Chamber and committees

I have said that the committee will see the report in draft before it is signed off, and you can pass comment on that.

Thank you very much, minister, and thank you to all of your officials for attending today.

I will now suspend the meeting to allow for a change of witnesses.

Before we move on, are you both happy that the Shetland/Orkney grouping for tendering has gone out to one company? Is that the natural fit? Moraig, do you want to answer that?

Monica Lennon has some questions.

Mark Ruskell has fairly strong views on them, so I will bring him in now.

I will come back to the deputy convener, who has been waiting patiently to ask her question.

David Hibbert’s last comment was interesting. I will ask two questions. The first is on the running of these ferries. When I was up in Orkney, the long-term future in relation to having people on the islands to staff and crew the ferries seemed to be a concern. Is it as big a concern as I got the impression it is? Also, what is the situation on Shetland?

Thanks. That is interesting. The final question will hopefully bring a yes or a no answer. If we are going to replace the interisland ferries, do you agree that, as part of that package, we have to look at where they berth and at the facilities at berthing for people getting on and off those ferries? That can be a yes or no answer.

Welcome back. We will now hear from today’s second panel as part of our inquiry into a modern and sustainable ferry service for Scotland.

Our second panel will explore local authorities’ experience of operating ferry services and acting as harbour authorities. We also want to hear the witnesses’ views on the adequacy of the Scottish Government-supported ferry services for the Clyde and Hebrides.

I am pleased to welcome Murray Bain, project manager for the Corran ferry at Highland Council; Russell McCutcheon, executive director for place, at North Ayrshire Council; Scott Reid, marine operations manager for Argyll and Bute Council; and Councillor Uisdean Robertson, chair of the transportation and infrastructure committee at Western Isles Council. Thank you for accepting our invitation. I am glad that you are here.

There is a whole heap of questions. I will have to try to divide my time. I ask you to answer as succinctly as possible so that we can get through as many questions as possible. If you do not think that you need to contribute, do not feel that you have to. If you want to get in, and you are not asked to come in, if you are outside the room, shove your hand up and I will catch you. If you are inside the room, catch my eye and scowl—that is the way to catch my attention.

The current Clyde and Hebrides ferry service contract expires in October. Have any of you had discussions with Transport Scotland about service provision after that date? I do not know who would like to start on that, although I am guessing that there will be input. Scott, do you want to talk about that?

Russell, do you want to add anything?

I seem to remember that there was a friends-and-family discount scheme on NorthLink, in which islanders were limited to naming five friends. It slightly concerned me that I would not be classed as a friend on one of the islanders’ lists, but perhaps that is a different thing. I think that that scheme was run, and that it was stopped.

Liam Kerr wants to ask a question specifically on the Corran ferry and he then has a wider question.