 is about today, being open about how these communities came to experience years of disruption with years more disruption still to come. The stories they have to tell illustrate the impact of shocking government mismanagement. Last week the BBC reported the plight of an 81-year-old couple from Arran and the lengths they had to go to attend a hospital appointment in Kilmarnock. What should have been a simple return journey turned into an exhausting 94-mile detour involving three ferry crossings? This elderly couple were forced to choose between making a schooling journey or paying for a three-day hotel stay for a 30-minute appointment. There is the story of the young couple with a newborn baby forced to abandon their car on the mainland when their ferry home was cancelled. Their story becomes more harrowing when you consider that they had just been discharged from hospital, that the baby had been born prematurely and that the mother was recovering from Caesarean section. Just yesterday, locals from Arran have learned that the ferry serving the main route between their island and the mainland will be out of action until at least Friday, following an engine failure. We must also remember the damage being done to the local economy of these places and the tourism that these islands rely on. CalMac's managing director has accepted that services are at a really difficult point—his words, Presiding Officer. The average age of CalMac's ferries is fast approaching 23 years, while more than a quarter of their major vessels are past their 30-year design life. Whenever a sailing is cancelled, there is no spare vessel to cover the journey and to serve its customers. That is why it was music to people's ears when the announcement came that two new vessels were to be built at Ferguson Marine on the Clyde to serve our island communities, including Arran. Work was originally supposed to be completed in 2018. We are now told that they will be ready in 2023. For our island communities, it is very much a case of, I will believe it when I see it. Even if this time the ferries have real windows made out of glass and a funnel that is actually doing something other than providing accommodation for seagulls, islanders will still be forced to wait. They will still be subject to horrendous delays, cancellations and the uncertainty that comes with that. Presiding Officer, it is an all-too-familiar story for our island communities. They have been dealing with this for years, long before this scandal was flashed across our national newspapers. In truth, this latest debacle is only adding insult to an injury sustained a long time ago. Those who dared to believe that the Government's promise to fix this situation are now left doubly disappointed and angry. To make things worse, it seems that absolutely nobody is being held to account for this failure. The Scottish Government website states that an open government gives the public information about the decisions it makes. It supports people to understand and to influence those decisions, and it values and encourages accountability and responsibility for those decisions. Scottish Liberal Democrats thought that today was a good opportunity to review the Scottish Government's progress in those areas and in those aims. When it comes to sharing information about decisions, nobody can say how the Government came to decide to give the contract to Ferguson Marine in the first place. In fact, Audit Scotland could not get to the bottom of it because there was no paper trail. We are talking about the decision to award a then £100 million contract in the face of warnings from SEMALE. Open government also aims to support people to influence decisions, but no one could claim that islanders have been at the heart of this process. In fact, decisions were reportedly being taken because they fit in with the SNP conference timetable, not because they were necessarily the right decisions for islanders. What about the lofty aim of encouraging accountability and responsibility? We have had the finance secretary telling us that she could not say who made the decision. Then the First Minister dancing around who gave the sign-off before conveniently attaching it to Derek Mackay. It is awfully convenient for Nicola Sturgeon that the latest scandal that threatens her Government and her premiership can be neatly blamed on someone who has since departed politics. However, if we are to take the First Minister at her word, Derek Mackay should appear before Parliament to give his side of the story and to confirm that the First Minister and the rest of her cabinet had no input into the deal set to cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions more than originally scheduled. The public and our island communities deserve answers, and they deserve accountability. Presiding Officer, this open Government is asking us to believe that a £100 million contract was awarded on the eve of the SNP conference without the direct involvement of a famously precise First Minister. A First Minister has famously remarked that she didn't say don't go ahead, whatever that means. A First Minister who has ranked the Government's acquisition of the Ferguson shipyard amongst her proudest achievements is a First Minister who has refused to apologise to the island communities that are affected by the calamity. Presiding Officer, they deserve better. In 2014, Nicola Sturgeon became First Minister. In 2016, she described the Ferguson shipyard as going from strength to strength. It is now 2022 and there is not a ship in sight. Scotland used to be the proudest shipbuilding nation on this planet. In the 20th century, over 30,000 vessels were built in shipyards on the Clyde, whereas in the 21st century, this Government can barely manage too. How lamentably far we have fallen under SNP leadership? I move the motion in my name. I now call on Ivan McKee to speak to and move amendment 4051.3 up to six minutes, First Minister. I am very well aware, as this Government, of course, that, for many in Scotland, ferries are an essential lifeline. Our island communities rely on them for access to employment, health provision, education and to see their loved ones. Ferries are essential to support our vibrant and growing tourism sector and sustain local businesses, enabling the distribution of products and providing vital supplies to support local trade. Through the Government's policies, we have delivered considerable growth and services underpinned by significant investments in vessels and infrastructure. That is already in order's place for two new vessels for Isle, as well as investments in ports at Uaig, Lachmadi and Tarbot, and we are working well under way on the designs for the small vessel replacement programme that will benefit Darun and Kilcregan. There will be further major vessel replacements for Mull and South Use, as well as replacement freehirts for Orkney and Shetland. The Government is committed to supporting island communities and ferry users. If that is all true, why do the ferries keep breaking down and why do the islanders keep on waiting for new ferries? I have made very clear that the Government is committed to expanding the fleet and providing new vessels as quickly as we can, and that significant investment that I have mentioned of £580 million is testament to that. The Government also supports the Scottish industry and supports the continuation of shipbuilding on the Clyde, and it supports skilled employment at Ferguson Marine. That, I have to say, stands in stark contrast to many on the Opposition's message in this Parliament. Those with long memories, longer than mine in the chamber, will remember when the Liberal Democrats were in government and responsible for procuring ferries. They were prepared to let Ferguson's close other opportunism and bringing this motion today will not go unnoticed. The Government also fully recognises the importance of lifeline ferry networks to island and remote communities, and that is why the infrastructure investment programme sets at our commitment to invest that £580 million. We accept that the delivery of ferries has faced challenges, but the Scottish Government is crystal clear what we