Parliamentary questions
Neil Bibby
1,029 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to ensure that service reductions recently proposed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are not implemented.
Answer · Shona Robison: The planning and provision of local healthcare services are for NHS boards and their planning partners, in line with national policies, guidelines and frameworks. Whilst Ministers are conferred with over-arching powers of direction, there is nothing in statu…
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01080 by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016, how many services breached the minimum threshold for (a) the provision of customer care and (b) ticket inspection by staff in each four-weekly reporting period since June 2015, also broken down by the fines inc…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: With regard to (a) I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01080 on 15 July 2016 and S5W-01679 on 22 August 2016. (b)Ticket Inspections on Train Trains audited Fails recorded Penalty 2015-16 Period 3 186 2 2015-16 Period 4 187 1 2…
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) Network Rail regarding the extension of driver-controlled operations on ScotRail services.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Transport Scotland meets regularly with a range of industry stakeholders including Network Rail and the Department of Transport to discuss a range of topics including industrial relations issues. The Minister for Transport and Islands has also recently had a …
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01080 by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016, what proportion of and how many services are permitted to run in a month without a second person on board before the operator incurs penalties.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: No services are ‘permitted’ to run without a second person, all services are scheduled to have a second member of staff to be on board. This is reflected in the Franchise Agreement (Schedule 1.4) mandating ScotRail to use all reasonable endeavours to maintain…
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01078 by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016, for what reasons the service quality incentive regime does not include the safety-critical operational duties of a second member of crew on driver-control operated routes.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Both Ticket Examiners and Conductors have identical passenger facing duties which are audited within SQUIRE (Service Quality Inspection Reporting Regime) under Schedule 33 and 36. The SQUIRE regime focuses on monitoring the performance of the franchisee from …
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01080 by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016, how it assesses the endeavours to maintain the minimum staffing level.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: On average 180 services are audited each four weekly period as part of the regular SQUIRE monitoring process.
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01080 by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016, how many (a) non-driver only control and (b) driver-only controlled trains were in service in each period.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: During the period covered by the answer to S5W-01080, the following numbers of trains were booked to run: All trains booked to run Trains run on a DCO- basis All else 2015-16 Period 3 58,065 29,613 28,452 2015-16 Period 4 57,341 29,244 28,097…
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01080 by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016, whether it will provide a breakdown of the fines incurred for each failure.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Since June 2015, ScotRail’s performance within Schedule 33 of the Service Quality Inspection Reporting Regime (SQUIRE) has been at a level which resulted in a financial penalty on three occasions. Period 13 - £100. Period 9 - £3200 and Period 8 - £100.
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of passenger train services operated with only one member of staff on board in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16, also broken down by class of rolling stock.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: This is an operational matter for Abellio ScotRail for 2015-16 and First ScotRail who operated the franchise during 2014-15. Transport Scotland does not hold this information. However, within the Service Quality Inspection Reporting Regime (SQUIRE) Transport…
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the payments made under the Schedule 8 scheme by Network Rail to ScotRail for disruption to services in each year since 2008.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Schedule 8 forms part of the Track Access Agreement between ScotRail and Network Rail. The Scottish Government is not a signatory to the Agreement and therefore does not hold the information.
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on ScotRail increasing the number of driver-only operated passenger services.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Ministers do not set ScotRail’s operational policy. We look to the railway, the operator and unions to arrive at a safe, efficient customer focused solution. The term ‘driver only operation’ is a misnomer in the Scottish context, A key requirement of…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) where and (b) by what date the ScotRail class 385 passenger trains will be (i) manufactured and (ii) assembled, and up to what stage in the process modifications can be made to the design.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The design of the fleet has been agreed and the first tranche of class 385s are currently being built and tested in Japan. Work begins next month to assemble the remainder of the fleet at Hitachi’s new factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. ScotRail plan …
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who is paying for the ScotRail class 385 passenger trains.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: ScotRail are paying to lease the trains.
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the benefits of staffing on (a) ScotRail trains and (b) railway stations.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: We recognise the critical importance of good staff for ScotRail services both at stations and on trains, and this is reflected in our franchise agreement, including a requirement of no compulsory redundancies during the life of the contract.
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that driver-only operated trains have on (a) revenue protection and (b) antisocial behaviour on ScotRail services.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Transport Scotland oversees the Abellio ScotRail franchise contract, on behalf of the Scottish Government, and specifies the performance levels that ScotRail should meet. ScotRail is responsible for providing the specified services and all other functions ne…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding ScotRail using driver-only operated services and whether this complies with the operator's public equality duty required under the Equality Act 2010.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: There is no obligation for Scottish Ministers to discuss the operation of ScotRail services with the UK Government.
