 In my speech, I referenced the community wind turbine on Islay, and Neil Bibby prompted me to remind me that I should have raised and referenced Parliament to my register of interests with regards to my investment in the Islay wind turbine, so I apologise for not saying that earlier, but I hope that I have now corrected the record. Before we start the members' business, I remind all members that social distancing measures are in place in the chamber and across the Holyrood campus. I ask that members take care to observe these measures, including when entering and exiting the chamber. Please only use the aisles and what ways to access your seat and when moving around the chamber. The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion 834, in the name of Alasdair Allan, on reserved board seats for islanders. The debate will be concluded without any questions being put, and I ask those members who would wish to speak in the debate to please press the request to speak buttons now. I call on Alasdair Allan to open the debate up to seven minutes, please. I am not going to rehearse again the complete list of problems that arose around island ferry services this summer. The minister is, I realise, well aware of those difficulties and has, to his credit, been in very regular contact with island MSPs about them since he took office. He is, nonetheless, I know, aware of the significant human and economic impact that those problems have caused. It would be remiss of me not to mention some of them again briefly, problems that reached an acute situation during the period when social distancing impacted most on vessel capacity. Islanders were, in many cases, simply unable to travel for work, for caring commitments, for business or to visit family members in the most extreme of situations, even seriously ill family members. Although I should say that CalMac staff did try very hard to accommodate individuals when those cases were brought to their attention via MSPs, I have to be honest that it was an extremely difficult situation. I am sure that the minister will want to say something about the solutions, but we know that CalMac needs more vessels, particularly a better choice of relief vessels, a better booking system, a fairer's review and better communication with customers. I know that he will mention the minister all of those things or possibly some of those things in his summing up, but I want to add something else into this debate too, which is a subject of my motion. That is that CalMac needs, in my view, to be more grounded in the communities that it serves than it presently feels like. As far as I can establish, looking at the board of CalMac, who runs services, and the Seymal board, which holds the vessels and some of the piers, not a single board member currently lives in any of the island communities that depend on CalMac ferry services, the situation is not unique to CalMac and Seymal, of course. There are, to my knowledge, few members of Highlands and Islands airport board who live in the Highlands and Islands, but I point all this out. I would emphasise there is no disrespect to the existing CalMac board members. However, in an era when lived experience is rightly prized in public appointments, it seems to me—and I can assure you, as the minister will be aware to most islanders—that the current situation cannot be allowed to continue forever. CalMac will be better managed if its board members have to face the travelling public whenever they go to Tesco's and Stornoway, or the co-op in Dallabra, or if things go wrong every single time they set foot outside their house. That is a healthy accountability that would in my view help concentrate CalMac's minds. I am convinced that we would improve services if at least some board members ever had to feel the direct personal consequences of what happens if a ferry does not appear for 10 days in a row, something that has happened more than once in the last couple of years in the Isle of Bara, for example. Due to new technical issues with one of CalMac's vessels for over a week now, there have been no services operating between Malyg and Loch Boysdale and services only every other day from Tarbuck to Uig. Those are the kind of things that I mean when I say that board members' resident in islands would have a different experience of those kinds of problems. I am very grateful to the member, and I congratulate him on securing this debate. Equie's comments not just in relation to Seymal, but he referenced himself, Hyal. Does he believe that the proposals that are inherent in his own motion about having islanders on those boards, we would have seen the situation where Hyal is seeking to centralise air traffic services into Inverness, much against the desires of pretty much all the communities that are represented by those lifeline air services? As I mentioned, those comments apply to Hyal, and my views on some of the issues that he mentions are a matter of record. I realise that appointing board members is no simple task, and that the criteria used for appointment becomes key here. In communities where so many people have their own professional seafaring experience, as well as the lived experience more generally of living on an island, there are plenty of people well qualified. As the UST economic task force pointed out in its petition to the citizen participation and public petitions committee, increased community participation would be in keeping with the islands act and the national islands plan. I realise that not everyone, as I say, is willing to put their head above the parapet when it comes to those appointments. The islands suffer from unfilled job vacancies of many kinds, but we have to start making the boards, in my view, more representative somehow, and I hope that this is something that the Government will give consideration. Councillor Donald Manford, who represents the islands of Barra, Battersea, South Eust and Erisgy, has for a long highlighted the need for stronger input into decisions about ferries from the communities affected. He is not talking about communities owning ferries, but about having some more recognised way into decisions. I hope that the Government will be able to consider some of Councillor Manford's ideas. Certainly having some CalMac board members who live on the islands, their ferries serve would be a very positive start. Within CalMac itself, some of the issues do not just apply to the board. Everyone is reassessing working patterns after Covid, and we are looking at ways to disperse more public sector jobs. We should, I believe, give thought to how best to disperse more of CalMac's central shod-based staff to the many local offices that the company already has around the country. Organisations such as Transport Scotland should also