- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Abellio ScotRail has refused to negotiate an equivalent agreement for all general grades, for what reason a rest-day working agreement for driver grades has been extended to October 2021.
Answer
This is an operational matter for ScotRail in negotiation with its staff through established collective bargaining arrangements.
I understand that established rest day working agreements remain in place for all ScotRail operational staff. The exceptional supplementary arrangements for Ticket Examiners and Conductors came to an end following successful recruitment, training and deployment of some 140 additional staff.
Similarly, 160 new drivers have been recruited, but Covid safety restrictions governing training in driving cabs have prevented their full training and deployment and therefore the exceptional supplementary arrangements remain in place until their training and deployment can be completed.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 16 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it recognises dental care as part of preventative healthcare, and, if so, how it will ensure that cost is not a barrier to receiving adequate healthcare.
Answer
As part of this Government’s manifesto commitment, all NHS dental charges will be removed in the lifetime of this Parliament.
Currently, those in the most financial need receive their NHS dental treatment free of charge, whilst those on a low income may be entitled to help with health costs under the Low Income Scheme (LIS).
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
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Current Status:
Holding Answer by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, (b) CalMac Ferries, (c) passenger groups and (d) trade unions regarding the chartering of additional vessels to operate on routes set out in the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.
Answer
Holding Answer by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will produce a strategic plan for the procurement and construction of new vessels to serve the ferry network and, if so, by what date the plan will be produced.
Answer
The Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan published 4 February 2021 stated that:
"We will produce and maintain a long-term plan and investment programme for new ferries and development at ports to improve resilience, reliability, capacity, and accessibility, increase standardisation, and reduce emissions to meet the needs of island communities, supported by investment of at least £580 million during the next five years as well as completing two new ferries for the Isle of Arran and the Uig Triangle"
A National Mission with Local Impact - draft infrastructure investment plan 2021-2022 to 2025-2026: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
We will produce this long-term plan as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan that will replace the Ferries Plan from January 2023. In the meantime, our investment programme continues to be based on the Vessel Replacement and Deployment Plan; additional detail of the current programme is included in Annex D of the Infrastructure Investment Plan and updates have recently been shared with key island stakeholders.
vrdp-annual-report-2016-30-january-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timeline for the Islands Connectivity Plan.
Answer
The timeline for publishing the Island Connectivity Plan remains the beginning of 2023 when the current Ferries Plan (2013-2022) ends.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 16 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider changing its COVID-19 regulations regarding the docking of UK cruise ships to enable passengers to embark and disembark in areas at protection level 2 or lower so that they have the same freedoms as people travelling between Scotland and England via plane, train or bus.
Answer
The Scottish Government has fully considered all of the suggestions made by stakeholders alongside all current data, scientific evidence and clinical advice available to us. Based on this assessment, subject to the relevant guidance being in place, our recommendation is that cruise restart when all of Scotland reaches Level 1.
While we would have been keen to provide a date, we need to work with the data available and any date would have been subject to review. This decision has been informed by the combination of risks that exist with both cruises and within the wider travel context, such as: the current trajectory of Covid infections and the unknowns around the new Delta variant, the close-proximity form of leisure that cruises offer that has high risk of uncontained rapid transmission, and, the opportunities to spread Covid through multiple stops in different levels around Scotland. These are only some of the risks, and although some of them could be mitigated through good protocols, it is the compound effect of all the risks involved which has led to this decision.
We are committed to reviewing restrictions every 3 weeks as part of the phased national easing through the Levels. The next review point is scheduled ahead of the planned easing of restrictions from 28 June. Our aim is to enable a restart to cruise as quickly and safely as possible and we are keen to continue to work with the sector on any required guidance ahead of this date.
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Current Status:
Withdrawn
- Asked by: Gillian Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 15 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it has considered making COVID-19 lateral flow tests mandatory for all parliament staff and Members.
Answer
The SPCB has agreed to write to all passholders encouraging them to use lateral flow testing as part of a range of measures that will help keep those attending Holyrood and local offices to undertake parliamentary work as safely as possible and help prevent community transmission.
This will be voluntary. Anyone who attends Holyrood who has a positive lateral flow test should follow public health advice and also contact the Parliament for any specific advice in relation to their recent visits to the building. Lateral flow test packs can be obtained at testing centres and by requesting a pack via NHS Inform. More information can be found here.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 15 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated cost for ministerial travel, including car fleet purchasing and maintenance, is for 2021-22, and how this compares with actual spend on this in each of the last five years.
Answer
Estimated costs for the Government Car Service (GCS), including purchasing and maintenance, for 2021-22 and actual spend for each of the last 5 years, are provided in the following table.
Year | Total cost (1) |
16-17 | £ 1,125,173 |
17-18 | £ 1,248,912 |
18-19 | £ 1,556,863 |
19-20 | £ 1,685,164 |
20-21 | £ 1,369,852 |
21-22 (2) | £ 1,375,695 |
1. Costs include fuel, maintenance, private hire, staff, travel and subsistence and vehicle procurement.
2. Estimated costs – budgets not formally agreed.
- Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 15 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Education or (b) Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training has (i) met or (ii) exchanged correspondence with the (A) management and (B) lecturers’ union at Forth Valley College, with regards to ongoing industrial action.
Answer
The previous Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science was in regular contact with both the Employers’ Association and EIS-FELA in relation to the national dispute regarding instructor/assessor roles in the college sector, which has now been resolved.
The Scottish Government has been clear throughout this dispute that both the employers and trade unions must continue with negotiations in an attempt to resolve this situation, which is absolutely not in the best interests of our learners. EIS-FELA have suspended local industrial action at Forth Valley College to allow the matter to be referred to the National Joint Secretaries for review and I urge both sides to resolve this dispute without the need for further industrial action.
The Scottish Government remains firmly of the view that it is for the college unions and the employers to negotiate pay and terms and conditions voluntarily in the spirit of collaboration and co-operation. We do however continue to work with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), who work closely with the sector, to ensure any actions taken are compliant with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, the SFC Financial Memorandum and are in line with Fair Work principles.
