 Felly nifer y cydnod yw, yn cyflawnio'r cwestiynau cyflawniol yn cydwnidol. Mae'r cwestiynau yn cyflawniol i gael y cwestiynau cwysbysgol 5 a 7 wedi'i gweld gofyn i chi ddim yn cael ei cwestiynau ei gyda'i cwestiynau. Rwy'n cael ei cychwyn nhw i ddim yn cyflawniol i gael eu cyflawniol, ac mae'n ganddill i ddweud ei cwestiynau cwestiynau ar gyfer ei cwestiynau, a yw er mewn gwneud weedsem Perthyn Ryfwyr. 1. Richard Leonard Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I remind members of my convenership of the RMT parliamentary group to ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that rail travel is safe? Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop. Passenger and staff safety is paramount, is enforced by British Transport Police, who work in partnership with ScotRail, Network Rail and the passenger stakeholders to ensure that all passengers have safe and comfortable journeys. An example of that is its partnership with the ScotRail travel safe team, which has seen a reduction in antisocial behaviour on Scotland's rail network. ScotRail advises that its travel safe team has now grown from 8 to 24 travel safe officers following the success of the team. ScotRail and British Transport Police have a range of measures in place on trains and in stations, with the aim to provide confidence among the travelling public and rail staff that the railway is safe and secure for all. Richard Leonard I thank the cabinet secretary for her answer. In 2016, ScotRail and the RMT reached an agreement that on routes like Barhead and East Kilbride services would be guaranteed a conductor on every new electrified train, guaranteed that the conductor will retain their full safety competency, including rules, track safety, evacuation and dispatch, and that trains operating those services will not run without a competent conductor on board. ScotRail, in public ownership, with the Government as the sole shareholder, is proposing to rip this agreement up, denying equal access to those services for passengers with disabilities and jeopardising safety for all. Those are not operational matters, they are equality matters, they are safety matters. Will the cabinet secretary intervene? The member may not be aware, but there have been developments in the last 24 hours on that particular issue. I do not think that it is for me to express what they are. That will be for the employer and for the trade union. The Scottish Government continues to specify a requirement that all ScotRail services should have a second staff member on board to assist passengers, and I will continue to underline that. As regards to the references to 2016, I think that that may be something that will be subject to those discussions that are on-going and which I would encourage continue to take place. There are a number of supplementaries, I want to get them all in, but they will need to be brief as all the responses first collect students. Safety of the railway remains a reserved matter, but the Government has fully funded Network Rail Scotland in line with the ORR's recommendations. Does the cabinet secretary therefore share my view that Labour should not be undermining our rail sector and the societal and environmental benefits that it offers by inferring that it is unsafe? Clearly rail safety is reserved to the UK Government and the ORR. We are fully funding the recommendations with an increase of £450 million in cash terms for that aspect. We are leading the way in terms of a joined-up railway. That has been evidenced by the fact that the UK Department for Transport has head-hunted Scotland's railway managing director to help them to catch up. It is important that we have full devolution of rail powers to Scotland to be able to truly deliver a railway that benefits Scotland. Anyone with a genuine interest in that should get behind those calls whatever the result of the next UK general election. Surely if there are developments on this issue, the cabinet secretary should be telling us what they are. After all, she is the cabinet secretary for transport. Will he please the RMT? It is with respect to the RMT that are not relaying what they told me this morning. I had a meeting with the rail unions and I understand that there may be movement on the issue. Currently, we have the successful operation, as there has been for some considerable time, on the electric railways in terms of ScotRail drivers supported by ticket examiners. That has been happening for some time on many rail routes. The issue between the employer and the trade union is for them to determine. I do not think that it would be appropriate, but I have just met and heard news this morning. I think that it is for them that the RMT discloses. It is with respect to them that I am not making any further comment. Does the cabinet secretary be aware that the five-circle, for example, tends to get trains that others get passed on to them? Is there a replacement train programme in place for areas such as Fife, such as the high-speed trains? The rail fleet replacement is a priority for the Scottish Government. Clearly, the more that we electrify, the more trains that can support the current five system. I am also very conscious of the need to develop the decarbonised five route. In the meantime, maintenance is really important. The increase of 20 to 40 engineers has been helping the network generally, but Fife in particular. The member is probably more interested in the longer term, and I will keep him appraised of that. To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on what it will make a decision on the continued ban on the consumption of alcohol at all times on trains. In light of ScotRail's confirmation and evidence to the Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee that the consultation findings have been passed to Transport Scotland? The Scottish Government is aware that a wide range of views is held by passengers, ScotRail staff and other interested parties about alcohol ban on ScotRail trains. ScotRail routinely asks passengers questions about a variety of topics related to the customer experience. Those are not, however, formal consultations, but rather short duration online surveys. The findings from ScotRail's passenger survey on alcohol ban are being considered as part of a much wider and more robust work that has been undertaken to reduce unacceptable