expect from Ferguson Marine in terms of delivering vessels 801 and 802, as well as turning the business around to make it competitive. I fully recognise the critical nature of completing those vessels for the sake of island communities and many people who are dependent on that being the case. Given that, what does the minister say about reports that the equipment, the engines on the Glen Sanex and Hull 802 might be out of date? The member will be aware that, clearly because of the delays, there is work on going on a regular basis to assess the situation of parts that have been purchased previously in terms of their fitness for purpose. However, in terms of the specifics that he is talking about, I am not aware of the specifics on that, but if he has any information on that, I would be delighted to pass that through. I will try to talk a wee bit about the Audit Scotland report that sets out the challenges that we took on when we rescued Ferguson's from administration in 2019, much of which has already been considered by this Parliament's rural economy committee in the last Parliament and debated here in this chamber on several occasions. The decision that we took saved hundreds of jobs and saved the future of commercial shipbuilding on the Clyde, and it was the right thing to do. We stand by the commitment to the shipbuilding communities in Inverclyde and the island communities that rely on the vessels that the yard will deliver. The Audit Scotland report says that the turnaround of Ferguson's is extremely challenging, and it highlights that FMPG has implemented some of the significant operational improvements that were required at the shipyard. The challenges have indeed been great. The nursery report on the state of the yard in December 2019 sets out the scale and depth of the business turnaround required to put Ferguson Marine on to a stable footing. Covid has slowed the turnaround efforts. The yard has twice had to shut down due to the pandemic. It has worked to reduce capacity for many months as a result of the implementation of necessary distancing requirements and the impact of Covid, sickness, absence and self-isolation. Despite those significant challenges, progress has been made. The new permanent chief exec has been in post since February. He brings a fresh vision and a new approach. A more collaborative culture is in place, working much more closely with Seymal. I thank the minister for taking the intervention. The Audit Scotland report says that there is no documented evidence to confirm why ministers were willing to accept the risk of awarding a contract of FML. Despite Seymal's concerns, we consider that there should have been proper record of this important decision. Why was not there a proper record of decision? Does he agree with me that it could be a breach of the ministerial code of conduct to not have proper record keeping? I should be aware that more than 200 documents have already been put into the public domain with regard to the issues that he is talking about. There is full information in there as regards to the process that has been going through previously over the period that the Scottish Government has been involved in this process. Let me be very clear with Parliament today that this Government expects the Yard as a priority to complete the vessel successfully at the fastest, most achievable pace. We expect the Yard to turn around its operations so that it is competitive, productive and efficient, and we expect the Yard to win and secure a further pipeline of work on the basis of its operations. As I said, the Government has now released 200 more than 200 documents in two tranches by the most recent being in March of this year. We undertook the most recent release because the Audit Scotland report made reference to a range of reports and complex structures that was precisely in the interests of openness and transparency that we proactively published those documents on the Scottish Government websites. Those documents will, I hope, help those with a lesson full understanding of the issues involved and get a better picture of all aspects of the situation. That is a demonstration of this Government's commitment to open government that gives the public information about the decisions that it makes, supports people to understand and influence those decisions and values and encourages accountability. The Government recognises the value of supporting Scottish jobs, supporting Scottish communities and supporting Scottish shipbuilding. That is why we took the decisions that we did to keep Ferguson's operational, and that is why we work to make sure that those ferries are delivered according to the timeline. I move the amendment in my name. Many thanks, Presiding Officer. Can I start by thanking the Liberal Democrats for bringing the issue of ferries back to the chamber? Since we used our own debating time on ferries, very little has changed. Islanders on Arran are again without a ferry because it's broken down, and no one has accepted responsibility for handing the contract for vessels 801 and 802 to FML against the advice of the Government's own experts. No one has yet explained why that was done, and no Minister, former or current, has held their hands up—not Derek Mackay, not his then boss Keith Brown, not John Swinney, who signed the checks, and not Nicola Sturgeon. We may find out more when the Auditor General appears before the Public Audit Committee tomorrow, and who knows what we may hear if Mr Mackay is invited to give evidence. We agree with the Lib Dem motion, which ultimately calls on Ministers to be accountable and to fall on their swords if need be. Frankly, that should have happened already. We've rehearsed the arguments over the Ferguson contract—the ferries are years late and vastly over budget. Had the Government listened to CML, Islanders could have had new ferries by now, and the taxpayer would have saved a fortune. Ferguson's may well have survived without needing to be nationalised. Remember that, when it was nationalised, Ministers had no idea what they were taking on. They didn't know what condition the vessels were in. They went in blind, and frankly, that has shown. We do know that— Yes, I will. It is the member's position that we should have allowed the shipyard to close at that point in time and made no progress at all on those two ferries. Graham Simpson. The Minister well knows that nobody has said that. Despite what he said earlier, nobody wants Ferguson's to close. We do know that the vessel launched by the First Minister in 2017 had deteriorated by the time Tim Hare wrote an update report in December 2019. It has suffered two years of marine growth and was going to have to be taken out of the water. Perhaps if that photo op hadn't taken place, things would have been better. There was extensive internal degradation, too. The procurement of 801 and 802 is a scandal. Heads should have rolled, and they haven't. We've called in our amendment, which I move, for an explanation as to why CML was ignored. We know the answer, of course. It was so that there could be an announcement at the SNP conference. We're also calling for the Project Neptune report to be published immediately. This is not the first time I've asked for this in the chamber. Jenny Gilruth has promised to let us have it, but she has yet to deliver. She should be open and transparent and publish it in full because we need to start having an honest debate about how we run our ferry services in future. The current model is not fit for purpose. There is some urgency about this, Presiding Officer. The current contract for CalMac to run the west coast services is up in less than two years. The Government should have signalled its intentions by now, and whatever model it chooses started to either make changes or launch a new bidding process. All this dithering does not help the islanders who are the people who really matter. They need the certainty of knowing that there will be a reliable service with new, more efficient ferries every year that have been let down by the SNP. Nicholas Sturgeon has expressed her regret over the ferry situation, but when asked at the weekend why she won't apologise to