Seòmar agus comataidhean

There are no plans for the Expert Ferry Group to discuss the service specification for the forthcoming Northern Isles ferry services contract. A comprehensive study to inform the specification of the next Northern Isles ferry services contract is underway. This study is being overseen by a working group of key stakeholders, including Orkney and Shetland Islands Councils, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership and ZetTrans. A public consultation took place earlier this year, with a further round of consultation planned later in summer 2016.

Copies of the published tariff scheme for the Northern Isles ferry service, operated by Serco NorthLink Ferries, for each of the contract years since 2012, is available from the Scottish Parliament information centre (Bib. number 57981).

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00315 on 13 June 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Guidance on providing equipment to children and young people with disabilities was issued to all Chief Executive Officers in Scotland in March 2015. The guidance provides advice to health boards and local authorities on their statutory responsibilities in relation to the provision of equipment to meet the identified wellbeing needs of disabled children and young people in the community. This advice will support practice that is compatible with Getting it right for every child and the statutory duties that will commence under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

Serco Caledonian Ferries Ltd bid sought changes to the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract. These changes were deemed non-compliant by Transport Scotland as set out in the Invitation to Submit Final Tender: Volume 2: Instructions to Participants, published on Transport Scotland’s website.

Work is in progress to have the four M8 motorway gantry signs, which currently refer to the ‘Southern General Hospital’ amended to read ‘QEUH and RHC Hospitals’. The standard red sign showing ‘H’ and ‘A & E’ will also be added. The new signing has been agreed with Glasgow City Council, who are co-ordinating the signing of the new hospitals throughout the city on behalf of NHS Scotland. The resigning works are programmed to start on 27 June 2016 and should take around one week. This element of the resigning work will be funded by NHS Scotland

A fifth gantry on the slip road off the M8 westbound at junction 25, which currently only signs for the Clyde Tunnel, will be adapted to include signing for the new hospitals. As some structural alteration is required to accommodate the additional wording, the gantry will have to be removed from the motorway to undertake this work. The resigning will therefore be done as part of a general refurbishment of the gantry programmed for late September 2016 and will be funded by Transport Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises and prioritises the importance of our town centres and local high streets through our Town Centre Action Plan and has provided funding support to the 'Paisley First' Business Improvement District. It also recognises the importance of post offices to local communities and economies in Scotland. Post offices and postal services are reserved and we have made it clear to both the UK Government and Post Office Ltd that they have a responsibility to ensure that the availability of existing services is maintained across Scotland.

A public consultation on the on-going provision of Post Office services in an alternative location within Paisley town centre is currently taking place and Post Office Ltd is keeping Scottish Government officials informed of the process.

<>This is an operational matter for Police Scotland, with the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.

Renfrewshire Women’s Aid have submitted a funding application to the Violence Against Women and Girls Fund 2016-17. We are currently considering all funding proposals for allocation of the Equality Budget for 2016-17, and will communicate the outcome of this process before 1 July 2016.

<>This is an operational matter for Police Scotland, with the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority.