- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2017
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the Committee on Climate Change’s report, Reducing emissions in Scotland - 2017 progress report.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2017
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government by what date the freight fares review will be completed.
Answer
Following a commitment in the Ferries Plan 2013-2022, Transport Scotland, under guidance of a Working Group of key stakeholders, is currently conducting a comprehensive review of ferry freight fares.
I have requested some further analysis to look at this option in more detail to fully understand the impacts on individual fares, hauliers and sectors and hope to provide more information on our plans and timescales soon.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed fare reductions to the Pentland Ferries service, how the operator will be compensated for any loss of income.
Answer
I stated in my announcement of 22 August that, as well as reducing fares on the Serco NorthLink Ferries services, it is also our intention to include commercial operators on the Pentland Firth, and that we will work with them to put a suitable system in place to allow that to happen.
Transport Scotland are in the process of procuring external expertise to develop a funding mechanism to allow commercial operators to receive a subsidy to offer reduced fares.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed fare reductions to Northern Isles’ ferry services, in cases where the formulaic road equivalent tariffs exceed the existing fares, on what basis the discounts will be calculated, and whether this approach will be transferable to Gourock-Dunoon services.
Answer
A variant of RET has been developed for routes over 100 miles on the Northern Isles ferry services. This applies to the Aberdeen – Kirkwall, Aberdeen – Lerwick and Kirkwall – Lerwick routes.
The formula slightly exceeds the existing ‘Low Season Islander Car Fare’ on the North Sea routes (Aberdeen – Kirkwall, Aberdeen – Lerwick and Kirkwall – Lerwick). The intention is that the RET fare for cars on these routes will be capped at this level.
Further consideration will be given to Gourock – Dunoon fares once the outcome of the Ferry Services Procurement Policy Review is known.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, at the time that the road equivalent tariff (RET) was rolled out on the CalMac network, on what routes fares were established using the (a) published formulaic approach and (b) unit price of the multi-journey tickets at that time.
Answer
At the initial roll out of RET on routes to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree in October 2008, only the car fare for the Oban – Castlebay/Lochboisdale service was capped at the multi-journey single equivalent (MJSE).
For the final roll out to the rest of the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services network in October 2015, passenger fares on Colintraive – Rhubodach, Lochaline – Fishnish, Fionnphort – Iona, Sconser – Raasay, Largs – Cumbrae and Oban – Lismore routes were capped at the MJSE. During that same roll-out, car fares on the Castlebay – Lochboisdale (no longer in operation), Sconser – Raasay and Largs – Cumbrae routes were capped at the MJSE.
All other passenger and car fares on the Clyde & Hebrides ferry network were generated using the RET formula.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on discussions with Argyll and Bute, The Highland, Orkney and Shetland councils and SPT regarding bringing their ferry services under the control of Transport Scotland.
Answer
Following a commitment in the Ferries Plan 2013-22 that the Scottish Government is willing to consider taking on responsibility for local authority lifeline ferry services, Transport Scotland has been in discussion with several local authorities regarding their internal ferry services.
We are not currently engaged with The Highland Council regarding any of their ferry services. Initial discussions did take place shortly after the Ferries Plan publication, however The Highland Council decided not to pursue a transfer further.
Discussions with Orkney Islands Council, Shetland Islands Council, Argyll & Bute Council and SPT are at different stages, however there has been extensive engagement between the authorities and Transport Scotland officials and comprehensive information gathered and exchanged. This positive engagement will continue and decisions on future responsibility of ferry services will be taken in due course.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) capital and (b) operational costs will be of the CalMac Kerrera-Oban ferry service in each of the next five years.
Answer
The Kerrera ferry route transferred into the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service (CHFS) network on 1 July 2017. It was previously operated by Kerrera Ferry Ltd as an independent service, and had been supported through grant aid support from Transport Scotland since March 2013.
The route is now operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd as one of the routes covered by the current Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services public service contract.
There are two one-off capital projects involved in the transfer. A replacement 12 metre long vessel has been commissioned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd in a £200,000 project. Provision of permanent facilities to provide essential crew and customer welfare is currently under consideration by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, at a likely cost of around £250,000 to £300,000.
Going forward, CalMac Ferries Ltd’s on-going operating costs for the route will form a component within the CHFS contract. No definitive figure is currently available for the future operational costs associated with the Kerrera ferry service.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 August 2017
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason both Gourock-Dunoon ferry services are excluded from the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) scheme.
Answer
The Ferries Plan 2013-22 contained a commitment to fully roll out RET on the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services network within the term of that Parliament. This commitment was achieved in October 2015.
The Ferries Plan also stated our intention to roll out RET to all lifeline services, however, there is no commitment to timing or funding for rolling out RET on such ferry services.
Introducing RET on the Gourock– Dunoon services now would increase fares for a large number of users. While the published fares are higher than RET, many users currently acquire discounted tickets. Both Argyll Ferries Limited and Western Ferries facilitate these reduced fares through commercial agents.
Consideration of fare levels will be given once the outcome of the Ferry Services Procurement Policy Review is known and the future of Gourock – Dunoon town centre to town centre ferry service is clearer.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of homes and businesses in the Highlands and Islands region have access to superfast broadband.
Answer
Latest figures show that across the Highlands and Islands region 75.8% of premises have access to fibre broadband, 70.3% with access to superfast speeds. These figures assume that commercial rollout is completed on time and in line with plans submitted to the Scottish Government through the 2012 Open Market Review (OMR). Had it not been for the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles would have no access to fibre broadband at all, and access in the Highlands would only be at 21%.
As a result of our intervention through the programme, around 161,000 homes and business that would not otherwise have been connected are now capable of accessing fibre broadband across the Highlands and Islands.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what targets it has set for each year until 2021 to meet its commitment to ensure that 100% of homes and businesses have access to superfast broadband.
Answer
Telecoms is a reserved matter meaning it is the UK Government's responsibility to invest in and support. However, the central importance of good quality digital connectivity to Scotland’s economy has meant that it is an area where the Scottish Government has had to become increasingly active to ensure that our businesses and people are not left behind.
The Scottish Government’s commitment to deliver 100% superfast broadband access by 2021 is the only one of its kind in the UK. Yearly coverage targets have not yet been set. Deployment timescales and related targets will be determined through the procurement process, which will launch later this year.