islanders, she said, oh, for goodness sake, the lasting islanders who are suffering from a woeful ferry service need is a snotty response from the First Minister. Oh, for goodness sake, is not the answer to people who can't get to hospital appointments, who can't make family gatherings, who can't get to work, who can't run their businesses effectively. Apology would help, but actually the transport minister who isn't here today needs to decide if she thinks that the current model is the right one. I would say that a system that has herself, followed by Transport Scotland, followed by CML, followed by CalMac, is not a good place to start. She should consider models used in Canada or Norway, and she should consider issuing more than one contract for the west coast that could allow operators such as western ferries, for instance, to bid for routes. We need to see action on ferries, and we need ministers to take responsibility. Our islanders deserve nothing less. I now call on Neil Bibby to speak to a move amendment 4051.2 up to four minutes, please. I welcome this debate brought forward by the Liberal Democrats. Today, the Parliament has just debated the cost of living. Now we are debating the cost of this Government's failure. Severe and unacceptable delays to vessels 801 and 802, which have already cost the taxpayer £250 million. The process leading to cost overruns and delays was normal, as if there is nothing to see here. As Graham Simpson said, let's see what the auditor general has to say about this at the Public Audit Committee tomorrow. The truth is that this is one of the biggest public procurement failures in 20 years, and the failure to deliver those vessels on time on budget has deprived islanders of the lifeline ferry services that they need. Islanders in Arran yet again feel the impact this week of being reliant on old ferries in desperate need of replacement. I believe now, as I believed in 2014, that the long-term solution is a national ferry building programme, and I believe now, as I believe then, that any replacement programme can bring new opportunities to Ferguson's and the lower Clyde. Scottish Labour has no truck with those who would have let Ferguson's jobs go to the wall. We will always stand by the dedicated, professional, blameless workforce at Ferguson's, but nobody can excuse the failures and the mismanagement that has led us to where we are now and that puts those jobs at risk. Audit Scotland found a multitude of failings, and there are still aspects of the scandal that Audit Scotland did not look at, such as the procurement of decisions prior to August 2015 and the adequacy of vessel designs. There are further questions that the Parliament should expect answers to, such as why the Government appointed turnaround director who earned £2 million did not turn around the yard. Transparency and accountability are essential if we are to fully understand what went wrong and have confidence that the Government can put it right. Let me be clear about what Scottish Labour believes must happen next. There must be a full public inquiry. There must be clarity about ministerial decisions in relation to the award of contracts without full refund guarantees. There must be maximum transparency. The documents that the Scottish Government released over two years ago were released under Derek Mackay, the minister that they are now trying to blame for this fiasco, and there must be also be real ministerial accountability. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance would not stake her reputation on the revised timescales that she announced to Parliament last month, perhaps when the Cabinet Secretary closes this debate, she will confirm if that is still the case. But the truth is that responsibility for this fiasco goes straight to the top. There has been a ministerial merry-go-round throughout this fiasco from Alex Salmond in 2014 to Derek Mackay, Nicola Sturgeon launching one of the ferries before it was done with painted on windows. Fiona Hyslop, Michael Matheson, Humza Yousaf and Graham Day have all come and gone. Jenny Gilruth is now the transport minister, and today Ivan McKee and Kate Forbes are speaking for the Government. It is the Scottish Government who are ultimately responsible for the procurement of these vessels, and it is the First Minister who is ultimately responsible for the Scottish Government. Labour is again calling on the First Minister to take direct ministerial responsibility. No more buck-passing, no more blame-shifting, it is time for real accountability. So today we asked Parliament to support our calls for the First Minister to assume responsibility for the Ferguson's fiasco. Finish these ferries, do it right, do it transparently and do what it takes to bring this scandal to an end. Finally, the Lib Dems rightly asked whether or not there will be ministerial resignations if there are any more costs or delays. Let me be clear, I do not think that it matters how the Scottish Government votes today. I do not think that it matters what the Scottish Government says today. If there are any further delays or cost overruns, then the public who have paid the cost of this Government's failure will expect resignations. I move the amendment in my name. We now move to the open debate. I call Kenneth Gibson to be followed by Jamie Halcro Johnston. I visited Ferguson Marine this month with a number of colleagues, and I am sure that, like me, while disappointed with the delays in building the ferries on time and to budget, the determination of both the new chief executive, David Tiedman, his management team and the workers to deliver the Glen Sannocks into service by next spring, an 8026 months later, was impressive. Mr Tiedman discussed the well-known trials and tribulations of the ferries contract and spoke passionately in a great detail about how construction of the vessels will successfully be concluded in FMEL's ambitious future plans. A visit to the Glen Sannocks itself made clear the work being undertaken to complete construction by the 462 employees, 43 of them apprentices, rising into 58, backed by 250 contractors and a strong supply chain. FMEL is now working closely with Caledonian maritime assets limited and Scottish ministers. Of course, the yard wouldn't even exist if the contract for the two boats had not been awarded to FMEL, and all political parties in the chamber supported the decision at that time. The Tories may drone on about Seamall's concerns now, but I do not recall that being their position then. Hindsight is always in 2020 vision. The Tory position is simply opportunistic nothing more. As for suggesting, FMEL should have been awarded the Islay ferry contract, given that the Tories argued that FMEL should not be building the Glen Sannocks in 802. I wonder how that would work as the yard, its workforce and skills, would no doubt have vanished years ago. The Glen Sannocks will carry up to 1,000 passengers and 127 cars between Ardrossan and Brodick, greatly increasing capacity and resilience. The vessel is now more than 80 per cent complete and expected to enter service in March 2023. Ensuring that that happens is the yard's overriding priority. Barbara McIntire, head of engineering, explained that beyond the ferry contract, the yard is not standing still. It is currently bidding for the construction of offshore patrol vessels for the navies of Bangladesh, Ghana and Nigeria, which perceive public ownership as a major advantage for FMEL. However, it is pointed out that the relentless criticism of FMEL by opposition politicians in the chamber is being used by commercial rivals in Italy and France against FMEL. The company anticipates securing orders from the Scottish Government for its seven and three small ferry programme and stressed that its vital orders are placed for those vessels soon if the yard is to maintain its order book beyond October next year. There are challenges, I know, but a commitment to that from the Scottish company today would be helpful. FMEL also plans to bid for 40 to 80m ferries and offshore wind supply vessels. For my Arran constituency however, the priority is that Glenys Sannocks enter service. The situation on Arran at