 Y pryddweud i'r ystafell yn golygu ystafell yn cychwyniant y tawchaf erioeddanol y byd. Rydw i'r cerdydl ar gyfer y cerddwyr cyflawn i gyda, y byddai'ch cerddwyr ar gyfer y tawchaf erioeddanol y byddai'r cyffredinol? Rydw i'n rwy'n meddwl am y cerddwyr Cerddwyr yn cyflawn i cyfryd dda cerddwyr yma! FNaidol y byddai'r cyffredinol eich cyfrifennu maen nhw'n mynd i'r collegau o bobl cobraedd, y ddigonwch trafodaeth gyda'u eriolant gyda'u eraillodaeth ei maes. Mae hynny'n ddylai i gyfer y dweudio'i sâl enghreifftyr yn gyfathredigolol gyda'u membelys yn gyfer teulu. Pwy yn gwybodaeth eich cyfathyr, a oedd yr hyn yn gofan ein cyfathry, mae'n bryd â'r Semboniai cyyd-dwyryd gyda'u cynhyrmu cyfathry ac yn gyfathry i ddweudio'u ddweudio yn cyfathredigol gyda'u cyfathry, neud yn gyffredigol, yr ysgolwydau ar y dyfodol i'r strategiaeth ar y draff. Y strategiaeth energii ac y busgfaen o'r transditiwn pwlad yn eich amser yn ymgyrch gael y gwaith ymddynt â hynny o'r strategiaeth energii. Rhygwtel Hamill. Thank you, Richard Lockhead, for that answer and for the update on the national strategy. However, communities across Scotland, including those living around the Echel substation in my constituency, have so far been supportive of battery storage applications i gael ei gwaith i mi gydag yna i gael i niw rhan o gyrsbyddoliedig a'r Gweithredu Cymrydolion o'r ddweud i gael i gael eu cyrfryd ar y llai agri-gleiddiolol. So can the Minister reassure my constituents that urgent guidance for battery storage will be issued in line with similar guidance for onshore wind? a ni oedd oedd hefyd yn goonom inghwydd cael cyffredinol trwy gyffredinol ar gyfer Dame eraill yn gwale unigol. A efallai, impermaidd汉odaeth i Ffraith agrocontrall Y Llywodraeth Odu'r pan babiesas tryd, R DAef no ddych yn menen, y gallwn gweliannau o blannogau oedd yn gyneth, ar y cyfryb ar gyfer escapes o字'r despiraill adslusfyr decid. Dall жизнь Erthys i fy bathroomolau, i'r ddegwysig i ddymarfodd, Careffordd, a'n deserio rhai a'r frysgwyrm hwn yn ddiwrnodd, a'r ddegwysig i ddegwysig i ddegwysig i ddegwydderisiw.' Cyflchildrenw cleaning飯ol yn!] Wedi bod y fawr yn ddim yn du ond iddynt gyda'i fodgarau'r ymgarchfeydd yn cymdrach. O bobl, ond roedd ei chemrwag i ddegwysig i ddegwysig i ddegwysig i ddegwysig I have certainly passed on her request for our direct meeting with ministers to discuss that. Of course, I just want to assure the member that we are considering these issues carefully as we work up the final energy strategy and just transition plan and that we will continue to take on board the concerns expressed by the member's constituents and other members in the chamber. Question 3 is turned out. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce accidents and improve overall safety on the A77. We are committed to improving safety across our network. Since 2007, £124 million has already been invested on the A77 to ensure safe and efficient operation. In addition, our annual assessment of trunk road safety performance has identified three investigations on the A77 to be progressed this financial year. Belfield to the B7038 Overbridge, Homeston to the East Ayrshire Boundary and an investigation into powered two wheeler collisions. We have completed upgraded and new signing and road markings between Monkton Head and the Dutch House roundabouts, while also developing speed management measures for Turnbury, Cercosul and Boundary. I have been talking about the A77 since my maiden speech. It is the main artery connecting the central belt to Northern Ireland through the Port of Cairnwine. It takes an average of 69 minutes to travel a 43-mile stretch. The Government's own South West Scotland transport study identified the A77 as the slowest A-road in the country with an average speed of 37.7 miles per hour. It is also leaving the South West at an economic disadvantage. Minister, when will the A77 be fully jailed? In relation to the improvements that we have said in our SBR2 that there is priority for the A77, that is why it is there. Her question was particularly about reducing accidents and improving overall safety rather than increasing speed. I know that in terms of addressing some of the issues and the speed management issues on safety around Turnbury, Cercosul and Boundary, that affects that. In relation to improving times and so on, the Mable Pipe Pass, which was a considerable investment, will have helped that process. I am very familiar with the A77 and I am very keen that it gets the time and attention that it needs and indeed the funding. That is why I am pleased to report the progress of this financial year on those key areas. Thank you to the Scottish Government for what its position is on the effectiveness of the British Transport Police on Scotland railways. As the member is aware, the British Transport Police reports to the UK Department for Transport but works in close partnership with Scotland Police Scotland and Scottish Government officials. British Transport Police advises that its operations in partnership with Scotland have seen a significant reduction in anti-social behaviour on Scotland's rail network. We encourage British Transport Police to continue to work closely with Police Scotland and the rail industry to ensure that its operations are focused on the needs of rail passengers and staff. I am delighted to recently host the first of our BTP exhibition in Parliament, and the ministers correct that officers do a sterling job keeping people safe in Scotland railways. However, the BTP sometimes faces difficulties when asking the Crown Office for permission to publicly release images of individuals suspected of committing a crime. They are sometimes told that corroboration is needed before an image is released. This requirement can be difficult in crimes of a sexual nature so an image is not released to the despair of victims and officers. Will the Minister for Transport raise this important issue with the justice secretary? The member raises an important point about how we can have successful prosecutions. He will know that those decisions are matters for the independent Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. I think that anything that can help to improve awareness to make sure that people know that if they commit a crime they could well be captured, but the issue of whether or not that can and should be used in evidence is not a matter for myself, but I will bring to the attention of the justice secretary the point that he has made. Fulton MacGregor. