Parliamentary questions
Alex Rowley
554 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the community needs assessments carried out on Cowal and Rosneath public ferry routes in the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The contents of the report remain under consideration by Ministers and Transport Scotland. The report will be published once that process has been completed.
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations were consulted as part of Transport Scotland’s review of the methodology of community needs assessments on routes in the (a) Clyde and Hebrides and (b) Northern Isles Ferry Services contract.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: As part of the Islands Connectivity Plan, Transport Scotland plans to carry out Community Needs Assessments for the islands and peninsulas of the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles Ferry Services. These Community Needs Assessments will identify options for…
9 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is regarding mandatory rotation of Ukrainian refugees around hotels in Fife.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government has welcome accommodation across Scotland. These are managed in partnership with relevant local authorities, who advise on where guests are best placed. We work collaboratively with local authorities such as Fife to ensure that servi…
9 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the 2024-25 Scottish Budget will have on its targets for reducing child poverty.
20 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of (a) how and (b) where the budget allocated for active travel was spent, in each financial year from 2020-21 to 2023-24.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Active Travel Budget is an annually set allocation from the overall Scottish Transport Budget. The Active Travel Programme contains a blend of Grants awarded in accordance with the Scottish public Finance Manual, contracts drawn down from Scottish Governm…
20 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the budget investment allocated for active travel was spent, in each financial year from 2020-21 to 2023-24.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Active Travel Budget is an allocation set within the overall Transport Budget for Scotland. There has been an annual increase to the Active Travel budget each year from 2020 to 2023. This reflects our commitment to increase walking, cycling, or wheeling f…
20 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation process is in place to assess the spending that was allocated to active travel in each financial year between 2020-21 and 2023-24.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Active Travel Programme is a collection of interventions aimed at people and place, and Infrastructure investments to develop safe and accessible active travel routes. Each project is subject to a disciplined Governance approach that includes quarterly an…
28 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the proposed new gas-fired power station to be built at Peterhead poses any significant risk to Scotland's climate and emissions reduction targets.
Answer · Gillian Martin: In February 2022, an application under section 36 of the Electricity Act seeking consent for construction and operation of Peterhead CCS was formally lodged with the Energy Consents Unit. This is currently before Ministers for determination and as such, it wo…
22 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24336 by Fiona Hyslop on 30 January 2024, whether it will provide an update on what progress is being made to replace the existing High Speed Train (HST) rolling stock, in light of the reported safety concerns of their ongoing operation.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: High Speed Trains (HSTs) meet the stringent safety requirements necessary to operate on the GB rail network. The independent railway safety regulator confirms these trains remain safe to run, which was also confirmed by the Scottish Carmont Steering Group R…
22 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to decarbonise the Fife Circle rail route.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Plans for decarbonisation of the Fife Circle are in development. It is expected this will be one of the next parts of the Scottish network to be decarbonised, after the current work to electrify the East Kilbride line. The scope of the work in Fife will be de…
22 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress regarding the Winchburgh railway station development.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Whilst the Scottish Government is supportive of a new station in Winchburgh, it is our understanding of the station proposal that it is and has always been a developer led station, as outlined in Winchburgh Developments Ltd.’s original Masterplan for further …
30 Jan 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it plans to use to assess how successful the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot has been.
29 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the digital rail ticket issuing services that are provided to ScotRail by Trainline Plc.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail.
29 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that all rail users have access to ticket purchasing services prior to travel.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail. The member may wish to contact ScotRail for this information.
29 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there has been an increase in funding for ScotRail since it was brought into public ownership.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: ScotRail Trains has seen significant recovery in demand and positive growth in revenue during the transition from the pandemic during which it took over the operation of services. The level of funding paid to ScotRail has therefore seen some reduction as a r…
29 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to bring forward a tendering process for the provision of digital rail ticket issuing services in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Provision of digital rail ticket issuing services is an operational matter for ScotRail. ScotRail advises that mobile tickets are available for advance, single and return tickets, and progress is being made to make more tickets available digitally.
