Parliamentary questions
David Stewart
1,651 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it accepts each of the recommendations in Transform Scotland's Interchange Audit Report.
Answer · Derek Mackay: This report was commissioned by Sustrans Scotland to inform its future work. As such it was not a report presented to the Scottish Government. We will of course continue to work in partnership with Sustrans and other transport providers to improve facilities …
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed the impact assessment that the Department for Transport carried out prior to increasing the speed limit in England and Wales for HGVs using single carriageways to 50 mph.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is aware of the Department for Transport’s impact assessment for the HGV speed limit rise on single-carriageway roads in England and Wales, and notes that it states this will result in more people being killed and seriously injured.
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will assess the road safety implications of the 50 mph HGV pilot on the A9.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has raised the HGV speed limit on single carriageway sections of the route between Perth and Inverness from 40 mph to 50 mph. This was implemented at the same time as we introduced an average speed camera system on these sections. The …
21 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when work will be completed on the new link road between the A96 and A9 south of Inverness.
Answer · Keith Brown: Work is currently underway to identify the optimum route for this new link road. Over the past year, four route options were exhibited to local communities and road users. Further work on route selection and any subsequent construction work will be taken for…
20 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24958 by Derek Mackay on 27 March 2015, whether it will provide a breakdown of CalMac Ferries Ltd’s expenditure on (a) vessel maintenance, (b) staff training, (c) onboard passenger services and (d) information technology on (i) Northern Isles and (i…
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-24958 on 27 March 2015 in respect of CalMac Ferries Ltd’s expenditure on the Clyde and Hebrides routes between 2006-07 and 2014-15. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament…
20 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24958 by Derek Mackay on 27 March 2015, when it expects CalMac Ferries Ltd to complete the upgrade of (a) ticketing, (b) online booking and (c) communication systems for ships and ports on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network.
Answer · Derek Mackay: This is an operational matter for CalMac Ferries Ltd who will make an announcement on the upgrading of their systems in due course.
18 May 2015 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the recently published road traffic statistics.
6 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what payments Serco NorthLink has made to the CalMac pension fund since May 2012.
Answer · Derek Mackay: None. Serco NorthLink is not a participating employer in the CalMac Pension Fund, nor was the previous operator, NorthLink Ferries Ltd.
6 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its discussions with the legal representatives of Serco NorthLink regarding the cost to the (a) public and (b) Serco NorthLink arising from the breakdown of the MV Hamnavoe in April 2013 have concluded and, if so, what the final cost will be.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Discussions regarding the MV Hamnavoe breakdown have concluded. The cost to Transport Scotland for the breakdown of the MV Hamnavoe was £62,973. The costs to Serco NorthLink are commercially sensitive. I also refer the member to the answer to question S4W-1…
6 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the maintenance costs have been for each vessel on the Northern Isles ferry routes in each year since July 2012.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The annual maintenance costs of the three vessels on the Northern Isles ferry services is commercially sensitive. The two freight vessels the MV Helliar and MV Hildasay are time charted by Serco NorthLink Ferries from SeaTruck and as such, vessel maintenance …
6 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue from fares has been raised on Northern Isles ferry services in each year since May 2012.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The information requested is commercially sensitive.
6 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much public subsidy has been paid to Serco in each year since 2012.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The undernoted table details the costs incurred by the Scottish Government for each year since 2012 for the provision of the Northern Isles ferry service operated by Serco Northlink Ltd. Contract year 1 (July 2012 to June 2013) £39,163,436 2 (July 2013 …
6 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many bids were received for the 2012-18 Northern Isles ferry services contract, and how many were lower than the winning bid.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Four bids were received for the Northern Isles ferry services contract in 2012. Three bids were fully evaluated, one was judged not to meet the quality standard, and their financial submission was returned to them unopened, in accordance with the rules of the…
6 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the responses to the pre-qualification questionnaire received from bidders for the 2012-18 contract for Northern Isles ferry services.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The submitted prequalification documents are commercially sensitive. They invited suitable economic operators to express an interest in bidding for either one of two lots, or both. Six economic operators responded, one for each of the lots and four for both l…
6 May 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the report in The Shetland Times on 1 May 2015 that Transport Scotland's bid for the re-tender of the 2012-18 contract for Northern Isles ferry services was returned unopened by David MacBrayne Ltd.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The then Minister for Transport and Veterans covered these issues during the debate in the Scottish Parliament on 5 September 2012 on ferry services to Orkney. The process used for the Northern Isles ferry services is standard practice for procurement exerci…
30 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current waiting time is for a driving assessment from the Scottish Driving Assessment Service.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: As at 1 May 2015, the average waiting time for the Scottish Driving Assessment Service is 17.2 weeks (based on the last 20 patients seen). Waiting times for the service have recently increased due to unexpected staff leave at the beginning of March 2015. NHS …
