Committee
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee 17 February 2026 [Draft]
17 Feb 2026 · S6 · Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Item of business
Subordinate Legislation
National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026 [Draft]
It is not about a personal passion of mine; it is about the perception out there in the country. There are many people, particularly women and girls and marginalised people, who do not feel safe on the bus. What I am getting at with the message of zero tolerance is not about us just talking about it in rooms such as this; it is about how the Government gets that message out there. With all the partners that you work with, minister, how will you get it out there loudly and clearly?We have to deal with the instrument that is in front of us. I have sat in rooms in the Parliament with the minister, cross-party colleagues, bus operators and the police when there has been a genuine request to the minister to act in an urgent manner. Sadly, I do not think that we have seen that today, but we are where we are.I want to ask about the right to review. If someone who has been told that they can no longer have their bus pass because of their conduct can ask for a review or an appeal, what criteria will Transport Scotland look at? In what situation could someone who is a violent killer or someone who has sexually assaulted women and girls on a bus be successful with that appeal?
In the same item of business
The Convener
Con
Welcome back. Item 3 is consideration of two draft Scottish statutory instruments. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee has made no comment on eithe...
The Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity (Jim Fairlie)
SNP
Thank you, convener. I will start with the draft National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No 2) Order 2026. The order giv...
The Convener
Con
Are you going to talk about the other order at the same time?
Jim Fairlie
SNP
The two Scottish statutory instruments are completely different. They are not linked.
The Convener
Con
I understand that. We will take a decision on them later. I am happy to go to questions on both instruments, if you would like to do it that way, minister. I...
Jim Fairlie
SNP
If we could deal with the first order first.
The Convener
Con
Let us keep it simple. I agree.Turning first to the concessionary travel one, I ask you to help me. The two concessionary fare schemes amount to about £468.6...
Gary McIntyre (Transport Scotland)
The level of reimbursement is £468.6 million, as you say. The additional £3 million or £4 million will be related to the operational costs of running the sch...
The Convener
Con
That is £4 million.
Gary McIntyre
Yes.
The Convener
Con
That seems quite a large figure, does it not? Who gets that £4 million? Is it bus operators, for running the scheme, on top of the tickets? I am now totally ...
Monica Lennon
Lab
No—I might have misheard. Is this about the operational costs—the costs of running the scheme?
The Convener
Con
Yes.
Monica Lennon
Lab
So—
The Convener
Con
We have not had an answer yet. I am trying to work out who gets that £4 million.
Gary McIntyre
On the reimbursement figure, which is the money that goes to the operators for carrying passengers on the scheme, there are additional costs for administerin...
The Convener
Con
So, it goes to the operators for all the back-office-run things.
Gary McIntyre
No—
The Convener
Con
If it does not go to the operators, does it go to the Government? Is it a Government expense, for all the civil servants running the scheme?
Gary McIntyre
It is a Transport Scotland expense for running the scheme itself.
The Convener
Con
It seems quite a large sum.
Monica Lennon
Lab
This is an interesting place to start. The £4 million is effectively the cost of running the scheme, so that people can have their concessionary travel cards...
Gary McIntyre
Staffing costs will be part of it. I cannot confirm whether £4 million is the figure for this part of the scheme, but there is money allocated in the budget ...
Monica Lennon
Lab
The minister perhaps knows the answer.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
If the committee would like a breakdown of what that is, I will have officials send that on to the committee.
The Convener
Con
That would be jolly helpful, as £4 million seems quite a large amount of money. It would be nice to know where it is going.Sorry—please continue, Monica.
Monica Lennon
Lab
It is disappointing that we cannot get clarity on that just now, given that the minister is here with four officials.
Jim Fairlie
SNP
That figure is 1 per cent of the cost of the entire scheme. It may sound like a large figure in its own right, but a hell of a lot of work goes on behind the...
The Convener
Con
I think that that would be helpful. Percentage figures often hide the true cost. We are talking about £4 million. It might be only 1 per cent, but £4 million...
Bob Doris
SNP
It would be helpful if the committee could compare like for like. It is probably not something to discuss this morning, but, when you come back to the commit...