present is awful. On one of the busiest days of the year, Easter Sunday, the Caledonian Isles broke down. The loss of capacity has been huge with only the envy of Arran taking the strain. CalMac said that in relation to bookings, prioritising lifeline supplies and travel such as medical appointments, family emergencies for each sailing is being done in a case-by-case basis. However, for many islanders, travels and businesses, the hard work of CalMac port staff is not enough. It is chaos for many who are missing vital engagements on the mainland and failure will be standard if they do travel. Additional capacity is urgently required. High ties have impacted both the Lachranza, Clunig and Addross and Dibrary routes and there is now fear to plan ahead. This was epitomised only last week by CalMac chief executive Robbie Drummond. The Isle Van Ferry committee and I were due to meet him on 11 April at 5 p.m. in Brodych. Less than half an hour before the meeting, Mr Drummond cancelled, fearing that the 7.20 p.m. from Brodych would not sail. It did sail, but what does that say about the service that its chief executive has little faith in it? Islanders on Arran, Cumbria and elsewhere are utterly exasperated, angry and frustrated by the endless cancellations that have disrupted their lives week in, week out and have done for many months and indeed several years. They want solutions from the Scottish Government and minister, they want the solutions from the Scottish Government now. Just before I conclude, I wish to apologise for not taking interventions. I like to do so but with four minutes it's not always possible. Although we've discussed the ferry scandal a number of times before, I welcome today's debate because every week seems to bring further revelations in attempts by the Scottish Government to avoid its responsibility. As an islander, no-one needs to tell me the critical importance of the ferries to the communities they serve and it's something that simply cannot be understated. As just one example and I've often referenced the important role that ferries play in allowing people to access public services and it was touched upon by Alex Cole-Hamilton and Graham Simpson earlier and of course only last week the support group Arran Cancer support gave a stark reminder of what this can mean beyond this chamber. The group pointed to its own figures showing half, half of important medical appointments on the mainland had been missed in February as ferry disruption was rife. And of course this week the MV Caledonian Isles is out of action with a smaller vessel covering the route its decreased capacity further impacting on availability. This only highlights the limited resilience of the CalMac fleet and the utter mess the Scottish Government has made of the replacement programme because the new vessel scheduled to take the route and serve Arran is the infamous Glen Sannock's launched by the First Minister its windows painted on for the occasion and now sitting unfinished in the yard years later. That's just one route but how many lifeline services used for accessing vital services have been similarly impact and how many people in our islands and remote areas have been similarly disadvantaged. That is more than enough to call this a scandal and a scandal entirely of this Scottish Government's making a result of the incompetence of successes ministers and the decisions of the First Minister who appointed them yet at the weekend as Graham Simpson highlighted the First Minister was asked if you'd go further than I previously stated expression of regret over this situation and apologise. Apologise on behalf of her government to Islanders. Her reply quoted in the Scotsman was rather less conciliatory a visibly frustrated First Minister the newspaper reported replied oh for goodness sake. See then added well look you can't decide to make comments about the words I choose my words well one word the First Minister chose not to use was sorry. Does this sound like the voice of a Scottish Government that cares about the impact on island communities like those in Arran or in my home in Orkney or in Shetland or in any of the island communities where there are growing concerns over the future of vital ferry links. Does it sound like a Scottish Government that truly recognises its role and its responsibility in bringing this situation about or one that has its finger on the pulse of these communities. No it sounds like what it is a government that sees the troubles of these communities as little more than a nuisance a public relations disaster that is frustratingly not disappearing off the agenda. Well I can assure ministers it will not be disappearing off the agenda anytime soon. I've spoken about accountability and that's the key to today's debate. I'd remind the chamber that the position of the Scottish Government is that everything is on record that there is nothing more to find that the position that position was repeated by the First Minister at the weekend with this government that would be unusual. But we only need to return to the conclusions of the Auditor General in last month's report to see the true situation. We consider that there should have been a proper record of this important decision. The claim of insufficient documentary evidence will be a familiar one to anyone who has tried to pursue the Scottish Government on any issue. But these are vital concerns about the use of large sums of public money. And yet the First Minister claims the public knows that there is everything there is to know. But I don't think anyone in our islands or even here in this chamber really believes that. There'll be much more to say during the debate on what details are absent and how this remarkable situation came about. But today the Scottish Conservatives have come to the chamber with two specific demands in our amendment. The first is for a clear answer to that question above why emails, concerns were overruled in making the contract award and why no proper records were kept to this decision. And secondly, for the Scottish Government to release the full EUI report on Project Neptune now. Presiding Officer, this has been a depressing episode and it continues to be so. It's not just a regional issue, it has resonated with people across Scotland, those who sympathise with the plight of remote island communities, those angry with hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayer's money wasted, those who have watched as yet another Scottish Government project is turned into an unavoidable, expensive fiasco. And those who have seen SNP ministers try to cover up their responsibility for it. The Transport Minister was recently in my constituency to hear about the challenges that different communities face on the ferries front. I know that her visit was appreciated and the meeting that I chaired on Tarbert Harris was certainly a productive one. That island, Harris and North Uist share a ferry with services between Tarbert, Lachmadi and Oeg in Sky, forming the so-called Oeg triangle, a route for which the vessel 802 is intended. The investment that the Scottish Government has put into the rebuilding of both Tarbert and Oeg as harbors in recent years is very significant, and that inevitably means that later this year Oeg will be closed for some months. Harris, of course, has a land border with Lewis, and I have registered my concerns already about what will happen if, during the period when the Oeg to Tarbert service is out of action, we try to squeeze all the Tarbert traffic on to the existing service from Stornoway to Alipwll during that time. That would mean that the population of some 20,000 people would be entirely dependent on a single fallible vessel for several months. No other population, even approaching that size, is in a similar position on any other CalMac route. I struggle to see how that is viable unless CalMac can allocate more capacity to the Stornoway route during that period. All that brings us, of course, to the urgency of finding new additional tonnage, whether through charter or purchase, and I again make the case for that option to be pursued. Again, I know that the minister and her predecessor have been active