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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 12 March 2025
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Displaying 1986 contributions

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Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

Okay.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Great British Energy Bill

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

You have spoken a bit about a good and evolving relationship with the Scottish Government. When the acting cabinet secretary was in front of us last week, we got the impression that there has been change and that things are more positive. Inevitably, however, there will be policy differences. You have acknowledged that, under the devolution settlement, it is inevitable that there will be differences.

I am interested to know how you might manage those differences. Within the remit of GB Energy, there is a commitment to work with Great British Nuclear. You will understand the Scottish Government’s position on nuclear in national planning framework 4. Does that cause you a problem? We have two different energy policies: one that explicitly rejects nuclear in Scotland, and the policy of your Government, which is about promoting nuclear and using GB Energy and Great British Nuclear to provide support for that. Is that a problem?

11:45  

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Great British Energy Bill

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

In effect, GB Energy will take its direction from the Administration in the jurisdiction that it is working in, and there will not be any kind of mission creep in its work. Therefore, we will not get GB Energy officials in Scotland talking about nuclear. Is that what you are saying? There clearly is not a route to developing nuclear power in Scotland under the current planning legislation, but GB Energy might take a different view.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

I will be very brief. Obviously, the public charging network is hugely important, but it is very expensive to use. The cheapest way to charge your EV is at home with a night-time tariff; it is a fraction of the cost of using the public network, and I suspect that that is where the majority of people will want to charge their EVs from day to day. What provision is there in the budget to support householders to introduce EV technology, including ways of allowing them to get across pavements to their vehicles and charging points?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

There has been a welcome increase in the road safety budget this year. I want to understand which particular projects will be focused on for local authorities to bid into. I am interested in certainty in investment from that fund for 20 mph zones and some other work that might happen at local council level but is nationwide.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

Okay, but I think that £500 million was set out originally. We are way short of that—we are just talking about tens of millions, tops.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

You have commitments around the A9 and sections of the A96 as well, which are an enormous pressure.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

You are saying that the community bus fund will continue in some form or another. That is revenue. You also mentioned the bus partnership fund. However, there has only been about 5.8 per cent of the initial £500 million that was promised during this session. Can you give us some clarity as to whether that will meet the aspirations of councils to get buses moving quicker and avoid congestion within our towns and cities?

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

I want to go back to concessionary travel. Obviously, the under-22s scheme has been hugely successful. I think that the majority of people getting on the bus on my own rural bus route are under 22 and are probably making journeys that they would not be making unless they had the card. However, it is a big investment in private companies—I am just looking at the reimbursement rates. For the older and disabled persons scheme, the rate is about 55 per cent of an adult fare; for the young persons scheme, it is 81 per cent of an adult fare.

Private bus companies are carrying passengers—young people—who probably otherwise would not be travelling, yet they are getting 81 per cent of an adult fare paid to them. Given the amount of money that we are spending on both concessionary travel schemes, which is substantial, that feels almost like profiteering by the bus companies. It does not feel like a reimbursement; it feels like quite a hefty subsidy is being paid to the private companies to carry passengers who otherwise would not be travelling.

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Budget Scrutiny 2025-26

Meeting date: 21 January 2025

Mark Ruskell

You mentioned the fair fares review earlier, cabinet secretary. The review set out some longer-term options for where we go with concessionary travel and investment. Some short-term measures were identified as well, including a pilot for a cap on bus fares. Is that reflected in the budget? If it is not, what options are there to bring that forward, and when will that happen?