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Transport Scotland has been engaged, and will continue to be engaged, with key stakeholders prior, during and subsequent to the timetable consultation for May 2022 to seek to secure its preferred service pattern for Reston station namely up to eight daily direct services in each direction between Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Police management information, while a useful tool, should be used with caution. These are not official statistics and should not be taken as indicative of longer term trends. Due to the exceptional circumstances of the last year, caution is even more necessary when considering the information for 2020-21, as a rise in complaints and neighbour disputes in relation to potential breaches of COVID-19 restrictions are included.

Measuring change in antisocial behaviour over time is best done using population-based measures and all the evidence points towards a long-term, sustained reduction in Scotland. For example, the Scottish Crime & Justice Survey shows the proportion of adults who feel people behave in an antisocial manner in their area has fallen from 46% in 2008-09 to 33% in 2019-20 (with no change identified between 2018-19 and 2019-20).

We remain committed to tackling all forms of antisocial behaviour while recognising the progress made and will continue to work with partners to deliver the best outcomes for communities.

The Scottish Government is working constructively and collaboratively with the Law Society of Scotland, the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association and representatives of several bar associations to co-design and deliver a wide range of measures in recognition of the important role in the Justice system of vital legal aid services in Scotland as we emerge and recover from the pandemic.

As well as delivering the first stage of an uplift to legal aid fees of more than 10% over the next two years, the Scottish Government is providing up to £1 million over the next 2 years to support 40 legal aid traineeship posts. The Legal Aid Traineeship fund will increase the capacity and capability of the legal aid profession in Scotland by providing employment and training opportunities. The funding also aims to increase diversity and equality within the legal profession by the recruitment and retention of trainees from under-represented groups across the legal profession including people with a disability, from minority ethnic communities or from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

We are always ready and willing to listen to those tackling antisocial behaviour directly in our communities – they have the knowledge and expertise and we value their views. In our regular discussions with Police Scotland and local authorities on these issues, there have been no calls for the Scottish Government to consider an increase in the level of Fixed Penalty Notice for antisocial behaviour.

We therefore have no current plans to increase the penalty. Any proposed increase would have to be carefully considered to ensure the change was effective, proportionate and avoided unintended consequences.

The Scottish Government has awarded grants totalling £2,235,789 from the Coronavirus Resilience and Recovery Fund for Legal Aid (CRRF). Applications from 84 firms and law centres have been approved and 1 grant is pending subject to a recalculation of award, which is now in the process of being concluded.

The total number of applicants who did not meet the criteria for funding is 195 and is broken down into the following categories:

1. The applicant’s legal aid income did not meet the criteria – 22 applications.

2. No shortfall in applicant’s income was calculated compared with casework prior to pandemic, against the criteria for funding – 124 applications.

3. Applicants demonstrated no shortfall in expected fee income, against the criteria for funding, and have been or will be paid other forms of government support in excess of this sum - 49 applications.

Scottish Ministers made a commitment to keep the CRRF under review and have worked in collaboration with the Law Society for Scotland, the Bar Associations and the Scottish Solicitors’ Bar Association on the co-design and eligibility criteria of a new fund.

An announcement by the Scottish Government was made on 4 August 2021 to launch a new £6.7 million Legal Aid Business Support and Recovery Fund, in support of the Government’s Renew, Recover and Transform Programme which aims to deliver a wide range of measures in recognition of the important role in the Justice system of vital legal aid services in Scotland as we emerge and recover from the pandemic.

As set out in the Draft Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment, which was published on 20 June in conjunction with the consultation paper on the introduction of new legislation on the sale and use of fireworks in Scotland, and tackling the misuse of pyrotechnics Police Scotland has been a key driver in requesting the proposed offence and related stop and search power for pyrotechnics.

The new offence provisions will require Police Scotland to refresh their guidance on stop and search and pyrotechnics that is currently in place for their officers. Police Scotland has confirmed that there will be no additional resources required. Similar powers already exist for a person having an offensive weapon or dangerous instrument with them in a public place without reasonable excuse or lawful authority and it is anticipated that the proposed new offence will be enforced in a similar manner. In due course it is hoped that the new offence and stop and search power for pyrotechnics will make our communities safer and reduce public disorder thereby reducing the number of police operations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01865 on
‎ 18 August 2021. 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

As per the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance, it is the responsibility of the developer to submit a business case to Transport Scotland for consideration. This will ensure the evidenced based transport challenges are appropriately addressed for the village of Winchburgh and beyond. Transport Scotland is available to offer support and guidance on the business case process.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01865 on
‎ 18 August 2021. 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

In keeping with past practice the Scottish Government has no plans to publish the names of the poets on the confidential shortlist for this role.

This protects those poets who, once nominated by the expert panel, were asked and agreed, to take part in this process.