Parliamentary questions
Katy Clark
746 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out into the viability and effectiveness of hydrogen-fuelled ferries.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government has supported the various phases of the HySeas project which is developing a concept design for a hydrogen fuelled vessel that could operate in Scotland. Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has been a partner in the HySeas III consor…
21 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it had made of (a) crew safety, (b) crew accommodation, (c) crewing levels, (d) catering provision and (e) freight volumes when it reportedly decided against the acquisition of catamaran vessels in the past year for the purposes of public ferry crossings.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government has not undertaken an assessment of catamaran vessels in the past year. Any such assessments have been undertaken by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) supported by independent naval architectural consultancy. As was widely reporte…
21 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has set a decarbonisation target for the (a) passenger ferry and (b) maritime freight sector.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is committed to the decarbonisation of the transport sector in a sustainable way to deliver a just transition. Our Climate Change Plan includes a commitment that by 2032, 30 per cent of Scottish Government owned ferries will be low emi…
21 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its target date is for achieving a fully zero emissions fleet of public ferries.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We are aiming for the Government-owned ferry fleet to make the strongest possible contribution towards achieving our target of a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy by 2045.
21 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the findings of the recent University College London study, Exploring methods for understanding stranded value: case study on LNG-capable ships.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is aware of the study published by the University college London on LNG capable ships and of its main conclusions. There is considerable research being carried out into the viability of various future marine fuels and vessel technologi…
18 Oct 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what actions it is taking to tackle sexual harassment in schools.
30 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11100 by Jenny Gilruth on 30 September 2022, when it expects the (a) evaluation stage to be completed and (b) invitation to tender to be issued.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I would refer the member to the written answer of S6W-11101 of ? 4 October 2022; which confirms that significant progress is expected this year on the tender design stage, with the Invitation to tender stage to be undertaken thereafter. All answers to writte…
29 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to the Member of 7 July 2022, whether it has taken forward discussions with Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) officials to ascertain whether there are any concerns in relation to the regulation of private fi…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Since I last updated the member in July, my officials have met with Healthcare Improvement Scotland to discuss this important issue. Further engagement is now needed to consider the most appropriate next steps and we hope to be in a position to update Parlia…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the recommendations on (a) governance, (b) project controls and (c) value for money in the report Project Neptune, Governance, Internal Controls and Value for Money, which was published on 16 February 2022.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We will respond in due course as part of wider work to consider and take forward the wider recommendations related to Project Neptune.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the meeting of its net zero targets of Crown Estate Scotland’s announcement that lease periods for targeted oil and gas projects will be extended to 50 years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Offshore emissions generated as a result of the exploration for oil and gas in the North Sea are not counted as part of Scotland’s emissions inventory and instead are attributed directly to the UK emissions inventory and are not allocated to any devolved admi…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has held with the UK Government regarding the UK Government’s short-term review of The Assessment and Rating of Noise from Wind Farms (ETSU-R-97).
Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government and UK Government officials meet on a quarterly basis to discuss onshore wind policy matters. Discussions on the progress of the short-term review were discussed as part of the last meeting on 1 August 2022.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether an environmental impact assessment was carried out prior to Crown Estate Scotland’s announcement that lease periods for targeted oil and gas projects will be extended to 50 years.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Crown Estate Scotland (CES)is responsible for all seabed leasing arrangements, including lease periods, for the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) projects.As part of the INTOG planning process, Marine Scotland Directorate will undertake a full plan-…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the key recommendations in the Strategic Framework of Options for the CHFS Network produced as part of Project Neptune.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I already set out my initial thoughts and response to the findings of Project Neptune in my statement to Parliament on the Future of Scottish Ferries on 8 September. Full and detailed consideration is now being given to all the findings and options, including…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date Ernst and Young agreed to Transport Scotland’s request for the Project Neptune documents to be (a) shared with third parties and (b) published.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The statement of requirements for Project Neptune clearly states, “the likelihood would be that the final report and recommendations will be published by Scottish Government. It is imperative that the content remains confidential until the Scottish Parliament…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons the figures for (a) Government subsidy and (b) farebox revenue in the Norwegian ferry sector are redacted in the benchmarking section of Project Neptune’s Strategic Framework for Options for the CHFS Network, and whether it will arrange for those figures to be published.