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Since 2016, all media training for Ministers or civil servants has been provided by Scottish Government Communications Division staff at no additional cost. Executive Agencies are responsible for their own training provision and information is not held centrally.

Since 2016, all media training has been carried out internally by staff in the Scottish Government Communications Division at no additional cost. Through the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, all requests for information related to media training, including expenditure, are published on the Scottish Government’s website. Executive Agencies are responsible for their own training provision and information is not held centrally.

Enforcement of road traffic offences is the independent responsibility of Police Scotland. Alongside general enforcement activity by Police Scotland, there is also the operation of safety cameras in some stretches of trunk roads.

The Scottish Safety Camera Programme supports enforcement through national operational prioritisation and deployment of safety camera resources in accordance with the Scottish Safety Camera Programme Handbook. Safety Camera enforcement locations can be found at Safety Camera Locations — Police Scotland Safety Cameras.

Average speed cameras on the A90 became operational over a 51 mile stretch between Dundee-Stonehaven in Oct 2017, including 15 cameras in each direction. Prior to their installation 3 in 5 drivers were exceeding the speed limit on the A90, that is now 1 in 100.

As part of wider catering provision in Scottish Government buildings, a catering contract is in-place to ensure value for money for taxpayers. In-line with Scottish Government spending controls, visitor hospitality is only provided in limited circumstances.

Robust contract management arrangements are in place and this includes an annual review of tariffs and costs which are scrutinised by an independent catering specialist to ensure costs are in-line with industry standards and the Consumer Price Index.

A breakdown of flags purchased since 2017 is shown in the table below. The Scottish Government does not hold information on flag purchases prior to 2017.

The Scottish Government has 8 flag poles of the following lengths:

59 ft (18m) x 2; 56 ft (17m) x 2; and 48 ft (14.6m) x 4

We do not hold any information on specific maintenance costs associated with these poles.

Railway safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government and responsibility for this lies with Office of Rail and Road who provides guidance to railway operators.

There are no recorded instances of national flags being stolen or wilfully damaged in the last 15 years.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34287 on 27 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

There are a total of 24,910 cat's eyes (road studs) on the A90. Of these 24, 273 are located north of Dundee and 637 south of Dundee.