Richard Baker

17 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people aged 60 to 65 have had a national entitlement card under the Scotland-wide free bus travel scheme for older and disabled people in each year since the scheme was introduced.

Answer · Keith Brown: The number of National Entitlement Cards allowing access to the Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People held by people between the ages of 60 and 65 is as follows. 2012-328,266 2013-338,470 This information was not recorded prior…

17 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of concessionary bus journeys are made by people aged 60 to 65.

Answer · Keith Brown: Personal information about the cardholder is not monitored when the National Entitlement Card is used to make a bus journey, therefore Transport Scotland are unable to quantify the number of journeys made by people aged 60-65. However, data gleaned from the …

17 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of concessionary travel cards has been held by people aged 60 to 65 in each year since the scheme was introduced.

Answer · Keith Brown: The percentage of National Entitlement Cards allowing access to the Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People held by people between the ages of 60 and 65 is as follows. 2012-26.5% 2013-27.1% This information was not recorded prior…

16 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure that companies shortlisted for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route contract have not been engaged in blacklisting in relation to the London Crossrail project.

Answer · Keith Brown: Under the contractual arrangements for the AWPR the successful contractor will require to comply with all laws including those relating to the prohibition of blacklisting. The Scottish Government is totally opposed to blacklisting or the compiling of a black…

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether savings made by CalMac Ferries Ltd as a result of its proposed 25% pay reduction for shore-based staff would be subject to the clawback mechanism in its contract for running the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

Answer · Keith Brown: No.

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking, in light of the First Minister's remarks to the 2013 STUC congress that “trade unions are important partners for the Scottish Government”, to work in partnership with the relevant unions with regard to proposals by CalMac Ferries Ltd to reduce the pay of its shor…

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-14872 on 23 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 whether Transport Scotland recommended that CalMac Ferries Ltd propose reductions in pay of up to 25% for its shore-based staff and, if so, what its position is on this matter.

Answer · Keith Brown: No. This is a matter for CalMac Ferries Ltd.

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Transport Scotland relating to proposals by CalMac Ferries Ltd to reduce the pay of its shore-based employees by up to 25%, and what the outcome was.

Answer · Keith Brown: Whilst this is a matter between the employer and the unions, Ministers have been kept informed of progress with the negotiations by their officials in Transport Scotland.

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on proposals by CalMac Ferries Ltd to reduce the pay of its shore-based employees by up to 25%, given its operational efficiency rates of over 99% and pre-tax profit of £4.1million.

Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-14872 on 23 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 steps it is taking to protect the economy of the Highlands and Islands from the impact of the reductions in pay of up to 25% recently proposed by CalMac Ferries Ltd for its shore-based employees.

Answer · Keith Brown: Whilst this is a matter between the employer and the unions, we would urge CalMac Ferries Ltd to continue with their negotiations to seek an early resolution to avoid any impact on ferry services and the economy of the Highlands and Islands.

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14085 by Nicola Sturgeon on 25 April 2013, whether it plans to ask public sector bodies to keep a record of community benefit information.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We intend to use the forthcoming Procurement Reform Bill to introduce a statutory requirement that public sector bodies include community benefit clauses in all new major public contracts and that those in receipt of major public contracts publish details of …

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to public sector bodies on including community benefit clauses in procurement tenders and contracts.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: A Scottish Procurement Policy Note (SPPN) along with a report and guidance on Community Benefits in Public Procurement (CBIP) were published by the Scottish Government, in partnership with COSLA in February 2008. In addition to this we have useful informatio…

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on procurement with (a) medium, (b) small and (c) micro-sized companies in the last five years.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information from the Scottish Procurement Information Hub (the Hub) indicates that the value of spend by Scottish Government Core Departments with medium, small and micro sized companies in the last five years was: 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-…

10 May 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14306 by Nicola Sturgeon on 26 April 2013, what spend with Scotland-based small and medium-sized companies for (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12 was with (i) medium, (ii) small and (iii) micro-sized companies.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information from the Scottish Procurement Information Hub (the Hub) indicates that the value of spend with Scottish based Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) per financial year was: Financial year 2010-11 Micro (1-9 employees) £394 million Small (1…

