- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether the terms of Abellio ScotRail Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA) permit a management fee of up to 2% of the cost base of the franchise to be paid at the end of the EMA term.
Answer
Under the current Abellio ScotRail Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA), Management and Performance Fees are capped at less than 2%.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2020
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the cost of the COVID-19 response and recovery measures for local government on the delivery of other council services.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2020
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much support it has provided to the bus industry during COVID-19, broken down by (a) type and (b) purpose of funding; whether any of this funding was subject to meeting conditions, and, if so, whether it will publish a full account of what conditions were placed on such funding.
Answer
To date, the Scottish Government has provided, or announced funding totalling £32.9 million of capital and £196.8 million of resource during the COVID-19 period to the bus industry through a number of programmes which are detailed in the following tables. Where available, the conditions placed on these funding streams are set out and the links provided.
Funding provided
Name | Type: Resource / Capital | Purpose | Conditions |
National Concessionary Travel Scheme | Resource - £39.4 million paid between 2 March and 27 July 2020 | Reimbursing bus operators for journeys made under the National Concessionary Travel Scheme (NCTS) for older and disabled people and the Young People's Scheme for eligible holders of the Young Scot National Entitlement Card. | The conditions and reimbursement terms for the older and disabled people's scheme are in the legislation establishing it, in particular the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Scotland) Order 2006 (as amended) and the National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons (Eligible Persons and Eligible Services) (Scotland) Order 2006. The Young People's Scheme is a non-statutory arrangement in which participating bus operators give eligible young people 1/3 off single fares and are reimbursed the difference. More details are at www.transport.gov.scot/concessionary-travel/young-scot-national-entitlement-card/ |
Covid-19 Support Grant (CSG) | Resource - £41.6 million paid between 2 March and 27 July 2020 | Maintaining operators' funding at the levels forecast before Covid-19 for National Concessionary Travel Scheme (NCTS) and Bus Service Operators' Grant (BSOG) in order to maintain essential bus services and support the future viability of bus operators. | Information on CSG is published at www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/covid-19-support-grant Participating bus operators sign up to conditions through grant agreements or public service contracts. |
Covid-19 Support Grant - Restart (CSG-R) | Resource - £52.8 million paid between 22 June and 27 July 2020 | Additional funding to support the remobilisation of buses and increased service levels with physical distancing measures in place. | Information on CSG-R is published at www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/covid-19-support-grant Participating bus operators sign up to conditions through public service contracts. |
Low Carbon Economy funding - Research and Development funding to Alexander Dennis Limited | Capital - £5.0 million expedited during COVID-19 period of an overall £10.0 million grant awarded by Scottish Enterprise (funded by Transport Scotland) in 2019. | Supporting a £29 million ADL investment over 2 years centred on new technologies (including hydrogen), next generation battery powered vehicles; and high capacity, fast-loading vehicles. | Subject to the normal Scottish Enterprise terms and conditions. The details of the grant were placed in the EU Transparency Register. |
Low Carbon Economy funding - Research and Development funding to Alexander Dennis Limited | Capital - £73,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise (funded by Transport Scotland) | Supporting the development and testing of retrofitted on-bus equipment and passenger protection from Covid-19 infection, in turn to enable the carriage of more passengers on buses whilst physical distancing guidance in place. | Subject to the normal Scottish Enterprise terms and conditions. |
Funding Announced
Name | Type: Resource / Capital | Purpose | Conditions |
Bus Priority Rapid Development Fund (BPRDF) | Capital - £10.0 million in the financial year 2020-21 | To enable local authorities and the bus industry to implement temporary bus priority measures | The criteria are published at www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/bus-priority-rapid-development-fund/ |
Bus Emissions Abatement Retrofit (BEAR) Scheme Phase 3 | Capital - £8.857 million in the financial year 2020-21 | Support bus operators to reduce nitrogen dioxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) emissions of existing fleet vehicles through the installation of accredited retrofit technology. | Conditions for obtaining funding are published at www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/scottish-bus-emission-abatement-retrofit-fund and www.lowemissionzones.scot |
Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS) | Capital - £9.0 million in the financial year 2020-21 | To increase the number of ultra-low emission buses on local registered bus services. | The criteria are published at www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/scottish-ultra-low-emission-bus-scheme/ |
Covid-19 Support Grant - Restart (CSG-R) | Resource - up to £63.0 million available between 17 August and 8 November 2020 | To continue support for bus operators with maintaining bus services from 17 August until 8 November with physical distancing measures in place. | Information on CSG-R as provided in the table above. |
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30494 by Fiona Hyslop on 9 July 2020, by what date it will publish its updated report on the cost and programme for vessels 801 and 802.
