- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government in what ways it will ensure that the CalMac ferry fleet remains at a lower average age, following the delivery of the new ferries that have been ordered.
Answer
Our updated Vessels and Ports Plan was published on 1 February 2024 as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan. It sets a target average vessel age of around 15 years by the end of this decade. The delivery of the six new major CalMac vessels currently under construction, and an accompanying programme of disposals, will support this. Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd are now procuring seven new small vessels for CalMac. The Vessels and Ports Plan proposes a programme of further investments including vessel replacements for Mallaig-Lochboisdale, Gourock-Dunoon and Kilcreggan, Craignure-Oban, and the Northern Isles freighters.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered committing to ordering at least two ferries per year in order for CalMac to maintain a lower average age across its ferry fleet.
Answer
Our updated Vessels and Ports Plan was published on 1 February 2024 as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan. It sets out the recommended investment programme needed to maintain and safely operate the Clyde & Hebrides and Northern Isles ferry services networks and sets a target average vessel age of around 15 years by the end of this decade. This investment programme includes six new major vessels currently under construction and seven new small vessels now in procurement.
Individual project and programme business cases will continue to be considered through the Transport Scotland Investment Decision-Making process and in light of future Budget allocations.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much freight has been transported by CalMac vessels in each year since 2021, also broken down by (a) freight category, (b) freight item and (c) ferry route.
Answer
CalMac Ferries Limited (CFL) do not capture freight carryings by category or by freight item. They only capture the number of Commercial Vehicles carried and the number of Commercial Vehicle lane metres used. A table has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib Number 65382) that provides a breakdown, by individual routes and calendar year from 2021 up until 9 October 2024, detailing the total number of Commercial Vehicles carried and the total number of Commercial Vehicle lane metres used only.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates that it will receive in receipts from the UK Apprenticeship Levy in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answer
Since 2020-21 the Scottish Government has not received a specific allocation of the Apprenticeship Levy revenue. Scotland receives a Barnett Formula share of funding via the block grant in the usual way.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 31 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the impact of any so-called banking deserts on local communities within the Highlands and Islands region.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of the impact that branch closures are having on people in Scotland, particularly in rural areas and our island communities.
The regulation of financial services is reserved to the UK Government. In September the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed new powers to regulate access to cash. The FCA’s access to cash regime is data-led and outcomes focused, with flexibilities to accommodate different cash needs across local areas and changing cash usage trends. The new rules seek to reasonably address the local requirements of consumers and businesses and the FCA’s expectation is that assessment processes will adapt over time based on lessons learned, data analysis, and evolving need. The FCA has indicated that it will also seek to prevent unreasonable delays in the delivery of appropriate cash access solutions as well as costs to accessing services while maintaining assisted services where needed.
LINK, a not-for-profit organisation, has been named as the coordination body under the rules and automatically carries out an assessment when there is any change to cash services within a given community. LINK also have a community request scheme that allows local people and their elected representatives to request an access to cash review if they feel the current level of cash services in their area is insufficient. LINK have stated that they welcome input from elected representatives so that they can assure themselves that they have arrived at the correct decision for areas they have assessed.
In October 2024, In my role as Minister for Business, I convened a cross-party roundtable with representatives from across the financial services sector, including the FCA, to discuss the new rules and the impact on communities, businesses, and individuals. The FCA have set out their belief that the data they will collect under the new regime will provide a more informed view of access to cash provision across the UK. Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the regulator and relevant stakeholders to understand the impact of changes to banking provision across Scotland and to collaborate on ways to support communities who need it most.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding ordering a new vessel to serve the Sound of Harris ferry route, particularly during peak periods, in light of the reported demands on the current service, which is restricted by tides and daylight hours.
Answer
The updated Vessels and Ports Plan was published on 1 February 2024 as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan. This includes a plan to replace the current Sound of Harris vessel.
CMAL has commenced work on phase two of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme which includes a replacement vessel to serve the Sound of Harris route. Design work from phase one will be expanded upon with lessons learned applied to phase two. CMAL will shortly launch a procurement process to appoint a naval architect consultant to develop the concept design.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to speed up the approval process for the proposed Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale, in light of reports that the initial Lochboisdale Harbour Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) report was published in 2017 and the local community has been waiting since then for a replacement to this lifeline service.
Answer
Work is currently progressing with additional technical and economic studies, including ground investigation scoping, now underway by CMAL. It is vital that a robust business case is completed to refine the options, costs and risks, as well as outlining affordability and value for money, taking cognisance of the current fiscal challenges across the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30086 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 October 2024, whether it will provide details of the reasons why Funeral Support Payment applications were rejected in each year since 2021.
Answer
Social Security Scotland communicate the reasons why Funeral Support Payment applications are denied to applicants on an individual basis by letter. Applications can be denied if the client is not eligible or provides insufficient evidence to support their Funeral Support Payment application.
Social Security Scotland routinely publishes information on Funeral Support Payment including applications received, application outcomes and payments.
The latest statistics publication for this benefit can be found at: Social Security Scotland - Funeral Support Payment Statistics.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered allowing an exemption under section 10 of the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 for contract workers who require overnight accommodation.
Answer
Local authorities have the freedom to create exemptions and rebates at a local level to suit the needs and demands. When local government and the tourism sector have a strong consensus that there is a need for a specific exemption from the scope of a visitor levy, the Scottish Government will explore delivery in partnership with local government.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any discussions with CalMac regarding creating additional ferry fleet capacity during the 2024-25 winter timetable period, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.
Answer
Deployment of vessels is an operational matter for CalMac, who are looking again at options for the Winter timetabling light of current challenges with the ferry fleet.
Whilst we expect the operator to make full use of the available fleet, Scottish Ministers appreciate there have been ongoing technical issues with vessels in the fleet which have complicated these considerations.
As part of this it was agreed to extend the current charter of MV Alfred for a further 6 months, which has added much needed resilience.
As well as investing in new vessels our operators and CMAL also continue to scour the market for suitable additional tonnage.