29 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on the (a) status of and (b) progress in implementing the Rail Fares and Ticketing Strategy, as outlined in section 11 of the 2022 Framework Agreement between Transport Scotland and Scottish Rail Holdings Limited.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since 2022, ScotRail has been committed to developing a robust evidence base on which to inform future plans and investment on fares and ticketing. This has included obtaining customer insight to identify opportunities, testing and learning to encourage more …
24 Jan 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential impact on health and wellbeing of people in Scotland, what action it can take in response to reported calls for free-to-air broadcasting of Scotland's national team football matches.
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23728 by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2024, whether it will set out details of the re-profiling of the budget for the small vessel replacement programme from 2023-24 to 2027-28, and whether it can confirm if this accounts for any capital expenditure re…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The outline business case is currently being considered by Ministers. The re-profiling of budget from 2023-24 will not impact on the timelines for delivery, with the first vessel still expected to enter service in 2026. The total capital cost of the programme…
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23734 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, whether it will provide a list of the officials who are providing internal specialist support on legal, financial and subsidy control issues.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Specialist support will be provided from relevant officials within the Legal, Financial and Subsidy Control teams as and when required to complete the necessary due diligence on a potential “Teckal” direct award.
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23732 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, whether it has discussed the direct award of public contracts for Scottish ferry services with any departments of the UK Government in the last four years.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Government are not required to discuss the current contract for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service with representatives of the UK Government as transport is a devolved matter.
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23732 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, when the last such discussion took place between Transport Scotland and the Department for Transport, and what information it can provide on who represented the Scottish Government.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The last discussion between Transport Scotland and the Department for Transport took place on 18 January 2024. Transport Scotland was represented by Chief Executive Officer Alison Irvine.
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when its first meeting with representatives of the trade unions to discuss a potential Teckal-compliant direct award of the CHFS3 public ferry contract is due to take place.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I met with trade union representatives on 30 November 2023, following on from her Parliamentary statement on 16 November. CHFS3 officials will be liaising with trade union representatives shortly to further discuss progress.
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23734 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, whether the “external specialist technical, legal and financial advisors” worked on the design of the consultation document for the next Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract, which was published on 15 D…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Alongside the dedicated Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3 team and internal specialist support, the Scottish Government have engaged with external advisors, taking note of previous community and key stakeholder engagement feedback to develop the public cons…
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23731 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, how many members of staff in the subsidy control team will work on exploring the case for the direct award of the CHFS3 contract to CalMac in the period up to 31 August 2024.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Specialist support will be provided by Scottish Governments Subsidy Control Team as and when required to complete the necessary due diligence on potential “Teckal” direct award.
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23730 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, whether it will detail the services that were procured through these call-off contracts.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland publishes the results of all regulated procurements through contract award notices on the Public Contracts Scotland website. In addition to the award of contracts, we also apply this requirement to call-off contracts awarded under framework…
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23734 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, what the current full-time equivalent staffing level is for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service 3 team, and on what date the team was established.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer to previous answers to question S6W-19363 on 7 July 2023 and S6W-23734 on 4 January 2024. Following recent successful recruitment, the core CHFS3 team consists of 13 FTE staff. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parlia…
23 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23728 by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2024, when it expects to complete the outline business case process, and when it will consult trade unions regarding the design of the new small vessels.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Ministers are carefully considering the outline business case for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme. This is an important issue and an update will be provided once a decision on investment has been taken. This is expected to be taken shortly. CMAL has m…
11 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support renewables manufacturing that is not within sites designated as Greenports.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Our commitment of up to £500 million strategic investment over the next five years, with investment of £67 million in the next financial year, will allow the Scottish Government to capitalise on offshore wind supply chain opportunities across the country. Th…
11 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with the UK Government, as a part of the announced Green Industries Growth Accelerator, to provide investment to support the development of new infrastructure at the Harland and Wolff site in Methil.
Answer · Neil Gray: I wrote to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade in November 2023 welcoming the UK Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Plan, and to offer the Scottish Government’s commitment to work collectively to deliver on the key elements of direct relevance to S…