Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-28222

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will issue a statement on the safety of the MV Alfred, in light of the publication of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s report into the grounding of the vessel at Swona Island on 5 July 2022.

Question reference: S6W-28217

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the annual payments that the operator of the current Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract has made to Transport Scotland since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-28152

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was for each producer of applying for an exemption from the proposed Deposit Return Scheme before it was delayed in June 2023.

The Deposit Return Scheme requires all drinks producers to register with SEPA before their products may be sold in Scotland. There are no exemptions for producers under the scheme. Data on producer registration is held by SEPA.

Producers may choose to register product lines with less than 5000 units placed on the market each year as a ‘Low Volume Product’. Producers of Low Volume Products must still register and report the number of products placed on the market, but products will be exempt from the requirement to apply deposits. There are no legislated costs associated with registering a product line as a low volume product.

Question reference: S6W-28150

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of (a) processing and (b) any projected lost revenue resulting from each of the exemptions granted to producers from the proposed Deposit Return Scheme.

The Deposit Return Scheme requires all drinks producers to register with SEPA before their products may be sold in Scotland. There are no exemptions for producers under the scheme. Data on producer registration is held by SEPA.

As an industry-led scheme, the Scottish Government receives no revenue from producers as a result of DRS.

Producers may choose to register product lines with less than 5000 units placed on the market each year as a ‘Low Volume Product’. Producers of Low Volume Products must still register and report the number of products placed on the market, but products will be exempt from the requirement to apply deposits.

Question reference: S6W-28149

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many producers applied for an exemption from the proposed Deposit Return Scheme before it was delayed in June 2023, and what percentage of these producers used glass packaging.

The Deposit Return Scheme requires all drinks producers to register with SEPA before their products may be sold in Scotland. There are no exemptions for producers under the scheme. Data on producer registration is held by SEPA.

As an industry-run scheme, data on individual product lines were held by the private sector scheme administrator.

Producers may choose to register product lines with less than 5000 units placed on the market each year as a ‘Low Volume Product’. Producers of Low Volume Products must still register and report the number of products placed on the market, but products will be exempt from the requirement to apply deposits.

Question reference: S6W-27990

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its rail freight strategy, what discussions it has had with the UK Government to ensure that any upgrade to rail connections between Wembley and the Channel Tunnel rail freight depot would benefit rail freight transportation from Scotland to continental Europe.

The Scottish Government’s leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our rail freight strategy and put into practice with significant investment and our first of a kind regulatory growth targets. Benefits for rail freight are included in our rail projects and we will continue to maximise these benefits in our future investment in the rail network in Scotland. Rail connections between Wembley and the Channel Tunnel have not been specifically discussed, but the Scottish Government meets the UK Government regularly to consider how to maximise the potential for rail freight growth and these discussions include the importance of sufficient capacity and power supply for cross-border rail freight services.

Question reference: S6O-03602

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that scheduled care transport provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service is accessible to all patients who need it.

Question reference: S6W-27539

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations were consulted as part of Transport Scotland’s review of the methodology of community needs assessments on routes in the (a) Clyde and Hebrides and (b) Northern Isles Ferry Services contract.

As part of the Islands Connectivity Plan, Transport Scotland plans to carry out Community Needs Assessments for the islands and peninsulas of the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles Ferry Services. These Community Needs Assessments will identify options for transport connectivity, including the existing ferry services.

A draft of the updated Community Needs Assessment methodology was shared with, and presented to, a group of the following key stakeholders and their feedback was fed into the final version:

Shetland Islands Council.
Orkney Islands Council.
Comhairle nan Eilean Sar.
Argyll and Bute Council.
North Ayrshire Council.
The Highland Council.
Shetland Regional Transport Partnership (ZetTrans).
Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS).
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
Serco Northlink Ferries.
CalMac Ferries Ltd.
Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.
Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS).
Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Ferries Community Board.
Young Islanders Network.

Question reference: S6W-27538

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the community needs assessments carried out on Cowal and Rosneath public ferry routes in the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

Question reference: S6W-26817

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is regarding mandatory rotation of Ukrainian refugees around hotels in Fife.

The Scottish Government has welcome accommodation across Scotland. These are managed in partnership with relevant local authorities, who advise on where guests are best placed.

We work collaboratively with local authorities such as Fife to ensure that services are person-centred and delivered in a trauma informed way, and which support effective resettlement.

In the Fife Council area there are three welcome accommodation hotels for displaced people on a temporary basis upon arrival in the country.

On arrival, Fife council will make a needs assessment and will consider the availability of council services to support displaced people in determining which hotel is most suited for presenting individuals or families,

There is no mandatory rotation of guests in Fife, or any other part of the welcome accommodation estate housing displaced people.

However, from time to time as a result of contracting, consolidation, changes in local services provision or when an accommodation provider choses to reduce or discontinue the rooms they offer, local authorities may require guests to move to new accommodation and will look to minimise disruption to guests as much as possible.

The Scottish Government remains committed, alongside our Local Authority partners, to supporting Ukrainians access longer-term, sustainable accommodation while they make Scotland their home.

Seòmar agus comataidhean