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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.

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Question reference: S6W-15775

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, for each ferry in the CalMac fleet, how many vessels have had (a) Changing Places toilets, (b) other accessible toilets and (c) no accessible toilets, in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-15772

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, for each ferry in the CalMac fleet, what the (a) age of each vessel was at the start of 2023, (b) total length of service of each vessel has been with the CalMac fleet and any previous operators and (c) expected length of service of each vessel was at design.

The following table provides the answer to:

1. age of each vessel was at the start of 2023

2. total length of service of each vessel has been with the CalMac fleet and any previous operators.

Vessel	Built	Entry into CFL Service	Current age (Years)	Time with CFL (Years)
Ali Cat	1-1-2000	10-1-2002	23.0	20.3
Argyle	9-1-2006	5-1-2007	16.3	15.7
Argyll Flyer	5-1-2001	6-1-2011	21.7	11.6
Bute	2-1-2005	7-1-2005	17.9	17.5
Caledonian Isles	5-1-1993	8-1-1993	29.7	29.4
Carvoria	8-1-2017	9-1-2017	5.4	5.3
Catriona	12-1-2015	8-1-2016	7.1	6.4
Chieftain	3-1-2007	6-1-2020	15.8	2.6
Clansman	3-1-1998	7-1-1998	24.9	24.5
Coruisk	5-1-2003	8-1-2003	19.7	19.4
Finlaggan	6-1-2010	6-1-2011	12.6	11.6
Hallaig	12-1-2012	10-1-2013	10.1	9.3
Hebridean Isles	7-1-1985	12-1-1985	37.5	37.1
Hebrides	8-1-2000	3-1-2001	22.4	21.9
Isle of Arran	12-1-1983	4-1-1984	39.1	38.8
Isle of Cumbrae	12-1-1976	4-1-1977	46.1	45.8
Isle of Lewis	4-1-1995	7-1-1995	27.8	27.5
Isle of Mull	12-1-1987	4-1-1988	35.1	34.8
Loch Alainn	4-1-1997	7-1-1997	25.8	25.5
Loch Bhrusda	3-1-1996	6-1-1996	26.9	26.6
Loch Buie	10-1-1991	7-1-1992	31.3	30.5
Loch Dunvegan	3-1-1991	5-1-1991	31.9	31.7
Loch Frisa	9-1-2015	5-1-2022	7.3	0.7
Loch Fyne	6-1-1991	9-1-1991	31.6	31.4
Loch Linnhe	5-1-1986	7-1-1986	36.7	36.5
Loch Portain	3-1-2003	6-1-2003	19.9	19.6
Loch Ranza	12-1-1986	4-1-1987	36.1	35.8
Loch Riddon	9-1-1986	10-1-1986	36.4	36.3
Loch Seaforth	3-1-2014	2-1-2015	8.8	7.9
Loch Shira	12-1-2006	6-1-2007	16.1	15.6
Loch Striven	5-1-1986	7-1-1986	36.7	36.5
Loch Tarbert	2-1-1992	7-1-1992	30.9	30.5
Lochinvar	5-1-2013	5-1-2014	9.7	8.7
Lochnevis	5-1-2000	11-1-2000	22.7	22.2
Lord of the Isles	3-1-1989	5-1-1989	33.9	33.7

In answer to (c)

The expected length of service would only be defined in the original design specification documentation, as operator CalMac Ferries Limited do not hold this. In general, commercial vessels are expected to last 20 – 25 years unless they are specified at design for a longer life.

Question reference: S6W-15779

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) passenger, (b) car and (c) lorry capacity increases have been achieved on each vessel in the CalMac fleet in each of the last 10 years.

Carrying statistics for passengers, cars and commercial vehicles are recorded by CalMac on a route by route basis and not by vessel and I refer the Member to the answer to question S6W-15777 on 27 March 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-15777

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) passenger, (b) car and (c) lorry capacity increases have been achieved on each ferry route in the CalMac network in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6O-02088

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable homes are required to be built to meet the needs of rural communities in the Highland and Islands.

Question reference: S6W-15056

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date Transport Scotland concluded that the 2025 deadline for completing the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness was not achievable.

Question reference: S6W-15055

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the Minister for Transport was first advised that the 2025 deadline for completing the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness was not achievable.

Arising from its ongoing work to determine the optimal procurement approach to the remainder of the programme, Transport Scotland concluded in late 2022 that the completion date of 2025 could not be achieved and should no longer apply to the A9 Dualling programme. I was informed on 7 December 2022 of Transport Scotland’s view that the published completion date of 2025 for the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness should no longer apply.

A statement to Parliament on the next steps for the Programme required to take account of the outcome of the ongoing Tomatin to Moy project procurement. The decision on that procurement was made on 3 February 2023 and the bidder was informed on 8 February, prior to the statement to Parliament on the same day.

Question reference: S6W-15058

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government (a) what specific concerns were raised and (b) on what date any concerns were first raised with Transport Scotland by (i) consultants and (ii) contractors that the 2025 deadline for completing the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness was not achievable.

Transport Scotland’s primary engagement with consultants was via the appointments made to provide support on the delivery of the A9 Dualling programme. Under those various appointments the views of a number of consultants have informed the identification and assessment of factors that could affect delivery of the programme, undertaken as part of Transport Scotland’s normal risk management practices. That process of identification and assessment was also informed by discussions with consultants and contractors via regular meetings held with the Association of Consulting Engineers and The Civil Engineering Contractors Association respectively.

Question reference: S6W-15536

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the full agendas and minutes of Sir Lewis Ritchie's four review visits to Portree Hospital, in 2018, 2019 and twice in 2022, and the virtual meeting assessment of progress in 2020.

The review undertaken by Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie was conducted in his capacity as an independent reviewer. The programme of engagement resulted in around 70 meetings with the Board and other key stakeholders. Due to the number of meetings, confidentiality and level of engagement no formal agendas or minutes were taken however progress was captured and fed back to NHS Highland and the relevant community groups. It would not be the place of the Scottish Government to publish these documents due to the nature of the review. However, Professor Ritchie and officials visited Portree again in May and November 2022. Minutes of these meetings are available via the Implementation Group and NHS Highland.

Question reference: S6W-15543

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what future visits Sir Lewis Ritchie plans to undertake in relation to his 2018 review of Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross out-of-hours services.