on that front. The acquisition of MV Lochfriza from Norway will certainly directly benefit my constituents, as MV Lord of the Isles will be freed up to deliver additional services to South East. The entire network will also benefit from the increased resilience that an additional vessel affords. The Scottish Government has undertaken a number of short-term charters of the MV arrow in addition to that to enhance freight capacity on the Stornoway Alipwll route. Although I know that that may not be an option to purchase that particular vessel, again, I make the case because there is a strong case to be made for Stornoway permanently to host a freight vessel. In the longer term, it is my belief that North East and Harris require a vessel each during the busy summer months. At present, those routes, along with several others in my constituency, are run virtually to full capacity for the entire tourist season, making it difficult for anyone living in the islands to book their car on to a ferry for weeks on end. Prior to the introduction of MV Loch Seaforth in Stornoway, those routes actually carried more cars than the Stornoway Alipwll route. I have no doubt that the introduction of vessel 802 will see a similar increase in traffic, although only with separate vessels will it be that each community can see the capacity and resilience that each deserves. The recent orders for replacement vessels in Islay are very welcome, but in the short term, however, and particularly in the context of the new Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract, we need to have a serious discussion about how to ensure that islanders have something nearer a level playing field with tourists when it comes to booking tickets. At present, in summer, the playing field slopes away from island customers at an even sharper angle than that of the famous pitch of Erisgy football club. Although it is questionable whether the motion before us here today is actually motivated by any such practical concerns as the ones that have outlined, today it provides an opportunity for island MSPs to talk about the real and very urgent needs of their own communities. I call Mercedes Bielbot to be followed by Beatrice Wishart. Presiding Officer, it was right that Ferguson Marine was brought into public ownership because the closure would have led to the loss of hundreds of skilled jobs and would have further weakened Scotland's industrial base, but while public ownership is welcome, the Scottish Government's mismanagement of Ferguson Marine is not. They could have used public ownership of the company to drive the development of a national ferry procurement and building programme. They could have worked with trade unions and workers to transform Ferguson Marine into a vital publicly owned industrial asset. Instead, the Scottish Government has mismanaged Ferguson Marine leaving us with continuing delays, secrecy over procurement and a lack of long-term vision for the company. We remain in a position where neither of the two vessels have been delivered. Their construction has been subject to repeated delays, while costs continue to increase as parts degrade, redesigns take place and items fall out of warranty. The Scottish Government's ownership of Ferguson Marine has exacerbated those delays due to poor planning and ineffective management, but we should reflect on the fact that it is those communities who rely on ferry services who are truly bearing the brunt of this delay. What we need is for the Scottish Government to take urgent action to ensure that the two vessels are delivered without further delay. The Scottish Government also has questions to answer over procurement decisions relating to Ferguson Marine. Audit Scotland's report highlights that ministers awarded a contract to a builder that could not meet the basic contract guarantees. Ministers also signed up to a contract that committed public funds without public accountability. Warnings from Transport Scotland and CML to retender the contract were ignored, with ministers pressing on at a cost to the public of £250 million. Despite their commitment to open government, ministers have failed to make public all the information relating to their decisions on the contract. That is why Labour is calling for a public inquiry into the failings of the procurement of the contract. However, the experience of Ferguson Marine emphasises the need for a long-term strategy for Scotland's shipbuilding industry. Audit Scotland called for Transport Scotland to finalise the long-term plan and investment programme for ferries by the end of this year. The Scottish Government must ensure that trade unions and workers are able to input into this process so that what emerges is a truly national ferry procurement and building programme. We must also begin to think about the long-term governance of our ferry network. The Scottish Tories have called for CML to be privatised, but this is the wrong approach. Labour wants to see a new governance framework established that prioritises the needs of passengers and communities who rely on the ferry network. We need a long-term vision for Scotland's ferry services. I look forward to tomorrow's members' business debate, led by Katie Clark, on this very subject. Ferguson Marine must remain publicly owned, but it must also receive on-going investment, because the alternative is stark. A failure to invest in Ferguson Marine will cost vital shipbuilding jobs and skills in Scotland, and that would be an act of industrial vandalism that this Parliament cannot allow to happen. I was asked during last year's election campaign why I keep speaking about transport. I was surprised that I had to explain that without good, reliable transport links to the mainland and beyond, islands, wherever they are, cannot survive and thrive. The CalMac Shambles has left lifeline services in chaos with people unable to get home for days on end, important appointments missed while businesses are on their knees because they cannot get the stock and materials they need. The west coast situation is intolerable and protracted, and people's lives have been severely disrupted. If you will allow me, I will highlight the Shetland case, where on-going concerns have been raised repeatedly with the Scottish Government. Shetland is served by one ferry route. Our islands face freight capacity issues and limitations on passenger, cabin and car capacity on the overnight crossing. The seafood sector is responsible for around one-third of Shetland's economic output, generating hundreds of skilled jobs and supporting an extensive local supply chain. Findings from Seafood Shetland in 2021 compared freight capacity with their closest neighbour, Orkney, which has freight capacity on 80 scheduled sailings per week. Contrast this with Shetland's freight capacity of 24 scheduled sailings a week, less than one-third capacity for Shetland when compared to Orkney, and potentially around 400 more trailers could be moved in a week than in Shetland. The Stuart Building Transport Group commissioned a study that looked at the current and short-term future position for freight capacity on the Northern Isles ferry service. The study's findings showed that six in 10 northbound sailings are running at 90 per cent capacity, with one in 10 over the allotted capacity. Holleyers are told that there is sufficient capacity across the week, but that does not help to get all goods away on Mondays and Tuesdays to beat deadlines further south, or to bring in northbound freight, including the return of empty trailers on Sundays or Mondays at the beginning of the working week. More freight capacity for Shetland's thriving economy is needed now, but until new vessels are introduced on the Northern Isles route, the charter of an additional freight vessel would be an interim solution. I understand that, in freight terms, the Aberdeen-Lerwick Aberdeen route is the highest-earning route in the Scottish Island ferry network, generating an excess of £10 million a year. Shetland's economy simply cannot grow unless there is the freight capacity to accommodate it. There are yearly pinch points such as during the livestock period, so seasonal capacity must be