- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost will be of the two vessels that CMAL has ordered from the Cemre Marin Endustri yard to serve on the Uig to Lochmaddy and Uig to Tarbert ferry routes.
Answer
The Scottish Government announced up to £115 million funding for the two Little Minch vessels, and associated port works and project costs, in October 2022. The total costs of the vessels are commercially confidential.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether the two vessels which CMAL has ordered from the Cemre Marin Endustri yard to serve on the Uig to Lochmaddy and Uig to Tarbert ferry routes could have operated from ferry terminals at (a) Uig, (b) Lochmaddy and (c) Tarbert without the reconstruction and dredging operations being carried out at each terminal to allow their use by Hull 802.
Answer
The vessels currently under construction at Cemre could not have served the ports at Uig, Lochmaddy and Tarbert without changes to infrastructure. The works at each of the ports are aimed at replacing life expired infrastructure, improving resilience and increasing the range of vessels that can use the ports.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether there have been any design changes to the two vessels that CMAL has ordered from the Cemre Marin Endustri yard to serve on the Uig to Lochmaddy and Uig to Tarbert ferry routes.
Answer
CMAL as procuring authority have confirmed that there have been no changes to the design or specifications for the vessels ordered from the Cemre Marin Endustri yard to serve on the Uig to Lochmaddy and Uig to Tarbert ferry routes.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) length, (b) beam and (c) maximum operational draught of MV Hebrides is.
Answer
MV Hebrides is 99 metres in length, 15.8 metres wide and her operational draught, which is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the vessel’s hull, is 3.3 metres.
Further information is available on CalMac’s website by following the link: https://www.calmac.co.uk/fleet/mv-hebrides
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received from local residents and business owners on future transport options for the Corran Narrows, including the possibility of a fixed link.
Answer
The Scottish Government has received representations from local residents and MSPs regarding transport options for the Corran Narrows, however, Scottish Ministers have no locus in this decision.
Transport links across the Corran Narrows is wholly the responsibility of The Highland Council and as such, any decision to replace ferries or deliver a fixed link and funding of this, would be a matter for the Local Authority.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken of the potential economic and social benefits of a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not undertaken any assessments regarding the social and economic benefits of a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.
The Scottish Government is aware of work carried out by HITRANS on behalf of The Highland Council to consider a range of options for the Corran Narrows. As any decision to deliver a fixed link would be a matter for Local Authority, it would not be for the Scottish Government to undertake a socioeconomic assessment.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has undertaken with local residents and business owners on future transport options for the Corran Narrows, including the possibility of a fixed link.
Answer
Scottish Ministers have no locus in this decision. Transport links across the Corran Narrows are wholly the responsibility of The Highland Council and, as such, any decision to replace ferries or deliver a fixed link (including funding of this) would be a matter for the Local Authority. Therefore, the Scottish Government has not undertaken any specific consultation regarding future transport options for Corran Narrows.
The Scottish Government recently completed a national review of future transport infrastructure. The second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) was an example of effective collaboration with stakeholders and the public. It included a considerable programme of engagement activities at a national and regional level with participation from local residents and business owners at various points throughout the process, including within the Lochaber area.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 10 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the environmental impact of the improper disposal of vapes.
Answer
I have commissioned an urgent review of the environmental impacts and management of single-use vapes.
Zero Waste Scotland will lead on the review which will examine available evidence, including the environmental impact of incorrect disposal of vapes.
We will consider the evidence and expert advice and bring forward policy options in due course.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting NHS Highland to provide 24/7 urgent care at Portree Hospital.
Answer
Since publication of the Independent External View of Skye, Lochalsh and South-West Ross Report in May 2018 by Sir Lewis Ritchie. Scottish Government officials have been in regular contact with NHS Highland to assess progress.
Sir Lewis Ritchie has made four review visits to Portree (in 2018, 2019 and twice in 2022). He also made an additional virtual meeting assessment of progress in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Sir Lewis has met (virtually) with a number of clinicians on Skye on two occasions in January 2023. That engagement process continues and Sir Lewis plans to return to Skye, Lochalsh and South-West Ross for further in-person meetings later in 2023.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the viability of a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not undertaken any assessments regarding the viability of a fixed link across the Corran Narrows.
The Scottish Government is aware of work carried out by HITRANS on behalf of The Highland Council to consider a range of options for the Corran Narrows. As any decision to deliver a fixed link would be a matter for the Local Authority, it would not be for the Scottish Government to undertake an assessment of viability.