Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-33381

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans any upgrades to the A1 in Scotland before May 2026 and, if so, what impact the decision by the UK Government to cancel the dualling of the road between Morpeth and Ellingham might have on these plans.

The recommendations set out in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), published in December 2022, guide long term investment in Scotland’s strategic transport network.

The evidenced led appraisal that supported STPR2 did not recommend any major road upgrades for the A1. It did, however, make provision for investment to ensure that Scotland’s trunk road network remains safe (Recommendation 30), adapted to deal with the impacts of climate change (Recommendation 31) and resilient (Recommendation 32).

The UK Government’s cancellation of the A1 Morpeth to Ellingham scheme following their autumn budget in October 2024 is anticipated to have no impact on Scottish Government plans for the A1. Last financial year (2023/24), the Scottish Government invested £10,613,185 to ensure the continued safe and efficient operation of the A1 north of the border.

Question reference: S6W-33386

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what major rail infrastructure improvements it plans to commence in 2025-26.

The Scottish Government has provided £4.2bn of funding from 2024 to 2029 for Network Rail to operate, maintain and renew Scotland’s rail infrastructure. The Scottish Government expects Network rail to deliver significant improvements in the capability, resilience and performance of rail infrastructure across the network with this funding.

In addition, the Scottish Government has an impressive record of delivering a rolling programme of rail enhancement projects. Decisions on which further enhancements will commence in 2025-2026 remain subject to consideration by the Investment Decision Making Board at Transport Scotland and myself and will be announced in due course.

Question reference: S6W-33384

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government which major road improvements it plans to commence in 2025-26.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving road infrastructure throughout Scotland as a key factor in securing economic growth and high-quality public infrastructure across Scotland. This includes our ongoing commitment to dual the A9, delivering improvements to the A96 which includes dualling Inverness to Nairn and the Nairn Bypass, delivering a range of measures of improvements to the A83 to reduce the risk of landslips at the Rest and Be Thankful and taking forward design work on the A75 between Springholm and Crocketford.

During 2025-26 main construction works are expected to commence on the third A9 Dualling contract, Tomatin to Moy, following contract award in July 2024, and preparatory works followed by main construction works are expected to commence on the fourth A9 Dualling contract, Tay Crossing to Ballinluig, following anticipated contract award in Summer 2025. In addition, procurement of the fifth A9 Dualling contract, Pitlochry to Killiecrankie, is expected to commence in Summer 2025.

Subject to completing the necessary statutory procedures, we will also during 2025-26 commence the next phase of the medium term improvements to reduce the impact of landslips at the Rest and Be Thankful.

Question reference: S6W-33385

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to advance the upgrade of Ardrossan Harbour in 2025-26, and, if so, how it will do so.

The Scottish Government remain committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future, and to finding a solution at Ardrossan that can be delivered in a cost effective way, reflecting the needs of all of the partners involved. We understand and share frustrations at the pace of progress on the Ardrossan Harbour redevelopment.

Ongoing discussions and negotiations around the delivery of improvements at the port have been complex but the business case review is substantially complete, and project partners continue to work on this as quickly as practicable. The next meeting of the Ardrossan Task Force will be convened soon after the business case and cost review exercise has been submitted to Ministers for a decision.

Question reference: S6W-33383

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 24 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any structural damage to the Kingston Bridge in Glasgow, other than that reported on 14 January 2025.

The Kingston Bridge Complex in Glasgow receives a rigorous programme of regular inspections. The output from these inspections is used to inform current and future maintenance programmes. Any defects identified from these inspections are prioritised and taken forward for future repair, if necessary.

The concrete spalling reported on 14 January 2025, immediately above Paisley Road, was related to an historic concrete repair, which broke loose after the recent period of cold weather. There are other historic repairs within the complex and, to address this issue and to ensure public safety, Transport Scotland’s Operating Company, Amey, has instigated further close visual special inspections to identify and remove any loose concrete at these historic repairs. These inspections are underway and will continue over the next few weeks.

Question reference: S6O-04252

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to cultural venues and theatres across the Lothian region.

Question reference: S6W-32282

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much Transport Scotland has spent on Project Neptune to date.

Project Neptune was commissioned in March 2021, culminating in the publication of its findings on 8 September 2022. This was followed up with community engagement, by Angus Campbell, resulting in the publication of the 'Communities Report on Future Management of Ferries' on 10 July 2023. Almost £244,000 has been spent on Project Neptune, excluding internal Transport Scotland resources.

Since publication of the reports, Scottish Ministers have been consistently clear on the need to improve delivery of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS), to ensure the requirements of ferry dependent communities are met. No immediate decisions are being made on the subject of reform of the ferries sector, though nothing is off the table. At present, the focus is on the preparation for bringing the six new major vessels into the CalMac fleet and the considerable work involved in putting arrangements in place for the direct award of the new CHFS contract next year.

Question reference: S6O-04181

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to strengthen Scotland’s ferry fleet over the coming year.

Question reference: S6W-31932

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23717 by Jenni Minto on 19 December 2023, what progress it has made in identifying areas where there is the potential to further explore or support aspects of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) service development and the resource required to do this.

In May 2023 we published an analysis of survey data of health boards’ arrangements for the care and support of individuals with ME/CFS, with the aim of establishing a clearer picture of variations in service provision around Scotland.

We have since gathered updated information on ME/CFS care from every health board in Scotland and published this on 20 November 2024.

Subject to approval, the 2025-26 budget includes new investment of £4.5 million to deliver new specialist support across the country for Long Covid, ME/CFS, and other similar conditions.

This important investment will support people with these conditions across Scotland, and we are asking Parliament to unite behind the Budget to ensure this funding reaches the people who need it.

Question reference: S6W-31908

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it first received the A96 Corridor Review before it was publicly released on 28 November 2024.

I received initial advice from Transport received on the emerging outcomes of the Corridor Review in February 2024 followed by comprehensive advice on the outcomes from the Review’s appraisal and assessment work including full details of the magnitude of the Review’s associated reporting in July 2024.

I then received a hard copy of the full Corridor Review’s Transport Appraisal Report on 28 August 2024 which set out the outcomes of the Transport Appraisal of the Review. Following consideration of the advice from Transport Scotland officials, the reporting from the Corridor Review was published on 28 November 2024 in draft for consultation. A copy of the reports published for consultation are available from the Transport Scotland website at https://www.transport.gov.scot/our-approach/strategy/a96-corridor-review/.

Feedback from members of the public and key stakeholders will be vital in helping inform the Scottish Government’s final decision on how best to take forward improvements to the A96 whilst also balancing the demands of the challenging economic climate and the climate emergency and will inform our timescales going forward.

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