consider whether they have positions that could be based closer to the communities that they serve. Tonight, I have tried to concentrate on one practical measure that could, I believe, help improve ferry services in the years ahead. Of course, it is a step that will not solve every problem that is faced by ferry users, but it is a step that would, I believe, improve matters, and it is worth all that considering. To conclude the oft-quoted unofficial paraphrase of Sam 24, it says that the earth belongs unto the Lord and all that it contains, excepting for the western isles, for they are all McBrains. I believe that reassessing the composition of the CalMac board to include islanders would reverse some of those assumptions about where power lies and give a much healthier sense that McBrains, to a much greater extent, answers to Scotland's island communities. I would now call Kenneth Gibson to be followed by Jamie Halcro Johnston, who will join us remotely. I would ask members to please speak for the time allotted, which is up to four minutes. I congratulate my colleague Alasdair Allan for securing debating time on this important matter. As an MSP represents the islands of Arnhem Cumbria, I welcome the opportunity to speak today. Having represented the people of Cunningham North for over 14 years, I can safely say that ferry-related issues are consistently island residents' greatest concerns. Ferries are rightly described as lifelines for island communities, not only the only means of travelling to and from their mainland, but they also play an absolutely vital role for businesses, not least by sustaining imports and exports. It is therefore highly surprising that islanders have frustrated when this crucial service does not operate efficiently or at all. That is especially severe this summer. As soon as Covid capacity restrictions were lifted, there were positive cases among the crew of the Caledonian Isles, resulting in leaving the service. Breakdowns, cancellations and diversions further increased pressure on sailings. In 11 days, there were 65 cancelled sailings. Islanders struggled to travel to attend engagements such as weddings, funerals and do business, tourism and hospitality businesses faced reducing income because of lower visitor numbers. Food and drinks producers, who are already grappling with Brexit-related trade barriers and disruption, were confronted with delays in exporting their produce, all at the height of the summer season. Given island communities' absolute reliance on ferries, I was glad that the national transport strategy delivery plan 2020-22 included a clear commitment to minimise the connectivity cost disadvantages faced by island communities and those in remote rural and island areas. However, I agree with Alasdair Allan that this should reflect reality and not simply be a paper exercise. We must involve island communities with the lived experience of these issues more strongly in the day-to-day running of lifeline ferry services. In its first annual report of the national islands plan, the Scottish Government islands team in Transport Scotland has indicated that further regard should be given to island communities when transport-related policies, strategies and services are developed. When it comes to provision of ferry services, Dr Allan is right about the crucial importance of Caledonian maritime assets and CalMac ferries limited. Consequently, when services fail, island residents' dismay and frustration is mainly directed at those two organisations and Scottish ministers often via their MSP. In many cases, service users are a lot more understanding once origins and the potential remedies for their disruption are clearly communicated and explained to them. Unfortunately, too often, a lack of clear timmase information and communication leaves passengers disillusioned, and I firmly believe that giving reserved board seats to island residents could only be advantageous in this regard. Seam Island CalMac would benefit from the knowledge and lived experience of island residents and surely improve their customer focus. I can think of island constituents who over the years have acquired invaluable knowledge and understanding of the issues at stake, including members of the Arran Ferry Committee and Cumbry Ferry users group, which are the main island voice for ferry-related matters on Arran and Cumbry, made up of representatives from the community and business sectors in which CalMac regularly participates. Island communities are at the end of their terror. Often patient individuals are frustrated with frequently cancelled sailings following breakdowns to CalMac's exhausted and rapidly aging fleet, exacerbated now by Covid-19 disruptions. I am encouraged by the Scottish Government's announcements to increase islanders' input in the development of transport-related services, policies and strategies, and I hope that the new island's connectivity plan will meaningfully contribute to the notion of greater community engagement. Reserv seats for islanders on the boards of Seam Isle and CalMac would be mutually beneficial. Nevertheless, CalMac needs to primarily deliver a service, not a contracted timetable. The issues that islanders face need more than having board members who are resident on islands. Many islanders believe that CalMac sees a Clyde and hybrid ease ferry service as just a contract, along with others they manage. Communicating and explaining why a sailing has been cancelled, for example, is crucial. Seaball and CalMac would benefit from greater community input and be able to develop a more customer-focused approach. Islanders would see their concerns better represented in the decision making process, while hopefully receiving more regular and extensive updates and communications about Seam Isle and CalMac's day-to-day operations. Thank you, Mr Gibson. I now call Jamie Halcro Johnston, who is joining us remotely. He will be followed by Neil Bibby and Mr Halcro Johnston. Up to four minutes, please. