Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 1651 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S4W-29970

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government within what timeframe it expects to reach agreement on the specification for a smart and integrated ticketing system for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services with the operator of the 2016-24 contract.

Question reference: S4W-30379

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, if the ferry service between Dunoon and Gourock remains passenger only under the next contract, whether the port of Gourock will be maintained as a port of refuge with vehicle handling capability for that contract period.

The appointed service operator shall be required to operate a subsidised passenger only ferry service between Gourock and Dunoon town centres. Potential participants will also be encouraged to provide an unsubsidised vehicle-carrying service at their own commercial risk.

Gourock is currently used as a port of refuge for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, its continuation as a port of refuge is not dependent on the outcome of the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service procurement process.

Question reference: S4W-30218

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27940 by Derek Mackay on 29 October 2015, whether it will provide a breakdown of the annual expenditure on piers and harbours and vessels by (a) Northern Isles and (b) Clyde and Hebrides network.

The following table shows the breakdown of piers and harbour and vessel expenditure according to the network they relate to:

	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 (Forecast as at early March 2016)
Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service	£13,295,693	£20,181,865	£48,097,645
Northern Isles Ferry Service	£0	£14,956	£1,300
Other	£0	£19,500	£20,000
Total	£13,295,693	£20,216,321	£48,118,945

Question reference: S4W-30221

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27940 by Derek Mackay on 29 October 2015, what Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s planned expenditure on proposals in the Ferries Plan is for each year from 2015-16 to 2021-22.

Question reference: S4W-30219

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27940 by Derek Mackay on 29 October 2015, what the annual expenditure on proposals in Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013-2022) was for (a) Northern Isles and (b) Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

As stated in the response to question S4W-27940, the costs of the ferries plan proposals are not available in the format requested.

The undernoted table details the actual spend by the Scottish Government in supporting ferry services in financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15. In addition, the current forecast outturn figures for 2015-16 are also outlined.

	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 (Forecast as at early March 2016)
Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services	£85,522,390	£101,071,419	£112,137,000
Road Equivalent Tariff	£3,889,000	£5,034,000	£10,000,000
Subtotal Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services	£89,411,390	£106,105,419	£122,137,000
Northern Isles Ferry Services	£37,507,196	£35,973,572	£31,660,579

Question reference: S4W-30220

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27940 by Derek Mackay on 29 October 2015, what its estimate is of the expenditure on proposals in Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013-2022) for (a) Northern Isles and (b) Clyde and Hebrides ferry services for each year from 2015-16 to 2021-22.

Question reference: S4W-30217

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much public subsidy it has taken back since 2006-07 under the current Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

The undernoted table shows:

The actual subsidy paid to CalMac Ferries Ltd; and

The value of clawback paid back to Transport Scotland.

		Actual Subsidy (paid)	Clawback
Contract Year 1	Oct 2007 - Sept 2008	£48,990,000	£1,962,000
Contract Year 2	Oct 2008 - Sept 2009	£58,351,000	£3,309,000
Contract Year 3	Oct 2009 - Sept 2010	£58,477,000	£435,000
Contract Year 4	Oct 2010 - Sept 2011	£64,583,000	£1,464,000
Contract Year 5	Oct 2011 - Sept 2012	£73,455,000	£2,819,000
Contract Year 6	Oct 2012 - Sept 2013	£82,295,000	£1,205,000
Contract Year 7	Oct 2013 - Sept 2014	£92,180,000	£1,262,000
Contract Year 8	Oct 2014 - Sept 2015	£116,045,000	£3,975,000

The clawback mechanism enables the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services public service contract to be managed efficiently, by ensuring that the right level of subsidy is paid to the ferry operator each service year and that the operator is not over-compensated for the services that it provides. Any excess payments are returned to the Scottish Government allowing for the proceeds to be reinvested into our vital ferry services. The clawback mechanism is explained in clause 4.5 of the public service contract and can be found on page 33 of the contract at the following link:

http://www.transport.gov.scot/system/files/uploaded_content/documents/tsc_basic_pages/Water/CHFS_contract.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-30232

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 9 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the reported seven-month waiting list for drivers whose licences have been suspended for medical reasons to be re-tested at the Scottish Driving Assessment Service in Edinburgh.

During 2015 the Scottish Driving Assessment Service (SDAS) experienced long term absence and staff turnover. The recruitment and training of replacement staff takes several months, which has meant that the waiting time for those drivers awaiting assessment for medical reasons has risen to around 28 weeks. The Scottish Government understands that the service is now fully staffed and that a time limited waiting list initiative commenced at the beginning of February 2016 to address the backlog. The service is now able to offer additional appointments each week, and we understand that the waiting time will ultimately reduce to less than 18 weeks. SDAS have assured that these issues are being addressed as a matter of urgency now that the appropriate staffing is in place.

Question reference: S4F-03293

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2016

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the RMT-commissioned report on the future of Scottish ferry services.

Question reference: S4W-29855

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 4 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance report, Accessible Transport Strategy and Action Plan for Scotland, and whether it is taking action to implement the recommendations.

The Scottish Government has noted the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance plan. Whilst the plan raised worthy points of discussion, we were keen to produce a plan using a different overall approach which included collaboration with a range of disabled peoples organisations plus transport operators, government officials and crucially disabled people themselves from across Scotland.

Transport Scotland’s current work, with disabled people, their organisations and transport providers, working through the transport accessibility steering group, is about developing a shared vision, outcomes and action plan through a collaborative process to secure commitments to improve accessibility for disabled people in Scotland over the short, medium and long term. This goes beyond drafting and publishing a plan to making sure that a range of disabled people from across Scotland have been involved from the outset in highlighting the issues and agreeing solutions and crucially, going forward, ensuring that outcomes are achieved. The Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance is involved in this work as it is a member of the steering group.