Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has not held specific discussions regarding this matter, however we are in regular contact with the UK government to ensure that we can continue to support the sector. For example,the Oil and Gas and Energy Transition Strategic Leadership Group (SLG) which I co-chair has continued to be updated on the progress of the Energy Services Agreement by Trade Unions and industry at these meetings, most recently in December where I welcomed the progress by UNITE, RMT and GMB and the 15 employers on the Energy Services Agreement, noting that the number of signatories demonstrates the value of this agreement. I also directly encouraged businesses to discuss this with those who have signed up with a view of becoming part of the ESA recognising its longer term value to the UKCS in terms of providing transparency, certainty and stability for operators, supply chain companies and employees. A further update to the Group was provided at the last meeting of the SLG in February.

Railway Safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and regulated by the UK Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government has funded the determination of the ORR for the current regulatory control period. The determination provides an increase in 21% in the funding available to Network Rail for the safe operation, maintenance and renewal of the Scottish Railway network.

Network Rail is therefore responsible for maintaining and renewing the rail network in Scotland and as such Transport Scotland has no locus in these matters and does not hold information relating to the proportion of inspections and works undertaken in this regard.

Public consultation and engagement with stakeholders will be central to the development of the Islands Connectivity Plan and will be undertaken to assist with determining each island’s needs for future transport connectivity. This is anticipated to take place during 2021 and into 2022, with a view to finalising the Plan by the end of next year.

The performance and management fees due to Abellio ScotRail and Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited under the Emergency Measures Agreements (EMA) in place from April to September have been determined following a full financial reconciliation at the end of 2020. These payments form part of the current EMA payments which will be published on the Transport Scotland website in April 2021 after the current EMAs come to an end.

It is a matter of record that both Abellio and Serco have incurred significant losses from these franchises which remain far larger in scale than any possible management / performance payments.

Railway Safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and regulated by the UK Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government has funded the determination of the ORR for the current regulatory control period. The determination provides an increase in 21% in the funding available to Network Rail for the safe operation, maintenance and renewal of the Scottish Railway network.

Transport Scotland has not been provided with detailed information regarding particular asset inspections or impacts associated with weather related impacts as Network Rail is responsible for maintaining and renewing the rail network in Scotland, with railway safety being a reserved matter.

Following the Stonehaven rail accident on 12 August 2020 Transport Scotland received a copy of the Network Rail Interim Report in September 2020 and continues to press Network Rail in terms of improving resilience relating to climate change.

Railway Safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and regulated by the UK Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government has funded the determination of the ORR for the current regulatory control period. The determination provides an increase in 21% in the funding available to Network Rail for the safe operation, maintenance and renewal of the Scottish Railway network.

Network Rail is therefore responsible for the operation, maintenance and renewal work of Scotland’s rail network and it is the role of the ORR to monitor expenditure and the delivery of outputs on Scotland’s rail network. As such Transport Scotland does not hold this information.

The £1 billion cuts decision was taken by the UK Government for its funding of enhancements in England. This decision was taken without consultation with the Scottish Government and will therefore have no effect on current plans for protecting Network Rail infrastructure assets from weather-related impacts in Scotland.

Railway Safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government, and regulated by the UK Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government has funded the determination of the ORR for the current regulatory control period. The determination provides an increase in 21% in the funding available to Network Rail for the safe operation, maintenance and renewal of the Scottish Railway network.

The Scottish Government did not receive any information regarding the area around the Carmont site being an area of concern prior to the derailment in August 2020.

Further detail on the accident was made public by Network Rail in their Interim Report in September 2020. A key recommendation from that Report was to establish two GB wide Task Forces to examine the implications and detail future mitigations in respect of extreme weather and management of earthworks. Both Task Forces published their findings on 17 March 2021 and the Scottish Government is considering their conclusions.

While the Scottish Government seeks to promote our Fair Work Framework and fair work principles in respect of all ferry services for which we are responsible, we have not held specific, recent discussions with the UK Government regarding employment conditions for merchant seafarers working on ferry routes between Scotland and Northern Ireland, although we are aware, due to ongoing engagement with trade unions, of concerns that unions have on these matters.

Shipping safety, seafarer welfare and employment conditions are matters reserved to the UK Government. The Maritime Labour Convention came into force in the UK on 7 August 2014. It sets out the minimum working and living rights for seafarers with the onus on operators. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which is accountable to UK Ministers, is responsible for auditing vessels to ensure compliance.

The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety and crew welfare and employment conditions and for these to be applied in the case of those vessels and personnel accessing Scotland’s ports and coastal areas.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-36192 on 23 March 2021 . In addition, Transport Scotland is aware of the ongoing recovery works as a result of land slips in the Largs area which Network Rail advise are progressing well and to programme.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx