Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 March 2016
15 Mar 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Forth Road Bridge Inquiry
The committee report is there and speaks for itself. The evidence speaks for itself and will allow people to draw their own conclusions.
Given the time that the minister took, I will have to briefly come to another important point. I am delighted that the committee is to recommend in its legacy report that we should consider further work on the impact on businesses in particular. I wrote to the minister to highlight the emails and contacts that I had from companies in Fife. I am afraid to say that he did not show any real recognition of the major financial difficulties that companies faced.
There was a degree of ignoring the facts when it came to how businesses in Fife were impacted. I hope that the minister will think again and consider the massive costs that businesses across Fife have incurred and the massive impact of the closure on businesses and jobs in Fife. I also hope that the committee that succeeds the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee will pick the issue up and continue to run with it.
15:25In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15904, in the name of Jim Eadie, on the report entitled, “Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the ...
Adam Ingram (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. On behalf of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee, I am pleased to open the debate on the committee’s...
The Minister for Transport and Islands (Derek Mackay)
SNP
I confirm, for accuracy, that it is the case that, at any point, Amey—the operating company—can close the bridge for an emergency at a moment’s notice, witho...
Adam Ingram
SNP
I thank the minister for that helpful intervention. As part of its inquiry, the committee was keen to establish whether the defect that led to the closure—a...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you. Mr Ingram, I thank you for your service to the Parliament as a member of the Scottish Parliament, a committee member and a minister, over the pas...
The Minister for Transport and Islands (Derek Mackay)
SNP
On behalf of the Government, I concur with the Presiding Officer in her praise of Adam Ingram for his remarkable work as a member of the Scottish Parliament,...
Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP)
SNP
When the minister talks about priorities, is the top priority the safety of the users of the bridge at all times?
Derek Mackay
SNP
Of course it is. Safety is of paramount importance—it is the number 1 priority before, during and after all such works and in all other interventions. That a...
Alex Rowley (Cowdenbeath) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, thank Jim Eadie and the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee for producing the report. It was important that the committee considered the ...
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
While we can say “what if” and talk about what might have been, the scoping of the truss end link project had not been done. There is no guarantee that the r...
Alex Rowley
Lab
I accept that there are what ifs. The conclusion that I draw is that FETA intended to have the work done. As a result of cuts in budget, FETA did not do the ...
Derek Mackay
SNP
I am sure that the member is aware, from having read the report and understood the indicative capital programme, that paint jobs, landscaping and vehicle rep...
Alex Rowley
Lab
The committee report is there and speaks for itself. The evidence speaks for itself and will allow people to draw their own conclusions. Given the time that...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
There are many concepts for which there is no word or phrase in the English language. We usually overcome that by borrowing from the French, but there is one...
Derek Mackay
SNP
I hope that I can further reassure the member with the example of the cable bolts issue. In 2012, money was requested to address the emerging concern about t...
Alex Johnstone
Con
The minister is convinced that that is how the system works and I am sure that it is. The problem is that there was a mismatch of expectations on both sides ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
We now move to the open debate. 15:32
Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Presiding Officer, I have a confession to make: I expected the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee’s investigation into the Forth bridge closure ...
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
The Forth road bridge is one of the most important transport links in Scotland and it is crucial to Fife’s economy. More than 70,000 vehicles cross the bridg...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Would the member have found it helpful to find out more about the travel plans that we put in place if she had attended any of the briefing sessions that I o...
Cara Hilton
Lab
Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the briefing sessions that Derek Mackay mentions. On one of the days that a briefing was offered, I was out meeting s...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Cara Hilton
Lab
No, I have no time—sorry. I have no doubt that the decision by FETA to reprioritise projects within its capital plan, including the work to replace the trus...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Order.
Cara Hilton
Lab
I am glad that the minister laughs. That is going to be a devastating blow to the local community. It is vital that plans are brought forward to link Kincard...
Derek Mackay
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Cara Hilton
Lab
I am sorry; I am running out of time. I am disappointed in the report. It will disappoint the businesses and commuters in my constituency, who suffered not ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Minister.
Cara Hilton
Lab
The SNP took a gamble and thousands of Fife commuters, residents and businesses have been left to pay the price.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
Members may wish to note that this is also Colin Keir’s valedictory speech. We thank him for his service to the Parliament over the past years and wish him w...