Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-00822

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the impact that chartering the MV Pentalina from Pentland Ferries has had on industrial relations at CalMac.

To improve the resilience of ferry services serving island and remote mainland communities, we are exploring opportunities for chartering additional tonnage including the temporary time charter of the MV Pentalina. Industrial relations are a matter for CalMac Ferries Ltd, its employees and the recognised trades unions. I understand discussions have been taking place between CalMac and its local Union representatives on these matters.

Question reference: S6W-00821

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) domestic, (b) UK and (c) international shipowners Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd has contacted since January 2020, in pursuit of additional tonnage to increase resilience and capacity on Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

Question reference: S6W-00820

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) value and (b) full potential duration is of the time charter agreement that it has signed with Pentland Ferries Ltd for the MV Pentalina, for services on contracted Clyde and Hebrides routes.

Question reference: S6W-00794

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd is actively considering a tender for the new national flagship vessel that was recently announced by the UK Government, and which will be procured via Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), given that a design competition is to be started soon and that the contractor will be determined by September 2021.

Question reference: S6W-00829

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it has received from the UK Government that the (a) MV Pentalina, and (b) MV Alfred are safe to operate on ferry routes in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-00824

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) passenger and (b) vehicle carrying capacity is of vessels that are leased by CalMac, on routes where the MV Pentalina has been time chartered to provide relief capacity.

The maximum passenger and vehicle carrying capacity of the vessels in the CalMac fleet that normally operate the routes they will consider deploying the MV Pentalina on, if chartered, are detailed in the following table.

Vessel	Passenger Capacity	Vehicle Capacity **	Deck Space (metres)
MV Caledonian Isles	1,000	92 cars	150 m
MV Coruisk *	249	35 cars	70 m
MV Isle of Arran *	447	55 cars	103 m
MV Isle of Mull	951	66 cars	150 m
MV Loch Seaforth	700	130 cars	372 m
MV Finlaggan	550	79 cars	180 m
MV Herbridean Isles	465	60 cars	125 m

* Summer timetable only

** Maximum capacity for cars, this can vary dependant on operational requirements and if mezzanine deck is deployed (where applicable)

In accordance with Scottish Government guidance for transport, allowing 1 metre physical distancing, passenger capacity is currently below the figures quoted.

Question reference: S6W-00834

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to establish a Green Jobs Workforce Academy.

As set out in Scotland’s Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP - December, 2020) the Scottish Government is working with SDS, agencies, skills providers, industry and independent experts to design a Green Jobs Workforce Academy capable of supporting the retraining and upskilling interventions needed for the transition to net zero. As part of the 100 day manifesto commitment, phase 1 of the Green Jobs Workforce Academy will be launched by 26 August 2021.

Question reference: S6W-00777

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has budgeted for the nationalisation of ScotRail.

Question reference: S6W-00827

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the ticketing arrangements will be on the MV Pentalina, should it be deployed as a relief for the CalMac fleet, and whether the Road Equivalent Tariff will continue to apply to passenger fares in those circumstances.

Question reference: S6W-00816

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to figures recording that 85.19% of people from Angus who were referred to the Fair Start Scotland (FSS) programme did not remain in work for more than six months and, in light of this, what action it is taking to address reported concerns that the FSS scheme in the county is not adequately resourced.