MSP wants answers on new Northern Isles’ ferry tender

Released – 26th September 2005

MSP Jamie McGrigor is demanding answers from the Scottish Executive over their handling of the tendering process to provide ferry services to the Northern Isles.

In a series of Parliamentary questions, the Conservative MSP has asked what considerations the Executive made in the latest tender document for a dedicated livestock/freight vessel to provide year-round transport of livestock from Orkney. Mr McGrigor also asked which groups were consulted before the latest tender document was drafted.

Jamie McGrigor said “As I have seen for myself at the County Show, Orkney produces some of Scotland’s finest livestock.

“However, this is being threatened because, just as the previous tender for ferry services to the Northern Isles failed to provide satisfactory provision for the transportation of livestock, it appears the Executive is making the same mistakes again with the latest tender.

“I’ve held meetings with concerned stakeholders in Orkney and there is real concern locally that a situation some have described as the worst in living memory is going to continue because the Minister has closed his ears to the arguments of local producers and his eyes to the real crisis that producers on the islands face.
”It appears that Nicol Stephen, when Minister for Transport, asked local stakeholders to advise him of the livestock transport needs of Orkney, only for the Executive to announce the tender document without allowing that group to report their findings. Certainly the 1st November cut off date for the consultation on the tender is too short a period for full consideration of this critical issue and what evidence is there that the Executive will listen anyway?

“As well as the questions I have tabled, I have also written to Tavish Scott to ask that he considers the use of a dedicated livestock/freight vessel and that the tender document is revised to make clear the requirement for a proper livestock system.

“He must ensure the mistakes of the past are not revisited and that a solution is found to a problem that this Executive has allowed to run on for far too long”.