Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani) SNP

It is time to move on to the next item of business. I ask members to change seats quickly, please. We are already behind time for the next debate, so some sp...

Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Today, Parliament has a chance to put Scotland’s rail passengers before the profits of our privatised rail firms and to say to commuters that we are listenin...

The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse) SNP

I will keep my intervention brief. Does Colin Smyth accept that data that ScotRail provided before the debate show that, since the start of the current finan...

Colin Smyth Lab

We could pass the buck, as the minister clearly wants to do. We could talk about the fact that contained in those figures for Network Rail are disruptions ca...

John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Colin Smyth Lab

I am sorry, but I do not have time The franchise is a symptom of the fragmented, profit-driven, privatised railway system that was created 25 years ago this...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I call the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, Paul Wheelhouse, to speak to and move amendment S5M-14720.3. 16:00

The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse) SNP

The Scottish Government has been clear in its ambition to ensure that Scotland’s railways deliver a world-class service across the country. Our record invest...

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

Will the minister take an intervention?

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

I have only six minutes, so I am afraid that I will have to pass just now.

Neil Findlay Lab

You have got six minutes.

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

I am going to make progress, Mr Findlay, if you do not mind. Putting passengers first, ScotRail secured and introduced 40 available electric carriages to e...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Could we have a bit of quiet, please?

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

ScotRail has recruited more front-line staff to deliver those enhancements; there are 126 more posts now than there were at the start of the franchise and a ...

Colin Smyth Lab

The minister said that we need to improve performance. Will he tell us when ScotRail will hit its performance targets?

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

Mr Smyth is failing to note the improvement that has been made—in the last year, skip-stopping has decreased by 84 per cent. Interruption.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Excuse me, minister. I ask people to stop shouting from a seated position, please, and recognise that, if we are to get through this debate, we are very push...

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I know that time is short but, in the absence of a positive response from Mr Smyth, I will highlight a recent statement that wa...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

You will have to come to a close, please, minister.

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

I know that I need to come to a conclusion, Presiding Officer—I thank you for your patience. I will pick up some of the other points in my closing speech, bu...

Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. What do the standing orders say about a Government completely ignoring the substantive terms of a motion? Today’s mot...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

It is up to individual members how they respond and what they say in the chamber. I say to everyone involved that it might have been easier to answer that qu...

Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con) Con

Does Mr Wheelhouse really believe what he was reading out? Passengers watching the debate will be wondering what planet he is living on.

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Jamie Greene Con

No, let me make progress first.

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

The member asked me a question.

Jamie Greene Con

Okay. If the minister can answer that question, that would be great.

Paul Wheelhouse SNP

As somebody who believes in using official statistics—and I believe the statistics—and as somebody who uses trains, I see the improvement. Mr Greene has ackn...

Jamie Greene Con

We have got new rolling stock. I have been on that new stock and agree that the carriages are great, but that does not in any way solve the many problems tha...

Neil Findlay Lab

Will the member take an intervention?