- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to prevent the permanent loss of church buildings with significant cultural or heritage value, in light of the decision by the Church of Scotland to reduce its estate.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2025
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-40664 by Jim Fairlie on 1 October 2025, how many seafarer (a) deck ratings and (b) officers are currently employed on the MV (i) Helliar and (ii) Hildasay roll-on/roll-off freight vessel under the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract, and in each case, how many of the posts are held by seafarers who live in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The member may wish to request this information from the operator, Serco NorthLink Ferries.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed crew accommodation standards on the
MV (a) Helliar and (b) Hildasay roll-on/roll-off freight vessels with the
operator of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not held any discussions with the operator on the subject of crew accommodation standards on MV Helliar and MV Hildasay.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-40662 by Jim Fairlie on 1 October 2025, what the value is of the bareboat charterparty agreement with the operator, Serco NorthLink.
Answer
The Scottish Government is unable to disclose this information as it is considered commercially sensitive.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what adjustments have been made to the transport budget to finance the removal of peak rail fares.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41047 on 15 October 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it expects that modal shift or changes in passenger usage, resulting from the removal of peak rail fares, will allow the policy to be self-financing, and, if so, by when it expects the policy to be cost neutral.
Answer
The information requested by the Member can be found in the ScotRail Peak Fares Permanent Removal Outline Business Case, published on Transport Scotland website: ScotRail Peak Fares Permanent Removal Outline Business Case
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether the ability to finance the removal of peak rail fares is a consequence of an improved UK budget allocation.
Answer
Following the conclusion of the Peak Fares Removal Pilot, Scottish Ministers have always been clear that further initiatives on peak fares would be considered if Budget was available. Through the Programme for Government, we have confirmed that permanently abolishing ScotRail peak fares will be funded as part of a balanced Scottish Government budget.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what financial commitment will be required to maintain the removal of peak rail fares on an annual basis beyond the next five years.
Answer
The estimated cost to deliver the removal of peak fares is available in the ScotRail Peak Fares Permanent Removal Outline Business Case, published on Transport Scotland website: ScotRail Peak Fares Permanent Removal Outline Business Case
Any future predictions of the cost of delivery of this initiative must include variety of different factors, which naturally, may influence the annual cost.
There will be an evaluation of the project at the end of year 1 and year 3 which will assess the ongoing costs and impact of the scheme.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how it plans to fund and (b) what the expected cost will be of the removal of peak rail fares, in each of the next five years.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41047 on 15 October 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 October 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost in the current financial year is of the removal of peak rail fares, and how this policy is being financed.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41047 on 15 October 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.