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-30454

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28523 by John Swinney on 30 November 2015, in light of the commitment that it would "publish a policy consultation paper in early 2016", whether it will now publish its plans regarding the replacement to air passenger duty and what the reason is for any delay.

Question reference: S4O-05700

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to communities in the Highlands and Islands.

Question reference: S4W-29976

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the smart and integrated ticketing system for the the next contract for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services will use the software developed by CalMac Ferries Ltd as part of the Titan project.

Question reference: S4W-30001

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost CalMac Ferries Ltd to develop the Titan project.

Question reference: S4W-29974

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government on which publically-funded ferry services on the (a) Clyde and Hebrides and (b) Northern Isles network ITSO-compliant smart ticketing systems are available to passengers.

ITSO-compliant smart ticketing systems are currently not available on either the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services and Northern Isles ferry services networks. However, smart ticketing does form part of the tender for the next Clyde and Hebrides ferry services (CHFS) contract due to commence on 1 October 2016. The CHFS invitation to tender invites bidders to include their proposals for the introduction of a new smart integrated ticketing and booking system. Funding for the project management, development and implementation of the new system will be met by the grant to be provided for CHFS.

It is anticipated that smart ticketing will also be included in the tender for the next Northern Isles ferry services contract due to commence in April 2018.

Question reference: S4W-29972

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much CalMac Ferries Ltd spent/has spent on (a) vessel maintenance, (b) staff training, (c) on-board passenger services and (d) information technology in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16.

The following table details how much CalMac Ferries Ltd has spent on vessel maintenance, staff training, on-board passenger services and information technology in financial year 2014-15 and to date in financial year 2015-16.

Financial Year

Vessel Maintenance

(£'000)

Staff Training (£'000)

On-Board Passenger Services (£'000)

Information Technology (£'000)

2014-2015

£17,754

£1,289

£3,019

£5,426

2015-2016 (up to January 2016)* (up to February 2016)**

£11,975*

£1,017**

£2,696**

£7,870**

Question reference: S4W-29970

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government within what timeframe it expects to reach agreement on the specification for a smart and integrated ticketing system for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services with the operator of the 2016-24 contract.

Question reference: S4W-30379

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, if the ferry service between Dunoon and Gourock remains passenger only under the next contract, whether the port of Gourock will be maintained as a port of refuge with vehicle handling capability for that contract period.

The appointed service operator shall be required to operate a subsidised passenger only ferry service between Gourock and Dunoon town centres. Potential participants will also be encouraged to provide an unsubsidised vehicle-carrying service at their own commercial risk.

Gourock is currently used as a port of refuge for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, its continuation as a port of refuge is not dependent on the outcome of the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service procurement process.

Question reference: S4W-29971

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24958 by Derek Mackay on 27 March 2015, what proportion of CalMac’s expenditure on information technology over the life of the current contract for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services related to upgrading ticketing systems to ITSO-compliant technology.

Question reference: S4W-29968

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of passenger journeys on (a) Clyde and Hebrides and (b) Northern Isles ferry services in each year since 2009-10 has used ITSO-compliant smart ticketing technology.