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I first congratulate Alasdair Allan on bringing this debate to the chamber today? This summer, we've seen an unprecedented disruption to the lifeline ferry links to Scotland's island communities. Costa Island communities will run high with visitor journeys impacted, some businesses seeing their operations affected and local residents forced to have real disruption to their travel. All this comes on the back of a pandemic that has brought its own impact on jobs, businesses and livelihoods. Some of our islands have been effectively left cut off, for others they have come to realise that a truly unreliable service is no real service at all. Last week saw yet more sailings withdrawn as Scotland's ageing ferry fleet, and desperate need of repairs and replacements, as others have highlighted, continue to creak under the pressure. Undoubtedly, we will see more failures, symptoms of long-term strategic failures that have seen our islands be prioritised at the highest level in Edinburgh. Today's debate could hardly be more timely. Alasdair Allan is right to highlight that a gulf has opened between the decisions made on our west coast ferry network and the interests of islanders. There is anger, and rightly so. This summer, our islands could not have seen further from Edinburgh in so many ways. To address the substantial points of today's motion, it is undoubtedly the case that these boards benefit from a diversity of skills and knowledge. Existing board members bring a range of talent and experience. Many of them have maritime experience brought from elsewhere, and a number bring skills that are more organisationally focused. That is no bad thing, but I suspect that we would not be debating this motion today how the Scottish Government's poilence process recognised the value, not only of these attributes, but of local island knowledge and an ability to reflect and represent communities that CalMac and CML serve. It should be fundamental. It should not require a debate or being forced into change. At the core of the problems that we have seen is not just organisational ability, it is accountability. CalMac is state-owned. Next year, the Scottish Government intends to bring ScotRail into public sector operation. The suggestion being that it will be better able to serve the public. I think that we should be right to ask where the accountability lies. Ministers, including the First Minister, lined themselves closely with the building of the two new and very necessary ferries in Port Glasgow and the operations of Ferguson Marine, also now under Scottish Government control. Endless failings have been well documented, including by the committee of this Parliament. However, what has happened? The failings have continued with a cost-falling not to those who are responsible, but to our island communities. Successive transport ministers before our current ministers' tenures have failed to make the long-term decisions to make the service resilient. And yet, before being held to account for these failings, they have simply moved on, often to some loftier position. In most cases, one that befits their ambitions better than their abilities. While this summer's crisis was on-going, it was called for a statement to be made to this Parliament during one of the virtual sittings. The transport minister was on holiday, we were told. We also have, in Scotland's biggest ever ministerial team, a cabinet secretary for transport and one for the islands too. I hope that they will forgive me for suggesting that their excuses for failing to provide someone to make a statement is not about availability, but about reluctance to come before this Parliament and answer the hard questions about what they are doing during the unprecedented crisis. Deputy Presiding Officer, building boards that can represent the interests of the islands is important. It will go some distance to bridging the gulf between islands' interests and operations. But accountability is important too, and that is what is missing in this equation. As Alasdalen said in the press yesterday, it is clear that what we witnessed over the summer can never be repeated. He is right, but unless there is considerable change in the strategic direction from ministers, there is no reason to believe that it won't. As long as islands are an afterthought in Andrew's house, our island communities will suffer. As an island of myself, I say that we deserve better than that. Thank you. Mr Halcro Johnston, I now call Neil Bibby to be followed by Jenny Minto up to four minutes, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I thank Alasdalen for bringing that motion to the chamber. I want to support the central argument that has been made in support of island communities on the boards of Seymal and CalMac ferries. I often travel to the Isle of Lewis in Mr Alasdalen's constituency to visit family. I certainly agree that Seymal and CalMac and the infrastructure they provide and the lifeline services they provide is an all-important part of everyday life of the islands. Representing West Scotland, I can tell the chamber that infrastructure and services provided by those two bodies is an important part in the everyday life of islands and has been particularly hit hard by what islanders themselves have called a ferry fiasco. We know why the CalMac fleet is ageing. It is increasingly unreliable. Frequent ferry disruption has an enormous impact on the local economies and on island life. It means disruption to supply chains, visitor cancellations and missed hospital appointments. It is unacceptable and I agree with Kenny Gibson's point that islanders are at the end of their tether. A robust and resilient ferry service would be the foundation on which to build stronger, more sustainable island economies. However, through inaction, neglect and let's remember what a committee of this parliament is called a catastrophic failure in the procurement of replacement ferries, the people of Arran and other islands have been denied the resilient ferry service they deserve. If Scotland's islands had a dedicated voice on the boards of Seymal and CalMac, then it would be harder to ignore the concerns of people on our islands. They would have a voice on the boards that shape the critical services their communities cannot do without. Not only does it make practical sense, we should, as a matter of principle, support greater passenger and workforce representation in the governance of public transport systems of ferries, bus services and in the new publicly owned ScotRail 2. Alasdair Allan said that not a single member of the Seymal board lives on one of the island communities they serve. Not a single member of the board lives with the reality of the decisions they take and the mistakes they make. That can no longer be justified. Seymal should not just be accountable to Scotland's islands as it is to ministers in Edinburgh. Let me also say that ministers in Edinburgh should be accountable to Scotland's islands. The ferry fiasco is not over. There are still demands for a public inquiry. Ministers must not escape scrutiny. They are ultimately responsible for the dismal failure to provide resilient ferry services. It is a national disgrace that means the new ferries we need are now delayed and £100 million over budget. That's £100 million that we could have been investing in our islands, investing in our local services and strengthening our ferry network as a whole. The minister should give a crystal clear commitment today. There will be no further delays and no further cost