- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that all rail users have access to ticket purchasing services prior to travel.
Answer
This is an operational matter for ScotRail. The member may wish to contact ScotRail for this information.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether there has been an increase in funding for ScotRail since it was brought into public ownership.
Answer
ScotRail Trains has seen significant recovery in demand and positive growth in revenue during the transition from the pandemic during which it took over the operation of services.
The level of funding paid to ScotRail has therefore seen some reduction as a result of the on-going positive growth and recovery from the pandemic, although additional funding has been specifically provided to support the pilot removal of peak fares.
More widely, the Scottish Government’s total funding for Scotland’s railway system continues to increase and will be around £1.6bn in 2024/25.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to bring forward a tendering process for the provision of digital rail ticket issuing services in Scotland.
Answer
Provision of digital rail ticket issuing services is an operational matter for ScotRail. ScotRail advises that mobile tickets are available for advance, single and return tickets, and progress is being made to make more tickets available digitally.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23734 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, whether it will provide a list of the officials who are providing internal specialist support on legal, financial and subsidy control issues.
Answer
Specialist support will be provided from relevant officials within the Legal, Financial and Subsidy Control teams as and when required to complete the necessary due diligence on a potential “Teckal” direct award.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23732 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, whether it has discussed the direct award of public contracts for Scottish ferry services with any departments of the UK Government in the last four years.
Answer
Scottish Government are not required to discuss the current contract for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service with representatives of the UK Government as transport is a devolved matter.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23728 by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2024, whether it will set out details of the re-profiling of the budget for the small vessel replacement programme from 2023-24 to 2027-28, and whether it can confirm if this accounts for any capital expenditure required to upgrade shoreside refuelling facilities.
Answer
The outline business case is currently being considered by Ministers. The re-profiling of budget from 2023-24 will not impact on the timelines for delivery, with the first vessel still expected to enter service in 2026. The total capital cost of the programme, as per the outline business case, includes upgrades for the provision of shore power.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23731 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, how many members of staff in the subsidy control team will work on exploring the case for the direct award of the CHFS3 contract to CalMac in the period up to 31 August 2024.
Answer
Specialist support will be provided by Scottish Governments Subsidy Control Team as and when required to complete the necessary due diligence on potential “Teckal” direct award.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23734 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, whether the “external specialist technical, legal and financial advisors” worked on the design of the consultation document for the next Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract, which was published on 15 December 2023.
Answer
Alongside the dedicated Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3 team and internal specialist support, the Scottish Government have engaged with external advisors, taking note of previous community and key stakeholder engagement feedback to develop the public consultation on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3 contract.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when its first meeting with representatives of the trade unions to discuss a potential Teckal-compliant direct award of the CHFS3 public ferry contract is due to take place.
Answer
I met with trade union representatives on 30 November 2023, following on from her Parliamentary statement on 16 November. CHFS3 officials will be liaising with trade union representatives shortly to further discuss progress.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23732 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024, when the last such discussion took place between Transport Scotland and the Department for Transport, and what information it can provide on who represented the Scottish Government.
Answer
The last discussion between Transport Scotland and the Department for Transport took place on 18 January 2024. Transport Scotland was represented by Chief Executive Officer Alison Irvine.