- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with British Transport Police regarding the enforcement of ScotRail's alcohol ban.
Answer
British Transport Police are responsible for enforcing the alcohol ban and responding to reports of antisocial behaviour on ScotRail trains. The Scottish Government through Transport Scotland engages with British Transport Police in considerations over the future of the ban and in the wider context of tackling antisocial behaviours on the rail network.
It is acknowledged that a greater British Transport Police resource with increased visibility on the rail network could make a difference to enforcement of the alcohol ban. However, as the Scottish Government has no direct responsibility over British Transport Police, we must work within the resource it has and continue to encourage British Transport Police to work more effectively with ScotRail wherever possible.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its updated route map to achieve a 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030.
Answer
The route map to achieving a 20% reduction in car use is co-produced with CoSLA, in recognition of the joint commitment to a just transition to reducing car use. We continue to work closely with local and regional partners to update the route map and timeline for demand management, and we will publish it on completion of that engagement.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been done with ScotRail on any loss of income to its catering service due to the ongoing ban on the consumption of alcohol on ScotRail services.
Answer
Recent ScotRail analysis suggests around £160,000 net revenue per annum is foregone from being unable to sell alcohol on ScotRail services.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has held any discussions with (a) Transport Scotland, (b) CalMac and (c) CMAL regarding removing the MV Caledonian Isles from service, and, if so, whether it can provide details of such discussions.
Answer
There have been no discussions between Transport Scotland, CalMac and CMAL on removing the MV Caledonian Isles from service. CalMac is currently working through a data gathering assessment to quantify the requirement for further repairs on the vessel. Once this phase is complete, the outcome and options for progression will be discussed between CalMac, CMAL and Transport Scotland.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what UK financial institutions currently provide refund guarantee products for shipbuilding projects.
Answer
The Scottish Government do not hold this information. It is a matter for UK shipyards to come to commercial agreements on guarantees with financial institutions as stipulated in shipbuilding procurements.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the average percentage pay increase in (a) real and (b) nominal terms has been for public sector staff in each year since 2010-11.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not record the historic average percentage pay increase for public sector staff due to the complexities associated with calculating the impact of in year promotions, progression increments within pay scales and the large volume of new starts and leavers.
The pay metrics of the Scottish Government's public sector pay policy provides a reasonable basis for assessing the average nominal increase for public sector staff and those metrics are shown in the table below for the years requested.
There is no single way of calculating real terms increases in pay as there are numerous potential indices such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), Consumer Prices Index including Owner Occupiers’ Housing Costs (CPIH), and the Consumer expenditure deflator. Information on inflation indices can be found in the links below:
Inflation and price indices - Office for National Statistics
Final consumption expenditure deflator: SA - Office for National Statistics
Public Sector Pay Policy table
The public sector pay policy applies directly to the pay of the Scottish Government's core directorates and its associated departments, agencies, non-departmental public bodies, public corporations and NHS Scotland senior managers (grades A to C). Other parts of the devolved public sector such as NHS Agenda for Change, Police, Fire & Teachers are expected to use the pay policy metrics as a reference point for their pay negotiations.
| Public Sector Pay Policy Metrics |
| |
| 0%;
£250 underpin for lower paid |
| 0%;
£250 underpin for lower paid |
| 1%;
£250 underpin for lower paid |
| 1%;
£300 underpin for lower paid |
| 1%;
£300 underpin for lower paid |
| 1%;
£400 underpin for lower paid |
| 1%;
£400 underpin for lower paid |
| 3% up to £36,500;
2% between £36,500 & £80,000;
£1,600 if above £80K |
| 3% up to £36,500;
2% between £36,500 & £80K;
£1,600 if above £80K |
| £750 if below £25K,;
3% up to £80K,;
£2,000 if above £80K |
| £800 if below £25K;
2% up to £40K:
1% above £40K:
£800 if above £80K |
| |
| 5% from 1 April
plus 2% or 0.5% from 1 Jan |
| £1,500 if below £30K;
2% if above £30K from 1 April plus further 1% from 1 Jan |
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government on what date the MV Caledonian Isles was withdrawn from service, and when it is expected to return to service.
Answer
The MV Caledonian Isles entered dry dock for her annual overhaul at Dales, Greenock on 4 January 2024. The vessel moved to Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead on 11 February 2024 for additional steel works to be undertaken. She departed there on 14 September 2024 and was due to return to service on the on 23 September 2024. However, engineers identified metallic debris in the oil filter for the Port propulsion gearbox and she has remained off service. The vessel is currently at James Watt Dock Greenock undergoing further investigative works. As a precaution and to allow contingency measures to be put in place on affected routes CalMac have planned for the vessel being unavailable for the duration for the winter timetable period which ends on 27 March 2025.
CalMac anticipate having a more detailed estimate of the timing of the required work in the coming weeks.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of repairs to the MV Caledonian Isles has been to date, broken down by year, and what the total anticipated costs are going forward.
Answer
The maintenance costs for MV Caledonian Isles for the past three years are included within the following table:
Contract Year | Period | £000's | |
CY 6 | 01-10-2021 - 30-09-2022 | 1,955 | |
CY 7 | 01-10-2022 - 30-09-2023 | 1,977 | |
CY 8 | 01-10-2023 - 30-09-2024 | 8,310 | * |
| | | 12,242 | * |
* includes £6.8m of additional steelwork and gear box repair work. |
The anticipated costs going forward for MV Caledonian Isles are included within the following table:
Contract year 9 costs | £000s |
P7 | 596 |
P8 | 131 |
24-25 overhaul costs (deferred**) | 1,071 |
Open POs | 1,143 |
Total committed and incurred costs CY 9 | 2,941 |
*included in the above is £1.1m of additional costs. |
**incurred in preparation of overhaul being completed in January/February 2025. |
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how much of the £200 million that it committed to improve rail journey times between Aberdeen and the Central Belt by 2026 has been spent to date.
Answer
The total invested to 9th November 2024 (Railway Period 8 – 2024) on projects to reduce journey times between Aberdeen and the Central Belt is £23.1m. Of this figure, £16.3m has been spent on the Aberdeen – Central Belt Service Improvement project, and £6.8m has been spent on the project to improve rail line speeds in the Barnhill area between Perth and Dundee. The investment at Barnhill remodelled a junction between the Tay Viaduct at Perth and Barnhill to increase line speeds over it from 20mph to 50mph. It is a direct enabler for the plan to reduce rail journey times between the Central Belt and the North-East, improving connectivity and enhancing capacity for both passenger and freight trains on the route.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the (a) Metro Mayor of (i) Greater Manchester and (ii) the West Midlands and (b) Secretary of State for Transport regarding the potential revival of the HS2 Phase 2 development and how this could be extended further up the West Coast Main Line to Glasgow.
Answer
Scottish Government Ministers have had engagement with the Secretary of State for Transport regarding the reintroduction of the High Speed Rail Crewe to Manchester Bill (on 25 July 2024) and officials are engaged with counterparts on medium-long term strategic railway planning across GB.
