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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-06689

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is given to vessel procurement policy in its Market Assessment of all routes on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network.

Question reference: S6W-06688

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether public (a) subsidies and (b) contracts in the ferry industry are government intervention.

The Scottish Government ensures the continued provision of safe and efficient ferries that play a vital role in the economic, social and cultural life of our island and remote communities. Transport Scotland implements ferry policy on behalf of Scottish Ministers including by providing financial subsidies to the operators of ferry routes or networks that it considers to be lifeline and required for communities to be viable.

The operators on the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles routes provide ferry services under tendered contracts with Scottish Ministers, thereby ensuring sustainable and improving services will be provided to communities through these contracts until 2024 and 2028 respectively.

Question reference: S6W-06685

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on providing ferry services in Scotland without government intervention.

Question reference: S6W-06687

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list all ferry operators in Scotland and the collective bargaining arrangements in place at each company.

CalMac Ferries Ltd and NorthLink Ferries Ltd, who operate public service ferry contracts on behalf of the Scottish Government, are required to comply with UK employment legislation. In addition, employment terms and conditions of staff reflect the principles set out under the Scottish Government’s Fair Work Framework.

The arrangements in place at other commercial and local authority ferry operators are a matter for the relevant employer and employees.

Question reference: S6O-00882

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Scotland's university principals.

Question reference: S6W-06684

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government which policies in the Ferries Plan 2013-22 will be replaced by policies in the Islands Connectivity Plan.

The Islands Connectivity Plan (ICP) will replace the Ferries Plan and will consider island connectivity more broadly, including having regard to connecting and onward travel. The ICP will develop objectives based on supporting delivery of the National Transport Strategy 2 and the National Islands Plan, and develop proposals to meet those objectives which represent public value.

The ICP will also include a long-term investment programme for new ferries and development at ports, that will aim to improve resilience, reliability, capacity and accessibility, while increasing standardisation, cutting emissions and meeting the needs of island communities whilst providing value for money.

In addition, the ICP will explore pathways to zero/low emission ferry transport and undertake a ferry fares policy review.

Question reference: S6O-00847

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on co-operative development in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00818

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the remediation, including removal and replacement, of unsafe cladding on residential buildings in Scotland, as part of its response to the Grenfell tragedy.

Question reference: S6W-05572

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 January 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the extent to which Serco Caledonian Sleeper’s employment procedures are in line with its Fair Work Framework.

The existing Franchise Agreement between the Scottish Ministers and Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited predates the implementation of the Fair Work Framework.

However, the opportunity has been taken under the current amended contractual arrangements for the pandemic period (Emergency Measures Agreements) to specify that Caledonian Sleeper should deliver against a set of Staff Engagement and Wellbeing Targets.

As contractual arrangements for the pandemic period draw to a close, Caledonian Sleeper has committed to engaging with the Scottish Government in adopting the Fair Work Framework under updated contractual arrangements.

Question reference: S6W-05573

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 January 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the extent to which Serco Caledonian Sleeper’s treatment of its staff is consistent with the application of its Fair Work Framework.