Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with management at the Dalzell steelworks. We have been advised that the restart of operations is in progress and that they have confidence that the contract with Navantia to provide steel for the Fleet Solid Support Ship Programme will be fulfilled.

Transport Scotland has yet to commence discussions with Glasgow City Council regarding the Clyde Tunnel.

These discussions will help inform the development of a range of options on how the manifesto offer to “take on responsibility for the maintenance of the Clyde Tunnel, freeing around £1 million of cost to the local authority…”, could practicably be delivered. This work will also consider responsibilities for discharging statutory duties and likely cost of these options.

As announced in Parliament on 03 March 2026, CMAL, as Procuring Authority for the MV Lord of The Isles replacement project, will follow the industry standard two stage competitive procurement. Following the initial SPD stage, qualifying shipyards able to bid for the contract. Scottish Ministers play no part in the procurement process.

Also announced on 03 March was our intention to direct award vessels from the next phase of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme to Ferguson Marine as part of a wider suite of publicly funded vessel projects, subject to the necessary due diligence and processes.

Whilst we cannot comment on a live procurement, CMAL have previously stated the questions in the SPDS (Single Procurement Document Scotland) for the vessel replacement have been designed to ensure the best outcome for island communities.

This is an operational matter for ScotRail. The Member may wish to contact ScotRail directly for this information.

The complexity of rail network management and maintenance would not currently allow night-time ScotRail operations on Scotland’s railway network, including between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is still at an early stage in developing its franchising framework and assessment. It is important that their business case for improving bus services through franchising is made robustly and in an evidenced based way to support any future consideration of funding. Decisions on the allocations of Scottish Government funding in future years is subject to the annual Budget Bill process.

We are committed to investing £4 million in 2026-27 to support local transport authorities to build their business cases for local bus improvements through franchising. We want all local transport authorities to explore the powers available to them and make the necessary improvements as they see fit. Work on the appropriate governance arrangements is continuing to help administer this fund.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00406 on 2 June 2026. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00406 on 2 June 2026. 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.

The Scottish Government is committed to providing support to the City of Glasgow to complete the refurbishment of the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens to see them reopened to the public. We are currently awaiting an update regarding the restoration project which will inform a decision on what support is needed, as well as a revised timescales for reopening.