increased ahead of time to limit disruption. Shetland has hosted two new fish markets in Lerwick and Scalloway, with the possibility to host 600,000 boxes a year. That is yet to be realised because of the pandemic, but we could see that materialised very quickly. Fresh fish cannot wait and has to be transported as soon as possible, so increased freight capacity is vital. It is not just exports with on-going construction projects contributing nationally to provide clean energy and the development of the nationally important spaceport. As well as being a hub for the oil and gas industry, capacity is ever more precious. I have every sympathy with those living in other islands such as Arn. Their experiences are familiar to people in Shetland. The west coast ferry service scenario must be learnt from. New vessels in northern waters must be appropriate and built and procured in an open process. Islanders do not ask for special treatment, but they do ask that their communities are supported and livelihoods protected. The greater their contribution to Scotland is a consequence. My overall message today is clear. Island communities across Scotland need reliable and resilient transport connections, and greater freight capacity for Shetland now would start to fulfil those needs. For those who live and work on the mainland, it can be hard to understand just how important functioning ferry routes are for island communities. Food and supply concerns were a forefront of people's minds on my recent visit to Bimbacula in South Uist. At a time when the cost of living is soaring, our island communities need our further price hikes due to goods being in limited supply. I met people who are alive with innovative ideas to meet the needs of their communities, but as I visited the site for a future deepwater harbour in Loch Boysdale, I could not help but sense that the lack of reliability in our ferry services chokes off this innovation. We need to move from our islands being full of potential to actually being able to deliver what they have to offer. To unlock that potential and reverse the on-going march of depopulation, Scotland needs a fully functioning, reliable, resilient and green ferry network that is seen as an essential part of our national public transport network. There has never been a better time to redesign Scotland's ferries network. Given the recent nationalisation of ScotRail, thanks to the Scottish Government and the Greens, the stage is set for further transformative changes to our transport systems. Yes, our island communities desperately need new vessels, not least to provide a buffer when another ship needs maintenance. That has been happening far too frequently and causing intolerable disruption to residents, as we have heard already, and local businesses, such as in Loch Boysdale, where the ferry has been out of action for the best part of three months. However, it is not just about procurement. To get our ferry services fully functioning, we need a comprehensive long-term marine infrastructure plan. That should cover ports, harbours, vessels, offshore renewables and all components of Scotland's marine infrastructure. As part of the plan, we could establish three standard sizes for new vessels so that they can berth at more ports to make it easier for one ferry to substitute for another when it is offline. We must go further to make our ferries a good green transport option for the 21st century. The significant investment into the sector must be future-proofed by improving connections with public transport networks and making our ferries cleaner and greener to run. A constituent recently wrote to me to express her gratitude that there was a new ferry, but her disappointment that it runs on diesel while countries such as Norway are already moving towards zero-emissions ferries. It is also vital that we provide free travel on ferries for young people, just as we now provide free bus travel for people under 22, as delivered by the Scottish Greens. I have heard so many stories of how free bus travel has transformed young people's lives. Let's do that for young people on islands too. Finally, we must ensure that decisions about our ferries best serve the people who use them most. There needs to be more islanders on the CMAW and CalMac boards. I will work with colleagues in Government to feed ideas like those into the upcoming islands connectivity plan and the delivery plan for the strategic transport project review 2, to make Scotland's ferries an asset for the future of our island nation. It is desperately sad that the mismanagement of the Scottish Government has had such a devastating impact on communities that depend on lifeline ferry services. £250 million has been squandered and that cost is likely to rise. As Mercedes Dallab said, the impact on communities served by those ferries is immeasurable. Businesses losing millions of pounds due to lack of capacity and cancelled ferries. Island food and fish exports are rotting on the pier. That is a direct impact on the island's economy. The social cost is immeasurable, and Alex Cole-Hamilton talked about that. The allocation of those contracts to Ferguson and Marine should have been a step towards building a thriving shipbuilding industry on the Clyde, and the SNP's mismanagement has simply delivered nothing but chaos. Instead of putting this right, they now procure ferries on Turkey rather than the Clyde. What are the working conditions in Turkey? Do they comply with fair work practices? What are the community benefits being provided by those contracts? As Neil Bibby said, we need a full public inquiry into what went wrong. In 2019, Tim Hare was appointed as turnaround director in the yard. E-mails obtained through FOI requests show that the appointment was rushed through. Tim Hare was paid £2 million to turn around the yard, yet the ferries have been delayed yet again. While ministers have come and gone, the First Minister has been a constant presence throughout the fiasco. We need a personal guarantee from her that she will take ministerial responsibility for the delivery of those vessels with no more delays. Oded Scotland's damning report highlights how Scottish ministers ignored warnings and awarded the contract for builders that could not meet basic contract guarantees. Neither Cape Forbes nor Nicholas Sturgeon can explain why the normal financial safeguards went put in place or why they ignored the warnings from SEMA. There is no written evidence as to why ministers creased ahead and accepted the terms of the contract without a full builders refund. The First Minister says that that stops with her, but she bears none of the consequences of the huge failure and has then pointed the finger at Derek Mackay. As Alex Cole-Hamilton said, Jim McCall, the previous owner of Ferguson's, has suggested that the contract was awarded for political reasons, but the SNP could announce it at Nicholas Sturgeon's first conference. We believe that the First Minister must now show leadership and ensure that those ferries are delivered with no further delays, and ensure that the reputation of Ferguson's is restored. However, she instigates a national ferry procurement and building programme to ensure that CalMac's ageing fleet is renewed and the benefits of those contracts remain in Scotland, as highlighted by Mercedes Bilalba. The structures that surround our lifeline ferry services are fit for purpose, allowing CalMac to work with the communities that serve to build ferries that those communities need. Finally, we need a public inquiry so that the lessons are learned and we never see a thiasco like this repeated again in the future. Two scenes have come through loud and clear this afternoon. The first is the litany of failures that have characterised the matter since John Swinney first proudly announced in 2014 that the SNP would replace 12 ferries for £250 million. Subsequently, of course, that was scaled back to two ferries for £97 million. Two ferries, the Glen Sannocks and Hull 802, which will not be in service until next year at the earliest. Those are failures such as delays in the installation of pipework, up to 939 electrical cable coils, which are too short, not