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The redacted figures are considered to represent sensitive information as it originated from interviews with the Norwegian Government. As such, this information is not for Scottish Government to publish.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment its Subsidy Control Unit has made of the case for (a) merging CMAL and CalMac Ferries and (b) directly awarding public ferry contracts to an in-house operator.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Subsidy Control implications of (a) merging CMAL and CalMac Ferries and (b) directly awarding public ferry contracts to an in-house operator will be considered in full as part of Ministers’ consideration of the issues.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what stakeholder engagement exercises it has undertaken in communities on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network to canvass opinion on procurement of the next contract, since the interim findings of the Ferry Law Review were published in December 2017.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I regularly meet with and engage directly with island communities to seek their views on the provision of ferry services and areas which the travelling public are keen to see improvements. This work will be carried out as part of the preparatory work for the…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the impact that Transport Scotland’s harbour resource grant to the Scottish Maritime Cluster Limited in 2021-22 has had on its policies on (a) piers and (b) harbours on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The grant to the Scottish Maritime Cluster Limited was made in line with set objectives none of which have any impact on (a) piers and (b) harbours on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Fampridine will be made available on the NHS for people living with multiple sclerosis.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Fampridine (Fampyra ®) was accepted by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) as a treatment for improvement of walking in adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) with walking disability, with a score of 4-7 on the expanded disability status scale (EDSS)…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09362 by Jenny Gilruth on 25 July 2022, when it expects the tender for the Ardrossan upgrade project to be published.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The tender design stage is ongoing, and further work is required prior to the publication of the Invitation to Tender document. However I am hopeful that significant progress on this will be made this year and I will of course continue to keep the member and …
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the private ferry companies that have expressed an interest in bidding for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract on each occasion that it was put out to tender.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Information on the organisations that were invited to tender for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract on each occasion that it was put to tender is already in the public domain and is below For CHFS1 tender in 2005 - Three organisations (Western Fe…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement by the Minister for Transport on 8 September 2022 on the Future of Scottish Ferries, what definition of a “period of prolonged disruption” it will use to convene meetings of the proposed ferries resilience group.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Any period of disruption will be considered on a case by case basis.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement by the Minister for Transport on 8 September 2022 on the Future of Scottish Ferries, whether it will provide an update on the discussions it has had with the Chair of the Ferries Community Board regarding consultation with island communities over the…
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Discussions with the Chair of the Ferries Community Board remain ongoing to develop the scope of work to be undertaken. I will next meet with the Chair on Wednesday 5 th October.
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent estimate it has made of any effect inflation will have on the cost of the Ardrossan harbour re-development project, should work start in early 2023.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We are aware from other infrastructure projects that construction costs have been impacted by increases in inflation, as well as a rise in materials, fuel and wages as a result of the pandemic, exit from the European Union and the situation in Ukraine. The fu…
20 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that P&O Ferries does not benefit from public funding granted to the Scottish Maritime Cluster Limited by Transport Scotland.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: P&O Ferries is not a member of the Scottish Maritime Cluster Limited and therefore has not benefited from funding granted to the Cluster by Transport Scotland.
20 Sep 2022 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make a statement on the policing and arrests at events connected to the death of The Queen and the proclamation of the new monarch.
7 Sep 2022 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will give an update on the work to upgrade Ardrossan Harbour.
5 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that trading licences are not granted to so-called “phoenix companies” set up by company directors to avoid paying existing debts.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The operation of company law is reserved to the UK Government. The Companies Act 2006 is the main legislation which governs the operation of companies within the UK including in Scotland. This includes the law relating to where trading certificates may be req…
5 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a supplementary subsidy to the UK Government’s £400 energy bill discount.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Our Programme for Government this year committed to use our Emergency Budget Review to double our Fuel Insecurity Fund to £20 million in 2022-23, to help households at risk of self-disconnection or self-rationing of energy use. This Fund is delivered throug…
5 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact in Scotland of any ineligibility of park home owners to receive the £400 energy bill discount.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government officials have engaged with UK Government counterparts regarding the provision of support to consumers such as park home owners who are ineligible for the £400 Energy Bills Discount Scheme. Officials have provided details on the number and…