increases to those ferries. Once those ferries have been delivered, there should be a national ferry building programme with direct awards to the lower Clyde in line with calls made by the leader of Inverclyde Council, Stephen McCabe, last month. On the issue of voices on boards, let me also take the opportunity to say that if the trade union of Ferguson's Marine had a formal voice on the board of Ferguson's over the past few years, then perhaps mistakes could have been avoided and the Glen sacs would not be delayed and over budget. I would reiterate the need for robust, resilient ferry services in Scotland and agree that representation for islanders on the boards of the bodies can help us to press this case. Scotland's islanders deserve better, they need a voice and that voice needs to be listened to. Before I call the next speaker, I would say that due to the number of members who wish to speak in this debate, I am minded to accept a motion without notice under rule 8.14.3 to extend the debate by up to 30 minutes. I now invite Alastair Allyn to move a motion without notice. Move, Presiding Officer. Thank you, Mr Allyn. The question is that the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes. Are we all agreed? Thank you. I would next call Jenny Minto to be followed by Beatrice Wishart. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Yesterday my journey to this place started with catching the 7am seamal ferry, the Hebrideian Isles, operated by CalMac. For islanders, as Dr Allyn has said, our ferry service beats the weather as a topic of conversation. My inbox and selected attests to this. As your conversations I have had on Mull, Iona, Tyree, Call, Cullinsay, Isla, Gia, Dura, Dunoon and Campbelltown. First, I would like to put on record how helpful and accommodating the staff at the ports and on the ferry are, whether employed by seamal or CalMac. If I may, Presiding Officer, last year my husband was trampled by cattle and was helicoptered off Isla to hospital the following day. The CalMac staff ensured I was able at very short notice to get on the ferry to be with him in Glasgow. There are many examples of CalMac staff going above and beyond to help islanders and visitors alike, but I know through emails from my constituents and many conversations that this is not always the case that has been highlighted earlier. CalMac cannot guarantee space for islanders to get mainland hospital appointments or visit sick relatives. This can also happen with getting vital services on to the islands too. I know that there can be two sides to every story, however I believe that mechanisms should be put into place to prioritise islanders' access to their offline service. My constituents regularly offer suggestions through their ferry groups as to how services might be improved and take part in consultations for new vessels. The introduction of the community board in CalMac was a positive step and has had some successes. The transport minister met recently with the community board and I believe sees them as a key driver to change, but there has to be a willingness from the organisation to change and at a reasonable speed. CalMac's website says of the community board that its primary purpose is to be the voice of the communities and provide the community view to CalMac. However, I would suggest that a biannual report to the CalMac board as per the terms of the community board does not provide the community with a very loud or regular voice. Here's an example. In 2018 I learned from Isle High School that the school minibus is charged more than a campervan to get on and off the island. I asked that to be raised at the community board and see if something was done. It was. However, I think that everyone will agree that living on an island should not be a barrier for kids to attend cultural or sporting events. It's taken three years for that change to happen and it begs me to ask the question why. Dr Allen's motion calls for the reservation of a place on the boards of Cymal and CalMac for Islanders who are served by the CalMac services. It's likely taken it back that this is not already the case. CalMac's board meetings for the 5th of May this year state that there was no west of Scotland Islanders on the board. The board's skills matrix requires board members to have an understanding and appreciation of stakeholders, including communities. I'm interested to know what defines an understanding and appreciation of. Is it simply enough to have been on a CalMac ferry and visited one of the islands they serve to take the boxes of that skills matrix? May I also suggest that both organisations need to increase the diversity of their boards? When lived experience, as others have mentioned is given such a high priority in all walks of life, why not on CalMac ferries in Cymal? It happens elsewhere. Neil Bibby talks about representation on boards. British Columbia ferries board comprises four directors nominated by coastal regional district, one director nominated by the trade union and four directors appointed by the province. This year, the people of Scotland elected a Parliament that is reflective of our diverse country. It is time, I believe, that the boards of the two organisations who are responsible for decision making on the lifeline ferry services of Argyll and Bute, Clyde Islands, the Inner Hebrides and the Western Isles are shaped to formally incorporate the voice of the communities they serve. I now call Beatrice Wishart to be followed by Graham Simpson. I too want to thank Alistair Allan for bringing forward this important and welcome debate, which acknowledges the role that Cymal and CalMac ferries play in the life of island communities across the Western Isles and west of Scotland. It is one that I am happy to support. The member has highlighted the impact lifeline transport has in the everyday lives of people living in island and remote communities, which is one that I am happy to support. People in the central belt have issues with their transport connections. They can usually find alternative methods to reach their desired destination, regardless of whether or not it is their desired way of travel. If your flight from Edinburgh to London or Paris does not go, you will probably be able to get a train or a bus to another airport, Glasgow or Manchester, and onwards to your destination. If the train does not run, chances are that you will be able to get a bus. It is not available if you cannot get on or off an island, whether it is external or internal transport. Our islands cannot thrive and cannot survive and thrive without good transport connectivity. Like our islands, that connectivity comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether it is a ferry from Ola pool to Stornoway or Kirkwall to Edith or the