Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-19612

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 6 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Non-domestic Rates Bill is planned to be introduced in March 2019.

Question reference: S5O-02510

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on taxpayers in Scotland retaining as much of their income as those in the rest of the UK, in light of the proposals in the UK Budget.

Question reference: S5W-19305

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 29 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that its support of Dales Voe as an ultra-deep water port location is in line with the requirement for impartiality in procurement ethics and, if so, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Scottish Government commissioned a feasibility study to assess the relative merits of 40 potential locations for the development of an
‎ ultra-deep water port. Our recommendations on the proposed location across UK of the ultra-deep water port was informed by the findings of this feasibility study there was undertaken by an independent contractor that was appointed via a fair and open procurement process. The recommendations were based on objective criteria, including the physical characteristic of every location studied and their accessibility to single lift.

Question reference: S5W-19308

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 29 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18808 by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 September 2018, what its position is on the value of the Decommissioning Challenge Fund to companies located in and around the Dundee area compared with the value of a new ultra-deep water port in the city, and what reassurances it can provide to companies that have or are planning to invest in the decommissioning sector in the city that there will be a level playing field, in light of reports that some are considering pulling out.

With reference to question S5W-18808 the Decommissioning Challenge Fund is the Scottish Government’s vehicle to provide financial support to the decommissioning supply chain projects across Scotland to ready for the opportunities decommissioning presents. My previous answer sets out the considerable support to projects based in Dundee and the wider Tay region have received.

With reference to my previous PQ S5W-18806 the Port of Dundee does not have the physical capabilities to support a 24m depth and the heavy lift vessels that require an ultra-deep water port. Given that no ultra-deep water port exists in the UK at present, considerable project value is a key part of the UK and Scottish supply chains. The establishment of an ultra-deep water port will therefor potentially increase the overall market shares of the decommissioning of structures captured weekly, with opportunities for structures to be transferred to ports, such as Dundee, from Dales Voe.

The Scottish Government remains supportive of Dundee as a decommissioning centre. It’s absolutely clear given the scale and diversity of the UK’s decommissioning challenge Scotland needs a selection of ports offering varying skills and expertise, supply chain, and capabilities. I would reassure companies that the Scottish Government remains supportive of their work in Dundee.

Question reference: S5W-19348

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18511 by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2018, whether it will provide a definition of the term "recognised qualifications" including (a) what qualifies as recognition, (b) who they are recognised by and (c) whether it or the Scottish Funding Council decided what counted as a recognised qualification.

Recognised qualifications include courses where there is an evaluation
at the end of units and formal accreditation of either units/subjects or
full awards from UK Awarding Bodies or Scottish Credit and
Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Credit Rating Bodies.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) decides what is recognised by use
of Qualification Aim of study codes within the annual Further Education
Statistics (FES) returns from colleges. This data is quality assured by
the SFC as part of the FES closure process.

Further information and a list of recognised qualifications is available on
the SFC website, on page 10 of their FES 1 guidance notes;
http://www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/GUI_SFCGD012017_FESGuidance/
FES_1_Guidance_2017-18.pdf

Question reference: S5W-19002

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18393 by Michael Matheson on 13 September 2018, should a public sector rail franchise result in a financial failure, what financial assistance it would offer, and whether this would be sourced through (a) reduced spending in other budget areas or (b) changes to its tax policy.

In accordance with procurement legislation, the Scottish Government's procurement processes require all bidders (public or private) to provide robust evidence of their financial capability to meet the specific requirements of any public services contract as part of the procurement process.

In some circumstances, the Scottish Government may offer financial assistance to a contractor provided that assistance meets the requirements of State aid and other legislation and is at commercial rates of interest. Typically, any such funding comes from existing budgets.

Question reference: S5W-19307

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government which port authorities were (a) directly contacted for information and (b) physically inspected when evaluating the optimal location for an ultra-deep water port, and to what extent.

Question reference: S5W-19306

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18805 by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 September 2018, on what date the Ernst and Young feasibility study will be published, and whether it will publish details of the methodology that was used in compiling this.

Question reference: S5W-18807

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 3 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what pros and cons were identified by Ernst and Young in its feasibility study into the location of an optimal ultra-deep water port for decommissioning in relation to (a) Dundee and (b) Dales Voe.

Dundee has many pros as a location to undertake decommissioning work. The city boasts many supply chain companies that I’m sure can offer a good integrated decommissioning solution. This includes one of Europe’s largest quayside heavy lift cranes, supported by a £582,010 grant from the Scottish Governments own Decommissioning Challenge Fund (DCF). The Port has also invested substantially in a new quayside with good adjacent laydown space, and being located at a major urban centre there is a skilled local workforce.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government has been very clear in its support for the approach of Dundeecom to target partnership working between new innovative and formative ideas and Dundee’s academic institutions to push forward ideas for cost reduction in decommissioning.

However, the EY feasibility study looked at whether locations could feasibly support an ultra-deep water facility. All quays were assessed against a set of hard criteria (minimum requirements) which would need to currently physically exist for a quay to be a potential UDW port. After this stage, 22 quays were removed from consideration. As detailed in my previous answer to PQ S5W-18806 on
‎ 25 September 2018 the shallow approach depth to the Port simply rules Dundee out of further consideration for being able to provide an ultra-deep water facility that require 24m or more of water depth to any port access by heavy-lift vessels. We anticipate Dundee will be well placed to benefit from Dales Voe in Shetland operating as a transfer hub, with packages of work being distributed to other ports and harbours across Scotland

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 .

Question reference: S5W-18804

Asked by: Bill Bowman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 3 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its spokesperson’s comment that the decision to designate Dales Voe as an ultra-deep water port for decommissioning “may even benefit Dundee if the Scottish market works collaboratively”, what its position is on the private sector complying with its wishes.

Answer updated on 09/10/18

The level of economic benefit generated from an ultra-deep water (UDW) port depends on its ability to attract projects. Initial evidence suggests that a successful UDW port could receive and then quickly distribute infrastructure to other decommissioning locations across Scotland. In this way it could act as a transfer hub supporting a greater number of decommissioning projects and enabling opportunities elsewhere which would otherwise not have been realised. This would be particularly important during periods of significant demand.

Within this context, and informed by discussions with stakeholders regarding its capabilities, we assess that Dundee could be well placed to benefit from the business opportunities which come from being able to work in partnership with a successful deep water port in Shetland – and, in doing so, help capture additional value that might otherwise be lost to the Scottish and wider UK supply chains, in the absence of a UK based UDW port that is accessible to heavy lift vehicles.

The study undertaken by Ernst & Young examines how the transfer hub could operate, the potential commercial arrangements and the peak times of market demand. The technical specifics within each of these steps, along with identified risks, will be explored in more detail as part of further technical review and business case development. This stage of work is expected to follow a complementary UK Government study looking at the case for public investment in such a facility.

We want to support the growth of a successful, collaborative and sustainable decommissioning industry in Scotland. There is no obligation on the private sector to work collaboratively within Scotland. However, collaboration will be key to cost effectiveness which is the main driver for decommissioning contracts to be awarded to the Scottish supply chain. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to attempt to influence decisions on contracting methods between companies.