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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 535 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-21904

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a summary of the outcomes of any recent discussions that it has had with the UK Government on future roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Rosyth and ports in northern Europe.

The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the UK Government regarding future roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Rosyth and ports in northern Europe.

Scottish Ministers have maintained that the Scottish Government wishes to see Scotland’s sea connections to Europe enhanced and are happy to consider any approach. Discussions have taken place between Transport Scotland officials and a number of prospective interested parties in recent years.

Question reference: S6W-21903

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland will provide an assessment of the crewing (a) model and (b) employment conditions proposed by (i) DFDS and (ii) Ptarmigan Shipping for restoring roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Scotland and northern Europe.

The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety and crew welfare and employment conditions on vessels accessing Scotland’s ports and coastal waters.

Ferry operators are responsible for crewing arrangements whilst complying with the appropriate employment legislation and standards. Shipping safety and seafarer welfare and employment conditions are matters reserved to the UK Government.

The Maritime Labour Convention sets out the minimum working and living rights for seafarers with the onus on operators' good practice. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency are responsible for auditing vessels to ensure compliance. The recently introduced Seafarers’ Wages Act also ensures that UK seafarers on ferry services are paid the UK National Minimum Wage whilst working in UK waters.

Question reference: S6W-21362

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps CMAL has taken to consult with (a) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and (b) trade unions organising CalMac staff, regarding the design of MV (i) Glen Sannox and (ii) Glen Rosa, from 2015 to date.

Question reference: S6W-21361

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much Transport Scotland has spent on private consultants to advise on the (a) design, (b) specification, (c) procurement and (d) tendering of public ferry contracts in Scotland, in each year from 2006 to date.

Question reference: S6W-21358

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland’s £4 million contract with Turner and Townsend for project and programme management support for the CHFS3 project requires the consultant to consider (a) temporary and (b) permanent direct award of the next contract for Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services to CalMac.

Question reference: S6W-21356

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Transport Scotland’s £4 million contract with Turner and Townsend for project and programme management support for the CHFS3 project.

Question reference: S6W-21357

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what advice Transport Scotland has received to date from consultants, Turner and Townsend, on tendering the next contract for Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services.

Question reference: S6W-21360

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request an update from CMAL on the (a) delivery dates and (b) costs of the contracts with Cemre Shipyard in Turkey for new ferries on the (i) Islay and (ii) Skye triangle routes.

Regular updates are provided by CMAL to The Scottish Government and the new ferries at the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey for the Islay and Little Minch routes are on schedule and on budget.

Following the recommendations by the Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee in its report on A Modern and Sustainable Ferry Service for Scotland, Ministers have agreed that quarterly reports will also be shared with the Committee. The format of these reports is currently being finalised.

Question reference: S6W-21359

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request an urgent update from (a) CMAL and (b) Ferguson Marine on the (i) delivery dates and (ii) costs for MV (A) Glen Sannox and (B) Glen Rosa.

Scottish Government is in regular communications with Ferguson Marine and CMAL around the delivery of MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa.

The CEO of FMPG provided his latest formal update to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on 22 August 2023 with a commitment to provide a detailed follow up by the end of September 2023 following completion of a detailed review of costs and delivery timescales.

Question reference: S6W-20436

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it reportedly did not undertake any consultation or issue a warning before deciding to close the photovoltaic (PV) panels loan scheme for applications that are not part of a package of measures.

The Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme offers funding for a range of zero direct emissions heating systems, energy efficiency measures and additional measures, including solar PV and energy storage systems in some circumstances.

The Scottish Government has not closed this scheme, but has changed the conditions for funding of solar PV and energy storage systems.

For an answer to the question asked, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-19952 on 9 August 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Website .