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce air pollution levels in urban towns such as Coatbridge. Minister Gillian Mott. Scotland enjoys a high level of air quality and over the past three decades levels of the main air pollutants have declined significantly. In 2022, for the first time outside of Covid-19 lockdown periods, all air quality objectives were achieved in the 98 sites in the Scottish monitoring network including the air quality management area in Coatbridge. This has been achieved through tighter regulation, improved fuel quality, cleaner vehicles and increased focus on sustainable transport. Our Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 strategy builds on these successes setting out actions for further reduction of air pollution across Scotland. Fulton MacGregor. I thank the minister for that answer. The minister will be aware, in fact she has made mention of it, of the areas of Weflit, Shawhead and Kirchaws in Coatbridge which were recently prescribed as air quality management areas as air quality there did not meet the legal limits in these zones. This is especially relevant for the area around the Shawhead flyover, a busy junction connecting Coatbridge and wider Lanarkshire to the Emmate motorway. In fact, in 2019 Shawhead recorded an average of 27.17 micrograms per cubic metre of nitrogen dioxide, 33rd highest in Scotland with only really roads in our major cities being above it. Given that the air pollution is almost exclusively caused by traffic issues, what can the Scottish Government do to ensure air quality remains at a safe level, especially in the context of increasing traffic levels in areas such as Shawhead and, as the council, they assume to have approved plans for further industrial development at this junction? Minister. I thank Fulton MacGregor for that question. Our Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 strategy sets out a series of actions to further reduce emissions from transport sources. In addition, the national planning framework foresets out our spatial strategy for Scotland's long-term development. It is clear that development proposals that are likely to have significant adverse effects on air quality will not be supported. Co-benefits for air quality will also be delivered through policies on tackling the climate and nature crisis, sustainable transport and 20-minute neighbourhoods. The King's Way in Dundee goes through several of the most deprived communities in the city and is used by thousands of vehicles per day, exposing residents to high levels of air pollution. Transport Scotland's assessment of a potential bypass suggests that the project would have a positive impact on air quality by taking away 50 per cent of the traffic on the King's Way. Does the minister recognise the health and environmental benefits this project could bring to Dundee? Minister. I recognise that because I have an example in my own area in Aberdeenshire, one of the most highly polluted streets in Scotland would have been Market Street in Aberdeen. As a result of the AWPR, a significant amount of traffic has been directed away from the city of Aberdeenshire. I imagine that the cabinet secretary might be interested in pursuing this further with Mercedes Villalba, as I obviously do not have the detail of that particular proposal in front of me. For the supplementary, Stephanie Callaghan. People are undistrandably seeking more affordable alternatives as the cost of winter heating sores. However, asthma and long UK Scotland have highlighted the negative impacts of domestic burning on respiratory conditions and how domestic burning increases levels of dangerous pollutants, including carcinogenic emissions. Can the minister outline what steps the Scottish Government has taken to raise public awareness of the adverse impacts of domestic burning and any measures in place to promote healthy, affordable and environmentally friendly heating methods? Minister. Thank you, Stephanie Callaghan, for that. She absolutely outlines why it is a wheel health priority to ensure that our air is as clean as possible. One of our actions of our Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 strategy, we are working with stakeholders on the development of an air quality public engagement framework. That will include raising public awareness around the impacts of domestic fuel burning. We intend to publish that framework in 2024. Question 6. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards achieving a circular economy, including through the development of the winter buying decommissioning sector. Mr Richard Lochhead. Progress is being made in several areas, as well as the circular economy bill and the forthcoming waste route map. We provide support through the recycling improvement fund, funding for the share and repair network and business support through Zero Waste Scotland. The national strategy for economic transformation also identifies the circular economy as a new market opportunity. Through the recently published onshore wind sector deal, we have agreed to work with the onshore wind sector and coalition for wind industry circularity to publish a strategy paper by October 24. The Zero Waste Scotland, the future of onshore and decommissioning document published in March this year, shows the recyclable components of a wind turbine. It states that between 4,800 and 5,500 turbines will be decommissioned between 2021 and 2025, and shows