Jamie McGrigor

27 Apr 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of CalMac Ferries Limited expenditure on onboard catering is spent on items sourced from the islands that the company serves.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The percentage of CalMac Ferries Ltd expenditure on onboard catering spent on items sourced from the islands served during financial year 2014-15 was 7%. This figure was for food only and did not include alcohol, or other drinks. CalMac Ferries Ltd were rece…

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of the new passenger ferry berth in Gourock.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The contract is still on-going. However, outturn costs for the new berth steps structure are estimated to be approximately £1.74 million which includes design, supervision, supply of materials and construction.

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the new passenger ferry berth in Gourock complies with all applicable accessibility legislation.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The port facilities at Gourock enable the provision of an accessible ferry service. However, the replacement infrastructure for ‘the Kilcreggan steps’ which consists of six platforms set at various levels to provide pedestrian access to passenger ferries at …

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what relief provisions will be included in the invitation to tender for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route when the service is disrupted due to adverse weather conditions.

Answer · Derek Mackay: This information will be included in the Gourock to Dunoon invitation to tender documents.

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what minimum frequency of service is specified in the invitation to tender for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route.

Answer · Derek Mackay: This information will be included in the Gourock to Dunoon invitation to tender documents.

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the next Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract will include a requirement for the operator to provide an annual profit and loss statement for each route.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The invitation to tender for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services, due to issue June 2015, will confirm the operator’s reporting requirements for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services network.

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on the expected increase in carryings on the routes on which road equivalent tariff will apply from October 2015.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Transport Scotland does not hold information on the expected increase in carryings on the routes on which road equivalent tariff (RET) will apply from October 2015. Carryings will depend on a range of factors including crossing time. Evidence from the RET p…

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide annual route carrying information from when road equivalent tariff fares were introduced.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Annual route carrying information has always been available on the CalMac website and can be found via the following link: https://www.calmac.co.uk/corporate/carrying-statistics.

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the road equivalent tariff scheme will be extended to the Gourock to Dunoon route provided by Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd.  

Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to questions S4W-25146 on 22 April 2015 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the road equivalent tariff will apply to the Gourock to Dunoon route.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Ferries Plan stated our intention for road equivalent tariff (RET) to be rolled out to lifeline ferry services, and indicated the timescale for the roll-out of RET to all services operated under the Clyde and Hebrides Ferries Services contract. No decisi…

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what investment in new vessels will be required to cope with any anticipated increased demand as a result of the network-wide extension of the road equivalent tariff scheme on west coast ferry services and what the cost implications will be.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government, on 19 December 2012, published the Scottish Ferries Plan. This plan sets out short, medium and long term improvements over the next decade and included outline costed proposals for vessel investment. Discussions between CalMac Ferrie…

27 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the costs of the road equivalent tariff scheme have been, broken down by (a) year and (b) route. 

Answer · Derek Mackay: The annual costs of road equivalent tariff are published each year in an annual report to the Scottish Parliament on grants made under Section 70 (1) of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001. For ease of reference, they are also detailed in the following table. …

24 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many scheduled sailings there were on the MV (a) Ali Cat and (b) Argyll Flyer on the Dunoon to Gourock route between (i) December 2013 and March 2014 and (ii) December 2014 and March 2015 and how many were (A) completed and (B) cancelled and the reasons for these cancellations, and h…

Answer · Derek Mackay: Operational statistics on the MV Coruisk are given in the following table: 1 December 2013 to 31 March 2014 1 December 2014 to 31 March 2015 MV Ali Cat Scheduled sailings 2,316 2,236 Completed sailings 2,041 1,995 Cancelled sailings 275 (273 …

24 Mar 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost to Argyll Ferries was of operating the MV Coruisk on the Gourock to Dunoon route between (a) December 2013 and March 2014 and (b) December 2014 and March 2015; how many scheduled sailings there were and how many were (i) completed and (ii) cancelled and the reasons for thes…

Answer · Derek Mackay: The cost to Argyll Ferries Ltd of deploying the MV Coruisk on the Gourock-Dunoon service this winter was £812,000. The net cost to Transport Scotland was £110,000. I also refer the member to the answer to question S4W-20485 on 22 April 2014 in regard to 2013…

2 Mar 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to alter speed limits on trunk roads in the Highlands and Islands.

