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Rail services make a significant positive contribution to Scotland’s economy and communities. The provision of rail services is also a requirement under railways legislation.

Transport Scotland is working closely with Scottish Rail Holdings, who is responsible for overseeing ScotRail, to ensure that ScotRail services are delivered efficiently. This includes discussions on the regular monitoring of trends in ScotRail financial performance and delivery.

As operator, CalMac have estimated 44tonnes (this equates to two HGV tankers) of LNG per week during vessel operation. However this is being reviewed as part of the network trials which are currently being undertaken.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-32572 on 9 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Transport Scotland is working closely with Scottish Rail Holdings, who is responsible for overseeing ScotRail, to ensure that ScotRail services are delivered efficiently. This includes discussions on the regular monitoring of ScotRail financial performance and delivery.

I meet with Trade Union representatives on a regular basis to discuss all matters pertaining to Scotland’s Railway, including investment plans.

All overseas development assistance provided by the Scottish Government is guided by a rigorous process to ensure complete transparency and accountability focused on areas of need where Scotland’s aid can make an impact.

Following a review in 2021, and in consultation with our African partner country governments and civil society, the Scottish Government developed new thematic areas of focus directly aligned to the priorities of our partner country governments as set out in their respective development strategies. With a focus in particular on mitigating the impact on women and girls of the COVID-19 pandemic and reducing attainment gaps. As a part of this process, independent analysis and evidence papers were commissioned and published which underpin our two key larger areas of international development investment, namely the new health and inclusive education programming in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia. A key consideration has been how best to focus international development investment on sectors in which Scotland can provide added value through existing expertise in relevant subject areas.

As new projects have launched, the participatory design phase has enabled delivery partners to engage with a range of stakeholders to continue to understand their needs and to work with them to create effective programmes that deliver for communities and align with national sector plans. A key example of this is our new Women and Girls Fund, under our Equalities Programme, where women and girl led groups in our partner countries have designed the scope of the Fund, towards advancing gender equality in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia.

Since 2021, all new international development investment has been guided by the Scottish Government’s International Development Principles. This includes provisions for ensuring that the Scottish Government and our delivery partners are transparent and accountable to local communities and the general public in our partner countries and in Scotland; and that all of our work has appropriate safeguarding policies and practices in place. Ongoing strong monitoring and evaluation is a key consideration throughout programme management processes.

No, we have not assessed the impact of closing some international offices on Scotland’s ability to promote exports and attract investment.

The following table presents totals for (a) salaries, including overseas allowances, and (b) travel expenses for 2023-24.

Data on collisions which cause injury and take place on the road network, including adjacent pavements and cycle lanes, is collected by Police Scotland as part of the GB-wide dataset known as STATS19.

Within STATS19, vehicles involved in injury road collisions can be recorded as ‘bicycle’ or ‘electric motorcycle’. However, there is currently no systematic way of determining which of these vehicles would be described as illegal e-bikes.

The UK Government’s Department for Transport routinely produces estimates of the values assigned to the cost of road casualties and collisions in Great Britain for use in cost-benefit analysis of the prevention of road casualties and collisions in road schemes. However, as it is not possible to systematically identify collisions involving illegal e-bikes, it is not possible to use these figures to identify the costs of collisions involving illegal e-bikes.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

This information is held by Police Scotland.