Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-30156

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when a decision will be made on whether to extend the current Northern Isles Ferry Service contract from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2028.

Question reference: S6W-30153

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what calculations form the basis for the comments that a Transport Scotland official reportedly made at Shetland’s external transport forum on 17 September 2024 that reducing fares on the Serco NorthLink Northern Isles Ferry Service could cost the Scottish Government “millions”.

Scottish Ministers make contractual grant payments based on the projected cumulative difference between Operating Costs and Revenue for each Service Year.

Islander fares on Northern Isles routes were frozen from 2020 to 2024 along with a 20% reduction in cabin fares. This meant that government effectively bore the loss of revenue.

These initiatives have required the Scottish Government to invest an additional £4.8m since 2020, over and above the general subsidy, in order to protect islanders from the impacts of recent high levels of inflation.

Question reference: S6W-30155

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the next Northern Isles Ferry Service contract will include provision to exempt islanders from seasonal fares.

The draft Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) Strategic Approach paper was published for public consultation earlier this year. Building on the Fair Fares Review, we said that we would take forward detailed consideration of a number of ferry fare proposals, including on Road Equivalent Tariff, islander fares and under 22s.

The outputs from the consultation and engagement, published on 3 September, will support the finalisation of the ICP Strategic Approach, and will inform the development of the remaining elements of the ICP, including work on future ferry fares policy.

Question reference: S6W-30154

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering options to exempt islanders from seasonal fares on the Northern Isles Ferry Service routes.

The draft Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) Strategic Approach paper was published for public consultation earlier this year. Building on the Fair Fares Review, we said that we would take forward detailed consideration of a number of ferry fare proposals, including on Road Equivalent Tariff, islander fares and under 22s.

The outputs from the consultation and engagement, published on 3 September, will support the finalisation of the ICP Strategic Approach, and will inform the development of the remaining elements of the ICP, including work on future ferry fares policy.

Question reference: S6W-30157

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments reportedly made by a Transport Scotland official at Shetland’s external transport forum on 17 September 2024 that fares on the Serco NorthLink Northern Isles Ferry Service are “fairly priced” and “not astronomical”, what work has been done by Transport Scotland to assess the affordability of fares, giving consideration to inflationary increases on household budgets in Shetland and across Scotland, to provide a basis for these claims.

Scottish Ministers make contractual grant payments based on the projected cumulative difference between Operating Costs and Revenue for each Service Year.

Islander fares on Northern Isles routes were frozen from 2020 to 2024 along with a 20% reduction in cabin fares. This meant that government effectively bore the loss of revenue.

These initiatives have required the Scottish Government to invest an additional £4.8m since 2020, over and above the general subsidy, in order to protect islanders from the impacts of recent high levels of inflation.

Question reference: S6W-30424

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to NHS boards to ensure that hospital helicopter landing sites are safe to use.

Question reference: S6W-30425

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with HM Coastguard and NHS boards to ensure that all hospital helicopter landing sites will be available for medical emergency evacuations from vessels, including fishing boats, cruise ships and oil and gas supply vessels and installations.

Question reference: S6W-30423

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will investigate what measures are needed to ensure that all hospital helicopter landing sites adhere to Air Accidents Investigation Branch guidance.

Question reference: S6W-29959

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it will undertake with (a) hauliers, (b) the seafood sector and (c) passengers from the Northern Isles ahead of the decision on whether or not to extend the current Northern Isles Ferry Service contract from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2028.

Question reference: S6W-28835

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing core funding for Shetland charity, Dogs Against Drugs, in light of the submission of public petition PE2107 on behalf of The Shetland Times.

I met Beatrice Wishart in July 2023 to discuss the work carried out by Dogs Against Drugs (Shetland) and have corresponded with her since. Dogs Against Drugs (Shetland) receives funding from the Scottish Government-funded Shetland Alcohol and Drugs partnership and has previously received a one-off grant from the Serious Organised Crime Community Grant Scheme. I have agreed to provide a further one-off grant of £30,000 to help meet current pressures while my officials assess the longer term funding position against an extremely challenging financial climate.

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