- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2018
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is regarding empty homes in the private sector.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2018
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 March 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09685 by Humza Yousaf on 15 June 2017, and the recent meeting of the Aberdeen to Central Belt Reference Group on 27 February 2018, whether it will now set out the options that the group is assessing and prioritising regarding the Usan Junction and South Esk viaduct.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to S5W-09685 on 27 June 2017 and to S5W-12393 on 15 November 2017. The comprehensive assessment from Consultants OVE ARUP, expected later in 2018, will be considered by the Reference Group and is expected to identify the optimum package of investment and service changes that will secure the best possible return from the £200 million investment.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 7 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many Decommissioning
Challenge Fund grants have been awarded; what the value of each grant has
been, and when the next round of grants will be issued.
Answer
Currently thirteen projects have received a grant offer. The values of individual grant offers are set out in the following table.
Project Name | Lead Organisation | Grant Offer |
Hunterston Marine Yard, Fairlie, North Ayrshire | Peel Ports group | £225,000 |
Delivering Scotland’s Decommissioning Potential in Dundee via the largest Permanently Based Quayside Crane in Europe | Oilfield Machinery Limited | £426,000 |
Scheme by Montrose Port Authority to enhance Berths 7W and 8 for decommissioning work | Montrose Port Authority | £56,750 |
Ardersier Port - Quay Wall Alterations | Ardersier Port Ltd | £75,000 |
Energy Park Fife Decommissioning Facility Readiness | Fife Council | £100,000 |
Understanding and Developing the Chemical Analytical Capabilities Required to Support a Decommissioning Industry in Scotland | James Hutton | £45,000 |
Stornoway Port Decommissioning Projects | Stornoway Port Authority | £72,787.50 |
Increased capacity of equipment for temporary/reusable steelwork | Lerwick Engineering & Fabrication Ltd | £81,330 |
Tubular Cutting Tool | Downhole Energy | £126,000 |
Shetlands Specialist Decommissioning Service Provider | EMN Limited | £114,000 |
Going Full Circle | Dales Marine Services Ltd | £765,000 |
Upgrade and improvements of Dry Dock gates and infrastructure facilities | Kishorn Port Ltd | £322,000 |
Lyness Oil and Gas Decommissioning Base | Orkney Islands Council | £96,000 |
Following the acceptance of a grant offer, projects finalise their costs, establish milestones and submit invoices for completed work. The projects presented in the table are at various stages of acceptance and payment. Projects can also apply for an extension to the grant where it is demonstrable that this is necessary to achieve or advance the strategic ambitions of the project as presented to and approved by the Programme Board. As a result some of the values presented above may be subject to change.
We will evaluate projects as they progress and use this information alongside the feedback from partners and stakeholders about how best to support future activity.
However, the DCF is not the only means by which we actively support the growth and development of our ports and harbours. I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the major investment by Aberdeen Harbour Board, who are currently constructing a £350m expansion project to allow the harbour to berth larger vessels including cruise and larger off shore support vessels, during what has been a period of uncertainty for the oil industry in the North East. I am pleased that this has been supported by Scottish Enterprise who have contributed almost £13 million in funding to the project.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 7 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many seafarers who have been made redundant from the offshore supply vessel sector have (a) applied for and (b) been awarded support by the Transition Training Fund.
Answer
The Transition Training Fund (TTF) was announced by the First Minister in February 2016. Its purpose is to support individuals who have lost, or are at risk of losing, their jobs in the oil & gas sector.
Both employed (staff) or self-employed (contractor) can apply for support. As of 9 February, 2952 individuals have been supported by the Transition Training Fund.
Unfortunately the application process to TTF is unable to segregate applicants specifically made redundant from the offshore supply vessel sector. This is as a result of the eligibility of the fund, the complexity of the job roles within the sector, the impact on employees and contractors and the transient nature of contracts.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 7 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Galliford Try faces an exceptional charge of £25 million on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) project, when it expects the project will be completed.
Answer
It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the financial status of Galliford Try or any other private company. The liquidation of Carillion has been a massive blow to the UK construction industry.
In line with the initial timescale announced by Ministers in 2012, the intention currently remains to open the project roads in spring 2018. However, it is becoming apparent that Carillion’s announcement may have some impact on this programme indirectly through the effect on the supply chain and we are working closely with Aberdeen Roads Limited to mitigate those impacts where we can. Clearly, on a site like this, extreme weather events such as Storm Frank in 2015 and this week’s exceptional weather conditions will have consequential impacts on progress. However, we are continuing to work with the contractor and our stakeholders, with a view to delivering the benefits associated with opening sections of the project as soon as it is safe to do so.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 6 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many offshore oil and gas workers have (a) applied for and (b) been awarded support by the Transition Training Fund to refresh their basic offshore induction and emergency training (BOSIET).
Answer
Applicants can apply for funding support from the Transition Training Fund in any sector. Funding is not dependent on a secured job outcome – however, applicants seeking support will be required to demonstrate:
- they are actively seeking alternative employment and have identified valid vacancies in a relevant sector (typically applicants are only required to demonstrate that there are four or more vacancies in the labour market to indicate market dimension for the skills); and
- they have identified specific retraining, up-skilling or certification requirements that will advance the pursuit of the identified opportunities.
As at 9 February 2018 the Transition Training Fund had received funding applications for BOSIET from 266 applicants, and, of these, 93 had been approved.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Aberdeen International Airport regarding the support that it can provide to develop and maintain new routes.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14654 on
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 2 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans it has in place to ensure that the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) project is completed on time in the event that Galliford Try is unable to meet its contractual commitments.
Answer
Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL) has continued to provide assurance that it remains fully committed to completing the AWPR/B-T safely and in the shortest timescale possible. Construction work has progressed across the site despite the Carillion announcement and the new road is now clearly visible to local communities.
Although the situation with Carillion does not in of itself affect the project delivery timescales, given the nature of the issue, we are working closely with Aberdeen Roads Limited to understand whether in reality there will be any impact on the delivery programme. We will work closely with ARL to mitigate any impact where possible.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 2 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Galliford Try to discuss the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) project, and whether its reported plans to raise £150 million of investment were discussed.
Answer
On Friday 16 February I visited the construction site to see for myself the rate of works progression given this situation, and to take the opportunity to speak with the contractors staff involved with the project.
Investment decisions of this nature are an internal matter for Galliford Try. It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the financial matters of Galliford Try or any other private company. As with similar contracts of this nature, ARL does not receive any payment until sections of the project road are available and open to traffic. The agreed cost of the contract is fixed and as such there has been no change to the overall project budget of £745m.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 February 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 2 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether the exceptional charge of £25 million that Galliford Try faces on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) project relates to work that is still to be completed.
Answer
We do not recognise the costs announced by Galliford Try as it relates to its own internal financial matters and not to Scottish Government payments. It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the financial matters of Galliford Try or any other private company. As with similar contracts of this nature, ARL does not receive any payment until sections of the project road are available and open to traffic. The agreed cost of the contract is fixed and as such there has been no change to the overall project budget of £745m.
Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL) has provided assurance that it remains fully committed to completing the AWPR/B-T safely and in the shortest timescale possible.
