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: S6W-00819

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the time chartering of the MV Pentalina will have on the annual level of subsidy that CalMac receives under the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

Question reference: S6W-00822

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the impact that chartering the MV Pentalina from Pentland Ferries has had on industrial relations at CalMac.

To improve the resilience of ferry services serving island and remote mainland communities, we are exploring opportunities for chartering additional tonnage including the temporary time charter of the MV Pentalina. Industrial relations are a matter for CalMac Ferries Ltd, its employees and the recognised trades unions. I understand discussions have been taking place between CalMac and its local Union representatives on these matters.

Question reference: S6W-00821

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) domestic, (b) UK and (c) international shipowners Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd has contacted since January 2020, in pursuit of additional tonnage to increase resilience and capacity on Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

Question reference: S6W-00820

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) value and (b) full potential duration is of the time charter agreement that it has signed with Pentland Ferries Ltd for the MV Pentalina, for services on contracted Clyde and Hebrides routes.

Question reference: S6W-00829

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it has received from the UK Government that the (a) MV Pentalina, and (b) MV Alfred are safe to operate on ferry routes in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-00824

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) passenger and (b) vehicle carrying capacity is of vessels that are leased by CalMac, on routes where the MV Pentalina has been time chartered to provide relief capacity.

The maximum passenger and vehicle carrying capacity of the vessels in the CalMac fleet that normally operate the routes they will consider deploying the MV Pentalina on, if chartered, are detailed in the following table.

Vessel	Passenger Capacity	Vehicle Capacity **	Deck Space (metres)
MV Caledonian Isles	1,000	92 cars	150 m
MV Coruisk *	249	35 cars	70 m
MV Isle of Arran *	447	55 cars	103 m
MV Isle of Mull	951	66 cars	150 m
MV Loch Seaforth	700	130 cars	372 m
MV Finlaggan	550	79 cars	180 m
MV Herbridean Isles	465	60 cars	125 m

* Summer timetable only

** Maximum capacity for cars, this can vary dependant on operational requirements and if mezzanine deck is deployed (where applicable)

In accordance with Scottish Government guidance for transport, allowing 1 metre physical distancing, passenger capacity is currently below the figures quoted.

Question reference: S6W-00827

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 28 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the ticketing arrangements will be on the MV Pentalina, should it be deployed as a relief for the CalMac fleet, and whether the Road Equivalent Tariff will continue to apply to passenger fares in those circumstances.

Question reference: S6W-00500

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that people who are required to report the results of COVID-19 lateral flow tests, so that the NHS can monitor the spread of the virus, support communities across the UK and tackle the virus, will not have to pay for the cost of their calls, in light of this being the practice in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The 119 Freephone COVID testing helpline was made available to callers from Scotland on Friday 23 April 2021. The 119 Freephone service provides callers the option to report lateral flow device (LFD) test results, and can also be used to:

order LFD test kits for home delivery
provide support when booking a PCR test
report test kit problems
provide translation services

This number will run alongside the original 0300 303 2713 helpline number (which charges from some networks) until further notice. Both numbers reach the same call handlers.

LFD test results can also be reported online at GOV.UK. Reporting LFD tests results online or via the 119 service helps us to find community outbreaks, understand infection rates across Scotland and enable contact tracing.

Question reference: S6W-00319

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to meet the RMT to discuss the industrial dispute regarding Abellio ScotRail's (a) reported refusal to negotiate a rest-day working enhancement for ticket examiner and conductor grades and (b) reported breach of the Dignity and Respect policy at the company's Perth Depot, and whether it will encourage Abellio Scotland to engage in talks with the union to help resolve this.

(a) Scottish Government normally meets railway trade union representatives as part of the routine STUC meeting cycles to discuss any issues at hand. However due to Covid these meetings have not taken place in the normal manner. Arrangements for a meeting with railway trade union representatives are now being made.

(b) Individual matters in relation of the Dignity and Respect policy are for Abellio ScotRail and the employee(s) concerned.

Question reference: S6W-00318

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Abellio ScotRail has refused to negotiate an equivalent agreement for all general grades, for what reason a rest-day working agreement for driver grades has been extended to October 2021.

This is an operational matter for ScotRail in negotiation with its staff through established collective bargaining arrangements.

I understand that established rest day working agreements remain in place for all ScotRail operational staff. The exceptional supplementary arrangements for Ticket Examiners and Conductors came to an end following successful recruitment, training and deployment of some 140 additional staff.

Similarly, 160 new drivers have been recruited, but Covid safety restrictions governing training in driving cabs have prevented their full training and deployment and therefore the exceptional supplementary arrangements remain in place until their training and deployment can be completed.