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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

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Question reference: S5W-01087

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much subsidy Abellio receives annually under the ScotRail franchise agreement, and how much it expects the company to pay in premium payments.

Question reference: S5W-01089

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the projected profit that Abellio expects to make (a) each year and (b) in total from the ScotRail franchise agreement, and whether a (i) minimum and (ii) maximum level has been set under the terms of the agreement.

Due to commercial confidentiality these values cannot be currently disclosed. Earnings before income tax information is disclosed within the published ScotRail Annual Report and Accounts at Companies House. The financial year 2015-16 latest lodging date is 30 September 2016.

Schedule 8.1 (Section 3) of the franchise agreement details the Revenue Share Adjustment, which limits the proportion of annual revenue above target ScotRail can retain to no more than 50%. A redacted copy of the franchise agreement can be found on Transport Scotland’s website:

http://www.transport.gov.scot/rail/scotrail-franchise/public-register

Question reference: S5W-00896

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is a requirement of the ScotRail franchise agreement that the operator has to extend driver-only or driver-controlled operations.

Question reference: S5W-00894

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received from the (a) ScotRail Alliance and (b) Rail Delivery Group regarding (i) door operations on and (ii) other matters about the class 385 trains that ScotRail has on order.

Question reference: S5W-00887

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs could be lost if the class 385 trains that have been ordered by ScotRail are configured for (a) driver-only or (b) driver-controlled operation.

Question reference: S5W-00893

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd regarding the class 385 trains that ScotRail has on order.

Ministers and Transport Scotland meet with Network Rail regularly as part of an on-going process across a range of topics to manage the progress of the wider Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme project.

It is for the train operator to ensure any new fleet can operate across the rail network and ScotRail will do this through the normal regulatory processes and bodies including Network Rail.

Question reference: S5W-00886

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the potential impact on the safety of (a) passengers and (b) staff of driver-only operations on (i) current and (ii) future ScotRail (A) passenger and (B) freight services.

Driver-controlled operation trains with a second staff member have operated safely over the last three decades and currently operate on 51% of ScotRail services, carrying circa 59% of passengers. Any change to working practices, including the introduction of new trains is subject to Office of Road and Rail (ORR) scrutiny and approval. I have written to the ORR to seek their views and will provide the member with a copy of the reply.

Question reference: S5W-00888

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the financial impact will be of the proposed industrial action on rail services by the RMT, and how much compensation ScotRail will receive.

We have not been advised by ScotRail of the direct financial impact to them of potential reduced ticket sales during industrial action.

The franchise agreement between Scottish Ministers and Abellio ScotRail contains a clause which allows the Scottish Government to consider compensating the franchisee for lost revenues, if applied for by ScotRail. Scottish Ministers ensured in the new contract that before a decision is made on any representation from ScotRail, Ministers must take account of the views of key stakeholders, such as passenger focus and employee representatives in the event of industrial action.

We have not received an approach from ScotRail in relation to this clause.

Question reference: S5W-00892

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on allowing open-access operators to compete with ScotRail Abellio.

Competing bids for access to the Scottish rail network are a matter for the industry regulator, the Office of Rail and Road. The Scottish Government is not opposed to the broad principle of open access operations on the network, provided that this enhances the offering to rail passengers and that these services support the achievement of the Scottish Government objective to make rail an attractive, integrated and affordable alternative to less sustainable transport modes.

Question reference: S5W-00889

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of its responsibilities to (a) employees and (b) the recognised trade union under the franchise agreement with ScotRail Abellio Ltd in light of the proposed industrial action on services by the RMT.

The ScotRail franchise agreement contains a number of commitments to maintain and improve the welfare of ScotRail employees. It ensures protections including no compulsory redundancies throughout the life of the franchise, and it recognises the value of staff in delivering successful passenger railway services. In addition a trade union representative is invited to attend each franchise board meeting.