installing a ductail, which reduces resistance and thus fuel use, even though the previous yard owners said six years ago they were required, not actually running the dual fuel engines, which now may not even work and which are now out of warranty. It's terrifying that the minister admitted earlier that he didn't even know about this and not building the bunkering facilities in our Drossan or Uig required for the LNG. I'm very grateful for my colleague to give taken intervention. I wonder if he's aware that the Glen Sannocks is due to enter service between a Drossan and Brodick, but actually the ship is too big to dock in a Drossan and the Scottish Government are yet to offer a solution to this problem. I'm grateful to the member for his intervention. I'm aware of this. The member is absolutely right to be concerned, because I think I heard at finance questions earlier on that there isn't even a budget to carry out the work that's going to be required, so hopefully the Cabinet Secretary will address this in closing. All of this comes at a cost of £250 million, which may well rise to £400 million, but the second thread running through this is epitomised by the tone of the SNP amendment, because what it and the SNP speakers like Kenny Gibson fail to do is either accept agency or responsibility for this shambles. In fact, Ivan McKee let the cat out of the bag when asserting in his amendment that much of the recent debate relates to information that has been in the public domain for two years. Leaving aside that some may question the accuracy of that assertion, remember, Nicola Sturgeon, who ran the same line, followed up it's just that nobody has chosen to make it what it's been, and that's up to the media and opposition politicians. The SNP case is that we are blowing this out of proportion, and that is truly shameful and disrespectful to islanders and the people directly suffering the consequence of this, as Alex Cole-Hamilton rightly pointed out in his opening remarks. Ultimately, as we've heard, this abdication of responsibility goes right to the top, with the First Minister initially refusing to say who was responsible, who green-lighted the contracts, then later throwing Derek Mackay under the bus. Yet, when it was pointed out that he was on holiday at the time, Humza Yousaf suggested that it was Keith Brown who signed. Then Jim McCall, the yard's former owner, said the decision to ignore that Seymal couldn't provide the mandatory refund guarantees was made by one Nicola Sturgeon. And of course it was John Swinney who signed the checks. All senior ministers, bar one of course, who sit comfortably in this place now, pointing at each other, muttering it wasn't me. Yet it is Kate Forbes who might have to carry the can. She wasn't even here when this all started. Presiding Officer, speaker after speaker has exposed that there is a rotten culture of deflection, obfuscation and prevarication at the heart of this SNP Government, which gives no one, least of all the islanders suffering this debacle, any confidence whatsoever it will be sorted anytime soon. The Liberal Democrat motion is absolutely correct to demand both delivery and accountability. That starts with the publication of the project Neptune report, as called for in the Conservative amendment and the public inquiry that Neil Bibby demanded earlier on. That's why Parliament should vote for the motion today and the Conservative and Labour amendments today and get this ferry fiasco sorted. Thank you. I now call on Kate Forbes, up to five minutes, cabinet secretary. Thank you, Presiding Officer. As many members have already said, for our island communities, ferries are as critical as roads and rail and bus links elsewhere on mainland Scotland, if not more important, because they are nearly always the only route. They are relied on for access to employment, health provision, education and to see loved ones. Great downs and cancellations are deeply regrettable to put it mildly, and indeed, in the last debate on this very subject a matter of weeks ago, both the transport minister and I apologised unreservedly on two separate occasions to those island communities. Indeed, during the April recess that's just passed, I visited constituents travelling by the very vessels on which they rely. I know colleagues in the chamber who represent island communities will have done likewise, not least Alasdair Allan and Kenny Gibson, who mentioned some solutions and suggestions to improve vessel connectivity in their own constituency. Those are all worthy of urgent consideration by CalMac and Transport Scotland. Sputiny in this Parliament is vitally important, demonstrated by this being another debate on this important issue. Arguably, sputiny by the public is even more important still, and listening directly to those communities matters enormously. Over the last few years, we have sought to deliver considerable growth in services underpinned by significant investment in vessels and infrastructure. We have also identified substantial funds, not least in the most recent budget, to invest further in enhancing the resilience of the fleet, including procuring new vessels. That is already seen orders placed for two new vessels for Eila, as well as investment imports in Uig, Loch Maddi and Tarbert. That work is already well underway, as is the designs for the small vessel replacement programme. That brings me to Ferguson Marine. I have already set out the scale of the challenge that we took on when we rescued Ferguson's from administration in 2019. We did so, and this is important. We did so in order to complete vessels 801 and 802 on behalf of the very communities that rely on them. We also saved hundreds of jobs and the future of commercial shipbuilding on the Clyde. It was the right thing to do. We stand by our commitment to those shipbuilding communities in Inverclyde and to our island communities that rely on the vessels that the Yard will deliver. I was pleased that Opposition MSPs had the opportunity to visit the Yard just a few weeks ago and see the vessels directly and to hear from the new chief executive about what work is under way. The challenges have been great. Progress has not been as fast as we would have liked. I have made my views abundantly clear to the chief executive and the chair that these vessels must be delivered. The board is ultimately required to deliver on our clear expectations for the business. Those expectations are threefold. One, they must complete those vessels successfully and at the fastest most achievable pace. Two, they must make the Yard competitive, productive and efficient. Three, they must win further work on the basis of the Yard's ability to deliver. I am heartened by reports from those who visited the Yard that progress can be seen that progress is tangible. That is in line with the Audit Scotland recommendation, which states that the turnaround of FMPG is extremely challenging, but FMPG has implemented some of the significant operational improvements that were required at the shipyard. We will drive the process forward to ensure that Ferguson is an efficient and effective shipbuilder. Before I close, I want to turn to the claims around lack of transparency. There have been two proactive releases of documents chosen by Government to be released, 210 documents in total. Those have willingly been put into the public domain where they express intention of enhancing the public's understanding of what we are trying to achieve and the processes in place. The Scottish Parliament inquiry, followed by the Audit Scotland report, is useful. It is difficult to reach in places in terms of the hugely challenging situation that has been created. Equally, it has clear recommendations, many of which have already been taken forward. Lessons have been learned, not least in the most recent procurement exercise and also in the way that the Scottish Government invests in private companies. Things have not progressed, as we might have hoped, but progress is being made on arguably the most important element in all of that. That is to complete those vessels as quickly as possible. It has taken a mammoth effort by all involved to get the yard moving and