internal island flight that I had the pleasure of taking recently from Tingwell to Fuller, and the wider community, visiting family or going to a wedding, attending a hospital appointment, a business meeting or an engineer coming into the island to repair a vital piece of equipment. The point that Alistair Allan makes about having reserved seats for island residents on these boards is one that I agree with, not just to show support for the motion brought forward by him or commonality with another island group, but because I believe in empowering local decision making and that, by including island residents on boards, it will make for better decision making for the communities that the boards represent. I also believe that the same principle should be applied to others that have a dominant public services role in the lives of islanders. High Island is another example where island voices are lacking on its board. The make-up of High Island's board demonstrates the point that Alistair Allan is making about the boards of CalMac and Seamall. Those boards need the inclusion of direct island representation, people who live and work in the communities that they represent, local knowledge and understanding of how those communities actually function, how they work, socially and economically, and the impact decisions board members take have on them. It's vital if we have to avoid further calamity scenes such as those this summer on the west coast ferry routes or indeed High Island's vanity remote towers project. The board seats for islanders will bring decision making closer to the communities that they serve, and that can only be good for island communities. Thank you. I now call Graeme Simpson to be followed by Rodi Grant. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. First of all, I congratulate Alistair Allan for bringing this debate to the chamber. It's been really interesting for me to listen to members who actually represent islands. I don't represent islands, but I think it's great to hear from people who do and who have first-hand experience of the problems that islanders have faced particularly over this summer. I mean, we heard from Dr Allan and Kenneth Gibson, Jamie Halcro, Johnson who spoke of the anger of islanders and Jenny Minto who we heard recently. I'll come back to something that Jenny said in a little while. Alistair Allan set out very well the problems and the issues that people have been facing over this summer. I would just take one issue with something he said and actually reflect it relates very much to his motion. He said having islanders on boards would in itself improve services. That in itself would not improve services, it's just the right thing to do. What would improve services, yes? I don't think we're probably a million miles I'm sorry, I don't think we're probably a million miles apart from each other. I think the member would probably agree that although it wouldn't magically solve problems it would certainly make things better. That's why I said it's the right thing to do. It wouldn't in itself improve matters, what will improve matters is having more ferries newer ferries and that's been the issue. We have an ageing ferry fleet and every member who represents islands knows that people who have to use the ferries know that. The fleet is too old and we have under invested in Scotland's ferries over years, over decades and that's why we're in the position we're in. Can I just mention briefly what the role of a board member would be? A member of a company board you have a responsibility to act in the interests of the whole company and every community and not just to try and get decisions taken that suit your own interest group if we could call it that. For example, someone was on the board from island A then there could be a risk that if they saw themselves as that island's representative they would act in a way that might not serve the interests of residents of island B. However if we're adult about it we can get through this and this is where I come back to the comment of Jenny Minto. Jenny Minto mentioned British Columbia ferries and she's absolutely right that they do have representatives from different communities. I've spoken to a board member of British Columbia ferries they do things rather differently in Canada than we do. British Columbia ferries are given a decades-long contract to go and run the ferries that makes them able to invest in ferries in a way that we haven't seen in Scotland. I think that there's an opportunity to redo things. I would urge the minister to look at this very very serious proposal from Alasdair Allan and others and involve the people that actually use these services. Thank you Mr Simpson and I call Rhoda Grant to be followed by Katie Clark. Thank you Presiding Officer and I also wish to congratulate Alasdair Allan on securing this debate. However, it's sad that he's had to raise this issue in the chamber. There is surely an expectation that this would have happened naturally that it has not smacked of a bygone colonial age an age where people had decisions made for them and about them by a distant power and we must strive to be better than that. There's a host of talent in our island communities and alongside the numerous people making their living at sea people from the merchant navy, people fishing, people working offshore to name a few. There are business people, people with in-depth knowledge of logistics and customer services and I could go on, the talent is there. We have the skills and the expertise on our islands to fill these boards. We also have to acknowledge the importance of ferry services to our communities and their resilience and dependability. When your livelihood is well-being depends on them it gives you a wholly different perspective. If there were islanders on those boards now would we be in the position we are? Too many cancellations to mention with an impact on the lives of those who live on islands and also the islands economies that is devastating and staff having to deal with the fallout of that makes life very very difficult for them. I would also take the opportunity to question whether or not we believe that sea melt should exist or not. Are they necessary for ferry provision? The ferries that have tried to procure the MV Glen Sannocks and the HAL 802 have proved the point that they are not. They are no longer fit for purpose and worse they are damaging the communities that they should be serving. They no longer need to go out to tender and therefore it follows that CalMac should own and procure their own vessels. Islanders need an end to vanity projects. I am sure that if islanders had been on those boards they would have ensured that those ferries had been designed before the contracts had been signed off. That design