Colin Smyth

29 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32210 by Michael Matheson on 29 October 2020, whether it will provide further details of what this means in practice, and whether this precludes private operators from running rail services.

Answer · Michael Matheson: It is our view that greater integration on Scotland’s railway will improve services to rail users through swifter, joined up decision making across the whole of the Scottish rail industry. It is also our view that public sector control, alongside greater int…

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost is to (a) CalMac Ferries Ltd and (b) Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd of dry docking maintenance and overhaul contracts tendered under the Project Torridon procurement process.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd lease the vessels to CalMac Ferries Ltd who are responsible for the maintenance of the vessels. The value of the contract CalMac Ferries Ltd has entered into with Cammell Laird is up to £25 million for overhaul and maintenance …

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the age of the CalMac fleet will have on the dry docking maintenance work required by the lifeline fleet over the next four years.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: All vessels are subject to surveys in accordance with requirements of the Classification Society and the Flag State (Maritime Coastguard Agency) in order to confirm that the hull, machinery, equipment and systems remain in satisfactory condition and remain in…

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many bids Transport Scotland received from companies based in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK as part of the Project Torridon procurement process.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Project Torridon is the responsibility of CalMac. The Scottish Government has no involvement in evaluation of the bids received as the contractor delivering ferries for the Clyde and Hebrides Network.

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-25863 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 October 2019, what the annual cost is of Marine Manning Guernsey Limited providing crew on the (a) Helliar and (b) Hildasay freight vessel.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Both, Serco NorthLink Ferries and Marine Manning Guernsey Limited (MMGL) are commercial organisations and as such, any financial information in relation to the annual cost of crew provided by MMGL to the (a) Helliar and (b) Hildasay freight vessel is commerci…

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK will be supported by the Project Torridon procurement process.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The number of jobs is not known. This is an operational decision that will be taken by the respective yards dependant on the size and complexity of the vessel in dry dock for maintenance and upgrade.

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many publicly-owned ports have dry docking capacity capable of accommodating the (a) large and (b) small ferry fleet owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Answer · Michael Matheson: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. It is for each port authority to decide what business their port facilities are suitable for, and to consider tendering for work as appropriate.

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who the successful bidders were for Lot (a) 1 and (b) 2 of the Project Torridon procurement process, and on what date the contract starts.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: CalMac notified Cammell Laird on 25 September 2020 that they were the preferred bidder following completion of their initial procurement exercise. The contract will commence from January 2021. CalMac has a subsequent procurement exercise which is still under…

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much public money has been invested in dry docking facilities in privately-owned ports in each year since 2016, broken down by the (a) location of each port and (b) amount invested.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has provided the following funding to Kishorn Ports Limited for drydock facilities. The Scottish Government is not aware of any other public funding being provided to privately owned ports or by other organisations for …

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the news release issued by CalMac Ferries on 24 August 2020, whether it will list the location at which dry dock maintenance work will be carried out on each ferry.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The outcome of CalMac’s procurement exercise will determine where vessels will dry dock. The location of work carried out on each vessel will be available once this exercise has been completed.

27 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-25863 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 October 2019, what it considers to be "genuine workforce engagement" in the absence of a collective bargaining agreement with the trade unions recognised under the contract for Northern Isles Ferry Services.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: There is an ongoing collective dialogue and engagement with RMT and Nautilus International, under the Terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in place with both Trade Unions, for those employed by Serco Limited or its subsidiary companies working across …

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30900 by Michael Matheson on 25 August 2020, whether it will provide an update on the information that was provided regarding its support for the bus industry in response to COVID-19.

Answer · Michael Matheson: To date, the Scottish Government has provided, or announced funding totalling £35.8 million of capital and £357.5 million of resource during the COVID-19 period to the bus industry through a number of programmes which are detailed in the following tables. Whe…

19 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) Abellio ScotRail and (b) Serco Caledonian Sleeper Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA) contains any restrictions on the paying of dividends.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs) in place with Abellio ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper specifically prevent the paying of dividends or interest to parent companies.

19 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Abellio ScotRail and (b) Serco Caledonian Sleeper is under any obligation to reduce its operating costs as a condition of the Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA) in place, and, if so, what these requirements are.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Under the EMAs, each Franchisee is obliged to act as a Good and Efficient Operator, which means broadly that they must not incur any unnecessary costs, the full requirements of which can be found in the EMA’s on Transport Scotland’s website.

19 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the "efficiency of operations" performance metrics are in the (a) Abellio ScotRail and (b) Serco Caledonian Sleeper Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA).

Answer · Michael Matheson: The efficiency of operations performance metrics are assessed by reviewing the following: 1. evidence of any ways in which the Franchisee has sought to identify and implement ways to run the Franchise more efficiently and avoid nugatory costs, acting as a Go…

19 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any pay increase or enhancement has been agreed for any grade of employee since the commencement of the Abellio ScotRail Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA), and, if so, for which grades.

