Chamber
Plenary, 01 Mar 2001
01 Mar 2001 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Caledonian MacBrayne
I thank all those members who took the time and trouble to support the motion. As members may well understand, Caledonian MacBrayne is important to my constituency. Some 60 per cent of all its routes originate in Argyll.
For those who occasionally visit the islands on the west coast of Scotland, the ferry journey is a novel and exciting experience that adds to the attraction of a holiday in or visit to the isles. However, CalMac ferry services are fundamental to the way of life of island residents. It is no understatement to say that they are the life-blood of the island communities. CalMac affects every part of island life—the price of goods in the shops, the ability to travel off the islands and the ability to visit those who live on the islands.
How many understand the concept of being cut off from the mainland? Many on the islands are cut off for 12 hours every day. At the extreme, my constituents who live in Coll and Colonsay are cut off for two to three days every week between ferry journeys. Those are the reasons why the future of CalMac and its routes are of such deep concern to the communities that I and other members represent.
About 1,000 workers and their families are affected. Many—I would say the majority—are based in the island communities and work for Caledonian MacBrayne. They are worried about what the future holds for them and the routes.
The main concerns have been listed many times, but it does no harm to repeat them. Does the tendering process mean the breaking up of the network? Will the routes between Portavadie and Tarbert, and Dunoon and Gourock—which are mainland to mainland routes, not island routes—continue to be supported and attract public subsidy? What will happen to the employees of CalMac if a private operator is successful under the tendering process? So far, the only real comparison we have is with the northern isles routes, but on that issue it is not clear yet that there is an answer. I hope that the minister can shed some light on that.
Will we get a better service, lower fares or even new vessels? Many of the Clyde vessels are coming to the end of their lifetime. CalMac would like to replace them, probably with leased ships, but during the tendering process nothing can be done to upgrade and replace the vessels. It is often asked whether we need to go through the process at all. My friend Neil McCormick addressed that with his question in the European Parliament, when it was stated categorically that we do not have much choice but to go through the process.
I know that the minister has taken proposals to Brussels for consideration. When she made a statement to Parliament on the issue, she invited MSPs to travel over, to hammer home to the European Commission the views of the islanders and communities that CalMac serves. Last week, my colleague John Farquhar Munro and I responded to her invitation and were received well by the Commission. We impressed upon the Commission how important the routes and the network are to the future of the island communities. We emphasised that the majority of the responses to the consultation that the minister received were fully supportive of keeping the routes together rather than breaking them up.
The Commission's views were simply put. First, it has no problem with putting public service obligations on all the routes, which means that it has no problem with the idea of support for the routes. Similarly, when we asked about Portavadie, Tarbert, Gourock and Dunoon, it had no problem. It is reasonably relaxed that the routes are a justifiable need and that the Executive should pay subsidy on them.
We asked about possible changes to the Council directive. The answer was clear: there is no intention to make any change in the directive. However, it is intended to consider the guidelines that accompany the directive. That will involve consideration of issues such as the length of the contract; for example, whether it will be five years. At the moment it is five years, but should it be increased to accommodate ferry operators or special circumstances in the islands?
The area of great concern was the bundling of routes. Commission officials stated categorically that they would not stop the Executive going ahead with its plans to tender on a single bundle of routes, but they believe that there is a risk that a private operator will launch a complaint. When we asked what that would mean to us in Scotland and what the process would be if that happened, it became clear that it would trigger a Commission investigation of the whole process. That would include not only the transport division but the competition division, because the complaint would be on the basis that the bundling was uncompetitive and a barrier to an operator bidding for the routes.
I asked what the eventual outcome of that investigation might be. It was clear that, if the Commission found a case to answer, it would instruct the Executive how to proceed on the bundling. That caused me a great deal of concern. I had been led to believe that the Commission was quite relaxed, but it is clear that it has concerns. The ball on how to proceed is in the Executive's court, as the Commission said that it would not formally oppose the bundling of the routes. Whether it should be proceeded with is in the Executive's jurisdiction.
I have outlined the responses we received from the Commission and I ask the minister again to address the concerns that my constituents and the island communities have raised with me. However, I would especially like her to address the bundling of the routes, given the feedback that we are beginning to receive from the European Commission.
For those who occasionally visit the islands on the west coast of Scotland, the ferry journey is a novel and exciting experience that adds to the attraction of a holiday in or visit to the isles. However, CalMac ferry services are fundamental to the way of life of island residents. It is no understatement to say that they are the life-blood of the island communities. CalMac affects every part of island life—the price of goods in the shops, the ability to travel off the islands and the ability to visit those who live on the islands.
How many understand the concept of being cut off from the mainland? Many on the islands are cut off for 12 hours every day. At the extreme, my constituents who live in Coll and Colonsay are cut off for two to three days every week between ferry journeys. Those are the reasons why the future of CalMac and its routes are of such deep concern to the communities that I and other members represent.
About 1,000 workers and their families are affected. Many—I would say the majority—are based in the island communities and work for Caledonian MacBrayne. They are worried about what the future holds for them and the routes.
The main concerns have been listed many times, but it does no harm to repeat them. Does the tendering process mean the breaking up of the network? Will the routes between Portavadie and Tarbert, and Dunoon and Gourock—which are mainland to mainland routes, not island routes—continue to be supported and attract public subsidy? What will happen to the employees of CalMac if a private operator is successful under the tendering process? So far, the only real comparison we have is with the northern isles routes, but on that issue it is not clear yet that there is an answer. I hope that the minister can shed some light on that.