29 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had in the last two years with (a) Scottish Water, (b) the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and (c) local authorities in connection with public health issues related to discharges from combined storm overflows.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government, SEPA and Scottish Water hold regular discussions on the improvements that Scottish Water is making to waste water treatment with a view to improving the protection of bathing waters. Reducing the number of combined storm overflows and…

29 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of areas affected by combined storm overflows to prevent them being used for recreational purposes.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Recreational use of waters that may be affected intermittently by combined sewer overflows is not prohibited. However, action is being taken through Scottish Water’s investment programme and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency’s licensing regime to r…

29 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the public is aware of (a) any health risk associated with and (b) all areas that may be affected by combined storm overflows so that they do not bathe in or near them.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Waters with substantial numbers of bathers are designated under Bathing Waters legislation. All designated bathing waters have a profile, identifying risks to water quality, which is published on SEPA’s website, with summaries on information signs at bathing …

29 Apr 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are for the provision of dentistry in NHS Grampian.

23 Apr 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what account it took of the local economy as well as access to justice in reaching the decision to close Stonehaven Sheriff Court.

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will conduct the first review of the impact of the road equivalent tariff on ferry (a) passengers and (b) services.

Answer · Keith Brown: Halcrow Group Limited published their Assessment of the Impacts of the Road Equivalent Tariff Pilot in July 2011, which fully evaluated the impacts of RET on services to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree. The report stated that passenger traffic increased by …

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the (a) UK Government and (b) European Commission regarding the requirement to re-tender ferry services every six years and when such discussions will next take place.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have had a number of discussions with the UK Government regarding the maximum length of ferry services contracts, the most recent taking place on Tuesday 7 May when I raised the issue with Stephen Hammond MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport. Ha…

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the forthcoming EU procurement directive in relation to ferry services.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is responsible for implementing the forthcoming EU procurement directives, once adopted, into Scots law. We will consult our stakeholders to ensure that our implementing regulations are clear, workable and promote the achievement of wi…

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated annual expenditure on Clyde and Hebrides ferry services will be in each year to 2025, broken down by (a) public subsidy, (b) vessel procurement, (c) infrastructure investment, (d) leasing and chartering costs, (e) vessel maintenance costs and (f) infrastructure mainten…

Answer · Keith Brown: As noted in the Ferries Plan, published on 19 December 2012, our projected spend for ferry services in 2013-14 is £116.3 million and this is expected to increase year on year, reflecting increases in costs and the cost of implementing the service improvements…

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated annual expenditure on Northern Isles ferry services will be in each year to 2025, broken down by (a) public subsidy, (b) vessel procurement, (c) infrastructure investment, (d) leasing and chartering costs, (e) vessel maintenance costs and (f) infrastructure maintenance…

Answer · Keith Brown: The current Northern Isles ferry services contract runs from 2012 to 2018. We therefore have no estimated cost figures beyond 2018. There has been a change to the overall cost of the six year Northern Isles ferry services contract. When the service was tende…

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings (a) ministers and (b) Transport Scotland officials have had with representatives of (i) private companies and (ii) trade unions regarding the proposals in the final ferries plan.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: During the Ferries Review period, Ministers and Transport Scotland officials met with Trade Union bodies and private companies to discuss future ferries policy in Scotland. In addition, the STUC were members of the Ferries Review Steering Group, and all ferry…

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) passengers and (b) vehicles have travelled on each Northern Isles ferry route in each month since January 2012.

Answer · Keith Brown: Detailed spread sheets setting out the passenger and vehicle carryings for each of the Northern Isles routes, by month, since January 2012 have been lodged with the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 54911. In this context, “vehicles” refers…

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will make an assessment of the value for money for (a) taxpayers, (b) passengers and (c) businesses of the 2012-18 Northern Isles ferry contract.

Answer · Keith Brown: Transport Scotland’s contract management team regularly monitors and assesses the efficiency of all aspects of the operation of the Northern Isles ferry services contract. In addition to the routine contract management arrangements, in the event of any parti…

22 Apr 2013 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Federation of Master Builders' latest State of Trade Survey.

18 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much on average NHS Grampian has spent on hospital food per patient per day in each of the last five years.

Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not centrally held.

18 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many uneaten hospital meals have been disposed of by NHS Grampian in each of the last five years.

Answer · Alex Neil: This information is not centrally held.