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As you will know, delivery of Green Freeports are a joint initiative between the Scottish Government and the UK Government, with a detailed programme in place to do this. Responsibility for the various incentives (including tax and seed capital) lie with the appropriate government.

The Forth Green Freeport consortium recently submitted their Full Business Case (FBC). Officials are currently reviewing this - including analysis of potential tax and customs incentives across the sites.

Tax sites were designated at an earlier stage of the business case process, and include an area of land owned by Petroineos Manufacturing Scotland Ltd (PIMSL). This area is not involved in the current fossil-fuel refining operations, and is designated for bio-refining and low carbon fuels manufacturing. The nature of the potential development in this particular area is the subject of a proposed study, called Project Willow, which it is intended will be developed in collaboration between PIMSL, INEOS, the Scottish Government and its agencies.

The Forth Green Freeport is focused on the transition to net zero, and supporting that transition through targeted seed capital funding. None of the proposals for seed funding include the proposed Petroineos import-export terminal, nor are there customs sites proposals involving Petroineos.

Once the business case process is complete, both governments and Forth Green Freeport will agree a detailed Memorandum of Understanding which will include monitoring and evaluation of the delivery and impact of the Green Freeport. The Scottish Government has worked in partnership with the UK Government to ensure that specific provisions on Just Transition, Fair Work and the Real Living Wage are critical parts of Green Freeport monitoring and evaluation.

The decision by Petroineos to cease refinery operations is of course a blow to the workforce and local community. PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) is the Scottish Government’s initiative for responding to redundancy situations. Through providing skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time individuals affected by redundancy are out of work. PACE partners SDS and Scottish Enterprise had a joint introductory meeting with Petroineos on 3 October 2024 to outline the support available to employees impacted by the planned closure of refining operations.

We believe that the wider Grangemouth site retains the potential to be utilised as part of Scotland’s low-carbon transition, and it has been identified as a potential site for future low carbon technologies which will not only drive Scotland’s economy, but contribute to our transition to net zero.

This is why the Scottish and UK Governments have confirmed a £100m package for Falkirk and Grangemouth, including our £40 million contribution to the Growth Deal and £10 million for community projects in Grangemouth and an additional £10m announced by UK Government after Petroineos’ decision to close the refinery site, as well as the £1.5m Project Willow study (jointly funded by the Scottish and UK Governments) which aims to look at options for developing new long term industry at the refinery site.

My officials will continue to work in partnership with the Forth Green Freeport team, and with UK Government counterparts in order to ensure the successful delivery of the Green Freeport, to the benefit of the communities in the region, and to the wider economic success of Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30246 on 11 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30246 on 11 October 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

CMAL are the procurement authority and administer the tendering process through their staff. This would be a normal BAU cost by way of paying the salaries of the staff involved.

Significant progress has been made in recent years to improve smart, integrated ticketing and payment on public transport. Since 2019 Scottish smartcards are universal, meaning they are compatible for nearly all smart tickets available in Scotland. This includes the National Entitlement Card which is used by over two million citizens for concessionary travel. Regionally there are six integrated multi-bus operator or multi-modal schemes available in Scotland’s main cities, on a mix of mobile or smartcard platforms. The Smart, Integrated Ticketing and Payment Delivery Strategy, published on 21 August 2024 also provides detail on activity over the next period to build on this progress.

The current estimate for the seven new vessels and related port works in SVRP Phase 1 is £175 million. CMAL are progressing the vessel procurement with a view to agreeing a contract around March in 2025. The project spend profile remains under review and will be subject to completion of appropriate procurement processes, agreement of delivery schedules with the successful shipyard and port works providers, and approvals from Ministers. Budget will be allocated annually as part of the normal budget process.

The full costs of the procurement for the seven vessels as part of the Small Vessels Replacement Programme are estimated to be around £175 million including the provision of harbour upgrades and shore power connections.

The split cannot be given at this time given the live procurement of the programme and will only be known following the successful completion of the procurement exercise, anticipated March 2025.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) as procuring authority for the programme will continue to involve all relevant stakeholders, including local authority harbour owners, in planned upgrades and works associated with the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

Crewing levels will be comparable with existing small vessels to ensure safe manning and operation of the new vessels when they are introduced. CalMac Ferries Limited will continue to engage with crew and unions ahead of the vessels introduction. Further detail on particulars of the vessels is available in Q&A documents on CMAL‘s dedicated SVRP website - Small Vessel Replacement Programme | CMAL Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (cmassets.co.uk).

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) as procuring authority foresee the invitation to tender issuing late September/early October 2024. A contract range will be given but it will be for bidders to confirm the cost of the design and build contract and for CMAL to evaluate bids against the set criteria of the procurement process.