Chamber and committees

Payments to Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme claimants are issued once a week. The most recent payments were made on 18 August 2026.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02259 on 20 August 2026. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01653 and S7W-02048 on 20 August 2026. 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.

Under the Transport Act 1985 local bus services, which includes request stops and hail-and-ride arrangements must be registered with the Office of the Traffic Commissioner. The registration of services is devolved and subject to the Public Service Vehicles (Registration of Local Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2001. To ensure that all operators are adhering with the regulatory regime, the Office of the Traffic Commissioner produced a guide entitled “Local Bus Services Registration in Scotland: Guide for Operators”, which sets out the procedures for the registration, variation or cancellation of local services.

As part of the regulatory process, operators are required to provide notice of their intention to vary or cancel services to the relevant local authorities in whose area the services have stopping places. This advance notice gives authorities the opportunity to consider whether to take action to support services where they consider them to be socially necessary.

In 2024, Transport Scotland published Best Practice Guidance on Community Engagement, which was developed in collaboration with local authorities, passenger representatives and operators, and sets an expectation that communities should be consulted on changes to bus services. However, there is no statutory requirement for operators to consult passengers or local communities about proposed service changes. Operators must, however, give notice of such changes by displaying the relevant information on board vehicles for a minimum of 21 days.

Information regarding ministerial engagements is available on the Scottish Government website and I would refer the member to the following pages:

https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/.

The minister with responsibility for energy met with Scottish Enterprise on the following occasions:

• The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy met Scottish Enterprise on 28 February 2024 to discuss the wellbeing economy.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work visited the Scottish Enterprise Clean Heat Supply Chain and Investment Conference on 27 March 2024 to discuss heat in buildings.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Interim Chair and Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise on 22 May 2024 to discuss economic development.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met Scottish Enterprise on 10 July 2024 to discuss energy and the Just Transition.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chief Executive and Interim Chair of Scottish Enterprise on 23 July 2024 to discuss health and the economy.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work held a phone call with the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise on 12 August 2024 to discuss the economy.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Interim Chair and Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise on 28 August 2024 to discuss the economy.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the President and CEO of NFI Group, the President and Managing Director, Group Finance Director and Group Marketing Director of Alexander Dennis Limited, and the Chief Executive and Account Manager of Scottish Enterprise on 5 September 2024 to discuss the economy and net zero.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Interim Chair and Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise on 5 September 2024 to discuss the agency’s work.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Business Response Team Leader and Digital Transformation Specialists Team of Scottish Enterprise, and the Head of Enterprise and Business of South of Scotland Enterprise, on 31 October 2024 to discuss business resilience.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work recorded a video for Scottish Enterprise Backing Ambition 2024 and St Andrew's Day on 28 November 2024.
• The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy met Scottish Enterprise and Crown Estate Scotland on 13 March 2025 to discuss offshore wind.

The Scottish Government is aware of the risks that sky lanterns and helium balloons can pose to wildlife, livestock and marine animals through ingestion and entanglement. That is why we will continue to work with Keep Scotland Beautiful and other partners through delivery of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy to prevent all sources of litter, raise awareness of their environmental impacts and encourage responsible behaviours that help protect Scotland’s natural environment.

Information regarding ministerial engagements is available on the Scottish Government website and I would refer the member to the following pages:

https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/.

The minister with responsibility for energy met with South of Scotland Enterprise on the following occasions:

• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chair and Chief Executive of South of Scotland Enterprise on 26 June 2024 to discuss South of Scotland Enterprise’s activity and relevant portfolio issues.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise on 8 July 2024 to discuss rural housing.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chair and Chief Executive of South of Scotland Enterprise on 26 September 2024 to discuss South of Scotland Enterprise’s activity and relevant portfolio issues.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise on 19 September 2024 to discuss Public Service Reform.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise and a Director of Kight PowerHub BESS (Scotland) on 29 October 2024 to discuss Kight Powerhub’s work.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Business Response Team Leader and Digital Transformation Specialists team of Scottish Enterprise, and the Head of Enterprise and Business of South of Scotland Enterprise, on 31 October 2024 to discuss business resilience.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work attended the South of Scotland Enterprise Natural Capital Roundtable on 4 December 2024 to discuss natural capital investment.

Rural rail lines are a lifeline for remote communities and this is reflected by the level of financial support provided by the Scottish Government to ScotRail to operate services on these routes. Approximately one quarter of the total cost to operate Scotland’s Railways is committed to servicing all rural lines, despite services on these lines accounting for a much lower percentage of the annual patronage.

ScotRail regularly reviews its services in order to meet passengers’ needs. This includes services in rural areas, taking account of passenger demand and passenger feedback when assessing current provision and considering future timetable developments.

There have been two meetings between the minister with responsibility for energy and representatives of the Scottish National Investment Bank since 2024.

11 January 2024: Meeting between Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy and the Bank to discuss strategic priorities.

12 March 2024: Meeting between Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy and the Bank. Introductory meeting with Chair and Chief Executive of the Bank to discuss the Bank’s progress to date and ambitions for the future.

You can find information about Ministerial engagements on the Scottish Government website at the following link:

Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot

Information regarding ministerial engagements is available on the Scottish Government website and I would refer the member to the following pages:

https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/.

The minister with responsibility for energy met with Highlands and Islands Enterprise on the following occasions:

• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chair and Chief Executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise on 12 July 2024 to discuss economic development.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chief Executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise on 23 July 2024 to discuss the space sector.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work delivered a virtual speech to the Highlands and Islands Enterprise All-Staff Conference on 29 August 2024.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Maree Todd MSP on 14 August 2024 to discuss early learning and childcare.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met Natalie Don MSP and the Chair of Highlands and Islands Enterprise on 14 August 2024 to discuss rural childcare provision.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work recorded a video for the Highlands and Islands Enterprise all-staff conference on 11 September 2024.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met the Chair and Chief Executive of Highlands and Islands Enterprise on 26 September 2024 to discuss the agency’s work.
• The Minister for Energy, Just Transition and Fair Work met Highlands and Islands Enterprise on 10 October 2024 to discuss transport.