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The capital costs associated with Carbon Contracts will be paid for from the Environment and Forestry Directorate’s budget. It will not impact upon the Peatland Action budget in this financial year.

The recently published Strategic Approach of the Islands Connectivity Plan sets Accessibility as one of four priorities for future ferry services and identifies a number of actions to support the delivery of this priority, including development of a Ferries Accessibility Standard and reopening of the Ferries Accessibility Fund.

Carbon Contracts are to be piloted as part of the Peatland ACTON programme. All projects will be required to meet Peatland ACTION quality criteria. Scottish Government has not undertaken modelling to estimate the exact impact of the Carbon Contracts pilot on levels of peatland restoration and CO2 emissions reductions. The pilot itself will play a key role in assessing the potential impact of the Carbon Contracts mechanism on rates of peatland restoration.

Both NorthLink Ferries and CalMac Ferries offer concessionary fares for disabled passengers who hold a National Entitlement Card or equivalent. Disabled passengers living in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport region are eligible for discounted ferry travel if they live on an island or peninsula and hold a Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Ferry Card. Any local authority ferry services with fares for disabled passengers are set independently from Scottish Government concessionary fares.

Additionally, all eligible island residents living in Orkney, Shetland, North Ayrshire, Highland, Argyll and Bute and Eilean Siar council areas receive 4 free single ferry journeys per year to or from the mainland, as part of the Scottish Government’s ferries concessionary voucher scheme.

All concessionary fares for disabled passengers are listed on the corresponding local authority, CalMac or NorthLink websites. The Scottish Government concessionary fares are listed on the Transport Scotland website.

We have already implemented a substantial element of what is being asked, for those aged under 22, and this was announced at the time with extensive media coverage and announced to Parliament. These measures have been developed after careful consideration from the Island Connectivity Plan and Fairs Fare Review consultation. There are no immediate plans to extend these very positive measures which will help young people and their families facing cost of living pressures.

Northern Isles:

Extension of free ferry vouchers for 19-21 implemented from 23 June 2025

CHFS - Western Isles:

Under 22 free inter island ferry fares implemented from 1 April 2025

Extension of free ferry vouchers for 19-21 implemented from 23 June 2025

Other CHFS routes:

Extension of free ferry vouchers for 19-21 implemented from 23 June 2025

Guidance on the criteria for use in determining which projects will be awarded a Carbon Contract as part of the Carbon Contract pilot will be published on the NatureScot website in July.

Applications will be assessed by NatureScot and will align with processes for the 2026-2027 Peatland Action funding round.

External consultancy services will not be utilised for this process.

The Island Connectivity and Vessel and Ports Plan outlines our investment in new vessels and port and harbour projects that have been delivered within Phase 1 period of 2021-2026 reference to pages 11, 12 and 22 of the VPP.

Whilst we would have liked to have made more progress given the long lead-times for vessel and port projects, it was always known that a number of these projects would require further funding for construction beyond the five-year period of the IIP.

This is a matter for Orkney Islands Council.

However, through the work of the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force, the Scottish Government has been pleased to support this trial and welcomes the recent arrival of Orkney’s first zero emission ferry.

This is a matter for Orkney Islands Council.

However, through the work of the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force, the Scottish Government has been supporting the Orkney Islands Council in the preparation of its business case for fleet replacement.

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks. Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we will continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible.

The debris flow shelter, announced as the preferred route option in June 2023, has the greatest potential to be delivered quickly and was the most economical solution of all the options assessed, and is being progressed. Draft Orders and Environmental Impact Assessments for both the medium and long term solutions were published in December 2024 marking a significant milestone and shows our commitment to tackle the landslide issues at the Rest and Be Thankful.

Transport Scotland is considering all representations received, including objections, to the published draft Orders and is working at pace to resolve these if possible. If it is not possible to resolve objections a Public Local Inquiry may be required to consider objections received and not withdrawn.

The Scottish Government is duty bound to properly follow the correct statutory procedures which rightly include the opportunity for local communities to input and have any objections resolved appropriately.

As with all infrastructure projects, delivery of the scheme can only commence if approved under the relevant statutory authorisation procedures and thereafter a timetable for procurement and construction phases can be set.

The link to the website can be found here: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/design-manual-for-roads-and-bridges-dmrb-stage-two-route-options-assessment-report-a83-access-to-argyll-and-bute/.