would have also ensured that they could dock at the harbours that they operate from and indeed other harbours where they may be required as relief vessels. It is absolutely nonsensical that those ferries will require harbours to change in order to allow them to operate and dock there. Therefore the costs of those two ferries are much greater than the building of them alone because it includes the costs of adapting the harbours. Island board members would have also seen to it that vessels would provide additional capacity required in the summer months and that there would be flexibility and resilience that is required in the winter. It is well known that the people of Lewis wanted two smaller vessels rather than the MV Loch Seaforth and that would have provided additional capacity in the summer and a relief boat to cover maintenance and dry docking in the winter. It makes perfect sense if you live on an island and are well used to the turmoil and boats need repair. I have been asking for this for many years. Covid-19 created a perfect storm this year but the service was already struggling prior to the pandemic and I think that those issues have been highlighted by others of the impact of all this. I am really worried as to what will have to happen before this Government will act. How islands desperately need resilience seagoing vessels that are set for purpose built on time and on budget and I would suggest that if island dwellers had been on those boards that would have happened. I think that the same is true of Hyal where islanders on the board the centralisation of air traffic control would have not happened because they would have understood the importance of service before vanity and I would urge the minister to act before our island economies are damaged beyond repair. I now call Kezia Clarke to be followed by Arianne Burgess and Ms Burgess will be the last speaker in the open debate. I congratulate Alistair Allen on securing this debate which I think highlights the huge frustration felt by many who rely on lifeline ferry services and it really is encouraging that there isn't currently a person who lives on an island on either the CalMac or the CML board particularly given that so many people who work on CalMac actually live on the islands and that's something that's been the case for many many decades and it's quite clear that the expertise is there there are many islanders who I know who have applied for positions that haven't been able to secure one and I do think it's right that the case is being made that there needs to be a model of reserved seats for islanders I also believe that there needs to be reserved places for the workforce and that their voices need to be heard it's absolutely clear that there has been a catalogue of poor decision making unfortunately in relation to our ferry services and I know that the Government has committed to a new model and I agree that a new model is needed indeed the Government is committed to delivering a model of ferry services which will deliver accountability, transparency and good outcomes for communities and I think that is what we are all looking for here in the last 14 years since 2007 only 12 ferries have been commissioned by the Scottish Government in the 14 years prior to that 26 ferries were commissioned of similar tonnage more than 1,000 ferry sailings were cancelled in 2019 and over a five-year period over 1,000 were delayed due to mechanical issues and there is absolutely no doubt that one of the reasons that there are so many problems currently is due to the old nature of the fleet but it is not just money that is needed I think that Alasdair Allan is absolutely correct highlight it is the way that decisions are made and I think that any of us who have represented island constituency has seen example after example of communities saying clearly and consistently over extended periods of times that those in authority are making the wrong decisions and that is partly because there is that level of expertise and knowledge on the communities that rely on the services and indeed there is the self-interest that the correct decisions are taken and we have already heard from my colleague Neil Bibby in perhaps the most high profile example of poor decision making in relation to the ferries currently being built at Ferguson Marine in relation to many other examples for example the building of Brodych Pier the current situation where we still do not have investment signed off for the address and harbour after almost five years that there are significant problems with the model that we have I understand that the reason that the address and harbour investment has still not been signed off is because the land is owned by peoports and I feel that the balance of risk is wrong in relation to the negotiations that have taken place North Aisha Council are willing to take address and harbour land into public ownership to facilitate this much needed investment going ahead and I hope that the Scottish Government will be supportive of that wish from them to try and make progress but I think it does highlight that it is a need for a new model for the ferries that makes sense that we have a fragmented model where the ferries are owned by one organisation that is another organisation, CalMac that operates them and indeed the ports are owned by a multitude of organisations including CMAL so I ask the minister in what he considers after this debate that he actually looks at the long-term issues and looks at a new model where the voices of the workforce are heard and that those voices are taken into account in future decision making I would like to thank Alistair Allan for securing this debate calling for reserve seats for islanders on Caledonian maritime assets limited and CalMac ferries limited Scotland is an island nation and it is also a nation of islands it's time that we recognise that celebrate that and support the people who live on our islands for them living on islands is not a remote peripheral way of life islanders are living and working at the heart of where they live and we must do all that we can to remove barriers to that way of life and ensure that people can thrive and flourish there a barrier that should be straightforward to remove is to put in place the measures that see seats reserved for islanders on boards that make decisions that affect island life in this debate it's about board seats reserved so islanders have direct input into the lifeline provision of ferry services having visited Nahalynan Anyar over the recess I learned about the richness of island life and challenges faced by islanders and experienced first hand that anxiety that moment of not knowing if the ferry was going to sail I would have missed a meeting that could have been rearranged but for