Parliamentary questions

Jamie McGrigor

1,122 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

8 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons information provided by Western Ferries and potential ferry operators who were contacted during the investigation stage of the feasibility study by MVA Consultancy on the Dunoon-Gourock town-centre ferry service was not included in the report of the study.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-16386 on 23 July 2013. 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/parliamentarybu…

5 Jul 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what Marine Scotland is doing to prepare for the introduction of the discard ban, broken down by (a) each fishing sector and (b) port and whether it has information on how this compares with work being done in other parts of the UK.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish fishermen have already reduced discards significantly, through the Conservation Credits Scheme. Marine Scotland is building on this progress with further trials and studies to prepare for the smooth implementation of the landing obligation for each c…

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish whether it can guarantee that west coast prawn fishermen will have their days at sea allocation returned to previous levels in 2014-15.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-14881 on 16 May 2013. 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/parliamentarybus…

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in persuading the European Commission to exempt from the cod recovery plan boats that can document low catches of cod.

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it will provide to west coast prawn fishermen who face a reduction in income due to reduced days at sea in 2013-14.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has listened carefully and responded to fishermen’s concerns about the number of days at sea that will be available to inshore prawn fishermen in 2013. As a result, days at sea allocations for west coast prawn vessels will be equivalen…

9 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14357 by Keith Brown on 29 April 2013, when it expects its calculation of the level of funding to be published and whether services on the route will not be cancelled if there are breakdowns in the network that necessitate a cascading of other servi…

Answer · Keith Brown: We do not publish the levels of subsidy required for individual routes, this information is considered to be commercially sensitive. It will be for the operator to make decisions about how vessels will be deployed in the event of breakdowns within the networ…

24 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13857 by Keith Brown on 18 April 2013, what its position is on whether each of the vessels operating on the route provide a reliable service; what provisions of the contract those that it considers unreliable to be in breach of, and for what reason …

Answer · Keith Brown: Transport Scotland officials regularly meet with Argyll Ferries Limited to monitor and receive performance updates on the service. The two passenger vessels which operate between Gourock and Dunoon town centres currently have a very high technical reliability…

19 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it will provide toward the new ferry service between Campbeltown and Ardrossan and whether it will publish the (a) timetable and (b) fare structure.

Answer · Keith Brown: An Investment Plan providing the estimated funding required for all of our short term proposals was set out in the Ferries Plan, published on 19 December 2012. The actual level of funding required for the new service between Campbeltown and Ardrossan is being…

18 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government with which stakeholders it has shared the results of the study into closed containment by the Improved Containment Working Group and whether it will publish the group's report.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Impacts of open pen freshwater aquaculture production on wild fisheries was published on the Scottish Government website on Wednesday 24 October 2012 and is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/10/5393. The authors, Homarus Ltd, consul…

15 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Argyll Ferries Ltd's replacement bus service is a result of a variation of contract and, if so, whether it will provide details of the variation, including the cost.

Answer · Keith Brown: The new replacement bus service is currently operating ahead of a formal contract variation to the public services contract between Argyll Ferries Limited (AFL) and the Scottish Ministers. Argyll Ferries Limited will be tendering for the replacement bus serv…

3 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13464 by Margaret Burgess on 27 March 2013, whether it will provide the information broken down by postcode area.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: Information on the relative costs of housebuilding cannot be provided by postcode, because the volume of information is not sufficient for meaningful sub-analysis at this level.

2 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the final report by MVA Consultancy on the removal of road equivalent tariff from commercial vehicles in the Western Isles will be published.

Answer · Keith Brown: We are finalising publication arrangements, and anticipate that the final report into the post-RET commercial vehicle fares impact study will be published shortly.

2 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13662 by Keith Brown on 27 March 2013, what provisions there are to ensure that vessels are able to operate safely in the weather conditions that can be anticipated on the Firth of Clyde.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Masters operate the vessels in accordance with the Safety Management Certificates issued by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, taking cognisance of any individual limitations expressed therein. In addition, Argyll Ferries Ltd have safety management syste…

2 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13661 by Keith Brown on 27 March 2013, how many staff who received a voluntary severance package had an employment contract with Argyll Ferries Ltd.

Answer · Keith Brown: One member of staff who had an employment contract with Argyll Ferries Ltd took the voluntary severance package.

2 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13660 by Keith Brown on 27 March 2013, what the increased cost to CalMac Ferries Ltd will be.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13660 on 27 March 2013. 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…

20 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13438 by Keith Brown on 18 March 2013, where in the contract for the Dunoon-Gourock service the specification is set out regarding the requirement for vessels to be able to operate reliably in the weather conditions on the route.

Answer · Keith Brown: In my reply to question S4W-13438, I explained that each contract specifies the vessels to be deployed and contains detailed provisions for their maintenance and operation. In the case of the contract between the Scottish Ministers and Argyll Ferries Ltd for…

13 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08882 by Keith Brown on 15 August 2012, what provisions are in the contract with Argyll Ferries Ltd to ensure that the service operates with reasonable reliability in the weather prevailing.

