Chamber
Plenary, 26 Mar 2003
26 Mar 2003 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Island Transport
Jamie McGrigor's speech was strong on rhetoric but light on facts. He should find out more about the subject on which he is speaking before he starts to make speeches like that.
There were never any new boats for Orkney and Shetland in the 18 years that the Tories were in Government—only under this Executive have we got new vessels. It is certainly not the Executive's fault that the Hamnavoe is tied up at Leith; neither is it the Executive's fault that Scrabster pier has not been completed. The minister visited Scrabster this week and I am sure that he will want to say more about that and about the money that the Executive is allocating to the temporary arrangement, so that the Hamnavoe might come into service.
Jamie McGrigor's speech was also light on any mention of a solution to what he was talking about. At least Maureen Macmillan and Duncan Hamilton followed Tavish Scott's initiative and talked about HITRANS and the possibilities of a public service obligation for air transport. On air travel, it is important to acknowledge that Kirkwall and Stornoway have had brand new air terminals opened under this Liberal Democrat-Labour Administration. Anyone who goes by Kirkwall airport will see the extensive work that is being undertaken in establishing the instrument landing system for the airport. I campaigned for that for a long time but did not get it from a Conservative Government. It is now being delivered by the Executive.
Transport is vital to the islands because so many aspects of the islands' economic and social life depend on good, integrated, reliable and affordable transport, from getting our exports out of the islands and bringing in raw materials, to tourism and attracting people to the islands. Transport is also important to families from the islands who want to go away and spend a holiday in Greece, as Margaret Ewing mentioned. Those families would probably spend more on a flight to the Scottish mainland than they would spend on a flight to go on holiday.
Transport to hospital services is also important. A number of patients from the islands have to fly to the mainland—mostly to Aberdeen, although sometimes to Inverness—and the cost of high air fares is borne by the health service. One of the difficulties that we have always faced is the fact that the airlines that are servicing those routes do not receive any public subsidy, so it has always been difficult to have any leverage over them about services. To be fair, some of the services have improved over the years and we should not decry the improvements that have been made; nevertheless, we should welcome the HITRANS proposal. That proposal was produced following detailed study of the demand for better services and of the effects that fares have on the social and economic life of the islands. The proposal has given us material that we can pursue. The exciting part of the proposal is not the prospect of lower fares, but the development of routes that will give people more choice over when to travel.
Earlier this month, I was approached by a constituent who was trying to book a break over Christmas and the new year—members will note that that is some nine months away. The first fare that he was quoted was about £300 for a return flight from Kirkwall airport to Edinburgh. When he tried to get a cheaper fare, he found that he could not get one on any of the days on which he wanted to travel. One of the difficulties is that although cheaper fares exist, they are not always available on the days when people want to travel, so people might have to incur the expense of an extra overnight stay. One of the advantages of pursuing the PSO idea would be that we could build into it not only provisions regarding the cost of flights, but regarding reliability, regularity and route development. I confirm what Tavish Scott said by repeating what I said at the Liberal Democrat party conference: the commitment to pursue HITRANS's idea and proposals will form part of the Liberal Democrat manifesto, which will be launched next month.
We should look constantly for ways in which we can improve on what has been done over the past four years to modernise our transport system. We all accept that more can be done and that more needs to be done. I congratulate Tavish Scott on securing the debate; it has allowed at least some of the parties that are present to put forward positive proposals—even if, as usual, we cannot depend on the Conservatives to say anything positive about the transport links to the islands.
There were never any new boats for Orkney and Shetland in the 18 years that the Tories were in Government—only under this Executive have we got new vessels. It is certainly not the Executive's fault that the Hamnavoe is tied up at Leith; neither is it the Executive's fault that Scrabster pier has not been completed. The minister visited Scrabster this week and I am sure that he will want to say more about that and about the money that the Executive is allocating to the temporary arrangement, so that the Hamnavoe might come into service.
Jamie McGrigor's speech was also light on any mention of a solution to what he was talking about. At least Maureen Macmillan and Duncan Hamilton followed Tavish Scott's initiative and talked about HITRANS and the possibilities of a public service obligation for air transport. On air travel, it is important to acknowledge that Kirkwall and Stornoway have had brand new air terminals opened under this Liberal Democrat-Labour Administration. Anyone who goes by Kirkwall airport will see the extensive work that is being undertaken in establishing the instrument landing system for the airport. I campaigned for that for a long time but did not get it from a Conservative Government. It is now being delivered by the Executive.
Transport is vital to the islands because so many aspects of the islands' economic and social life depend on good, integrated, reliable and affordable transport, from getting our exports out of the islands and bringing in raw materials, to tourism and attracting people to the islands. Transport is also important to families from the islands who want to go away and spend a holiday in Greece, as Margaret Ewing mentioned. Those families would probably spend more on a flight to the Scottish mainland than they would spend on a flight to go on holiday.