many they would miss a crucial appointment or loss of income not getting produce to market travelling from Barra to Bimbacola and north and south Uist, Harris and Lewis I was struck by the stunning diversity of landscape landscape shapes our way of life and each island has its unique form from the top of rural 124 metres above sea level Bimbacola and north Uist south and south Uist rolled out before me a fragile and ancient lace laid delicately across the Atlantic and the Minch the following day I encountered the utter and immediate contrast to the north as I travelled through the skyward mountains of Harris and on to the low peatland plains of Lewis walking up rule gave me perspective but I will never have the whole perspective of what it means to live year round on an island nor will any mainland member of a board no matter their skills and experience a board is a decision making body that makes business that takes business and organisations forward tacking from decision to decision depending on the changing context in which they are operating the challenge faced by people who sit on boards and indeed all of us is that we have blind spots surely it is a large blind spot to have boards that make decisions about ferries that affect island life and have no islander involved consultation is not enough calls for views are not enough when the diverse communities of the western isles and other island communities face daily threats to life and livelihood when decisions are made about ferries or matters that affect islanders then they should have a seat at the table just as Scotland seeks to have a seat at the table in our international negotiations and I would call for more than one seat more than one island seat on a board, life in Stornoway is very different from life in Castle Bay or the islands mentioned by my colleague Jenny Minto and we need that range of views which can only enhance the decisions made on my visit in every conversation islanders told me of how they were inspired by the life changing democratic process the ferro islands undertook by building tunnels to link islands so everyone has ease of access to the capital city Torsfwm but fixed links is for another time for now to ensure our islands thrive and flourish there must be islanders on the board of CML and CalMac so matters are considered from all perspectives and that those who are most affected by decisions taken about their lifelines can shape the way they flourish thank you Ms Burgess and I now call on Minister Graham Day to wind up the debate Minister let me begin by commending Alan for securing this debate I very much welcome the opportunity to respond to the point he raises and some wider ones and I very much appreciate your indulgence and your time to do that this motion in essence highlights the importance of ensuring the views and experiences of islanders informed delivery of ferry service that's been at the core of my thinking since taking on the transport portfolio a few short months ago on the specific matter of islands based board membership let me be clear, I would very much favour an islands based presence on the boards of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd and David McBrain Ltd although clearly any member of the board needs to bring requisite skills needed to guide the business and they of course have to meet their fiduciary duties in relation to the interests of the company itself I recognise entirely the desire of many to ensure that there are members of the board who can bring direct and current experience of island living to the table the chamber will be aware that CalMacFerries Ltd is a subsidiary company of DML and the board is appointed by DML rather than ministers the most recent board recruitment for David McBrain Ltd it was made clear that people applying must have a strong focus on serving our island and remote communities and experience or knowledge of the issues affecting those communities they should have an understanding or knowledge of tourism and economic and social regeneration all issues of course affecting rural and island communities the most recent recruitment for David McBrain Ltd is on-going the limit to what I can say about it what I can say is that these positions were advertised widely including on the vessels travelling to our island communities and a high number of applications were received if after that process concludes further progress is required I'd be happy to explore how we might achieve this I give Dr Allan and others that assurance because it is neither tenable nor credible that there would be continued to be communication from anyone living on our islands in these environments there are of course other additional means by which we can ensure that the voice of our island communities are heard the boards of DML and CMAL though important are just one part of the delivery of our ferry services both DML and Serco Northlink ferries who operate the Northern Isle service are major employers in our island communities third of their employees from the island and remote rural communities they serve and specific to Alistair Alice's constituency the contact centre team in Stonaway for example has now grown into six including one who has just been promoted to the contact centre team leader and in addition CFL have recently recruited two new senior managers to positions within their operations team both of whom are based in the western Isles progress although perhaps more that can be done when it comes to recruitment for some other non geographically specific posts and I look forward to the new CalMac agile flexible working policy which comes into force later this month perhaps facilitating this the issues on the ferry service networks has taken up this post have been very much a priority for me with social distancing restricting seat numbers in our ferries until a few weeks ago that engagement to begin with was largely virtual and strategic in nature at six weeks or so however I've had the opportunity to visit a number of island communities to see first hand some of our ferry services and ports and to meet islanders and hear directly from them on the issues they are facing and along with the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands I'll be attending the upcoming island strategic group to discuss transport matters with the leaders of all six island local authorities although I've already met in person with those of our Gail and Bute, the western Isles and Orkney I want to reassure the chamber that we are very much listening to communities and importantly hearing them and their views and ideas for improving the current services based on feedback and requests from communities CFL have recently removed motor homes from standby queues across the network it's a fairly small action