Chamber and committees

There is no indication that NHS Boards are not following Scottish Government guidance.

I expect Scottish Government officials as part of their regular waiting time support meetings to ensure that NHS Boards are not undertaking any private work in their hospitals that would be detrimental to NHS patients on the waiting list.

The Scottish Government assesses Health Boards’ financial positions through formal Annual and Mid-Year Reviews, and through review of financial plans including annual Local Delivery Plans. Health Boards also provide monthly financial returns to Scottish Government, which include income and expenditure projections. Furthermore, there is regular ongoing engagement between officials and Health Board managers as appropriate.

Transport Scotland officials have discussed maritime infrastructure proposals at various stages of consideration with representatives of a number of privately operated ports in Scotland since January 2015. There is no definitive list of these meetings available, partly due to the commercially sensitive nature of these discussions.

Ports policy is market driven in Scotland and it is the responsibility of individual ports to consider the requirement for infrastructure improvements, including the business case and funding to support this and an assessment of any consents that may be required.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04522 on 16 November 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government is continuing to invest in new vessels and ferry infrastructure for the Clyde and Hebrides network, introducing newer and more resilient vessels.

Two new vessels have been procured at a cost of £97m, with the vessels due for delivery in the second half of 2018. These two vessels are initially earmarked for deployment on the Arran service and on the Uig Triangle routes.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), the Scottish Government's ferry assets owning company, is currently undertaking a major redevelopment of Brodick harbour on Arran which is due to be completed in 2017. The project is being funded by CMAL with financial contributions from the Scottish Government, North Ayrshire Council, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and the Coastal Communities Fund.

I announced on 3 November 2016 that I have asked Transport Scotland to commission a STAG-style study to assess the options for the mainland port for the Arran service. This study will look at potential work to improve Ardrossan Harbour, as well as the proposal from Associated British Ports to use an upgraded facility at Troon. The output from the study will help inform the scale and timing of the works at the selected mainland port.

Scottish Ministers have tasked CalMac Ferries Ltd and Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd with seeking potential additional tonnage to improve operational resilience on Clyde and Hebrides ferry routes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04522 on 16 November 2016. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Caledonian MacBrayne, the ferry operator for the Clyde and Hebrides network, provide multi-modal transport information for each of the harbours on their website: www.calmac.co.uk/interactivemap.

Under the new Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service contract, CalMac’s recently appointed Transport Integration Manager will support and promote integrated ferry travel with other transport modes.

Transport Scotland officials last met formally with representatives of Associated British Ports on 13 September 2016 and P&O Ferries on 9 June 2015.

Domestic routes refers to routes between Heathrow Airport and other UK airports. Applications for funding under Heathrow's £10 million fund will be for airlines and airports to progress and consult on. Heathrow has confirmed that the £10 million fund will commence once it has received development consent from the UK Government.