to build the ships that we need. Much work remains to be done both to deliver the vessels and to make the yard efficient and competitive. The scale of that challenge is not in question, but it is a challenge that we are committed to meeting for the sake of those who depend on the ferry services. I know that it is a challenge that David Teidman, the new chief executive, is willing to make. As I close, I close by saying that we are committed to resolving that. I think that Kenny Gibson summed up the situation extremely well. He said that the situation on Arran was awful. He said that it was chaos. He demanded urgent action from the Government, his own SNP Government. Contrast that with Alasdair Allan, not a peep of criticism of the Government for the delays that directly affect his constituency. I will give way in a second, just like all the other supine backbenchers this afternoon who have not uttered a word of criticism from the Government. I will take an intervention. Alasdair Allan. I do not mean to read out my speech all over again, but he will have heard criticism of the situation with specific routes on my constituency, with the lack of service, and with the lack of service specifically that there is currently planned for Tarbuck to Uigh. I really think that that is just inaccurate, and he might want to reconsider it. It is not inaccurate in any way. There was not one word of criticism from the Government for the delays to the ferries that I have led to the situation in his constituency. If he is going to stand up for his constituents, he should stand up to the Government. Alex Cole-Hamilton referred to the open Government action plan from the Scottish Government. It is a riveting read. I can guarantee and I can recommend it. As ever, it claims that it is world-leading and pioneering. It boldly states that an open Government gives the public information about the decisions that it makes, supports people to understand and influence those decisions—this is the best bit—and values and encourages accountability. Despite what Ivan McKee said in his opening remarks, the Government has failed on every single term of this document. Take project Neptune. The Government agreed to an investigation by Ernst and Young. It has been ready for a long time. Have we seen it, despite repeated promises? No, we haven't. If we have an open Government, they should publish it without delay. Jamie Halcro Johnston mentioned Audit Scotland. Audit Scotland said that there was a lack of transparent decision making. It continued that there is insufficient documentary evidence to explain why Scottish ministers accepted the risks and were content to approve the contract award in October 2015. Kate Forbes said that documents were published. Audit Scotland disagrees. They say that evidence has not been forthcoming. Where is it? If it does not exist, why on earth did it not exist? That was a critical decision involving hundreds of millions of pounds and two important ferries for the constituents of the members who have spoken this afternoon. We have not seen those documents. They should be published without delay if we have an open Government. Then, in a new low, we saw in this chamber the First Minister point the finger at Derek Mackay, who is no longer here to defend himself. We only discovered later that he was not involved in the sign-off. Perhaps it was another minister, but we are still not being told which ministers were responsible. If we have an open Government, we need to know exactly which ministers made that decision. On Project Neptune, on Audit Scotland and on Derek Mackay, the Scottish National Party Government has been mired in secrecy on that. An open Government action plan emphasises that there must be accountability, but despite the delays, the cost-over runs, the waste of public funds, the betrayal of the shipyard workers and the islanders who are still waiting, no minister has been held accountable. Accountability is at the heart of our democratic system. If ministers think that their jobs are secure, no matter how many cock-ups they make, no matter how many mistakes they make, no matter how many things they get wrong, then our democracy is fatally undermined. Yet no minister has resigned. Other politicians have resigned for far less. David McLeach resigned because of taxi bills. Henry McLeach went, as a result, on his office in Glenrothes. Wendy Alexander went for £995. SNP ministers waste hundreds of millions of pounds, but everyone keeps their job, their salary and their ministerial care. What will it take for ministers to resign? How bad does it have to get? Will the cost go to £260 million or £300 million or £400 million, or will they keep their jobs no matter how high the price goes? If the construction is delayed by another three months or a year or two years, will anybody go? Will the minister resign if future ferry contracts do not go to Fergussons, just like the ones that have gone off to Turkey? I bet you they don't. There is not a chance that a minister is going to resign in this Government because they are more interested in looking after themselves than serving the public in this country. The First Minister does not think that it is bad enough yet. Boris Johnson is refusing to resign no matter how many party gates he finds he gets. However, I do not think that the moral backbone of Boris Johnson was the gold standard for which the SNP aspired to. I think that we should be told. Will any minister be held to account for the utter shambles? Four years late, three times over budget, islanders without lifeline services and the reputation of a shipyard with a proud heritage trashed by terrible leadership. The response from the SNP Government? Just be grateful. It could have been worse. Let the minister tell the taxpayer that they should be grateful because it could have been worse. Tell the desperate care workers who are desperate for a pay rise that it could have been worse. Tell the islanders stuck at harbours waiting on their broken ferries to be fixed once again that it could have been worse. Tell the shipyard workers who see orders for new ferries heading for Turkey because the Government-owned shipyard did not even bid for them. Tell them that it could have been worse. This is arrogance from an SNP Government that has been in power for far too long. They should be held to account and they should resign if they do not get this fit. The debate on economy ferries is now time to move on to the next item of business, which is consideration of business motion 4077, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the parliamentary bureau setting out a business programme. I call on George Adam to move the motion. On the motion, the question is that motion 4077 be agreed. Are we all agreed? Yes. The motion is therefore agreed. The next item of business is consideration of business motions 4078 and 4079 on stage two timetables for bills. I ask any member who wishes to speak against the motions to press their request to speak buttons. I call on George Adam on behalf of the parliamentary bureau to move the motions. Once again, Presiding Officer, moved. Thank you. Minister, no member is asked to speak against the motions. Therefore, the question is that motions 4078 and 4079 be agreed. Are we all agreed? The motions are therefore agreed. The next item of business is consideration of two parliamentary bureau motions, and I ask George Adam on behalf of the parliamentary bureau to move motions 4080 and 4081 on approval of SSIs. Almost, Presiding Officer. Thank you, Minister. The question on these motions will be put at decision time, and there are nine questions to be put as a result of today's business. Can I remind members that if the amendment in the name of Shona Robison is agreed to, then the amendment in the name of Liz Smith will fall? The first question is that amendment 4050.3 in the name of Shona Robison, which seeks to amend motion 4050 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, on economy, cost of living crisis, be agreed. Are we all agreed? The Parliament is not agreed. Therefore, we'll move to votes. There'll be a short suspension to allow members to access the digital voting system.