which parts will be broken down and into what materials. But one essential part is missing, the blades. So can the minister outline how this Government can achieve its net zero targets through a just transition when our renewables are not currently fully recyclable? And when will this fundamental problem be rectified so our renewables are actually renewable? That's an important issue that the member raises, and I think everyone would agree with the sentiment that she outlines that we have to get to position in the coming years through the transition, the energy transition that we can recycle as much of the materials as possible and the circular economy bill will address some of these issues. I should say that we do have an onshore wind industry commitment. We are supported by Government and all the relevant agencies in the onshore wind industry. We have agreed to deliver at least one specialist blade treatment facility in Scotland by 2030. So there's a lot of thought being given to the objectives that the member wants to achieve and there are measures in place to hopefully deliver that. Numbers supplementary. First Jackie Dunbar. Can I ask the minister for an update on how the Scottish Government is supporting the enhancement of current skills and training provision to help deliver the needs of the wind industry and achieve a circular economy? Minister. The education and skills system is already adapting to the transition to net zero and institutions like our colleges and universities are key anchors for that transition. For example, the energy skills partnership co-ordinate the wind training network which allows colleges to better collaborate industry on the skills needed for both onshore and offshore wind. In addition, Zero Waste Scotland have developed a range of courses to develop circular economy skills and are working to embed these circular economy principles across all our sectors. For the supplementary, Sarah Boyack. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The circular economy bill is currently being considered by the net zero committee and although it's largely a recycling bill that focuses predominantly on household waste, has the minister considered how that bill could be improved to ensure that a circular economy is achieved right across our industrial sectors such as renewables where we will see huge investment and will he support amendments at stage 2 and 3 that cover those sectors to deliver the huge joined up opportunities and action and green jobs that we need? Minister. I think there are important issues that Parliament should consider and of course the minister who's not myself will be appearing to the relevant committee in a matter of days and hopefully the committee members will take the opportunity to raise these issues and I will ensure that the minister is aware of Sarah Boyack's questions prior to that appearance and of course that's the purpose of the committee system is to improve the bill and make sure we capture all these opportunities for the Scottish economy and for our carbon footprint. I'm Beatrice Wishart. Thanks Presiding Officer. With changes in energy production and delivery and challenges in encouraging young people into STEM subjects what can the Scottish Government do to ensure that training and careers are supported to develop a circular economy including in winter by decommissioning and I noted his response to Jackie Dunbar's earlier question. Minister. Again it's a very important issue and I did try to address some of the points to Jackie Dunbar's question because the universities and colleges are now beginning to address this and of course it's important to do so with some urgency because there are a number of projects being funded by the Scottish Government to ensure that there are transferable skills between for instance oil and gas and renewables but the member is quite right to use decommissioning as a massive economic opportunity for Scotland both in terms of onshore wind turbines and equipment but also of course offshore oil and gas installations. I myself have visited one yard in Scotland where there's a number of jobs I think actually it's in Shetland where they are decommissioning offshore platform and there's 20 or 30 jobs there doing that and that actual platform of course was built in the yard in Scotland the first place so that's a good example of the circular economy and the economic opportunities. Question 7 Brian Whittle Thank you Presiding Officer to ask the Scottish Government what action is taking to support the development of hydrogen filling infrastructure for use by heavy goods vehicles and other road going heavy machinery. Minister Fiona Heslaw. I have a call out of infrastructure needed for hydrogen vehicles to operate in Scotland Aberdeen City has two hydrogen refuelling stations Transport Scotland has contracted Heriot-Watt University to work with road haulage fleets and stakeholders to assess where initial on-route charging and refuelling infrastructure for zero emission HGVs will be needed. The zero emission truck task force convened by Transport Scotland includes a working group focused on hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and a task force is developing strategic actions to unlock a successful transition to zero emission HGVs and expects to publish the HGV decarbonisation pathway early next year. Brian Whittle I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer and my colleague Sean Dowey has already highlighted the issue of the A77 and hydrogen is increasingly being seen as a major player in the drive towards net zero and to take advantage of that huge potential that should and should have in green hydrogen economy is important that demand is created and also ensuring the appropriate infrastructure. Currently there are few options for hydrogen refuelling. Does the cabinet secretary agree with me that infrastructure without the infrastructure is unlikely that business will be reticent to have that change