That the Parliament supports the Scottish Government’s decision to deliver vessels 801 and 802 to serve island communities; recognises that saving Ferguson Marine from closure preserved over 300 skilled jobs and maintained commercial shipbuilding on the Clyde; notes with regret the delays to the completion of 801 and 802, but acknowledges recent progress with the updated schedule; further notes the continued significant investment that the Scottish Government is making to ferry services to support lifeline services and remote communities, including the completion of the procurement of two new vessels to serve Islay; notes that the Scottish Government has made available to the Parliament and published significant information, in line with the commitment to open government, to allow the public to understand and contribute to the debate, with the proactive release of 210 documents, and recognises that much of the recent debate relates to information that has been in the public domain for two years.
Result 65 for, 52 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote Vote Passed
Scottish National Party
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Labour
Scottish Green Party
Scottish Liberal Democrats
No Party Affiliation
That the Parliament condemns the severe delays to the production of vessels 801 and 802 contracted by Scottish Government-owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), paid for by the Scottish Government, built originally by a company celebrated by the Scottish Government and, since 2019, by the nationalised Scottish Government-owned company; believes that these delays have left islanders and communities without reliable services that are critical to island life; notes that the Scottish Government’s Open Government Action Plan 2021-25 states that “an open government gives the public information about the decisions it makes, supports people to understand and influence those decisions, and values and encourages accountability (responsibility for those decisions)”; considers that the Scottish Government has breached each of its own tests of open government, to the cost of taxpayers and the islanders waiting year after year for the ferries that they need; notes the impact on their local economies and the impact of the cost overrun on the spending available for other public service priorities; expresses regret that no Scottish minister has either resigned nor considered resigning despite all of these events, and believes that if vessels 801 and 802 are not completed within the revised timescale and cost, as provided to Parliament on 23 March 2022, the latest in a string of revisions, then the ministers responsible deserve to finally be held to account in the form of resignations, and calls on the Scottish Government to give this assurance.
Submitted by: Ivan McKee, Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Supported by: Kate Forbes
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Result 66 for, 51 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote Vote Passed
Submitted by: Graham Simpson, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Result 51 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote Vote Defeated
Submitted by: Neil Bibby, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Result 51 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote Vote Defeated