First ScotRail (Industrial Relations)

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:12 pm on 5 May 2010.

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Photo of Sandra White Sandra White Scottish National Party 2:12, 5 May 2010

I welcome the union members in the gallery and I welcome the opportunity to take part in today's debate. I hope that it will shed some light on the facts behind this dispute. I thought that I would have been able to take part in a conciliatory debate, but I am afraid that Elaine Smith's speech has made that impossible.

Elaine Smith and others wish, whether unwittingly or disingenuously, to give the impression that the current Scottish Government is responsible for the current franchise agreement with ScotRail. I point out that question S3W-29329 was submitted in the name of Charlie Gordon, inquiring as to whether the franchise agreement includes provision for indemnification in the event of financial loss as a result of industrial dispute. In his reply, the minister makes it clear that the current franchise was signed off by the previous Labour/Liberal Administration.