Chamber and committees

This is an operational matter for ScotRail in negotiation with its staff through established collective bargaining arrangements.

I understand that established rest day working agreements remain in place for all ScotRail operational staff. The exceptional supplementary arrangements for Ticket Examiners and Conductors came to an end following successful recruitment, training and deployment of some 140 additional staff.

Similarly, 160 new drivers have been recruited, but Covid safety restrictions governing training in driving cabs have prevented their full training and deployment and therefore the exceptional supplementary arrangements remain in place until their training and deployment can be completed.

The construction of the A77 Maybole Bypass project is progressing well and is anticipated to be complete in winter 2021 as confirmed in the Infrastructure Investment Plan update published in December 2020.

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

The cause of the breakdown remains subject to ongoing investigation. It would be inappropriate to comment further until that investigation is complete.

In relation to short term issues, we are actively exploring opportunities for chartering additional tonnage, including consideration of the suitability of the MV Pentalina and looking at other credible, affordable and viable options to improve resilience.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00322 on 16 June 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

It was Transport Scotland’s intention to publish the Emergency Measures Agreements 1 (March – September 2020) performance and management fee values for (a) Abellio ScotRail and (b) Serco Caledonian Sleepers Ltd in April 2021.

However, due to the pre-election period this was not possible and Transport Scotland now intend to publish this information in due course upon completion of an appropriate diligence process to establish the correct contractual amounts.

Arrangements are being put in place to establish the new Council for Economic Transformation, which will shape and drive our 10 year National Strategy for Economic Transformation. We have already publicly committed to do this within the our first 100 days and we will update with regard to progress, including how it interacts with other advisory groups such as the Council for Economic Advisers, shortly.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is aware that Ivermectin, administered orally, is being studied for safety and efficacy in numerous clinical trials worldwide. This includes an exploratory study being conducted within the UK: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04632706 . Potential new therapeutic approaches to COVID-19 are being tested through the UK-wide platform trials, including RECOVERY, PRINCIPLE and REMAP CAP. These trials are active in Scotland and the Scottish Government is closely monitoring the outcomes of these to ensure medicines with the greatest impact in treating COVID-19 are available for patients in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to implementing a new centre of excellence for rural and remote medicine and social care, and will work with a wide range of stakeholders to develop more detailed plans for this centre and associated timescales for delivery.

Transport Scotland (TS) and the Scottish Government Islands Team meet regularly with elected members and officers of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to discuss a range of ferries issues including future planning and have also engaged on the Comhairle's Local Transport Strategy. The Comhairle were also a partner in a recent study, commissioned and funded by TS, of future options for ferry services to, from and within the Outer Hebrides. The Comhairle has produced a paper setting out proposals for ferry service improvements and future vessel investments and an initial meeting to discuss this with government officials has been arranged.