1. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of the grounding of MV Pentalina and any impact on ferry services to and from Orkney. (S6T-01340)

First, I thank the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the emergency services and the crew for their work on Saturday evening. Ministers were kept informed throughout, and I met Orkney Islands Council on Sunday to discuss the situation further. NorthLink Ferries proactively contacted hauliers at the time of the incident to ensure that essential goods could be delivered to Orkney, and I thank the company for its actions.

We await detail from Pentland Ferries on the length of any outage. Transport Scotland met NorthLink over the weekend to discuss what increases in capacity may be needed on services to Orkney. We also await the outcome of any investigation and actions to prevent any reoccurrence, and we need those answers as soon as possible.

I echo the minister in paying tribute to the RNLI, the emergency services, the Pentalina captain and crew and the local community in St Margaret’s Hope for the part that they played in responding to events on Saturday evening with calm professionalism and generosity. While it will take time for the full facts to emerge about what led the Pentalina to be grounded, it is obviously in the public interest for answers to be provided as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, as we enter the busiest time of the year, Orkney is set to be without ferry provision on a key route for passengers and freight over the coming weeks. Will the minister therefore agree to approve a temporary resumption of four return sailings on the Stromness to Scrabster route, as occurred when MV Alfred was out of service last year?

As I said in my original answer, NorthLink Ferries has been proactive in reaching out to hauliers, and it is monitoring the capacity that is available across its routes. As Mr McArthur is well aware, since Monday, there have been three return trips daily from Scrabster to Stromness, and we will continue to engage with NorthLink ferries on other options that may be available. We will also keep in close contact with Orkney Islands Council about the issues.

Mr McArthur rightly pointed out that, during a previous incident, four return journeys were put in place between Scrabster and Stromness. We will continue to monitor the situation and, if necessary, we will consider moving towards a fourth return service to ensure that Orkney islanders are served well.

MV Pentalina was brought back into service as a result of the Scottish Government’s desperation to plug gaps on the west coast by chartering MV Alfred. The situation provides yet another reminder of the lack of resilience in the overall ferry network across Scotland as a result of the Government’s lack of investment in new ferries over the past 15 years.

What specific action is the minister planning to take to ensure that islanders and island communities in Orkney and elsewhere in Scotland do not continue to pay the price for the Government’s calamitous mishandling of ferry provision in this country?

The Government is investing heavily in ferry services. As members will be aware, we have an order for six ferries for the network, which is important as we move forward.

I heard Mr McArthur on the radio yesterday talking about the Pentalina being rushed back into service; he suggested that there was pressure put on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to do so. I put it on record that we are not aware of any pressure being put on the MCA—certainly not by Caledonian MacBrayne or by ministers, who would not be directly involved in such engagement. Given that the MCA’s role is—rightly—in strictly enforcing maritime safety, it is doubtful that it would succumb to any pressures.

We need to wait and see what the investigation by the marine accident investigation branch comes up with. As I said previously, we want to get those answers as soon as possible. As members are aware, however, the marine accident investigation branch and the MCA are governed by the United Kingdom Government and reserved powers, and they do not answer to the Scottish ministers.

Will the minister be very clear on this? If MV Alfred cannot return, if the Pentalina is delayed in getting back into service, if there is not the option of a replacement vessel and if capacity cannot be increased adequately via NorthLink, where does that leave residents and businesses on Orkney as we enter the peak season? How will the Scottish Government compensate our islands for the loss of that vital route and its passenger and freight capacity?

It is too early to say whether there is an immediate need to consider bringing Alfred back into the Orkney service. As I said on Sunday to the leader of Orkney Islands Council, Councillor James Stockan, we will monitor what is happening with the three return services that are in place. If there is a requirement, we will look to move to the fourth service, which was previously put in place when there was a difficulty with MV Alfred.

The terms and conditions of the charter of MV Alfred are a commercial matter between CalMac and Pentland Ferries. There is no recall clause in the terms of the contract, which was a commercial decision made by Pentland Ferries as part of its discussions with CalMac. However, as I have said previously, I and the Government will continue to monitor all that as we go forward, to ensure that the Orkney Islands are well served.

Does the minister regret describing the situation for islanders as “not brilliant”? Would it be more appropriate to say that it is disastrous?

The antonym of brilliant is gloomy, and I recognise that for some folks the situation is gloomy, or not brilliant. I have spoken to folks in Orkney, and I recognise the difficulties that there are. That is why I spoke to Orkney Islands Council at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure that we get it right for islanders as we move forward. I will continue that engagement with the council and others to ensure that we get it right, and I again pay tribute to NorthLink for its efforts in contacting hauliers very quickly to make sure that capacity was in place. We will monitor the situation and act accordingly.