Chamber and committees

Thank you. Convener, I would like to go to Annette.

I am looking for you to agree or disagree.

It would be interesting if you could get some advice on whether the A96 review can be published, because the work is already in progress and is part of a plan and, as the permanent secretary has said, the business of government must continue. I will not press that point now; I just ask whether you could consider it and come back to the committee.

Yes—we can hear you loud and clear.

Cabinet secretary, before you get tempted to set off on an electioneering route, I am sure that you will answer that question in line with the fact that the scheme is set to end by 29 September. You will have to do some work, but I caution you slightly on that.

So you have to sign it off.

I am sorry, Graham.

Ah.

We will come to that, I am sure.

Okay. On 27 May, Angus Campbell of the ferries community board responded to the committee’s letter saying:

“I can confirm that the majority view from our consultation was that the operator function should continue to go out to tender”.

That was his view just last week. If your due diligence does not work, cabinet secretary, and you cannot do a direct award, the process will take a minimum of a year to give other people the right or the ability to tender properly. You extended the contract for a year so that the tender process could start. If the contract is to go out to tender, that is unlikely to be before September next year, which means that you will have to extend it for another year. Are we not in a bit of a guddle on this?