and we need roads like the A77 and the A75 to give us that hydrogen superhighway to turbo boost this particular element of our decarbonisation? I hope that the member will appreciate from my initial answer that we are taking this very seriously indeed and that's why we are working with the industry to identify where hydrogen refuelling infrastructure can be best placed and very conscious of the free opportunities that Scotland has and in terms of maximising that impact I'm also working with my Welsh colleague to ensure that the UK-wide inter-ministerial meetings that we have the next one I've focused on freight obviously there's rail freight and road freight but anticipating the opportunities that hydrogen would bring for heavy heavy vehicles in particular I think that's something that requires that urgency and I hope he's reassured by my initial answer that we are taking that exactly what he's asking for and I think we should listen to the industry as opposed to anyone else in terms of the location of where that might be but clearly in relation to freight travelling to Northern Ireland it would make sense that the A77 and the A75 would feature as part of that but let's see what the industry working in the task force comes up with Yesterday I was at the PNDC conference in Glasgow and saw some great examples of Scottish businesses working to develop hydrogen including HVS from Glasgow at an advanced stage of developing hydrogen vehicles and working with partners to put the refuelling infrastructure in place as a consequence and I commend that work to the minister Can I ask the minister for an update on Scotland's hydrogen train project another stellar example of the innovative work of Scottish universities and ask how this initiative is supporting the decarbonisation of our public transport sector Minister So clearly our hydrogen action plan sets out our ambition to be a leading hydrogen nation in relation to the train project in collaboration with St Andrews University in Scottish Enterprise £3.5 million of Scottish Government funding was provided to convert a class 314 train to hydrogen fuel cell and was displayed during COP26 many of us saw it at that time with trials on the track in 2022 this developed a local supply chain knowledge to support longer term zero emission of fleet introduction and lessons learned are being considered as part of the planning for future rail fleet options Question 8 To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure low emission zones do not have any impact upon disabled people and carers Minister Fiona Hyslop We are all aware of the harm that excessively polluting vehicles cause particularly to the young, the elderly and those pre-existing health conditions for disabled people unable to switch to a cleaner alternative are those getting a lift from someone else with a non-compliant vehicle we have developed the low emission zone blue badge exemption system in order that registered vehicles will not receive an LEZ penalty charge notice I can also advise that this government continues to provide support funding for low income families and micro businesses in need of support in preparing for LEZ I thank the minister for that answer paid and unpaid carers are worried about the potential impact the low emission zone could have on their ability to enter and travel through the city centre to provide vital care as it stands they can only access an exemption if the person they support asked for it one day at a time so I've discussed this with Glasgow city council and they're prepared to consider ways to streamline the process so that a more permanent exemption could be provided to carers but it's Transport Scotland who managed that so can I ask the minister if she'd be willing to work with Transport Scotland to allow exemptions for carers on a longer term basis I can relay that the system that I have in place just now blue badge holders who require LEZ exemptions can register the details on the official website and over 11,000 blue badges have been registered so far but the member is talking about carers or those that are assisting and I will certainly bring her comments to the attention of Transport Scotland but clearly Glasgow city council are in the lead but in terms of trying to encourage the other aspect is to try and support low income families in particular to be able to access funding to make those changes as well so I think there's a two track system helping people move to lower emitting vehicles but also identifying if there's a short term need for some kind of extension rather than a temporary one I can't give commitment to that today I don't think she would expect to hear that I welcome the cabinet secretary's minister's previous responses would she agree with me that basically the LEZ is a fundamentally good thing and helps absolutely everyone the evidence from London was that particulate matter reduced by 13% in five years and clearly people with COPD and other breathing issues have a major problem with the air quality as was in Glasgow and absolutely disabled people in a clearer air The member is correct that air pollution affects everybody's health and that is why the Scottish Government and city authorities in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh and Glasgow are delivering air quality improvements through low emission zones with a number obviously clearly about to be rolled out next year I would actually draw members' attention to the evidence sessions that the next zero energy and transport committee had when I was deputy convener and we looked at this issue as part of its wider scrutiny role and one of the significant pieces of evidence was the impact of any particulates on health and it was a very good and short sharp piece of inquiry that this Parliament drew attention to and I would refer members to that evidence Thank you minister that concludes portfolio questions there will be a brief pause before we move on to the next item of business