Network Rail is currently assessing the options identified for delivering the required capacity enhancements and journey time savings between Aberdeen and the central belt. When the most effective options have been selected in alignment with available funding, it will then be possible to compile a detailed plan for delivering the project and to spend the remaining budget .

The Scottish Government funds the Energy Saving Trust to deliver a sustainable energy supply chain programme to help develop capacity amongst installers. This initiative provides support and training in low and zero emissions heating technology installations, webinars and events as well as support for training costs which we deliver in partnership with the Energy Skills Partnership.

Information about procurement opportunities related to our fuel poverty programmes is published on the Public Contracts Scotland website. The Scottish Government and local authorities responsible for delivery of our Area Based Schemes also participate in regular “Meet the Buyer” events organised by the Supplier Development Programme (SDP).

As made clear in the Scottish Government’s Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan published last year, electrification offers clear advantages over other rail decarbonisation technologies for both passenger and freight services on busy main line routes, such as the Central Belt to Aberdeen routes.

Delivery and development work for Scotland’s enviable rolling programme of electrification proceeds apace, and the plans for future phases will be announced in due course, consistent with the wider Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 Process.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) are the Scottish Government's vessel asset owning company.

CMAL conduct regular and rigorous worldwide searches across the available vessel charter and sale markets.

(a) Transport Scotland is progressing the commitment to deliver the decarbonisation of Scotland’s railway by 2035. (b) As confirmed in answer‎ S6W-01654 on 16 August 2021, Network Rail is to undertake ground investigation and survey works of the Edinburgh to Aberdeen route during autumn 2021. These works will help determine the appropriate decarbonisation solution which will in turn help inform the programme. Network Rail will only then be in the position to undertake an efficient procurement process which delivers value for money.

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

This is a matter for Angus Council as the A90 Montrose link road is a local road project being taken forward by the Council.

The construction of the A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement project is continuing to progress well. It remains that completion is anticipated in winter 2021 as confirmed in the latest Infrastructure Investment Plan update published in June 2021.

This date is subject to any unforeseen circumstances such as the effects of exceptional weather.

Heating engineers are vital to the success of our Heat in Building Strategy which sets out how we will achieve our Net Zero Emissions in Scottish buildings by 2045. Ensuring heating engineers are sufficiently trained in the repair and installation of zero emissions heating are a key part of this. Our support for this includes:

• A doubling of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund to £20m - enabling employers to access up to £15,000 each to address skills gaps in their workforce. This fund is available to all Scottish employers, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

• Providing funding to support apprentices with zero emissions heat skills with 95 apprentices applying for funding across five Scottish colleges.
‎• Funding zero emissions training equipment (e.g. heat pumps) for colleges in the north of Scotland to ensure pan-Scotland training provision (colleges in the south of Scotland have benefited from Scottish Power’s Green Economy Fund). By the end of this financial year there will be 13 training centres - including the North East Scotland College (currently installing their equipment) - across Scotland covering repair and maintenance of heat pumps.

In addition, we have also been working with industry, the sector skills bodies and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to develop skill requirements for zero emission technologies that will help professionalise the sector and provide career pathways for young people. We have also set up an independent group to provide recommendations to Scottish Ministers on the potential scope and content of a heat pump sector deal with an interim report published in June and we will respond to final version once published.

Finally, we are working hard to unlock workforce investment by driving up the demand for products and services in the zero emissions heat and energy efficiency sector. This includes investing almost £1.8bn to build upon, expand and improve our heat and energy efficiency funding programmes over the next five years, and a proposed framework of regulations to require action from building owners.

The Scottish Government, through the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Loan and Cashback scheme, provides interest-free loans with up to 75% cashback grant funding for homeowners to replace fossil-fuel heating systems such as gas with low or zero emissions heating systems such as heat pumps alongside insulation measures.

To further support households to make their homes greener, we provide:

• free, impartial advice through Home Energy Scotland, including specialist home renewables advice;
• HES loans with up to 40% cashback for energy efficiency measures;
• the Green Homes Network which allows households to find out about the experience of others who have already installed measures; and
• the Renewable Installer Finder Tool which helps households find installers and suppliers in their area.

Under the HES Loan and Cashback scheme, homeowners can borrow up to £17,500 for a total of two renewables measures. If applying for a heat pump, then a maximum of up to £10,000 is available (either air source to water, ground source to water, water source to water or hybrid air source to water (£2,500 loan & £7,500 cashback)).

These advice and support schemes can be accessed through Home Energy Scotland, managed on behalf of Scottish Government by the Energy Saving Trust.

Our Position Statement, published in November 2020, confirmed that we expect National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) to contribute to meeting our target of net-zero emissions within an overarching goal of addressing climate change. The draft NPF4, which will be laid in the Scottish Parliament this autumn, will set out a draft spatial strategy and proposed national planning policies to achieve this.