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support training providers to deliver the appropriate skills and fill the reported skills gap in the road haulage sector.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I am aware that Skills Development Scotland (SDS), our national skills body, met with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and Lantra in February 2015 to discuss the current and future skills needs of the industry. This included a discussion to better understa…

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase funding support for training for people aged 25 and older who wish to work in the road haulage sector.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government, through Skills Development Scotland, provides a contribution towards to the cost of training and assessment for Modern Apprenticeships (MAs). We prioritise this funding towards young people, however in recognition that there are indus…

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to make funding for training in the road haulage sector more flexible and to ensure that self-employed people have access to training schemes and support.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government supports training for small businesses, including those who are self-employed, through our Flexible Training Opportunities, where businesses with up to 100 employees can apply for up to £5,000 towards employee training costs. Funding i…

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address (a) any shortages in the number and (b) reported ageing profile of drivers in the road haulage sector.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Skills Development Scotland (SDS), our national skills body, offers a range of services for both individuals and employers. SDS has a dedicated employer helpline and a specific web service, Our Skillsforce, offering help on planning, recruiting and developing…

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to help school leavers stay in employment in the road haulage sector until they are 18 and can apply for a large goods vehicle (LGV) or heavy goods vehicle (HGV) licence.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: An enthusiastic and trained workforce underpins Scotland’s ambition for economic success and our successful Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme supports this goal by providing individuals with the opportunity to secure industry-recognised qualifications whil…

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will increase (a) awareness of and (b) interest in the road haulage sector among pupils.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: As noted in Developing the Young Workforce – Scotland’s Youth Employment Strategy, we are keen to see employers shape the workforce of the future by helping to develop and deliver young people’s experience of the world of work while at school. The Commission…

24 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that road transport and the road haulage sector are of critical importance to all other sectors of the economy.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government values freight transport as a key enabler for enhancing productivity and delivering sustainable growth. We recognise that road is the predominant mode for moving goods in Scotland and that the road haulage sector have a key role in he…

23 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) annual payment and (b) total cost to Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd will be of financing the MV Seaforth.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The MV Loch Seaforth was purchased and financed by Lloyds Banking Group whose financial arrangements with the shipyard are commercially confidential. The MV Loch Seaforth is leased to Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, who, in turn, charters the vessel to CalMa…

23 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what decisions it has made regarding the need for new ferries for the public service obligation Gourock-Dunoon ferry service to begin in summer 2017; whether any new tonnage will be passenger only, and whether there is a need for one or two new vessels.

Answer · Derek Mackay: In line with European procurement law all publicly subsidised ferry routes need to go through regular, fair and open tendering competitions to provide ferry services. It is anticipated a contract notice will be published in 2015, seeking expressions of inter…

23 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the NHS will spend on heating oil in 2015-16 and has spent in each of the last four years.

Answer · Shona Robison: Year Gas Oil (£) Heavy Fuel Oil (£) Kerosene (£) Diesel (£) 2010-11 5,273,731 2,530,119 50,189 324,978 2011-12 4,275,537 3,040,750 116,725 309,196 2012-13 4,088,057 2,819,835 522,234 318,854 2013-14 3,483,326 2,394,648 721,210 265,255 …

23 Feb 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the provision of locally accessible maternity scanning services in the Highlands and Islands.

16 Feb 2015 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle agricultural crime.

4 Feb 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent fall in wholesale costs, what representations it has made to (a) liquid petroleum and (b) other gas providers regarding reducing prices charged to consumers.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I have already written to the chief executives of the major energy suppliers seeking assurance that consumers will feel the benefit of lower oil prices at the earliest opportunity. We have now seen that the ‘big six’ energy companies have all subsequently ann…

30 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24015 by John Swinney on 28 January 2015, how much it spent on each of these products in 2013-14.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government spend on different categories of liquid fuels is shown in the following table. Prior to October 2013, spend on heating oils was not centrally collated. As a result spend for only part of the year 2013-14 is shown: Purchasing Entity F…

30 Jan 2015 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many road closures there have been on the A83 between Arrochar and the junction with the A815 since May 2007; what the cause was in each case, and how long it took to reopen the road.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Given the varied nature, cause, and methods of reporting road closures, Transport Scotland does not hold all the information necessary to determine the number of road closures, their cause and duration, on the A83 between Arrochar and the junction with the A8…