24 Apr 2015 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the wire corrosion on the Forth Road Bridge.
21 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to secure the identity of passengers on the Aberdeen - Shetland ferry service.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to his question S4W-24439 on 24 February 2015 in regard to proof of identity no longer being legally required on NorthLink ferries. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the …
1 Apr 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential to encourage the modal shift of the (a) Motorways of the Sea, (b) Marco Polo and (c) TEN-T funding packages.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government welcomes all programmes that can help encourage modal shift and we would support any application that met the criteria of the funding streams available. We would encourage any port, shipping company or other party looking to make an a…
31 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24976 by Margaret Burgess on 27 March 2015, whether there is provision in the current contract to allow a speedy handover if a new agent is appointed and how long it will take before a new managing agent will be able to (a) take referrals and (b) be…
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Whilst the new scheme has taken on board lessons learnt and best practice from the energy assistance scheme, it is sufficiently different that any handover from the current contract will be minimal. However, the new managing agent will require time to mobilis…
25 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will avoid further job losses at the Arnish yard on Lewis.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Arnish is a valuable asset for Lewis and home to a range of businesses including Burntisland Fabrications Ltd, Hebridean Seaweed and The Scottish Salmon Company. The site has been identified as a key location for the renewables sector in the Scottish Governm…
24 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of (a) Perth to Inverness and (b) Aberdeen to Inverness rail links is single track.
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-18414 on 29 November 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/parliamenta…
24 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop further freight-only rail links.
Answer · Derek Mackay: As part of the normal rail planning processes, we have not had any recent, firm proposals from the Scottish rail industry for the development of freight-only rail links. Through our £3.5 billion capital investment programme for 2014-19, we are working with t…
24 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact on tourism, what discussions it has had with the UK Government about preventing toxic oil fumes from entering the cabin and cockpits of passenger aircraft.
Answer · Derek Mackay: None. Health and safety relating to aviation is reserved to the UK Government. Concerns raised about cabin air have been investigated at length over a number of years by the UK Government. These studies found that while airlines should keep working to minimis…
18 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be capacity in the project to dual the A9 for the laying of fibre-optic cable.
Answer · Keith Brown: Transport Scotland are working with the Cairngorms National Park, the Scottish Government, Highland Council and other agencies to maximise the opportunity to align our programmes. The possibility of laying digital communications infrastructure in the dualled …
18 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will add the Mallaig to Lochboisdale ferry route to the Clyde and Hebridean routes that are being put out to tender in 2016.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Ferries Plan (2013-2022) committed to consider a Mallaig to Lochboisdale route as part of Clyde and Hebrides ferry services specification. However, the opportunity to pilot this route was agreed, starting in 2013. Decisions about the future provision of a…
18 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the managing agent for the Energy Assistance Scheme will be announced.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The procurement of a managing agent for the new national fuel poverty scheme is ongoing and we expect to be in a position to announce contract award by the end of April 2015.
18 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what unannounced inspections are carried out on fish farms.
Answer · Aileen McLeod: Government organisations, including Marine Scotland’s Fish Health Inspectorate and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, carry out unannounced inspections as part of their routine work programmes.
18 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much CalMac Ferries Ltd has spent on (a) vessel maintenance, (b) staff training, (c) on-board passenger services and (d) information technology each year since 2006.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The following table details how much CalMac Ferries Ltd have spent on vessel maintenance, staff training, on-board passenger services and information technology in each year since 2006. Financial Year Vessel Maintenance (£'000) Staff Training (£'000) On-B…
18 Mar 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much the re-tendering process for the 2016-24 Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract will cost; what restrictions will apply to alternative chartering arrangements proposed in the bid, and whether the successful bidder will be required to (a) carry out annual dry dock maintenance…
Answer · Derek Mackay: The current estimated tendering costs to the Scottish Government are between £900,000 and £1,000,000, calculated from October 2014 to November 2016. The successful operator will be required to charter the current fleet from Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, wh…