Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to fairer, more inclusive and fiscally sustainable forms of local taxation. We are exploring proposals for meaningful long-term changes to Council Tax in partnership with COSLA through the ‘Joint Working Group on Sources of Local Government Funding and Council Tax Reform’.

We continue to partner with COSLA and local authorities on local empowerment measures in the spirit of the Verity House Agreement. We have undertaken intensive collaborative work on a Fiscal Framework for local government. This includes facilitating opportunities for greater local fiscal empowerment in the future, with the aim to give councils more flexibility. Through the ‘Joint Working Group’ we can explore opportunities for local empowerment collaboratively with local government.

The Scottish Government’s Zero Waste Plan, published in 2010, set out targets to recycle 70% of all waste by 2025 and 60% of household waste by 2020.

Scotland has made significant progress in reducing waste, increasing recycling and decarbonising the waste sector, but there is further work to be done. The overall recycling rate in Scotland of 62.3% in 2022 is at its highest level since records began in 2011. In 2022 the household recycling rate was 43.3%.

The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act, passed unanimously in June 2024, includes our commitment to determine new circular economy targets for Scotland from 2025, to support our work to reduce emissions to tackle the climate emergency.

The Scottish Government is facing significant pressures on its capital budget, with an expected real terms reduction from the UK Government to capital funding in Scotland of nearly 9% over five years. This equates to a cumulative loss of over £1.3 billion between 2023-24 and 2027-28 which will significantly affect the Scottish Government’s ability to maintain investment in transport infrastructure across Scotland.

However, the Scottish Government remains committed to the delivery of the proposed A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement scheme as part of a package of additional investment alongside the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

The current estimated cost for the scheme is approximately £24.7m at 2019 prices (excluding non-recoverable VAT). This estimate will continue to be refined and updated as the scheme design becomes more developed.

The necessary on-going design preparatory work in 2024-25 is being funded through the Scottish Government’s Roads Improvement budget line.

Delivery of the scheme itself can only commence when the scheme is approved under the statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for construction can be determined in line with available budgets.

Scottish Income Tax policy for 2025-26 will be announced during the annual Budget process.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Casualty Reduction programme of works, is delivering improvements at the A75 Haugh of Urr junction. Construction of static sign improvements, relating to advanced direction signage and rationalisation of existing signage, is currently programmed for November 2024. An electronic vehicle-activated sign system to warn drivers of vehicles turning or waiting to turn at the junction is also proposed at the junction. This may be delivered this financial year subject to the approval of a non-prescribed sign application.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Casualty Reduction programme of works, is delivering a speed management scheme on the A75 at Crocketford. Construction is programmed to commence by November 2024 through the delivery of an additional electronic vehicle-activated sign (VAS) to encourage vehicles to comply with the speed limit in addition to two existing VAS in the town. Changes to the signs and footway are programmed for the 2025-26 financial year, but subject to the availability of resources. This will involve upgrading the existing signs to current standards and providing a new section of footway and uncontrolled crossings at Park of Brandedleys.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29617 on 17 September 2024. 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.

In the period 2021-22 to 2023-24, individual Local Authorities across the Mid Scotland and Fife region have received around £2.89 million from the Nature Restoration Fund Edinburgh Process strand, to support a range of nature restoration projects. The competitive strand of the NRF, which is unaffected by this funding announcement, continues to support projects across Scotland, including in the Mid Scotland and Fife Region. Further details can be found at https://www.nature.scot/funding-and-projects/nature-restoration-fund/nature-restoration-fund-supported-projects.

Following the publication of draft Orders, Transport Scotland received four objections to the proposed A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement scheme, including one from Aberdeenshire Council following its decision to close the existing Oatyhill Bridge to vehicular traffic.

Transport Scotland has been undertaking comprehensive engagement with all those who objected to the scheme proposals including that of Aberdeenshire Council and this work has successfully resulted in all objections now being removed.

Whilst resolution of the final objection represents a significant milestone for the scheme, it is necessary to publish supplementary Orders for a new bridge at Oatyhill. This is required to address the decision of Aberdeenshire Council to close the existing Oatyhill Bridge to vehicular traffic. Work is being progressed by Transport Scotland to prepare and publish these supplementary draft Orders as a priority.

It is important to note that whilst all objections to the scheme have been removed the supplementary draft Orders will carry their own statutory consultation period and should further objections be received then these would have to resolved before proceeding.

Delivery of the scheme itself can only commence when the scheme is approved under the relevant statutory authorisation procedures and thereafter a timetable for construction can be determined in line with available budgets.

Public sector pay continues to be a significant driver of in-year pressures and, under the current devolution settlement, any substantive in-year pressures can only be funded by reductions elsewhere. If the UK Government does not fully fund public sector pay deals, there will be a significant gap between the expectations of the workforce and the available funding.

As confirmed in the Fiscal Statement to the Scottish Parliament on 3 September, the Scottish Government has identified a range of measures to support the 2024-25 budget totalling almost £1 billion, of which up to £500 million are direct savings. Correspondence with the Convenor of the Finance and Public Administration on 3 September, confirmed that the impact of these measures has been appropriately assessed, including in formal impact assessments where required.

In relation to local authority pay awards, the Scottish Government has agreed with local government that they can draw on specific existing programmes to fund pay deals. The relevant funding will be replaced in 2025-26 and assurance has been sought from local authorities to confirm that they are able to mitigate any impacts in 2024-25 and that delivery timescales will not be significantly impacted.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Casualty Reduction programme of works, is undertaking road safety investigations on the A75 by Mouswald, Glenluce and Twynholm. These investigations are programmed to be completed by the end of the 2024-25 financial year.