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much subsidy Abellio receives annually under the ScotRail franchise agreement, and how much it expects the company to pay in premium payments.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Due to commercial confidentiality these values cannot be currently disclosed.
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what basis Hitachi was awarded the contract to build the ScotRail class 385 passenger trains; who made the decision, and whether it will provide details of the other bidders.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Abellio provided a fully compliant bid to operate the franchise including a new fleet of trains from Hitachi which met the specification stated in the invitation to tender and have subsequently been included as commitments within the franchise agreement. The …
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on using the break clause in the ScotRail franchise agreement to allow for consideration to be given for a public sector bid to provide the service, and what (a) preparations and (b) discussions its officials have had regarding this.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government enters into all contracts in good faith and it will honour the terms of the existing ScotRail franchise contract, which commenced on 1 April 2015, a year before new powers were granted under the Scotland Act that enable a public sector…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how ScotRail ensures that timetabled passenger services run with a second member of on-board staff, and what penalties can be imposed if a service does not have this.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: ScotRail has a franchise commitment to ‘use all reasonable endeavours to maintain a minimum staffing level for every train service of two members of staff’. Transport Scotland through the service quality incentive regime, inspect approximately 180 services…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have indicated in advance since April 2015 that they required assistance to use ScotRail services; how many received this assistance, and what information it has regarding how many times this was provided by (a) station or (b) on-board staff.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Based on information provided by ScotRail, 91,686 assisted travel bookings have been made since April 2015 up to and including May 2016. Of this number, based on ScotRail data, 91,439 (just over 99.7%) customer received assistance. ScotRail advise that passen…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it costs ScotRail to use (a) a conductor and (b) another staff member as the second member of on-board staff.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The known advertised salary for a ScotRail conductor in 2016-17 is £29,459 per annum. The second person grade or position is not publicly available at this time.
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of ScotRail services have run without a second member of on-board staff in each month since April 2015.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: During the last year of SQUIRE audits (from June 2015) the following results were returned. Trains audited Fails recorded % 2015-16 Period 3 186 2 1.075 2015-16 Period 4 187 1 0.535 2015-16 Period 5 187 0 0.000 2015-16 Period 6 178 …
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its officials have had with the (a) UK Government, (b) train operating companies, (c) Rail Safety and Standards Board and (d) Rail Delivery Group regarding (i) driver-only operated and (ii) driver-control operated passenger trains on ScotRail services.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: We have discussed the operation of the existing rail network (diesel and electric) in the range of regular scheduled discussions with all stakeholders in areas of mutual interest.
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what processes are in place to ensure that Abellio meets the terms of the ScotRail franchise agreement; how often it meets the company to discuss the delivery of the agreement, and whether it will publish the delivery plan.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government, via our national transport agency (Transport Scotland) meet frequently with ScotRail to monitor their performance in the delivery of the franchise agreement. Minutes of the four weekly franchise performance meeting can be found in the…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the projected profit that Abellio expects to make (a) each year and (b) in total from the ScotRail franchise agreement, and whether a (i) minimum and (ii) maximum level has been set under the terms of the agreement.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Due to commercial confidentiality these values cannot be currently disclosed. Earnings before income tax information is disclosed within the published ScotRail Annual Report and Accounts at Companies House. The financial year 2015-16 latest lodging date is 30…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what obligations the franchise agreement places on ScotRail to remove or minimise disadvantages faced by disabled people.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The franchise agreement contains several specific additional obligations relating to persons with disabilities including, for example, compliance with Disabled People’s Protection Policies (DPPP) and provision of alternative transportation for persons with di…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the ScotRail (a) disabled people’s protection policy and (b) operating licence obligations, and whether it considers that driver-only operated services are compliant with them.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Disabled access policy has not been devolved to Scottish Ministers and remains an issue that is reserved to the UK Government. a) The responsibility for assessing Abellio ScotRail Ltd.’s Disabled People’s Protection Policy (DPPP) rests with the Office of R…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the introduction by ScotRail of class 385 trains configured for driver-only operation will impact on disabled people and whether these services will be compliant with the operator's obligation to make all reasonable endeavours to assist disabled people.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: All UK train operators are obliged, when introducing new rolling stock, to ensure it is compliant with the technical specification for interoperability for persons with reduced mobility (PRM-TSI) regulations. ScotRail will therefore require Hitachi to deliver…
27 Jun 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether (a) the ScotRail franchise agreement and (b) driver-only operated passenger ScotRail services are in breach of the Equality Act 2010.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: (a) The franchise agreement is not in breach of the Equality Act 2010. Disabled access policy is a reserved matter for the UK Government and our franchisee is required to comply with the relevant legislation. The responsibility for regulating and enforcing th…