Answer · Keith Brown: Argyll Ferries Ltd shall provide the services in accordance with the published timetable except in the event of a Relief Event. There are a number of Relief Events specified in the contract to ensure that the services only operate when it is safe to do so. Ca…

13 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12378 by Keith Brown on 29 January 2013, whether all staff who received redundancy payments had employment contracts with Argyll Ferries Ltd when the payments were made and, if not, for what reason the payments were not made by the employing company.

Answer · Keith Brown: Not all staff who received a voluntary severance package had employment contracts with Argyll Ferries Ltd. The reasons for this were set out in the answer to question S4W-13285 on 6 March 2013. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on …

13 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when CalMac Ferries Ltd will stop paying Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd a single harbour access charge (HAC) and start paying berthing dues and harbour charges; what HAC CalMac Ferries Ltd pays; what the increase in costs to the company will be as a result of the change, and whether the …

Answer · Keith Brown: CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) will cease paying a Harbour Access Charge to Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) on 30 September 2013 on the expiry of the existing Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services agreements. A new charging agreement will commence on 1 October 20…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on housebuilding costs in (a) island and (b) remote rural areas and how these compare with costs in less remote mainland areas.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government analyses the costs of subsidised affordable housing developments at local authority level, with a subdivision of the Highland council area. The most recent figures, shown in the following table, indicate that costs were above the Scotl…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13126 by Keith Brown on 4 March 2013, what the average fuel consumption is of CalMac ferries travelling between (a) the mainland and (i) Port Askaig and (ii) Port Ellen and (b) Port Ellen and Kennacraig.

Answer · Keith Brown: Fuel consumption information, particularly at this level of detail, is commercially sensitive.

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that ferry service contracts deliver vessels that are able to operate reliably in the weather conditions that prevail on the routes.

Answer · Keith Brown: Each contract specifies the vessels to be deployed and contains detailed provisions for their maintenance and operation. The provisions of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract require the operator, CalMac Ferries Ltd, to use the fleet funded…

26 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how Argyll Ferries Ltd achieved a reduction in agency staff costs from £1,470,000 to £59,000 between 31 March 2011 and 31 March 2012.

Answer · Keith Brown: Argyll Ferries Ltd only commenced operation on 30 June 2011, therefore there were no agency staff costs for the financial year ended 31 March 2011. The £1,470,000 number quoted in this question refers to the agency staff costs to Cowal Ferries Limited for th…

26 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12776 by Keith Brown on 20 February 2013, what the employment status was of the 35 employees made redundant; what work they did, and how many worked (a) onboard ship and (b) onshore.

Answer · Keith Brown: A voluntary severance package was made available to the employees of Cowal Ferries Ltd and employees of other companies in the David MacBrayne Group on a restricted basis. This allowed staff associated with the Cowal ferry service the opportunity to either ta…

18 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of fuel is per journey for MV Finlaggan from the mainland to (a) Port Askaig and (b) Port Ellen harbour.

Answer · Keith Brown: Fuel cost information, particularly at this level of detail, is commercially sensitive. However, the difference in the cost of fuel for the MV Finlaggan sailing between these two journeys will be slightly higher given the route distance between Kennacraig an…

18 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the harbour dues per journey will be for MV Finlaggan when it uses (a) Port Askaig and (b) Port Ellen harbour from 1 April 2013.

Answer · Keith Brown: For (a) Port Askaig, CalMac pay Argyll and Bute Council the published rates for harbour dues as detailed on the Council's website: http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/ports-and-harbours-vessels/ports-and-harbours-rates-vessels and for (b) Port Ellen harbour, CalMac…

18 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the ticket recognition agreement between Western Ferries and Argyll Ferries Ltd becomes operational.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government wants to see a ticketing arrangement in place as soon as possible and are aware that discussions between Argyll Ferries and Western Ferries are on-going following their agreement in principle. Both operators are working to find an ear…

7 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consolidate crofting legalisation and, if so, within what timescale.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government will consider the consolidation of crofting legislation after it is satisfied that all the provisions of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 are working as intended.

1 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12483 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 January 2013, whether it will provide more information on the recent records from (a) Strathspey, (b) Loch Ard in Stirlingshire, (c) the Plockton area, (d) Ross and Cromarty and (e) Mudalach birch wood on Skye.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12483 on 30 January 2013 which has now been amended to remove Loch Ard in Stirlingshire, the Plockton area, Ross and Cromarty, and Mudalach birch wood on Skye as areas in Scotland that are known to be populated…

31 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12378 by Keith Brown on 29 January 2013, how many Argyll Ferries Ltd staff were made redundant and what their average severance payment was.

Answer · Keith Brown: The average severance package paid to the 35 employees who accepted voluntary redundancy in connection with the new contract to run a passenger ferry service on the Gourock-Dunoon route was £40,005.