- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported statistics showing that the number of people in Scotland dying from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia has more than tripled in the last 20 years and concerns that the country is unprepared for further expected increases.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2023
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding (a) it and (b) any of its agencies have given, awarded or paid to Mowi Scotland Limited (formerly Marine Harvest) or any of its subsidiaries since 2006, broken down by (i) what was given, (ii) when it was awarded and (iii) which company entity received the funding.
Answer
The Scottish Government publishes grant support that it has provided to the marine and fisheries industries, including aquaculture. Details can be found here -
Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) have provided the following information regarding funding they have provided:
- In 2019-2020, Scottish Enterprise provided Mowi Scotland Limited £750 for a learning journey showcase event.
- In 2021, HIE awarded Mowi Scotland Limited £51,074 grant in aid towards a £248,600 staff training project for its new fish feed facility in Kyleakin.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland will provide an assessment of the crewing (a) model and (b) employment conditions proposed by (i) DFDS and (ii) Ptarmigan Shipping for restoring roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Scotland and northern Europe.
Answer
The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety and crew welfare and employment conditions on vessels accessing Scotland’s ports and coastal waters.
Ferry operators are responsible for crewing arrangements whilst complying with the appropriate employment legislation and standards. Shipping safety and seafarer welfare and employment conditions are matters reserved to the UK Government.
The Maritime Labour Convention sets out the minimum working and living rights for seafarers with the onus on operators' good practice. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency are responsible for auditing vessels to ensure compliance. The recently introduced Seafarers’ Wages Act also ensures that UK seafarers on ferry services are paid the UK National Minimum Wage whilst working in UK waters.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that maritime unions organising Scotland’s ferry workers will be recognised for collective bargaining purposes by operators of (a) new and (b) restored roll-on, roll-off ferry links between Rosyth and ports in northern Europe.
Answer
The Scottish Government advocates Fair Work policy and believes there must be respectful and meaningful dialogue between employers and employees and their trade unions, to ensure employees are treated fairly.
Any prospective ferry operator would need to ensure their proposal meets all requirements under UK employment law. While employment law remains reserved, we will use our Fair Work policy to promote fairer work practices across the labour market in Scotland.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a summary of the outcomes of any recent discussions that it has had with the UK Government on future roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Rosyth and ports in northern Europe.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the UK Government regarding future roll-on/roll-off ferry links between Rosyth and ports in northern Europe.
Scottish Ministers have maintained that the Scottish Government wishes to see Scotland’s sea connections to Europe enhanced and are happy to consider any approach. Discussions have taken place between Transport Scotland officials and a number of prospective interested parties in recent years.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government which ports in northern Europe are under consideration as part of any proposals that it has seen for restoring roll-on, roll-off ferry services from Rosyth.
Answer
Transport Scotland officials have discussed a number of different propositions for new ferry services to Europe with prospective promoters and port operators. These discussions are conducted with due cognisance of promoters’ commercial considerations. We will continue to work closely with our ports and potential operators in exploring propositions for establishing new services.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what advice Transport Scotland has received to date from consultants, Turner and Townsend, on tendering the next contract for Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-21356 and S6W-21358 on 29 September 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much Transport Scotland has spent on private consultants to advise on the (a) design, (b) specification, (c) procurement and (d) tendering of public ferry contracts in Scotland, in each year from 2006 to date.
Answer
The information requested by the member is currently being gathered and will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre under Bib No 64557 once this is available.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps CMAL has taken to consult with (a) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and (b) trade unions organising CalMac staff, regarding the design of MV (i) Glen Sannox and (ii) Glen Rosa, from 2015 to date.
Answer
Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow is responsible for consultation with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on the design aspects of MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa, not Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited.
CalMac, as operator of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service, has engaged with the trade unions since 2017 regarding operational readiness of the vessels.
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Transport Scotland’s £4 million contract with Turner and Townsend for project and programme management support for the CHFS3 project.
Answer
Transport Scotland are working with support from external specialist commercial and technical advisors Turner and Townsend, to progress development of the next CHFS contract. Work is underway to the develop the next CHFS3 contract including stakeholder engagement to support this process.