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Stage 1 of the bill will now be completed by 31 January 2024. It is quite difficult to make a judgment on whether there has been a cost to the delay or not, because the effect has simply been that the work that we had planned to do has been rescheduled.
We are still looking for the FSO to be up and running in the first half of 2024. There are significant challenges with that, but we are determined to overcome them.
Drawing on these evidence sessions, that work will support preparations for the financial years 2024-25 and beyond. I hope that these opening remarks have been helpful, and I look forward to answering your questions on the bill.
Having sought views to support our consideration of the SPSO in 2024, we have heard from people on their individual experiences of engaging with the SPSO.
Review of relevant powers - 16 April 2024
Following its meeting on 5 March 2024, the Committee wrote to the Scottish Government on some of the delegated powers in the Bill.
I recognise that, in the meantime, the effect of these amendment Regulations is that the coming into force date of DRS is the date of 1 March 2024. That of course, is simply a short-term interim position.
The first stage is to be completed by 2026—if the predicted timescale holds—but we should note that the west coast main line will have reached capacity by then; it is predicted that that will happen by 2024. Substantial moneys will be involved in improving the line.
Mr Harvie makes a reasonable point, but it would be reasonable for me to point out that the purpose of taking this step is to meet the objective of the 2024 timetable, which I think Mr Harvie supports.
The Scottish Government has committed to maintaining this level of payments to the fund until 2024 as part of the recovery plan put in place by the trustees following the 2012 revaluation.