Seòmar agus comataidhean

Thank you, minister.

I will move on from capital to revenue for my next question. With regard to the budget for next year, the network support grant is 11 per cent less than it was for 2023-24, and the rate per kilometre travelled is not being increased either. How do you justify reducing support for the provision of bus services when, as we all agree, increased bus travel is vital for us to meet our climate change targets?

Can I just clarify whether it is the case that there was not really the demand for the bus partnership fund from local authorities, or whether projects were coming forward but the Government has just chosen not to spend that money in that area next year?

Just to clarify for my understanding, the money is being reduced for the network support grant because we have fewer buses and fewer routes. Is that a fair comment?

I will be brief.

During the questioning, the bus lanes in Aberdeen city were mentioned. People, sometimes, think that I am against them, but I am not—I am against the way in which they were done. When we introduce, say, bus priority measures, it should happen after full consultation with businesses and residents in the area. In Aberdeen, those regulations came forward as experimental traffic orders. To be fair, it probably meant that the Scottish Government was spending a substantial amount of money on a scheme that had not got long-term approval and that the money could therefore have been wasted.

I want to put that on the record, because it is often mentioned that I am not in favour of these things. That is not the case—I just think that it was not done in the correct way.

Thank you, convener, for reminding me. I remind everyone that, at the start of the session, I was a councillor on Aberdeen City Council.

Before we move on, Paul, you mentioned that the engagement was not there at the start of the process but that it has improved. Is that now fixed or could the Government do more to improve engagement as we go through the process?

Dr Walton, I will come to you on the same question, because you mentioned that the previous strategy maybe did not have a set of SMART targets.

Ailsa, do you have anything to add? [Interruption.]

So, you think that we still have a good way to go with mainstreaming.

My first question is in two parts. First, do you feel that you have been engaged in the development of the plan and has it been meaningful engagement? Secondly, do you feel that the plan takes into account the potential socioeconomic impacts of the proposed actions? I will ask Caroline Brown to go first, because she is nearest to me, and then we will probably move around the table.