Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-29289

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with ScotRail to ensure that the technology partner it appoints to deliver “a state-of-the-art multi-channel e-commerce solution that redefines convenience, accessibility, and value for our passengers” will provide integrated ticketing with the Glasgow subway, Edinburgh trams and with the bus and ferry network across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has discussed with ScotRail and Scottish Rail Holdings its live procurement exercise for a technology partner to deliver an ecommerce solution to ensure it is compatible with our new Smart, Digital, Integrated Ticketing and Payments Delivery Strategy, published on August 21st 2024.

This strategy builds on the work delivered under the 2018 Smart Ticketing Delivery Strategy, setting out Scotland’s vision for smart ticketing. Reflecting on views from the public, local transport authorities, operators and the newly established National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board, it aligns with the National Transport Strategy and supports the delivery of the Fair Fares Review actions.

Question reference: S6O-03722

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support the retention of Scotland’s public libraries.

Question reference: S6O-03698

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support specialist neonatal intensive care units across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-29340

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its former senior (a) civil servants and (b) agency staff sought its approval in (i) 2021-22, (ii) 2022-23 and (iii) 2023-24 to take up a position with another employer, also broken down by how many times this approval was granted.

Question reference: S6O-03669

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to implement Scotland’s National Transport Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-28500

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many contracts have been awarded to supported businesses by public bodies in each of the last five calendar years.

Supported Businesses make an important contribution to the Scottish economy. Not only through the goods and services they deliver, but also by providing meaningful employment, training, and social support for those who may otherwise be excluded from the workplace.

The following information is derived from the supported business suppliers included in Scottish national framework agreement for goods and services that was reserved for supported businesses. This framework was open to the whole of the public sector in Scotland, charities and third sector. The contract ran from 2018 to 2023.

A total of 277 contracts have been awarded to the supported businesses on this framework by public bodies over the last five calendar years.

Year	FY ‎ 2022-23	FY ‎ 2021-22	FY 2020-21	FY 2019-20	FY 2018-19	Five Year Total
Total number of contracts awarded to Supported Businesses	43	54	56	66	58	277

Question reference: S6W-28501

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many contracts it has awarded to supported businesses in Scotland in each of the last five calendar years.

Supported Businesses make an important contribution to the Scottish economy. Not only through the goods and services they deliver, but also by providing meaningful employment, training, and social support for those who may otherwise be excluded from the workplace.

The following information is derived from the supported business suppliers included in Scottish national framework agreement for goods and services that was reserved for supported businesses. This framework was open to the whole of the public sector in Scotland, charities and third sector. The contract ran from 2018 to 2023.

A total of seventy-six contracts have been awarded to the supported businesses on this framework by the Scottish Government (including its agency organisations) over the last five calendar years.

Year	FY ‎ 2022-23	FY ‎ 2021-22	FY ‎ 2020-21	FY ‎ 2019-20	FY ‎ 2018-19	Five Year Total
Total number of contracts awarded to Supported Businesses	3	17	21	20	15	76

Question reference: S6W-28388

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the (a) recipient, (b) value and (c) project status of each of the Piers and Harbours Grants that it has issued from the Infrastructure Investment Plan to date.

The Lochmaddy infrastructure project was led and delivered by the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar(CNES) and the offer of capital grant funding provided was £15,747,640.

The Tarbert (Harris) project was led and delivered by CMAL, the total spend by Transport Scotland was £19,240.552.75

The Uig (Skye) project is currently in construction and led by the Highland Council. The offer of capital grant funding provided is £39,058,246.

The Ardrossan Harbour Business Case & Cost Exercise is currently being progressed. Transport Scotland has to date provided capital grant funding to Peel Ports Group of £650,000 as part of the design, planning and procurement stages of this project’s development.

CMAL have project lead on a number of ongoing projects under the IIP. A total of £15,283,893.01 has been paid in respect of the works carried out. This spend covers the work on the Cumbrae Slipway, Gourock Harbour Development, Islay Vessel Enabling Works, Lochboisdale /Gasay Project Works and the Port Ellen Terminal Development.

All the information regarding spending on Vessels and Infrastructure can be found within the Section 70 reports published annually by Transport Scotland the most recent financial year updated 28th June 2024.

Question reference: S6W-28389

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much CMAL has spent, to date, from the budgets in the Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP) for the procurement of new (a) vessels and (b) pier and harbour infrastructure.

Question reference: S6W-28386

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that the Islands Connectivity Plan includes Orkney Islands Council in any new approach to procuring second-hand tonnage on publicly subsidised ferry services.

The Islands Connectivity Plan recognises that Councils face the same challenges as the Scottish Government of meeting transport connectivity needs with ageing vessels in a time of financial challenge and this Government has already provided more than £220 million between 2018-19 and 2024-25 to the four local authorities that have responsibility for ferries.

Procurement of its ferries, whether new or second-hand, is a matter for Orkney Islands Council, however, we remain committed to the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force and supporting the Council to develop a robust business case for replacing vessels and upgrading port infrastructure. Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited is already working with the Council to help assess the harbour and ports infrastructure upgrades that may be required and procurement processes for future vessels.

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