Answer
Further to the answer to S5W-29020 on 21 May 2020, S5W-29558 on 9 June 2020 and S5W-30494 and in line with the easing of lockdown restrictions and a phased restart of work at the yard the updated report will be completed when a full and thorough assessment of the impact of COVID-19 has been carried out. The finalised report will be published thereafter.
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
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 13 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 social distancing measures. what action it is taking to ensure that blind and partially-sighted people feel confident that they are able to receive the support they require when in public spaces, and how it will promote awareness among the public that the measures do not prohibit them being guided.
Answer
In order that blind and partially-sighted people, and others that require guide support when out and about, can feel confident that they are able to receive the support they require, Scottish Government officials have worked with Public Health Scotland to develop guidance for those who provide guide support.
This guidance is available to the public on the Scottish Government website at Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for those providing guide support and has been shared across Scottish Government policy areas and with Sight Loss Sector organisations and Sensory Impairment Leads across the country, for local dissemination to their stakeholders.
In addition, Scottish Government has shared this guidance on twitter and other social media, to further raise public awareness.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 13 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how many schoolchildren it estimates travel to school on (a) dedicated school and (b) public transport.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not collect data about the number of school children that use either dedicated school transport or public transport. This information may be held by local authorities.
The Scottish Household survey showed that in 2018 14 per cent of pupils travel by school bus and 5 per cent by service bus (public transport). The data is available at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/transport-and-travel-in-scotland-results-from-the-scottish-household-survey-1/4-personal-travel/ - see figure 11.
The “Hands Up Scotland Survey” showed that in 2019 16% of school pupils said they normally travel to school by bus (public and dedicated school services). The survey is available at https://www.sustrans.org.uk/our-blog/projects/2019/scotland/hands-up-scotland-survey .
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it plans to implement the disclosure provisions under the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 11 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the monthly subsidy payments received by Serco NorthLink for the six-month extension to the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract, which was announced by Transport Scotland on 6 February 2020.
Answer
In order to complete the award process and allow an adequate mobilisation period, the Scottish Government announced on 6 February 2020 that the Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS) contract was to be extended by a period of up to six months to ensure continuity of services.
Following effective mobilisation the new contract commenced early on 30 June 2020.
The total amount of subsidy for the extension period has not been finalised given Covid-19 impacts and the contract expiring at the end of June 2020. It is anticipated that the finalised subsidy payments for the period requested will be available at the end of September 2020. As with the member’s previous question on financial aspects of support on NIFS, reference (S5W-25115 on 17 September 2019) we will provide full costs for the extension period when these have been finalised and requested.
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
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 4 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government when it will place a copy of the 2020-26 Northern Isles Ferry Services contract on the Transport Scotland website.
Answer
The 2020-26 Northern Isles Ferry Services contract commenced on 30 June 2020. A non-commercially sensitive copy will be published on Transport Scotland’s website in Autumn 2020.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 4 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the incident on 25 June 2020 when the MV Arrow, reportedly under charter with Serco NorthLink, ran aground in water off Aberdeen Harbour.
Answer
The Scottish Government have not conducted any discussions with the UK Government regarding the incident on 25 June 2020 involving the MV Arrow.
The MV Arrow, is owned by Seatruck and was on short term hire to substitute for the regular vessel MV Helliar on the Northern Isles ferry services, as she attended her 14 day dry dock for scheduled maintenance in Rosyth. The MV Arrow and her crew commenced freight services on 17 June 2020 and had operated successfully on the Northern Isles routes before.
The MV Arrow grounded on approach to Aberdeen Harbour on 25 June 2020. Aberdeen Harbour tugs were able to move the MV Arrow and she successfully berthed in Aberdeen Harbour where all freight disembarked.
Serco NorthLink Ferries (SNF) were not the ship operator therefore were under no regulatory obligation to inform external bodies. That obligation rests with Seatruck Ferries, as owners of the vessel, with the vessel operating under their ISM system. SNF did however make courtesy calls to the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR) to ensure that they were aware of the issue at the time of the incident.