anti-social behaviours on our public transport. The Parliament will be informed in the most appropriate way once the decision on the future of the alcohol ban on ScotRail trains has been taken. Fyglas Lomstone Fyglas Lomstone, I know, differ, dither and delay from this devolved Government. The temporary ban came into force in November 2020. We were told to wait for Jenny Goldruth's national conversation on rail, but that was binned and then we had ScotRail's survey on passengers. That was completed. This is dragging on far too long, so can the Scottish Government just please make a decision one way or the other? Cabinet Secretary. We are making a decision by not changing it currently, but I would say to the member genuinely that there are strong and differing views on this issue either way and indeed within this chamber. I think that it is right that we consider those and not least the issue of safety and perceived safety of women and girls. A lot of the issues on alcohol are not about consumption on the train, but about the condition of people coming on to the train prior to entry into the station. I do think that if we are to change the situation of alcohol on trains, we would also have to consider whether it would be the same, as was previously the case, or whether we would change that. That is about as open as I can be. I know that he is impatient. He wants his drink on the train back to Aberdeen, I suspect, but what I am saying is that I genuinely want to have this in a very open way, and there are big differences in opinion as to whether we should do that and strongly held views as to whether we should do this or not. That is exactly what I am wrestling with. A brief supplementary or play with a brief response. Just to say that it is surely the priority here must be for users to feel safe when using trains, particularly women and girls who feel particularly unsafe in atmospheres where there is antisocial behaviour that is accompanied by alcohol consumption. Can I ask the cabinet secretary whether the ban on alcohol has led to decreased incidents of antisocial behaviour on ScotRail services? That is a brief example of what I was saying. I think that there are different views and also within parties and within this chamber. I might reflect that the pattern of antisocial behaviour, however, has made identifying quantifiable evidence challenging, and that is what we are wrestling with in terms of identifying the robust evidence base on this. The safety of women is paramount, but I also know that the unions have different views and would like to see the ban lifted. That is not an easy decision, but we want to do it in the robust and most open way possible. To ask the Scottish Government how many citizens, including residents of Cunningham South constituency, have accessed free public transport through the national concessionary scheme in the past year. As of 29 February 2024, there were 2,327,913 national concessionary travel scheme car holders who made 177,291,227 journeys during the period from 1 March 2023 to 29 February 2024. The data is not broken down at a constituency area, as cars are issued by local authorities. However, I am pleased to confirm that there are 69,057 car holders in North Ayrshire Council who made a total of 4,764,887 journeys during this period. In the one year evaluation of the young person scheme, one local authority commented, the impact has been really positive with families getting out and about together, parents not having to worry about paying for bus fares, being able to take part in more events with not having to worry about how to get there. Does the minister agree with me that this is just one of the many advantages of the scheme to young people, their families and our wider communities, particularly in the current cost of living crisis? Absolutely, and I would add to that that families can save £3,000 for each child who makes full use of the free bus travel. The one year evaluation scheme found that those savings have allowed young people and their families to spend money on essential household costs, leisure activities and, for some children, the scheme has removed the barrier to joining classmates on school trips. It also makes it easier for grandparents and grandchildren to travel together and facilitate intergenerational outings. If you add to that, you will be able to jump on a bus to go and visit family, whether it is to go and see Gran and Grandad, your cousins or your favourite auntie or uncle. There is also a young constituent in my constituency that has been told about who has taken a job in Edinburgh purely because of the bus pass, and there are a whole host of other benefits that the scheme is delivering. To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to support the reversal of the reported reduction of bus services in Dumfries and Galloway. It is always disappointing to hear of any potential bus service reductions, particularly in the more rural areas, where often those services offer the only public transport connections to healthcare or employment. I am very well aware of that. The Scottish Government has allocated almost £430 million in 2024 and 2025 to support bus, and I am committed with bus operators and local authorities to continue to look at ways of improving services to ensure that everyone has access to public transport. However, the majority of the services in Scotland operate in a deregulated market. As such, withdrawal of services is on commercial routes as a matter for private operators. However, any changes must be consistent with the processes that are enforced by the traffic commissioner. Under the Transport Act 1985, local authorities have a duty to identify where there is a social need for particular bus services and subsidise them at their discretion. Services across the region have been in decline for more than a decade and so have local government budgets, but an independent report to this month's meeting of the South West Scotland Transport Partnership warns that it is going to get worse. The fragile position of the bus industry in Dumfries and Galloway is acute, the report says. Resilience is at a historic low, the risk of further degradation is significant, any withdrawal of service capacity would have a major impact, the report goes on to say. Does the minister accept that the current model of bus service delivery