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-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-30220

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27940 by Derek Mackay on 29 October 2015, what its estimate is of the expenditure on proposals in Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013-2022) for (a) Northern Isles and (b) Clyde and Hebrides ferry services for each year from 2015-16 to 2021-22.

Question reference: S4W-30218

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27940 by Derek Mackay on 29 October 2015, whether it will provide a breakdown of the annual expenditure on piers and harbours and vessels by (a) Northern Isles and (b) Clyde and Hebrides network.

The following table shows the breakdown of piers and harbour and vessel expenditure according to the network they relate to:

	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 (Forecast as at early March 2016)
Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service	£13,295,693	£20,181,865	£48,097,645
Northern Isles Ferry Service	£0	£14,956	£1,300
Other	£0	£19,500	£20,000
Total	£13,295,693	£20,216,321	£48,118,945

Question reference: S4W-30221

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27940 by Derek Mackay on 29 October 2015, what Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s planned expenditure on proposals in the Ferries Plan is for each year from 2015-16 to 2021-22.

Question reference: S4W-30217

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much public subsidy it has taken back since 2006-07 under the current Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

The undernoted table shows:

The actual subsidy paid to CalMac Ferries Ltd; and

The value of clawback paid back to Transport Scotland.

		Actual Subsidy (paid)	Clawback
Contract Year 1	Oct 2007 - Sept 2008	£48,990,000	£1,962,000
Contract Year 2	Oct 2008 - Sept 2009	£58,351,000	£3,309,000
Contract Year 3	Oct 2009 - Sept 2010	£58,477,000	£435,000
Contract Year 4	Oct 2010 - Sept 2011	£64,583,000	£1,464,000
Contract Year 5	Oct 2011 - Sept 2012	£73,455,000	£2,819,000
Contract Year 6	Oct 2012 - Sept 2013	£82,295,000	£1,205,000
Contract Year 7	Oct 2013 - Sept 2014	£92,180,000	£1,262,000
Contract Year 8	Oct 2014 - Sept 2015	£116,045,000	£3,975,000

The clawback mechanism enables the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services public service contract to be managed efficiently, by ensuring that the right level of subsidy is paid to the ferry operator each service year and that the operator is not over-compensated for the services that it provides. Any excess payments are returned to the Scottish Government allowing for the proceeds to be reinvested into our vital ferry services. The clawback mechanism is explained in clause 4.5 of the public service contract and can be found on page 33 of the contract at the following link:

http://www.transport.gov.scot/system/files/uploaded_content/documents/tsc_basic_pages/Water/CHFS_contract.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-30219

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27940 by Derek Mackay on 29 October 2015, what the annual expenditure on proposals in Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013-2022) was for (a) Northern Isles and (b) Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

As stated in the response to question S4W-27940, the costs of the ferries plan proposals are not available in the format requested.

The undernoted table details the actual spend by the Scottish Government in supporting ferry services in financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15. In addition, the current forecast outturn figures for 2015-16 are also outlined.

	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 (Forecast as at early March 2016)
Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services	£85,522,390	£101,071,419	£112,137,000
Road Equivalent Tariff	£3,889,000	£5,034,000	£10,000,000
Subtotal Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services	£89,411,390	£106,105,419	£122,137,000
Northern Isles Ferry Services	£37,507,196	£35,973,572	£31,660,579

Question reference: S4W-30232

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 9 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the reported seven-month waiting list for drivers whose licences have been suspended for medical reasons to be re-tested at the Scottish Driving Assessment Service in Edinburgh.

During 2015 the Scottish Driving Assessment Service (SDAS) experienced long term absence and staff turnover. The recruitment and training of replacement staff takes several months, which has meant that the waiting time for those drivers awaiting assessment for medical reasons has risen to around 28 weeks. The Scottish Government understands that the service is now fully staffed and that a time limited waiting list initiative commenced at the beginning of February 2016 to address the backlog. The service is now able to offer additional appointments each week, and we understand that the waiting time will ultimately reduce to less than 18 weeks. SDAS have assured that these issues are being addressed as a matter of urgency now that the appropriate staffing is in place.

Question reference: S4F-03293

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2016

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the RMT-commissioned report on the future of Scottish ferry services.

Question reference: S4W-29853

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 4 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when its accessible transport strategy will be published and how it is engaging with disabled people during the consultation period.

The Scottish Government plans to publish a national accessible travel framework and action plan later in 2016.

The approach taken involves engagement which goes beyond a traditionally defined consultation.

We have consulted disabled people face-to-face and through their representative organisations, firstly (along with transport providers and local and central government) to co–produce the first transport accessibility summit which took place in March 2015 and from which a report was produced which included feedback and commentary from disabled people.

One of the priorities identified by disabled people at the summit was to continue to work with them and through their organisations and so the transport accessibility steering group was established with the same representation which co-produced the summit. The steering group is now working to co–produce the accessible travel framework and action plan.

Engagement with disabled people will continue during this development of the framework and action plan. Further face-to-face meetings and online communications with disabled people are planned before it is finalised, to discuss the vision, outcomes and key actions.

The aim thereafter is to ensure a continued conversation with disabled people over the lifespan of the framework.