Parliamentary questions

Alex Rowley

554 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the consultancies that Transport Scotland has signed an agreement with under the Multiple Supplier Framework Agreement for Maritime Consultancy Services.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Multiple Supplier Framework Agreement for Maritime Consultancy Services was awarded to the following suppliers (1) Stantec UK Limited (2) Turner and Townsend Project Management Limited and (3) Fisher Advisory Ltd. Transport Scotland publishes the results …

6 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of antisocial behaviour remaining "stubbornly high", what its position is on whether current levels of antisocial behaviour on trains exceed any thresholds set by ScotRail's safety committee, and whether it will provide an update on its plans to tackle antisocial beh…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The British Transport Police advises that its operations in partnership with ScotRail, have seen a reduction in antisocial behaviour on Scotland’s rail network. BTP continues to work in collaboration with ScotRail’s Travel Safe Team to reduce this number eve…

6 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many British Transport Police staff were working in Scotland in each year since 2016.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Member might be aware that the British Transport Police (BTP) reports to the UK Department for Transport(DfT) and British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). The information on the level of its staff is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The Me…

6 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking with British Transport Police and other partners, such as ScotRail, to reduce the number of assaults on passengers on Scotland’s railways.

Answer · Angela Constance: The British Transport Police works closely with multi-agency partners to help prevent and reduce any incidents arising on the transport network and making the transport network a safer place for passengers and staff. A positive example of BTP’s partnership w…

6 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what safeguards are in place to ensure that any financial support it provides to British Transport Police will protect services and provision.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not provide any direct financial support. British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), as an independent body, is responsible for ensuring that BTP force is efficient and effective in its work to keep railways in Scotland safe.

6 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with British Transport Police (BTP) regarding any financial pressures facing BTP.

Answer · Angela Constance: There has been no such discussions between the Scottish Government and BTP. It is within the British Transport Police Authority’s (BTPA) remit to determine the budget of the BTP force and to allocate resources to individual departments, to ensure services are…

6 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much financial support it has provided to British Transport Police (BTP) in each year since 2018 to ensure an adequate BTP provision in Scotland.

Answer · Angela Constance: British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) publishes its Annual Reports which cover the policing of the railways in each financial year. No direct financial support is provided to BTP by the Scottish Government, because its costs are met by charges levied agai…

6 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether any reduction in the funding of British Transport Police (BTP) could impact the security and safety of Scotland’s rail travelling public, and what assurances it has sought from BTP that no such reduction will occur in Scotland.

Answer · Angela Constance: British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) who determines the budget of the BTP force advises that there has been no reductions in funding. Scottish Government would not accept any diminution of services provided by BTP on the Scottish rail network.

6 Dec 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the next steps for implementation of 20mph zones across Scotland, following the October meeting of the multi-stakeholder 20mph Task Group.

21 Nov 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the use of buses across Scotland.

8 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether schools should publish monthly reports on any reported incidents of abusive and violent behaviour.

7 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote (a) continental ferry links and (b) maritime employment for Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government wishes to see Scotland’s sea connections to Europe enhanced, and are happy to consider any approach for support. A new commercially viable and sustainable service would be of benefit to: those parts of industry where existing supply ch…

7 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21903 by Fiona Hyslop on 11 October 2023, whether its officials raised the issue of employment opportunities for Scotland-domiciled seafarers during its recent visit to the port of Dunkirk to discuss proposals for Ro-Pax ferry connections between Ro…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The visit to the Port of Dunkirk was led by Forth Ports, DFDS and Ptarmigan Shipping, with Douglas Chapman MP also in attendance. The Scottish delegation was supported by Scottish Development International’s office in Paris. Whilst detail on seafarer employme…

7 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21903 by Fiona Hyslop on 11 October 2023, what its policy is on using collective bargaining agreements between maritime unions in Scotland and operators of ferry routes from Scotland to international ports to ensure that employment conditions for se…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As noted in the answer to S6W-21903, ferry operators are responsible for crewing arrangements whilst complying with the appropriate employment legislation and standards. Shipping safety and seafarer welfare and employment conditions are matters reserved to th…

24 Oct 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it can take in response to the reported rise in violence and bullying in schools.

17 Oct 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported statistics showing that the number of people in Scotland dying from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia has more than tripled in the last 20 years and concerns that the country is unprepared for further expected increases.

28 Sep 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which ports in northern Europe are under consideration as part of any proposals that it has seen for restoring roll-on, roll-off ferry services from Rosyth.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland officials have discussed a number of different propositions for new ferry services to Europe with prospective promoters and port operators. These discussions are conducted with due cognisance of promoters’ commercial considerations. We will…

28 Sep 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland will provide an assessment of the crewing (a) model and (b) employment conditions proposed by (i) DFDS and (ii) Ptarmigan Shipping for restoring roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Scotland and northern Europe.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety and crew welfare and employment conditions on vessels accessing Scotland’s ports and coastal waters. Ferry operators are responsible for crewing arrangements whilst complying with the appropriate em…

28 Sep 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a summary of the outcomes of any recent discussions that it has had with the UK Government on future roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Rosyth and ports in northern Europe.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the UK Government regarding future roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Rosyth and ports in northern Europe. Scottish Ministers have maintained that the Scottish Government wishes to see Scotland’s…

28 Sep 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that maritime unions organising Scotland’s ferry workers will be recognised for collective bargaining purposes by operators of (a) new and (b) restored roll-on, roll-off ferry links between Rosyth and ports in northern Europe.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government advocates Fair Work policy and believes there must be respectful and meaningful dialogue between employers and employees and their trade unions, to ensure employees are treated fairly. Any prospective ferry operator would need to ensu…

26 Sep 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding (a) it and (b) any of its agencies have given, awarded or paid to Mowi Scotland Limited (formerly Marine Harvest) or any of its subsidiaries since 2006, broken down by (i) what was given, (ii) when it was awarded and (iii) which company entity received the funding.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government publishes grant support that it has provided to the marine and fisheries industries, including aquaculture. Details can be found here - https://www.gov.scot/policies/marine-and-fisheries-grants/grants-awarded/ Scottish Enterprise an…