Chamber and committees

Serco’s staffing plans were detailed in their original bid for taking over the Northern Isles ferry route. This aspect of their bid proposal, along with the rationale behind it, was discussed with Transport Scotland’s evaluation team during the tender process.

Transport Scotland had similar discussions with the other bidders during the same tender process.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11404 on 5 December 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The total estimated value of the Northern Isles contract, as announced by Serco during their stock exchange announcement made in May 2012, is £351 million over six years.

On 4 May 2012, I announced that the level of Scottish Government subsidy for the Northern Isles ferry service is £243 million over six years. The remaining estimated £108 million will be made up from fares, revenue and other commercial income.

Since 2010 there were a number of meetings with all potential operators, including Serco. Since the award of the Northern Isles ferry services contract Transport Scotland staff have held regular contract management meetings with Serco to discuss the operation of the Northern Isles ferry services. These take place every 6-8 weeks and cover all relevant ongoing matters.

Serco’s staffing plans were detailed in their original bid for taking over the Northern Isles ferry route. This aspect of their bid proposal, along with the rationale behind it, was discussed with Transport Scotland’s evaluation team during the tender process.

Transport Scotland had similar discussions with the other bidders during the same tender process.

The Bank of Scotland requires changes to its systems in order to launch mortgages through the MI new home scheme. These are planned for completion in December 2012.

This Scheme, which is led by Homes for Scotland and is supported by a government guarantee, will help credit worthy borrowers previously locked out of the market due to large deposit requirements to access 90 to 95% loan to value mortgages for new build homes with a value up to £250,000. Whilst homes are not built specifically for sale through MI new home, the scheme should increase the effective demand for new build housing, giving participating house-builders greater confidence to build additional housing for sale in the future.

Homes are not built specifically for sale through MI new home. However the initiative is available on all properties with a value of up to £250,000 offered by participating home builders on all of their sites throughout Scotland. Whilst we do not hold information on those sites centrally, the range of builders involved means that MI new home is widely available throughout the country.

The new supply shared equity with developers scheme is a competitive fund under which the Scottish Government invites bids from developers who wish their developments to participate in the scheme. All bids are assessed by Scottish Government housing supply division officials against certain core criteria and the views of local authorities are taken on board.

For 2010-11, no bids were received for developments in Falkirk, North Lanarkshire or South Lanarkshire.

For 2011-12, no bids were received for developments in Falkirk or South Lanarkshire. Two bids were received from developers in North Lanarkshire. These were assessed, after consultation with local authorities, but neither of them was approved because the proposed sale prices were considered too high to be affordable to first time buyers.

NSPCC, Save the Children and the Children’s Society do not send representatives to the National Steering Group for Advocacy Support for Children and Young People. Barnardo’s represent the views and opinions of Action for Children (formerly NCH Scotland) and other third sector organisations on the Group. All Stakeholders have had, and continue to have, the opportunity to engage in the Scottish Government’s work to improve advocacy support for children and young people, including through the national consultation on proposed principles and minimum standards for children’s advocacy which closed earlier this year.