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: S4W-08559

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 July 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what annual subsidy is payable to Argyll Ferries in respect of the six-year public service obligation contract for a passenger-only service between Gourock and Dunoon.

Please see the information in the following table:-

Contract year (July-June)	Grant (£)	Fuel Cost (£)
2011-12	1,166,626	436,197
2012-13	1,215,330	tbc
2013-14	1,417,344	tbc
2014-15	1,427,512	tbc
2015-16	1,428,332	tbc
2016-17	1,473,386	tbc

In addition, Argyll Ferries Ltd received £141,991 in start-up costs in Year 1.

Fuel costs, for a quantity of fuel fixed by the contract, are determined around the start of each contract year in line with the price at that time.

Question reference: S4W-08560

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 July 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what subsidy payments were made to Argyll Ferries in respect of the public service obligation contract for a passenger-only service between Gourock and Dunoon between July 2011 and June 2012.

Question reference: S4W-08558

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 July 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the scope of work prepared for the proposed feasibility study into ferry services between Gourock and Dunoon.

Question reference: S4W-08562

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 July 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 July 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how many foot passengers have used the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service in each of the last four years, broken down by month.

Numbers of foot passengers using the Government-subsidised Gourock-Dunoon ferry service are set out in the following table.

Until 29 June 2011, a vehicle and passenger ferry service was provided by Cowal Ferries Ltd. Since 30 June 2011, a passenger-only ferry service has been provided by Argyll Ferries Ltd. The figures for Cowal Ferries are for foot passengers only and exclude vehicle drivers and passengers.

	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
Quarter 1 (July- September)	116,683	114,374	107,035	111,292
Quarter 2 (October - December)	92,539	88,722	83,625	75,171
Quarter 3 (January - March)	86,362	85,728	80,928	79,470
Quarter 4 (April - June)	101,253	97,302	88,502	Not yet available

For reasons of commercial confidentiality, David MacBrayne Ltd, the parent company of Argyll Ferries Ltd, does not publish monthly carryings information.

Equivalent figures for the Western Ferries service between McInroy's Point and Hunters Quay are not publicly available.

Question reference: S4W-07535

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 27 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) travel expenses and (b) subsistence costs have been incurred by its officials in relation to the Scottish Ferries Review and draft ferries plan since 2008.

Travel expenses and subsistence costs incurred by Transport Scotland officials in relation to all ferry-related business since 2008 amount to approximately £100,000. Ferries officials make regular visits to those communities that rely on ferry services throughout the year to engage with stakeholders. Some of these costs will be associated with the Draft Ferries Plan presentations offered to all Local Authorities and, on request, to Ferry User Groups and other associated organisations. These presentations took place throughout February and March this year and regularly involved travel over multiple days and for long distances throughout Scotland.

It is not possible to provide details of the separate Ferries Review and Draft Ferries Plan costs.

Question reference: S4F-00811

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 June 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 June 2012

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on charging shoppers five pence per plastic carrier bag.

Question reference: S4W-07619

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the Scottish Agricultural College Rural Policy Centre’s report, Rural Scotland in Focus 2012.

Question reference: S4W-07622

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Scottish Agricultural College Rural Policy Centre’s report, Rural Scotland in Focus 2012, identifying Campbeltown as one of the most vulnerable towns, whether it will make (a) securing a ferry link between Campbeltown and the Ayrshire coast and (b) increasing air services between Campbeltown and elsewhere a higher priority.

The Draft Ferries Plan, published on 21 December 2011, included a proposal for a new ferry service between Campbeltown, via Arran, to Ardrossan or Troon. The community was asked for their views. These proposals would be dependent on proposals going forward for other parts of the network. The consultation closed on 30 March and all responses will be fully considered before final decisions are made. A final Ferries Plan will be published later in 2012.

The existing Public Service Obligation contract for air services from Campbeltown Airport ends in March 2013. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting air services from Campbeltown for a further four years and will work closely with the community to consider how existing service levels can be improved.

Question reference: S4W-07620

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Scottish Agricultural College Rural Policy Centre’s report, Rural Scotland in Focus 2012, identifying Campbeltown and Dunoon as the most vulnerable towns, what action it will take to (a) improve their transport links and (b) boost their economies and whether it will make improving the A83 a higher priority.

Since 2007 this government has invested over £300 million to maintain and improve the trunk road network in the North West of Scotland. This has included allocating £1 million specifically to address the problems created by landslips at the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83 trunk road, with additional separate studies on the A83 also underway.

This government also works closely with a number of delivery partners to promote economic activity in Campbeltown and Dunoon and surrounding areas. £2 million of investment being made available for a new facility for the Campbeltown Creamery is one of several stakeholder investments being supported.

Question reference: S4W-07540

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 12 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-07163 by Keith Brown on 25 May 2012, how many times the additional carrying capability has been required.

Since it came on service on 1 June 2011 the MV Finlaggan has sailed 186 times with a load higher than the recorded capacity of the MV Isle of Arran. MV Finlaggan is a larger vessel with a greater deadweight capacity and is able to carry a higher number of commercial vehicles than the MV Isle of Arran. The MV Finlaggan can carry 10 fully loaded commercial vehicles compared to 5 for the MV Isle of Arran.