Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy & Connectivity Committee are holding an enquiry into Scottish ferry construction and procurement (LINK) this month, and MIFC have sent the submission below as evidence. (it’s a PDF to download)
It’s a long read (!) but full of data, explanations and comparisons that are the result of upwards of 30 freedom of information requests, consultation with many experts from Scotland and elsewhere, and lots of spreadsheets…
When setting out to gather all of this information, the objective was to explore the possibilities for replacing our old Isle of Mull with new ferries that are more efficient, more reliable (particularly in poor weather), more cost-effective and more environmentally friendly. The government has set a target of 2045 by which the whole country must have net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. That is a much-needed and ambitious target, and we have been gathering evidence to illustrate how it could be achieved in the case of Scottish ferries (more on that in the future).
With the next Ferries Plan soon to be drafted, we want to make sure that your views (thanks for the input through our surveys) shape our future service and properly meet the needs of those who rely on it. This enquiry is a first opportunity lay out our reasoning, and illustrate the shortcomings of current ferry provision.
If you have any questions about it, please comment.
You really do need to get better if you are going to gain traction with the real world.
For a start it’s the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee and not Rural Enterprise. Who’s checking the checkers?
Donald
Thankyou Donald for your friendly and constructive contribution. I have corrected my heinous typo and given myself 30 lashes.