Transport to hospital services is also important. A number of patients from the islands have to fly to the mainland—mostly to Aberdeen, although sometimes to Inverness—and the cost of high air fares is borne by the health service. One of the difficulties that we have always faced is the fact that the airlines that are servicing those routes do not receive any public subsidy, so it has always been difficult to have any leverage over them about services. To be fair, some of the services have improved over the years and we should not decry the improvements that have been made; nevertheless, we should welcome the HITRANS proposal. That proposal was produced following detailed study of the demand for better services and of the effects that fares have on the social and economic life of the islands. The proposal has given us material that we can pursue. The exciting part of the proposal is not the prospect of lower fares, but the development of routes that will give people more choice over when to travel.
Earlier this month, I was approached by a constituent who was trying to book a break over Christmas and the new year—members will note that that is some nine months away. The first fare that he was quoted was about £300 for a return flight from Kirkwall airport to Edinburgh. When he tried to get a cheaper fare, he found that he could not get one on any of the days on which he wanted to travel. One of the difficulties is that although cheaper fares exist, they are not always available on the days when people want to travel, so people might have to incur the expense of an extra overnight stay. One of the advantages of pursuing the PSO idea would be that we could build into it not only provisions regarding the cost of flights, but regarding reliability, regularity and route development. I confirm what Tavish Scott said by repeating what I said at the Liberal Democrat party conference: the commitment to pursue HITRANS's idea and proposals will form part of the Liberal Democrat manifesto, which will be launched next month.
We should look constantly for ways in which we can improve on what has been done over the past four years to modernise our transport system. We all accept that more can be done and that more needs to be done. I congratulate Tavish Scott on securing the debate; it has allowed at least some of the parties that are present to put forward positive proposals—even if, as usual, we cannot depend on the Conservatives to say anything positive about the transport links to the islands.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S1M-4003, in the name of Tavish Scott, on island transport.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises that reliable, regular and affordable air and sea transport links are vital to the social and economic well-being of the Scott...
Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD):
LD
I have a desperate desire not to be the most expensive MSP on our annual list. Thankfully, the Daily Mail is read by few people in Shetland—
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Allan Wilson):
Lab
Or anywhere else.
Tavish Scott:
LD
Indeed. When that newspaper prints rough articles with me at the top of the list, I accept that as part of politics. However, the cost of flying to and from ...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
I agree with what the member says. Does he realise that one could have a fortnight on a Greek island in a self-catering apartment for the cost of travelling ...
Tavish Scott:
LD
I have had that holiday on a Greek island in self-catering accommodation—with my wife, I may add—for the cost of flying to Shetland. As Margaret Ewing said, ...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
I entirely agree with the virtuous-circle argument that Tavish Scott has advanced. Does he accept that the granting of a PSO to secure the Inverness to Londo...
Tavish Scott:
LD
That is a different issue and concerns the use of PSOs to guarantee slots. Mr Ewing and other members have made that argument, which is a fair one. My belief...
Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
I am an MSP for the Highlands and Islands and therefore have probably travelled the islands from Unst to Islay and Skye to Stornoway more than most. Doing so...
Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Tavish Scott on securing the debate. I should also say that I agree with just about everything that he said, which is a strange, but nonethele...
Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
In my past life in the European Parliament, there was tremendous agreement among the Irish MEPs from the north and south and from all parties and people like...
Mr Hamilton:
SNP
I am grateful for that intervention.The point that comes out of that is that whether it involves working with the Republic of Ireland, Ayrshire or anywhere e...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Tavish Scott on securing the debate. I agree that the Scottish Executive should take the opportunity to provide the islands with a properly in...
Tavish Scott:
LD
Will Jamie McGrigor say which new boats the Tories brought into service during their 18 years in power?
Mr McGrigor:
Con
Which new boats?
Tavish Scott:
LD
I mean boats for the northern isles.
Mr McGrigor:
Con
All I know is that P&O Scottish Ferries provided a better service than NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries Ltd does. That company has hardly been a success...
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Will the member give way?
Mr McGrigor:
Con
No.The new ship that should be servicing Orkney is tied up at the pier in Leith beside the offices of the Scottish Executive.What does Tavish Scott mean by a...
Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD):
LD
Jamie McGrigor's speech was strong on rhetoric but light on facts. He should find out more about the subject on which he is speaking before he starts to make...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
Along with other members, I attended the presentation at Edinburgh City Chambers that HITRANS gave on its imaginative and ingenious proposals. The presentati...
John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD):
LD
I thank Tavish Scott for bringing the debate to Parliament. This is one of the last debates that we will have before Parliament closes down tomorrow evening....
George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD):
LD
I, too, congratulate Tavish Scott on securing the debate, which has been constructive, apart from one speech, which was inappropriate to a members' debate. S...
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning (Lewis Macdonald):
Lab
I congratulate Tavish Scott on securing the debate and will reflect on the comments that have been made.The Scottish Executive is fully committed to maintain...
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Will the minister give way?
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
It is an early intervention, Mr Ewing.
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
Why is it that countries such as France implement PSOs without such an endless series of reviews?
Lewis Macdonald:
Lab
Far from being in the midst of an endless series of reviews, we are in the midst of a large-scale consultation on aviation strategy not only for Scotland and...