with community housing trusts.

We have also committed to developing a Remote, Rural and Island Housing Action Plan and will engage with a wide range of stakeholders on its development to ensure it delivers for remote, rural and island communities.

Our Fair Fares Review is part of a broader package of work being taken forward by Transport Scotland to ensure that there is a viable and sustainable transport system for the future. Immediate priorities for this work include ensuring that our transport system is aligned with the prevailing Covid-19 conditions, providing up to date guidance and communications support to passengers and operators, and securing a safe and confident return to public transport at the right time as we recover from the pandemic.

The Fair Fares Review, which is currently in its planning stages, is being undertaken to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares in the future. The review will look at the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on all modes including bus, rail and ferry. It will take cognisance of the cost and availability of services, and will consider options against a background where the costs of car travel are declining and public transport costs are increasing.

Given the present state of the pandemic, Transport Scotland is currently considering how stakeholders can most effectively engage with the review and further details on this and on the timescale for the review will be provided to Parliament in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04763 on 14 December 2021. 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 .

These are two separate matters and ScotRail’s Fit for the Future consultation takes account of current and future timetable proposals. We are not aware of any impact on ticket office opening hours from the Fit for the Future timetable proposals.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04734 on 13 December 2021 . 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

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ministers agreed to move the date of Scotland’s Census from March 2021 to March 2022. This decision was taken to address significant pandemic risks to the successful completion of the census and to the delivery of the benefits required by the people of Scotland.

The impact of an extra year adds to the programme lifecycle cost, with the major financial implications of the move to 2022 being:

• The cost of extending suppliers contracts; and
• The programme’s headcount being maintained for an extra year.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) undertook significant engagement with the multiple census suppliers, with initial and final repricing exercises, interrogation of costs and an extensive resource planning exercise. This work assessed estimated additional costs of up to £21.6m for the delivery of Scotland’s Census in 2022 across the remaining lifecycle of the programme.

NRS continues to deliver against the revised plan with arrangements for Scotland’s Census 2022 well advanced.