- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 October 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of what areas have received support from the ScotRail Service Quality Incentive Regime (SQUIRE) in each of the last two years, also broken down by the amount allocated.
Answer
The value of spend on each project is commercially sensitive, however the total spend on all projects since the beginning of the current Franchise is £6,531,839.
Completed projects |
Refurbishment of Leuchars Station, waiting rooms, toilets etc |
Refurbishment of Help Point facilities throughout ScotRail network |
Toilet pod fitted at Tweedbank station |
Reconfiguration and refurbishment of Class 156 seating to install tip up seats allowing for additional wheelchair access on these trains. |
Replace shelter roof panels and new drainage systems on 47 station shelters throughout the network. |
Supply body worn cameras for use by frontline staff and associated back office infrastructure |
Internal refurbishment of class 170 train fleet. |
Pilot of new functionality for Customer Information Screens to provide a countdown facility for departures. |
Fund utilised to partly fund the fares initiative which would provide 1 weeks free travel for season ticket holders as a thank you for their support during significant disruption experienced during 2016. The initiative was announced in 2017. |
Installation of Safety & Security Enhancements at Mosspark Station |
Provision of Stand Clear Information and Announcements at 180 Stations |
Upgrading Station Facilities, waiting rooms though an enhancement programme for stations on the Edinburgh to Glasgow line. |
Supply and Installation of 37 Defibrillators at key locations throughout the ScotRail network. |
Installation of anti-social behaviour preventative measures at Hamilton station |
| |
Projects in progress |
Recovery of 79 redundant Ticket Vending Machines, upgraded software and installation of same. |
Ring fenced funding for Investment in far North Line. Actual projects are being considered by Friends of the Far North line and ScotRail have still to be confirmed. |
Introduction of a managed Electronic Point Of Sale (EPOS) system for hospitality department who deliver on-board catering to passengers replacing cumbersome stock management and sales recording currently undertaken by pen and paper. |
Introduce an electronic Lost property automated system to provide a cloud based system which can be populated and interrogated by numerous location, providing a significant improvement in repatriating lost property with owners. |
Extension of smart enabled Ticket Office equipment to the full ScotRail ticket office estate, upgrading 149 Fujitsu Star Desktop Ticket Office Machines (TOMs) to sell and fulfil Smart tickets, and ability to provide additional after sales support. |
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 October 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what the current size is of the ScotRail Service Quality Incentive Regime (SQUIRE) fund.
Answer
As of end of Rail Period 7 - 13 October 2018 the SQUIRe Investment Fund stands at £4,350,997.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 30 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether the recommendations in the Sustainable Growth Commission report on the economics of an independent Scotland are now official policy.
Answer
The Scottish Government is considering the Sustainable Growth Commission recommendations carefully to see what more can be done within our existing powers, while making the case for these powers to be extended.
As set out in the Programme for Government, our Economic Action Plan will demonstrate how we are adapting our approach in response to recommendations from others including the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board, the Scottish Parliament and the work of the Sustainable Growth Commission.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many Scotland-domiciled students have been unable to access a place at a Scottish university due to the cap on places in the current academic year.
Answer
The Scottish Government firmly believes that access to university should not be based on the ability to pay, however, there is a need to exert a level of control over the higher education budget, which means that the number of students able to access a funded place is not unlimited. In 2018-19 our funding provided for 128,176 funded places across all years of study for eligible students at Scottish universities, an increase of 747 places from 2017-18.
The number of Scottish students successful in getting a place at a Scottish university in 2018-19 increased 2% on the previous year to 33,530.
While that is the case, the Scottish Government does not collect or hold information on the reasons why individual students are unable to access a place at a Scottish university. As autonomous institutions, universities are responsible for setting and administering their own admissions criteria and processes.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2018
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet North Ayrshire Council.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2018
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 24 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-01217 by Derek Mackay on 18 September 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), when (a) the cabinet secretary was and (b) its officials were first advised that there was an overrun of costs on the contract for Ferguson Marine to build the ferries, and whether it will publish any correspondence pertaining to this.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-19044 on 23 October 2018. 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 .
In terms of correspondence, on 16 August 2018, my colleague Michael Matheson wrote to the Convenor of the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee advising him of the new delivery dates for the new ferries. This letter is available on the Parliament's website, which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/109195.aspx /CurrentCommittees/109195.aspx .
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 23 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-01217 by Derek Mackay on 18 September 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), in light of the cabinet secretary's comment that, "of course due diligence has been conducted", whether it will publish details of this.
Answer
Lending by Scottish Ministers is governed by a series of controls that ensure the public purse is protected. This includes appropriate due diligence supported by independent third-party verification on matters commercial and legal.
The nature of information disclosed to the Scottish Government in the course of commercial negotiations and due diligence is sensitive and confidential. The Government has a duty of care to protect such sensitive commercial information and not to disclose material which would (or would be likely to) prejudice substantially the commercial interests of any person or organisation.
The Scottish Ministerial Code states that Ministers must not ordinarily divulge either the source or content of legal advice. I am able to confirm on this occasion that the Scottish Government has taken appropriate legal advice on this matter.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-01217 by Derek Mackay on 18 September 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what knowledge it had of the overruns regarding the ferries, and when it was made aware of these issues.
Answer
Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) made Transport Scotland aware of cost and time overruns of the two new ferries project in July 2017 when CMAL were advised by Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL).
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 23 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-01217 by Derek Mackay on 18 September 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what advice it received regarding whether the loan to Ferguson Marine (a) was legal, in particular with regard to state EU state-aid rules and (b) constituted a loan under commercial terms.
Answer
Scottish Ministers have provided two commercial loan facilities to Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited. The Scottish Government has taken appropriate legal and commercial advice on this matter. Both loans were negotiated on fully commercial terms following appropriate due diligence and advice. On this basis we concluded there was no state aid present in the loans provided to Ferguson Marine.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister has accepted an invitation from the President of the Government of Catalonia to visit Barcelona, and, if so, what the total estimated cost of the visit is projected to be.
Answer
The First Minister of Scotland and the President of Catalonia met at the First Minister’s official residence in Edinburgh on the evening of 11 July. It was a cordial meeting aimed at strengthening the ties of friendship between Scotland and Catalonia. The President extended an invitation to visit Barcelona. The First Minister agreed in principle to this, however, plans or preparations for any visit are not yet underway. Therefore, details or any estimated costs for this visit cannot be provided.
