- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 13 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 social distancing measures. what action it is taking to ensure that blind and partially-sighted people feel confident that they are able to receive the support they require when in public spaces, and how it will promote awareness among the public that the measures do not prohibit them being guided.
Answer
In order that blind and partially-sighted people, and others that require guide support when out and about, can feel confident that they are able to receive the support they require, Scottish Government officials have worked with Public Health Scotland to develop guidance for those who provide guide support.
This guidance is available to the public on the Scottish Government website at Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for those providing guide support and has been shared across Scottish Government policy areas and with Sight Loss Sector organisations and Sensory Impairment Leads across the country, for local dissemination to their stakeholders.
In addition, Scottish Government has shared this guidance on twitter and other social media, to further raise public awareness.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it plans to implement the disclosure provisions under the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 11 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the monthly subsidy payments received by Serco NorthLink for the six-month extension to the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract, which was announced by Transport Scotland on 6 February 2020.
Answer
In order to complete the award process and allow an adequate mobilisation period, the Scottish Government announced on 6 February 2020 that the Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS) contract was to be extended by a period of up to six months to ensure continuity of services.
Following effective mobilisation the new contract commenced early on 30 June 2020.
The total amount of subsidy for the extension period has not been finalised given Covid-19 impacts and the contract expiring at the end of June 2020. It is anticipated that the finalised subsidy payments for the period requested will be available at the end of September 2020. As with the member’s previous question on financial aspects of support on NIFS, reference (S5W-25115 on 17 September 2019) we will provide full costs for the extension period when these have been finalised and requested.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 4 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government when it will place a copy of the 2020-26 Northern Isles Ferry Services contract on the Transport Scotland website.
Answer
The 2020-26 Northern Isles Ferry Services contract commenced on 30 June 2020. A non-commercially sensitive copy will be published on Transport Scotland’s website in Autumn 2020.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 4 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the incident on 25 June 2020 when the MV Arrow, reportedly under charter with Serco NorthLink, ran aground in water off Aberdeen Harbour.
Answer
The Scottish Government have not conducted any discussions with the UK Government regarding the incident on 25 June 2020 involving the MV Arrow.
The MV Arrow, is owned by Seatruck and was on short term hire to substitute for the regular vessel MV Helliar on the Northern Isles ferry services, as she attended her 14 day dry dock for scheduled maintenance in Rosyth. The MV Arrow and her crew commenced freight services on 17 June 2020 and had operated successfully on the Northern Isles routes before.
The MV Arrow grounded on approach to Aberdeen Harbour on 25 June 2020. Aberdeen Harbour tugs were able to move the MV Arrow and she successfully berthed in Aberdeen Harbour where all freight disembarked.
Serco NorthLink Ferries (SNF) were not the ship operator therefore were under no regulatory obligation to inform external bodies. That obligation rests with Seatruck Ferries, as owners of the vessel, with the vessel operating under their ISM system. SNF did however make courtesy calls to the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR) to ensure that they were aware of the issue at the time of the incident.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government when each section of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 will come into force.
Answer
The implementation of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 has been affected by the Covid 19 Pandemic. This has impacted particularly on the development of guidance and regulations and the related consultation processes. RTP section 122 came into force in March 2020. Officials will recommence work on other aspects of the Act as soon as it is appropriate and practicable, and Parliament will be kept updated accordingly.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £10 million allocated to the bus priority rapid deployment fund is in addition to spending set out in the 2020-21 budget, and whether any of this funding has (a) come from the £10 million allocated to bus priority infrastructure in the 2020-21 budget and (b) been reallocated from elsewhere in the 2020-21 budget.
Answer
The £10 million allocated to the Bus Priority Rapid Development Fund was repurposed from the 2020-21 budget for longer-term bus priority infrastructure projects, which were paused, due to the COVID-19 crisis.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 27 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of reports of plans to worsen the terms and conditions, including sick pay, of staff employed at the Trump Turnberry resort.
Answer
Employment legislation, including statutory sick pay (SSP), is a reserved matter and we have made no formal assessment of the reported situation at Trump Turnberry.
The Scottish Government encourages all employers to apply Fair Work practices and a flexible approach to dealing with the impacts of COVID-19. Employers should look to pay their workers throughout this crisis to protect them from financial hardship, making use of Government support available.
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy wrote to the Chancellor on 26 May raising a number of concerns relating to the Job Retention Scheme and reiterating Scottish Ministers’ ask that the UK Government make Statutory Sick Pay more responsive; including extending SSP to all workers irrespective of earnings levels during the current situation, and to increase the rate to at least the living wage.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage and support the Trump Turnberry resort to retain its workforce and avoid redundancies.
Answer
We recognise this is an extremely difficult time for businesses but ultimately, it is for employers to maintain jobs and pay their workers throughout this crisis. We have provided over £2.34 billion in business support to help businesses through this. We would expect the Trump Turnberry resort to have applied for all relevant sources of help and support, as other businesses have done.
We recognise that despite this package of support, businesses continue to find the situation extremely challenging and, while we encourage businesses to retain their staff as much as possible, businesses are no doubt having to make difficult decisions to ensure their viability.
We are committed to supporting the tourism and hospitality sector bounce back from this crisis.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 20 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the likely impact on the local community of the reported proposals to make at least 67 employees redundant at the Trump Turnberry resort.
Answer
At this stage we have little local data. The tourism and hospitality sector has been shaken across Scotland and it is unfortunate to hear the Turnberry resort is considering these proposals.
We recognise however that this is a business decision and at this time, many businesses are having to make difficult decisions like this. We also recognise that it does not make it any easier for the employees affected however.
Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) is the Scottish Government’s initiative dedicated to helping individuals and employers with the advice and support they need when faced with redundancy. PACE advice and support will be available to all affected employees should this decision be implemented.