in rural regions such as Dumfries and Galloway is absolutely broken, and we need to see a significant increase in the provision of publicly-owned, publicly-run services in the region before we lose even more services? I agree that we absolutely need those rural services, but we have already plowed in over £430 million being allocated to bus services and concessionary fares in 24 and 25. It is providing more than 2 million people in Scotland with access to free bus travel. With more than 3 million journeys a week, those schemes are helping people all across Scotland to cut costs for essential everyday leisure and travel, making sustainable travel a more attractive option, but I understand and I fully take on the point that we want to do more. Bus network in Dumfries and Galloway is in a fragile position due to rising costs and weak demand compared to urban areas. Many rely on public transport, particularly the elderly and disabled. The Scottish Government only provides west strands with £259,000 revenue funding, which is the same as 12 years ago. Can I ask the minister if he believes that this is acceptable in terms of tackling climate change, but also in relation to addressing accessibility issues for our elderly and disabled, or is this just another example of his Government failing to address the needs of the south of Scotland? I am not quite sure of the system that he is talking about, and I apologise for that. I do not have that answer right now, but I am not sure that that is actually the fund that you are talking about, the national bus system. If I can get any further details on that, I will come back to the member. To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the decision by Strathclyde Passengers Partnership for Transport to take forward plans to franchise bus services. We have delivered all the powers within the Transport Scotland Act 2019, which enables each local transport authority to determine the options available to them and to improve bus provision in their area. While some may opt for a franchising approach, others may choose to progress with a partnership or to run their own services. In the case of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, I welcome their decision to explore all available bus powers, including franchising, as part of their Strathclyde regional bus strategy. I understand that implementing a franchise system could potentially incur costs running into several tens of millions of pounds. If funding is available for this investment, has the Scottish Government considered deploying it now in advance of the roll-out of any franchise system to enable SPT to support the expansion of bus routes that are currently deemed to be uneconomic, which are critical lifelines for communities in my constituency? The member is well aware that funding that is allocated through the general revenue grant can be used to support bus services. It is the responsibility of each local transport authority to include SPT to allocate its total financial resources, including support for bus services, based on the local needs and priorities. It has first fulfilled its statutory obligations, and it is ultimately for local elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to improve the bus services for communities in their area. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport's recommendations for the future delivery of the regional bus network. As I have previously said, it is for each local transport authority to determine which of the powers available to them should be used to improve the services in their area. I understand that SPT has completed an options development and appraisal stage for the regional bus strategy, which considers a range of the bus powers, including local authority-run services, bus services improvement partnerships and bus franchising, and they intend to commence a six-week public consultation on their recommendations next month. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of the consultation, and Transport Scotland will continue to engage with all the stakeholders to improve bus services right across Scotland. SPT has decided to go ahead, if it can, with the franchising system, but they reckon that that will take between five and seven years and will cost between £45 and £85 million per annum. There is a little point in doing that work, I suspect, if they are not going to get the money. Does the minister think that the money should come entirely from the local councils, or would any of it come from the Scottish Government? We would encourage all local transport authorities to explore all the options available to them to improve bus services in their area. I understand that SPT is at an early stage in the development of the regional bus strategy, which is looking at a range of options for improving services. As that develops, it will require more detailed appraisals to determine which of the various options to progress with. A climate of increase in financial pressure is important that the business case for improving bus services is made robustly and an evidence-based way to support future decision-making on funding. SPT's ambitious proposal to introduce a bus franchise for Greater Glasgow is a welcome milestone, but SPT may establish a bus service improvement partnership with private operators in the interim, a move that risks sidetracking and delaying efforts to introduce that regional bus franchise. The Scottish Government has cut SPT's capital budget for next year to zero. Will the Scottish Government review that ridiculous position and provide SPT with the capital that it needs, perhaps via the Glasgow City Region Deal, to deliver a bus franchise at speed and bypass an interim besip with private operators? Those might well be the views of the member, but I would go back to the point that it is up to the local authority to make their decisions on how they are going to progress. Thank you. This week, the C60 bus service connecting Calendr to Calendr will be completely withdrawn, leaving many people abandoned, including in my own community of Lochernhead. Stirling Council tends to retender the service, but predictably no private operator has come forward with an acceptable bid. What practical support is available to rural councils, and indeed the national park, to take charge of bus services through franchising or even running