- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 January 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 January 2013
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its decisions on redacting sections of Transport Scotland’s 2012-18 contract with Serco NorthLink for ferry services to the Northern Isles on grounds of commercial sensitivity.
Answer
The Scottish Government takes a proactive approach to the publication of our contracts for subsidised ferry services. In October 2012, the Northern Isles contract was published on the Transport Scotland website. At the time of publication, however, officials agreed to redact certain sections of the contract which contains commercially sensitive information. However, further discussions with Serco are scheduled to take place in due course with a view to the possible release of some of the redacted material.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 January 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 January 2013
To ask the Scottish Government whether Serco NorthLink consulted Transport Scotland before announcing plans to reduce the number of (a) staff and (b) sailings on ferry services between the mainland and the Northern Isles; how many such meetings there have been, and whether it will publish the minutes from any such meetings.
Answer
Serco NorthLink’s proposals with regard to crewing and timetabling were included in their bid for the Northern Isles ferry services contract and were fully discussed with Transport Scotland’s tender evaluation team during the procurement exercise.
Transport Scotland officials meet regularly with Serco NorthLink representatives to discuss contract management issues.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 January 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 January 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions ministers and officials have had with (a) Serco NorthLink, (b) trade unions and (c) community groups regarding Serco NorthLink's plans to reduce the number of (i) staff, (ii) sailings and (iii) dry dock maintenance visits by vessels on ferry routes between the mainland and the Northern Isles.
Answer
The detail of Serco’s proposals for the configuration of the Northern Isles ferry services was fully discussed with Transport Scotland’s tender evaluation team during the procurement exercise. Serco NorthLink has undertaken extensive consultation with trade unions and local communities on the changes.
Transport Scotland officials regularly meet with Serco NorthLink representatives to discuss contract management issues, and also attend meetings of the External Transport Forum which represents ferry user groups.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 January 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 January 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the economic impacts on Northern Isles communities of Serco NorthLink’s planned (a) job cuts, (b) passenger fare increases and (c) reduction in the number of sailings on ferry services to the islands.
Answer
The introduction by Serco NorthLink of variable passenger muster modes will have an immediate positive impact on the Northern Isles economies as the operator will now be recruiting both a seasonal and temporary labour pool in Orkney and Shetland which will be used to provide core crew succession planning opportunities going forward.
The 2013-2014 fares increase of 2.8% is based on the CPI figure for May (published in June) 2012. This increase, which is in line with our other ferry service contracts, will help protect these lifeline ferry services for another year.
It is anticipated that the changes to the sailing timetable will have no detrimental impact on the Northern Isles communities. These planned changes were introduced on the basis of a detailed analysis of demand and following consultation with both passengers and the business community whose transport needs will continue to be met.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 January 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 January 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the increases in passenger fares that will result from Serco NorthLink’s decision to abolish the mid-season period for ferry services to the Northern Isles.
Answer
The tender for the Northern Isles ferry services contract invited bidders to propose their own fares and freight tariff methodology within certain parameters set down in the tender documentation. This included the requirement to set fares within different seasons and other designated peak periods. Serco’s bid satisfied these requirements and they continue to retain a low, mid and peak fare system on their ferry services in the Northern Isles.
In their bid for the Northern Isles contract, Serco met the requirement that, over the tariff year, tariffs must average to the relevant previously published tariff for each category. This ensures that ferry customers will not experience inappropriate fares increases.
Furthermore, it was also a requirement of the tender that fare discounts for certain categories of passengers be retained. Therefore, under the contract with Serco, all of these mandatory discounts continue, including discounts for islanders, national entitlement card holders and visually impaired passengers.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 January 2013
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 21 January 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that the existing terms and conditions of employees working on Serco NorthLink ferry services to the Northern Isles are respected by the employer.
Answer
Bidders for the Northern Isles ferry services contract were advised of our expectation that, in the event of a change of operator, the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations rules would apply. Therefore, when Serco took over the contract, the NorthLink crew had the right to transfer over to the new operator with their terms and conditions protected.
Going forward, it should be noted that employees’ terms and conditions are set down in their employment contracts and therefore employees would have a direct right of action in relation to any breach by their employer of those terms.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 December 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Burgess on 16 January 2013
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10835 by Paul Wheelhouse on 12 November 2012, what progress has been made on securing the £200 million per annum funding to improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes and tackle fuel poverty.
Answer
From 2013-14 the Scottish Government will make available £65 million for the National Retrofit Programme (NRP). In addition we anticipate that contributions from the utility companies will bring the total investment to around £200 million. We are continuing to have discussions with the six obligated suppliers to ensure Scotland gets its fair share of their investment.
Our recent announcement of the successful NRP “go early” pilots demonstrates that positive activity is underway even before the April opening of the scheme. Scottish Government funding of £3.5 million is levering in almost £13 million in energy company funds as part of contracts with Councils and Housing Associations worth £27 million. As well as protecting an estimated 150 jobs over the winter. These pilots will improve the energy efficiency of 2,200 homes.
Officials also continue to have discussions with local authorities and COSLA about the arrangements for next financial year. The pilot schemes demonstrate positive Council engagement and we would encourage authorities to continue to develop their plans for next year and their constructive dialogue with energy companies.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 December 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 20 December 2012
To ask the Scottish Government how many students aged (a) 16 to 19 and (b) 20 to 25 were enrolled in colleges in (i) Aberdeen and (ii) Aberdeenshire in each of the last five years.
Answer
The latest data on students in colleges in Scotland is Scottish Funding Council data for 2010-11.
Students (FTEs) enrolled in colleges in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire by age
| Colleges | Age | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| Aberdeen College | | 16-19 | 3,850 | 3,880 | 3,995 | 3,960 | 3,895 | | 20-25 | 1,765 | 1,745 | 1,695 | 1,700 | 1,840 | | Total 16-25 | 5,615 | 5,625 | 5,690 | 5,660 | 5,740 | |
| Banff and Buchan College of Further Education | | 16-19 | 1,020 | 1,025 | 1,080 | 1,045 | 1,075 | | 20-25 | 260 | 285 | 305 | 350 | 340 | | Total 16-25 | 1,280 | 1,310 | 1,385 | 1,395 | 1,415 | |
| Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire students | | 16-19 | 4,870 | 4,905 | 5,070 | 5,005 | 4,970 | | 20-25 | 2,025 | 2,030 | 2,000 | 2,050 | 2,185 | | Total 16-25 | 6,895 | 6,940 | 7,075 | 7,055 | 7,155 | |
Source: Scottish Funding Council.
FTEs = Full-time equivalents.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 December 2012
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2013
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in tackling fuel poverty.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2013
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 December 2012
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 14 December 2012
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local authorities in the north east to (a) maintain and (b) improve the transport network, in light of assessments that substantial investment is required in repairs.
Answer
The Scottish Government is providing local government in Scotland with almost £11 billion in 2012-13, which together with capital funding represents a greater share of the Scottish budget than it was in 2007-08. The vast majority of the funding, including that for roads maintenance, is being provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives. The allocations for each local authority for 2012-13 can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/17999/11203/LGFC3-2012.
Furthermore, the National Road Maintenance Review has set out how all 33 road authorities across Scotland can work in collaboration to make road maintenance more efficient, ensuring Scotland’s roads remain a key facilitator of economic growth.