Answer · Michael Matheson: No pay increase or enhancement has been agreed for any grade of employee (Abellio ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper) since the commencement of the Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs).

19 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) Abellio ScotRail and (b) Serco Caledonian Sleeper Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA) includes any restrictions on increasing director remuneration for the period that it is in place.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs) in place with Abellio ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper prevent both Franchisees from increasing any emoluments payable to directors employed by the franchises.

16 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gives to the particular needs of residents with dementia when determining guidance for care home visits.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government has included guidance and resources to help meet the particular needs of residents with dementia as part of the national clinical care homes guidance. In addition, the national dementia in care homes group has met and the minutes of th…

16 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what processes it has in place to consult with (a) people with dementia and (b) carers and family members of people with dementia when developing guidance for care home visits, and whether it plans to amend these to allow more formal consultation.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Clinical and Professional Advisory Group (CPAG) which oversees the clinical care homes guidance has a workstream on engaging families including developing guidance that is family facing, to help family carers and visitors with family members with dementia…

16 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take in situations where care homes do not take reasonable action to implement its new guidance allowing indoor visiting for residents by designated individuals.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Decisions around care home visiting are made by care homes themselves, drawing on advice and recommendations from local oversight arrangements and health protection teams. Defining safe and reasonable visiting is based on dynamic assessment of a range of fac…

16 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the implementation by care homes of its new guidance allowing indoor visiting for residents by designated individuals.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: National recommendations that indoor visiting resume have been in place since 8 th August, subject to strict safety criteria first being met and including review of care home risk assessments by local Directors of Public Health. Weekly returns from Directors…

16 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider allowing the designation of one nominated family member per care home resident as a key worker in order to ensure they have the right to visit their relative.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government continues to review the best available evidence and consider the safest possible approaches to visiting in care homes. It is important to balance the serious risks posed by the virus to care home residents with other considerations, i…

13 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of current safety measures (a) on buses and (b) in bus depots and stations to protect staff and passengers from COVID-19.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of the Transport Transition Plan the Scottish Government produced a range of guidance in relation to transport. This includes guidance for transport operators to keep their staff and those using their services safe, initially published on 26 May 2020.…

13 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to take any further action to improve the enforcement of the wearing of face coverings on public transport.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Enforcement of the wearing of face coverings on public transport rests with Police Scotland and the British Transport Police. Transport Scotland is in regular dialogue with transport operators who have been reminded, as per Scottish Government guidance, that…

13 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of enforcement regarding the wearing of face coverings on public transport, and how many fines have been issued for non-compliance.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Enforcement of the wearing of face coverings on public transport rests with Police Scotland and the British Transport Police and as such details of fines issued can be obtained from these organisations:- https://www.scotland.police.uk/ http://www.btp.co.uk…

13 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of compliance with the wearing of face coverings, and what the estimated level of compliance is (a) on (i) bus, (ii) train, (iii) ferry and (iv) airline services and (b) in (A) taxi and private hire vehicles and (B) bus and railway stations.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Since the mandatory wearing of face covering came into force in Scotland on 22 June, uptake has increased considerably across public transport modes. Transport operators advise compliance is generally high, observed normally to be between 80% to 100%, though …

5 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Serco Caledonian Sleeper’s announcement on 29 September 2020 that it had cancelled trains on 4 and 5 October due to possible industrial action by the RMT union, in light of this announcement being made prior to the commencement of ACAS talks on 30 September.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Caledonian Sleeper is bound by the Franchise Agreement to inform passengers in a timely manner of any potential changes to their timetabled travel. Caledonian Sleeper advises it took the decision to announce on 29 September the cancellation of trains on 4 an…

30 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact of the planned replacement of the Railways Act 1993 on section 57 of the Scotland Act 2016, and what assurances it has sought that an equivalent power will be included in any future rail legislation.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The UK Government has not confirmed an intention to replace the UK Railways Act 1993. We are currently awaiting the publication of the outcomes from the UK Rail Review (Williams Review), which were originally due in the Autumn of last year. It remains our lo…

30 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31976 by Michael Matheson on 30 September 2020, when it expects the management fees due to Abellio ScotRail and Serco Caledonian Sleeper to be agreed, and whether the amounts will be made public at that point.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The management fees due to Abellio ScotRail and Serco Caledonian Sleeper under the Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs), which were in place from April to September 2020, will be agreed in the coming weeks once a full financial reconciliation has taken place …

30 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31979 by Michael Matheson on 30 September 2020, whether it continues to support a public sector operator running services and holding contracts under any model that replaces franchising.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government's preferred option is to have an integrated rail system that is public sector-controlled.