their own services? Some of those services, of course, will be able to link in to the services that SPT will be running to the west. It is not strictly to do with SPT, but minister, if you could respond as relevantly as you can. We have provided local transport authorities with a range of tools to improve bus services. I know that the member is aware that we have launched the community bus fund last year to support local authorities in exploring those powers, as well as improving access to bus services. Ten projects have been taken forward in 2023-24, pending compliance with fair work first requirements. They include projects to review local bus networks, to develop local transport bus strategies and, by making use of those powers, local transport authorities working with stakeholders can improve local services over the longer term, making them more available, accessible and affordable. To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the proposed reinstatement of a direct ferry link between Rosyth and Zebrugge. I want to assure the member of the Scottish Government's continuing commitment to improve our transport and trade links to the continent, which has even more resonance after the UK Government's damaging exit from the EU. I have personally engaged with interested parties, although I think that the destination will have changed if the member is aware. Transport Scotland officials continue to communicate regularly with potential operators and Scotland's main ports. I also met Lord Davis of Gower, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport in London on 5 February and discussed the issue. I subsequently received disappointing written confirmation from Lord Davis that the UK Government is not in a position to financially support a new service from Rosyth, highlighting the risk of potential legal action should other operators consider such support to be subsidy. Due to subsidy control restrictions, any service is required to operate on a commercial basis. I hope that prospective commercial operators are able to commit to operating a successful and profitable service. However, that is ultimately a decision for the operators. I thank the cabinet secretary for her answer. Indeed, the updated route under consideration is to Dunkirk. I welcome the fact that the Scottish Government has been engaging in recent discussions with its agencies and the UK Government. I note the point about subsidy, but given the importance that a direct and vital trade link between Scotland and Europe would present, I wonder what other activity the Scottish Government could engage in to help to get that over the line. As I said in my first answer, UK subsidy control rules significantly restrict any support that the Scottish Government would be able to provide. However, I and my officials in Transport Scotland continue to engage with prospective operators. The Scottish National Investment Bank could be another route to supporting new services, and Visit Scotland has well-established marketing opportunities to attract more tourism to Scotland. We have spoken with the Scottish National Investment Bank and Visit Scotland about the potential opportunities, and we have flagged those with potential operators. I would reiterate that there is a political will to support a commercially viable service, but, of course, with significant budget pressures, we have to be cognisant of the subsidy issues and the prospect of potential legal action if additional funding was provided. It makes it more important that any solution is led by the commercial ferry sector. To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with commercial bus operators, such as stagecoach, regarding bus provision in areas such as Bampshire and Bucking Coast. The Scottish Government meets regularly with commercial bus operators to discuss a wide range of issues that impact the sector, and the last meeting with officials took place on 12 March. Although I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with stagecoach directly since my minister's appointment, I look forward to doing so in due course. The majority of bus service in Scotland operates in a deregulated market, however. I am committed in conjunction with bus operators and local authorities to continue to look at ways of improving the services to ensure that everyone has accessible public transport with which to provide vital connections. I thank the minister for that answer. I recently conducted a survey within my constituency that received an overwhelming 1,144 responses. Almost 90 per cent of respondents feel that bus services in the area have deteriorated when the past year and more than four in five rely on those services to commute to work or school and attend vital NHS appointments. Can I ask the minister what he is doing to encourage companies such as stagecoach to improve their services for constituents? I very much recognise the importance of local bus services to communities and ensure that the long-term sustainability of those vital local routes is a collaborative endeavour. To that end, I encourage the members to continue to work with bus operators in the area to promote the use of services and to help to maintain and grow the patronage that is needed to underpin the stability and longevity of those transport links. The member may be aware that we have worked with operators and relevant parties through the bus task force to try to address the issues that bus industry has as a whole has been facing. A report that we published shortly will include the best practice guide for community engagement. I thank the minister for providing a brief supplementary Liam Kerr. Very grateful. A major issue in north-east bus provision is abuse and violence against drivers and passengers. Following the tragic death of Keith Rawlinson in Elgin, Unite published a 15-point blueprint to improve safety, including a specific offence to commit a crime against transport workers. Has the minister read that blueprint? If so, which of the 15 particularly interests him and what is his view on the proposed legislation? What I can tell the member is that the cabinet secretary has actually written to meet them and that process is under way. Thank you minister. That concludes portfolio questions. There will be a brief pause before we move to the next item of business to allow front-bench use to change.