Will we get a better service, lower fares or even new vessels? Many of the Clyde vessels are coming to the end of their lifetime. CalMac would like to replace them, probably with leased ships, but during the tendering process nothing can be done to upgrade and replace the vessels. It is often asked whether we need to go through the process at all. My friend Neil McCormick addressed that with his question in the European Parliament, when it was stated categorically that we do not have much choice but to go through the process.
I know that the minister has taken proposals to Brussels for consideration. When she made a statement to Parliament on the issue, she invited MSPs to travel over, to hammer home to the European Commission the views of the islanders and communities that CalMac serves. Last week, my colleague John Farquhar Munro and I responded to her invitation and were received well by the Commission. We impressed upon the Commission how important the routes and the network are to the future of the island communities. We emphasised that the majority of the responses to the consultation that the minister received were fully supportive of keeping the routes together rather than breaking them up.
The Commission's views were simply put. First, it has no problem with putting public service obligations on all the routes, which means that it has no problem with the idea of support for the routes. Similarly, when we asked about Portavadie, Tarbert, Gourock and Dunoon, it had no problem. It is reasonably relaxed that the routes are a justifiable need and that the Executive should pay subsidy on them.
We asked about possible changes to the Council directive. The answer was clear: there is no intention to make any change in the directive. However, it is intended to consider the guidelines that accompany the directive. That will involve consideration of issues such as the length of the contract; for example, whether it will be five years. At the moment it is five years, but should it be increased to accommodate ferry operators or special circumstances in the islands?
The area of great concern was the bundling of routes. Commission officials stated categorically that they would not stop the Executive going ahead with its plans to tender on a single bundle of routes, but they believe that there is a risk that a private operator will launch a complaint. When we asked what that would mean to us in Scotland and what the process would be if that happened, it became clear that it would trigger a Commission investigation of the whole process. That would include not only the transport division but the competition division, because the complaint would be on the basis that the bundling was uncompetitive and a barrier to an operator bidding for the routes.
I asked what the eventual outcome of that investigation might be. It was clear that, if the Commission found a case to answer, it would instruct the Executive how to proceed on the bundling. That caused me a great deal of concern. I had been led to believe that the Commission was quite relaxed, but it is clear that it has concerns. The ball on how to proceed is in the Executive's court, as the Commission said that it would not formally oppose the bundling of the routes. Whether it should be proceeded with is in the Executive's jurisdiction.
I have outlined the responses we received from the Commission and I ask the minister again to address the concerns that my constituents and the island communities have raised with me. However, I would especially like her to address the bundling of the routes, given the feedback that we are beginning to receive from the European Commission.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The members' business debate is on motion S1M-1263, in the name of George Lyon, on Caledonian MacBrayne. I ask those who are not staying for the debate to le...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the high proportion of Caledonian MacBrayne employees who are drawn from the communities that the company serves; acknowledges...
George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD):
LD
I thank all those members who took the time and trouble to support the motion. As members may well understand, Caledonian MacBrayne is important to my consti...
Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
I am grateful to George Lyon for instigating this debate. It seems that CalMac has been a crucial part of the west Highland infrastructure from the Clyde to ...
Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
We have to congratulate George Lyon on bringing this matter before Parliament today and on the work that he has done and the interesting information that he ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
Since we started, a further four members have asked to speak. Everybody will not be called unless we keep speeches to less than three minutes. I call Bruce C...
Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP) rose—
SNP
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Please use your microphone, Mr Crawford.
Bruce Crawford:
SNP
It does not appear to be working.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Please move along one seat and use the mike there.
Bruce Crawford:
SNP
It is not on either.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
There appears to be a general problem in the sound booth. I ask your indulgence.
Bruce Crawford:
SNP
Shall I just shout?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
No, that is impossible. We need to record you for the Official Report. I ask the indulgence of the chamber. I am told that it will take no more than one minu...
Meeting suspended.
On resuming—
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
That was a quick minute. We are back in business.
Mr Tosh:
Con
On a point of order. Would it be in order to ask you to accept a motion without notice to extend the debate by whatever period is required to allow all those...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Yes. We will need only another five minutes. Is the minister agreeable?
The Minister for Transport (Sarah Boyack):
Lab
Yes.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
I will entertain a motion without notice to extend the debate until five minutes to six.
Motion moved,
That the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes.—Mr Murray Tosh.
Motion agreed to.
Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP):
SNP
As the sound was not working the first time, I congratulate George Lyon a second time on lodging this motion.We share a common concern about the end result o...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
No you have not, Mr Crawford. The clock is jammed. You have another 40 seconds.
Bruce Crawford:
SNP
That is all that I will need.I will relate to the chamber a story that Linda Fabiani, who lived on the island of Bute, told me this afternoon. It typifies wh...
John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD):
LD
I congratulate Sarah Boyack on her campaign on behalf of Caledonian MacBrayne, not only in the Scottish Parliament but—with her colleagues—in Europe. As Geor...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
I am sorry. We were having noises off from Duncan McNeil a moment ago, and now your microphone has gone off.Oh, it is back on again. On you go.