- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 20 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for any ongoing agreements with Abellio once its franchise ends, such as leasing, uniform provision and rolling stock maintenance.
Answer
No leasing, uniform provision and rolling stock maintenance agreements are expected to remain in place with Abellio once the current franchise ends. A number of existing contracts between Abellio ScotRail Ltd and its suppliers will transfer from Abellio ScotRail Ltd to the new operator, ScotRail Trains Limited, on 1 April 2022.
An agreement has been entered into with Abellio Transport Holdings for the retention of the Abellio Shared Services Centre based in Glasgow. This will retain jobs in Glasgow handling all customer service calls and correspondence, payroll services and payment processing facilities.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 17 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to extend the concessionary travel scheme to include free rail travel for under-22s as part of the nationalised ScotRail fares strategy.
Answer
The new statutory National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Young People currently covers bus travel only, as does the existing statutory National Concessionary Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People. The schemes do not extend to other modes of travel.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what the age is of ScotRail's (a) newest and (b) oldest rolling stock, and what the average age is of ScotRail's rolling stock.
Answer
ScotRail’s (a) newest rolling stock are the seventy class 385 trains which were introduced in 2018-19 and (b) oldest rolling stock are the twenty-five Inter-city High Speed Trains which were introduced from the late 1970s and extensively re-engineered and refurbished in 2017-2020.
The Scottish Government recognises the sustainability advantages of re-engineering older rail vehicle structures, when appropriate, thus avoiding the energy expended in the production of new rail vehicles.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) figures from 2020-21 calculates that the average age of the 350 trains in the ScotRail fleet is 21.69 years.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates any voluntary redundancies or voluntary early retirement schemes to be offered to ScotRail employees as part of the nationalisation of ScotRail.
Answer
Transport Scotland has no plans for voluntary redundancies or voluntary retirement schemes to be offered to ScotRail employees at the present time.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in the event that current ScotRail employees transfer to a new nationalised organisation under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) regulations, which groups or grades of employees will remain on terms and conditions that include (a) bonuses, (b) car allowances and (c) private healthcare, and whether it will provide details of their (i) current and (ii) anticipated post-transfer renumeration packages.
Answer
Abellio ScotRail staff will transfer to the new operator, ScotRail Trains Limited on 1 April 2022. In accordance with the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) regulations, all employees will transfer on their current contractual terms and conditions, which in some cases may include car allowances and healthcare provisions. Non-contractual bonus schemes are not covered by TUPE. As new staff are recruited, previous terms and conditions covered by TUPE need not apply to new contracts.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to purchase any additional rolling stock for the ScotRail fleet.
Answer
ScotRail Trains Limited will be responsible for operating services from 31 March 2022 and it is currently finalising plans for its future fleet requirements, including the new emission free vehicles needed to deliver the Scottish Government’s Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan.
Further information on the Decarbonisation Action Plan can be accessed via the following link:-
Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan (transport.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail about the arrangements for the nationalisation of ScotRail.
Answer
A series of Transport Scotland led workshops has been held from June 2021 with Network Rail and ScotRail. The purpose of these workshops has been to develop the policies and strategies for the new ScotRail Trains Limited arrangements.
Transport Scotland is also engaging in bi-weekly joint steering group meetings with both Network Rail and ScotRail at senior level to ensure the coordination of mobilisation arrangements between the parties.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what formal discussions have been held with ScotRail employees about the arrangements for the nationalisation of ScotRail.
Answer
The information necessary for formal consultation with ScotRail employees is being prepared between Transport Scotland, its advisors and Abellio ScotRail with a view to commencing staff consultation in early 2022 as is properly required for staff who will transfer under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) to ScotRail Trains Limited.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Office of Rail and Road about the arrangements for the nationalisation of ScotRail.
Answer
Transport Scotland has been liaising with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) about the appropriate processes necessary for the commencement of ScotRail Trains Limited including issues such as Operator Certificates.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to close the attainment gap in light of the report, Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2020-21.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2021