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-23341

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual value is of the contract managed by DFDS for maritime freight services between Rosyth and Zeebrugge and how many (a) sailings and (b) freight movements there have been on the route in each month since 2010-11.

Question reference: S4W-23342

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the public contribution has been to the contract managed by DFDS for maritime freight services on the Rosyth-Zeebrugge route and what the contribution will be in 2015-16.

There is no contract to manage the service as this is a commercial route operated by DFDS, although the Scottish Government is fully committed to supporting the operation.

The Scottish Government awarded a Waterborne Freight Grant of 2 million (payable over three years) to Norfolkline/DFDS in May 2009. This grant, whose purpose is to encourage the transfer of freight from road to sea, funds the additional freight costs of shipping over that of the road alternative – in this case accessing mainland Europe via one of the English east coast ferry ports.

The Scottish Government has offered a one-off payment of 200 thousand de minimis funding to DFDS, to be paid in January 2015.

Question reference: S4W-23340

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it secured commitments for the (a) employment and (b) training of Scottish seafarers on freight vessels operated by DFDS on the Rosyth-Zeebrugge route in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that it has signed with the company and Forth Ports regarding the future of services on that route, and whether it will publish a copy of the MOU.

The Scottish Government signed an memorandum of understanding (MOU) with DFDS and Forth Ports to continue to work together to secure the future of the service for both those employed on the route and its many customers. The MOU remains confidential to the three parties at this time.

The service is a commercial operation and issues around employment and training of seafarers on its vessels are a matter for DFDS to consider.

Question reference: S4W-23343

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact on Scottish (a) seafarers, (b) dockers and (c) operators of the sulphur dioxide emissions limits for commercial ships operating in the North Sea that come into force on 1 January 2015.

The Scottish Government wrote to the UK Government in January, July, September and October 2014 regarding the impact of the EU sulphur directive on ferry routes in Scotland.

Scottish Ministers noted concern about the potential impact of increased fuel costs on ferry services and cruise ship tourism, the potential for modal reverse for freight, compliance and enforcement of the directive, and the significantly higher costs for peripheral routes within the emission control zone.

We asked the UK Government to confirm its support for any application for EU funding to address or mitigate these issues as well as explore what further measures can be taken to ensure Scottish shipping services and the wider industry are not disproportionately affected by these regulations.

Question reference: S4W-23344

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the cost of converting vessels on the Rosyth-Zeebrugge route to comply with the sulphur dioxide emissions limits for commercial ships operating in the North Sea that come into force on 1 January 2015.

The Scottish Government wrote to the UK Government in September and October 2014 regarding the impact of the EU sulphur directive on ferry routes in Scotland, including asking the UK Government to explore with the EU Commission whether any EU funding was available for ferry operators to ensure vessels were compliant. John Hayes MP, Minister of State, replied on 29 October 2014 noting that the Department for Transport had written to the European Commission and we await the EU Commission’s reply.

Question reference: S4W-23145

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23043 by Keith Brown on 13 November 2014, what discussions it has had with First TransPennine Express regarding service delivery in Scotland.

We maintain a regular dialogue with First TransPennine Express (FTPE), most recently on enhanced service provision to support travel to the Commonwealth Games, and on the reliability of the class 350 trains introduced on Anglo-Scottish routes earlier in 2014. However, we have not been made aware through industry processes of the company's proposals to remove two of the Motherwell calls introduced in its timetable in May 2014.

These additional calls were introduced by FTPE, beyond the service requirement stipulated by the Department for Transport (DfT). As FTPE services are franchised by DfT, we have no locus to specify any aspect of its operations.

Question reference: S4W-23043

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with First TransPennine Express regarding how the proposed timetable changes to its services in Scotland might impact on Motherwell station.

We have had no direct discussion with First TransPennine Express on this issue.

However, we have raised the issue with First TransPennine Express. The company has explained that its proposed changes to the December 2014 timetable deliver enhanced journey times between Glasgow and Manchester. Further to that, other operators will provide alternative re-timed services between Glasgow and Motherwell in the evening peak.

Question reference: S4W-23044

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Office of Rail Regulation regarding First TransPennine Express's proposed timetable changes to its services in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-03723

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the use of subordinated debt in procurement projects by the hubCos and the Scottish Futures Trust.

Question reference: S4W-22943

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Lesley Thomson on 12 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases the police have presented to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in the last five years.

In addition to standard prosecution reports received from the Police, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) receives standard prosecution reports from specialist reporting agencies such as the Department of Work and Pensions and Her Majesties Revenue and Customs.

In total, the Procurator Fiscal has received the following number of cases from both the police and the other specialist reporting agencies in the last five years:

2009–10	289,001
2010–11	278,942
2011–12	287,751
2012–13	291,963
2013–14	303,221

Of these the police have reported the following number of cases to the COPFS:

2009-10	251,404
2010-11	239,953
2011-12	247,343
2012-13	247,813
2013-14	265,620