but it's one that could be put in place immediately and dealt with a level of unfairness and disproportion in the use of this element of available space there were some initial reactions around what this meant for islanders with camper vans but the solution was quickly found to this picking up on Jenny Minto's point we are also working up a plan to reduce fares for school buses used for extracurricular activities which was another community ask officials have been engaging with CFL and the ferries community board to finalise details of the scheme including exact fares, eligibility, costs and timescales but this is very much just started the process of better meeting ideas coming from our island communities I'm particularly keen that we build upon the work of the ferries community board and therefore I've asked them to take on an enhanced role contributing to the early stages of some key pieces of policy work that are strategic or network-wide in nature where they can help inform that policy development and highlight any key issues or unintended consequences based on their expertise as ferry users and representatives of their communities we look forward to working with the community board on other ticketing and fares initiatives over the coming weeks and I want to place on record my appreciation of the enthusiastic commitment to this approach we've had from Angus Campbell and his colleagues I should add however that this is not in any way designed to supplant the excellent work done by ferry committees or transport forums who will still have a key role in community specific issues such as vessel replacement where the Harris Transport Forum and the Mall Ferry Committee demonstrates my commitment to this and I look forward to meeting in person where they are in committee later this month I should also highlight that we are improving and standardising our approach to engaging with communities in the development of new vessel projects such as the new Iowa vessel where this approach has been welcomed and of course last but by no means least engagement with relevant local authorities is also a vital part of all of this and I'll be following up later this month on an initial helpful dialogue with North Ayrshire Council around the issue of Arran and Ardrossan and I look forward to progressing that Turning to the points that members have made I'll say at least some of them Alasdair Allan is right to say that I am acutely aware of the human and economic impact felt on our islands by the difficulties heightened by the need for social distancing but not entirely due to that so improvement needs to happen we need to increase the resilience of the fleet over the short, medium and long term Kenny Gibson interestingly noted the impact that lifting the restrictions has had the difficulties that has caused and he's right to do so we've had Covid outbreaks affecting a number of our ferry services particularly in Arran and I would make a plea to ferry users to exercise all due care in utilising the vessels Kenny Gibson also asked that Alasdair Allan highlighted the need for clearer messaging when communicating bad news around cancellations including providing specific detail as well as noting the plan to mitigate and I think that's something to be fair to CalMac, we're seeing some progress on in terms of second hand a new tonnage providing relief to the problems of this year we have of course added the time chart of enview arrow on a temporary basis and are very actively progressing efforts to add more permanently in the immediate term as far as the progression of new vessels is concerned I would also hope to have some news on progress quite shortly in the form of the Iowa vessel and that kicks off the building programme already announced as part of a £580 million investment in the fleet and the company infrastructure Rhoda Grant questioned the future structures behind ferry service and I understand that entirely but as Katie Clark noted there is a review of just that currently on their way neither of them I suspect would expect me to prejudge the outcome of that but let me be clear what matters here is finding the most effective and efficient way to manage and deliver services that is what we owe our island communities Graham Simpson Thank you very much and thank the minister for taking the intervention and just on the question of the review which I think is very very important indeed can he say when that will be concluded and is he prepared to make a statement to Parliament once it has been Minister? The exact time scale is not on our hands but I'm certainly happy to consider that option I'll talk to members across the chamber about that if they felt that that was appropriate Katie Clark also noted the situation that I've drawn and I can advise that progress does at last seem to be being made thanks in no small part to the support of the local council I'm relieved that's the case not least of all because we need to make progress but it also gets me some peace and quiet from Kenny Gibson as the local MSP and I want to assure her further that I'm very much looking at the model of port infrastructure ownership and operation going forward we might not entirely agree about what the best model would look like but certainly the one we have currently is not appropriate to the needs that we have In December 2017 the Scottish Government in the ferry services interim report said that it would build a case for making a direct award to an in-house operator is that still the approach that the Government is taking? Presiding Officer it would be fair to say that that is not top of my agenda in terms of an issue at the moment I have much to be getting on with in the ferry space the ferry's contract is not due up for some time it is something we'll come to but it's not high up my agenda as I'm sure the member will appreciate I want to thank Alistair Allan again for bringing this motion and for the way it has provided an opportunity to discuss this important issue of community involvement in the ferry service and where we can further develop that but if you will indulge me just a little bit more, Presiding Officer pushing my luck here, I know I want to take this opportunity to express my personal thanks to our ferry crews and the backroom staff for the tremendous job they have done throughout this pandemic I had the chance to do that personally on the Hanervor at Strom Nessan when I was travelling on the Carousc on the Loch Seaforth to pick it off his staff in Kirkwall in Mawl in Oban, Stornoway and Ullipill but let me reiterate this more widely those who have delivered their ferry services throughout those difficult past 18 months deserve our grateful thanks Presiding Officer Thank you Minister and that concludes the debate and I close this meeting