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The South of Scotland Enterprise Act 2019 provides that members of the board of South of Scotland Enterprise, when taken as a whole, will be required to have:

• experience or knowledge of the whole of the South of Scotland,
• experience or knowledge of issues facing those who work in the South of Scotland, and
• a broad range of interests, skills, experience and expertise.

Board members will be appointed under the public appointments process, regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner. The public appointments process involves the development of a skills set for the board as a whole. This helps selection panels to clearly define the skills, knowledge and experience sought on the body’s board to ensure it is able to perform its statutory functions, and to do so economically, efficiently and effectively. The skills set will ensure that the legislative requirements are met.

The South of Scotland Enterprise Act 2019 provides that members of the board of South of Scotland Enterprise will be appointed by Scottish Ministers. An open appointment process will be led by a selection panel, including the SOSE Chair Designate, Professor Russel Griggs. The Panel will recommend to Scottish Ministers applicants who, on the basis of merit, best meet the requirements of the positions in question.

The purpose of the public appointments process is to attract a diverse range of able applicants and appoint the most able to lead Scotland’s public bodies in the delivery of efficient and effective public services. It involves the development of a skills set for the board as a whole. This helps selection panels to clearly define the skills, knowledge and experience sought on the body’s board to ensure it is able to perform its statutory functions, and to do so economically, efficiently and effectively.

The appointments process will be overseen by the Scottish Government's public appointments team working in partnership with the SOSE sponsor team, and regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

We initially estimated the total contract value at some £370 million. It is for the operator to deliver costed service solutions that fall within that initial value.

Although annual subsidy requirements will be published on a retrospective basis, financial details of the successful bidder's tender, including the new smart ticketing system will remain commercially confidential.

The implementation timetable for the new smart ticketing system is set out in the Invitation to Tender, Vol 2 (sections 7.20 - 7.26), available on Transport Scotland's website:

https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/44598/02-nifs-itt-volume-2-specification-of-requirements-version-40-15-april-2019.pdf

This remains a live procurement and there is a limit on what further information can be provided at this time. A redacted version of the signed contract will subsequently be made available on Transport Scotland's website.

The recruitment campaign for the post of chief executive began on 14 August 2019. The role was widely advertised for 4 weeks across multiple channels including press adverts, online job boards, diversity and equality websites and supported by a radio advertising campaign. I wrote to colleagues in the Scottish Parliament and encouraged our stakeholders to share the opportunity across their networks. We also worked with an executive search agency to identify potential candidates. The campaign was supported by a dedicated micro-site to showcase the role. We received applications from across the UK and beyond from those in the public, private and third sectors.

It was clear throughout the recruitment process that this key and critical appointment required someone with a wide range of skills and experience, able both to establish a new organisation and to lead it over the longer term. The final stage of the recruitment process took place on 22 October 2019. The selection panel did not feel that the potential candidates were able to demonstrate that they met the breadth of the requirements for this important role. We will therefore not be appointing a candidate from this recruitment round. I therefore intend to appoint an interim Chief Executive from within the Scottish Government and its agencies whose role will be to focus on what is required over the next 12 months to establish the agency on a firm footing.

This approach ensures that SOSE will have what it requires now for its successful establishment and in the future to deliver our collective ambitions for the South of Scotland.

The next phase of projects to benefit from the £1 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme will be announced within 12 months.

The Scottish Government look forward to continuing discussions will local authorities in the coming months regarding which of their projects may be suitable for support through the Learning Estate Investment Programme.

The expected impacts of projects taken forward under the Bus Partnership Fund, including the effects on passenger numbers, will differ depending on the scale, type, and location of the investment, and these impacts will be assessed on a per-project basis.

The Transport (Scotland) Bill was passed on 10 October and is anticipated to receive Royal Assent before the end of this year.

A good deal of preparatory work will be undertaken on the significant volume of regulations and guidance required in relation to the new provisions on bus services. My officials will be engaging with local transport authorities and operators over the coming months in taking this work forward with a view to beginning commencement of the provisions during 2020.

There are currently 19 positions (including 1 cadet who is a Scottish seafarer) on the Helliar and 18 on the Hildasay. All crew on board the vessels are entitled to work in the UK and are European nationals.

The crew on these vessels are provided through Marine Manning Guernsey Limited.

Crew on board the freight vessels continue to benefit from the principles set out in the Fair Work Framework such as; access to NorthLink’s extensive training programme, genuine workforce engagement and payment of the Living Wage.

The Scottish Government can confirm that no revenues, or intergroup loans, from Serco Group plc have been used to fund the operation of the current Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS) contract with Serco NorthLink Ferries since July 2012.

Commercial revenues received within the NIFS contract are taken into account when determining the subsidy received from the Scottish Government. i.e. increased revenue received from operating the ferry services reduces the level of Scottish Government subsidy required.

We initially estimated the total contract value at some £370 million. It is for the operator to deliver costed service solutions that fall within that initial value.

Although annual subsidy requirements will be published on a retrospective basis, financial details of the successful bidder's tender, including planned maintenance and dry docking will remain commercially confidential.

This remains a live procurement and there is a limit on what further information can be provided at this time. A redacted version of the signed contract will subsequently be made available on Transport Scotland's website.