Meeting of the Parliament 25 November 2015
The result of the division is: For 65, Against 36, Abstentions 13.
Motion, as amended, agreed to,
That the Parliament pays tribute to ferry workers at the public sector company, Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac), and their vital role in maintaining lifeline ferry services to Scotland’s western island communities; notes that the next contract for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services (CHFS) is currently out to tender; further notes that the Scottish Government is undertaking a fair, open and transparent procurement exercise in line with strict European Union procurement rules, maritime cabotage regulation and associated guidance; recognises that the current tendering exercise has been improved on, compared with that undertaken by the previous Labour/Liberal Democrat administration, which decided that it was a legal requirement to tender the current contract in 2005; indeed, recalls statements by members of the previous administration that ‘tendering of the Clyde and Hebrides lifeline ferry services is required to protect these vital services’; welcomes the first report from the Independent Procurement Reference Panel, which includes local authority, union, community and industry representatives, and concluded that the tender process has been fair, open and transparent, and believes in supporting and promoting publicly owned and controlled ferry services, evidenced by a record £1 billion investment by the Scottish Government in vessels, ports and ferry services since 2007.