Seòmar agus comataidhean

Just before I hand back to the convener, I have a quick question to Alex Hynes. I think that what I am hearing is that there is no financial incentive to either promote good performance or penalise poor performance coming from Scottish Rail Holdings. For the avoidance of doubt, is any similar incentive scheme coming from any other body?

How does Transport Scotland impose a penalty if those targets are not met?

I understand.

Just to be absolutely clear and to reflect that back, you are saying that, notwithstanding the RAIB report, ASLEF’s concerns and driver dissatisfaction, it could be 2030 before Scotland’s railway fully moves on from those HSTs.

Sure.

I have one more question, convener. I am very grateful for that answer, incidentally.

Robert Sansom, people in the north-east were promised £200 million to invest in rail in 2016. The intention was to shave 20 minutes off journey times to the central belt, which would give better flexibility in the timetables, a better experience for the staff and a better experience for the passengers. I believe that just over 1 per cent of that has been spent and that, of course, the outcomes have not yet been delivered.

After one year of Scottish Government ownership, which does not appear to have had an impact on the spending of the £200 million, how are passengers feeling about the 20-minute saving not being delivered? Is that having an impact on the recovery of our railway? Do you get a sense that the money will be delivered and that 20 minutes will be shaved off journey times?

Joanne Maguire, how will ScotRail go about procuring new rail stock? Will that be done through rolling stock leasing companies or will ScotRail do it directly?

I will stick with Alex Hynes. On exactly that point, union colleagues were pretty clear that, although most journeys might be electrified, a significant part of the network is not and is running on 50-year-old high-speed trains. Earlier, the committee was told just how polluting those trains are, and we heard an example of that from Glasgow.

Kevin Lindsay also raised significant concerns about safety on the HSTs. After the Carmont incident, the RAIB made significant points about the HSTs. I am sure that Mr Hynes heard Kevin Lindsay’s points about how crucial it is that they are replaced. What is being done to replace the high-speed trains? When will they be replaced?

I am interested in that line of questioning about the delivery of projects. Alex Hynes will have heard me ask earlier about the Scottish Government’s commitment in 2016 to investing £200 million to achieve a 20-minute reduction between Aberdeen and the central belt, and you will have also heard me say that, to the best of my knowledge, only just over 1 per cent of that money has actually been spent without our getting any deliverables with regard to that 20-minute reduction. It therefore does not sound as if that project is on time. Can you update the committee on whether that £200 million will be spent and when the 20-minute reduction will be delivered?

Thank you.