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I may bring in officials on whether the ferries plan should have been reviewed earlier. It is worth pointing out that the plan, which ran until this year, has already delivered a number of improvements. For example, we have got new routes running. As the committee heard earlier from Mr Hobbs, we have got the Campbeltown route and the new Mallaig to Lochboisdale route.

We have also had the roll-out of road equivalent tariff for passengers and cars on the CHFS network, which has saved passengers a significant amount of money—bluntly, £25 million a year. We have also had big upgrades in relation to port infrastructure, for example at Brodick pier, Tarbert and Wemyss Bay.

On the islands connectivity plan, the timescale was agreed previously with the ferries plan. Learning has been taken from the ferries plan. My understanding is that the timescale was agreed to—I think that it works well. We need to have that long-term forecast for where we are going next.

The plan is in draft. That is quite important. It is key that we engage with communities on what happens next. I do not want to do something to island communities that they are not content with, and it is really important to islander confidence that we mark out a clear way forward.

Chris Wilcock or Laurence Kenney may want to say more about the review period in the ferries plan that ran for the past decade.

I understand Mr Kerr’s concern. I think that it is not unhelpful that the two things are happening simultaneously. As I said in my opening statement, we are going out to consult on project Neptune. Angus Campbell is leading that work, part of which involves asking communities about what they want to see as part of CHFS3, for example how we can change the future contract to deliver a service that works better for island communities. Committee members have gone out and spoken to island communities and know, as we do, where the real challenges are.

I assure members that service delivery will continue, irrespective of the model that we use in future. Transport Scotland is looking at the most appropriate way to continue services. We will engage with key stakeholders. I hope to be able to update the committee more fully in the coming weeks about what those arrangements will look like. Whatever we do with the next CHFS contract, it is really important that that is something that island communities want. I am very aware that some parts of the current contract do not work for island communities and we do not want to replicate that with what comes next. It is important that we hear from communities. The officials may want to say more about how that approach has been developed within Transport Scotland, where the work is on-going.

To the best of my knowledge, they have not, because the work on CHFS 3 is on-going. I will bring in an official to speak on that and I am happy for Transport Scotland to correct me if I am wrong.

I will let Transport Scotland answer that.

Transport Scotland will consult and engage with a range of different experts, and officials might want to say more about that. The ferry expert group was disbanded before I became transport minister, but I have met a number of individuals who used to sit on it. I know a little about its history, and I understand—officials can correct me if I am wrong, because they will know more about the history—that the group had evolved into something away from its original aim.

Ms Lennon’s overall question, though, is important, because although Angus Campbell can provide me with the views of communities, I also need a view from experts on what we are developing and delivering. I have therefore asked Transport Scotland for advice on pulling together a round table of experts at international level. Of course, project Neptune looked at lots of different countries’ delivery models, because it is hugely important that we do not lose out on that expertise.

At the tail end of the previous evidence session, I heard Morag McNeill talk about the importance of academic expertise. Such expertise is hugely important, and I know that CMAL uses it in its own work. We therefore need to cast the net wide, and I am sure—indeed, I know—that Transport Scotland engages regularly with experts. The board was just one way in which that was done historically; I do not think that it is not an on-going process.

I am satisfied.

I take on board your point, convener; that is a vast area of Scotland. In the regulations, there is the power for local authorities to decide for themselves how to administer any hearings process; it is not for Government to dictate.

That it is a fair question. Elise McIntyre will come in on the specifics, and I might speak about ministerial directions after that.

At this time, it is quite difficult for us to say what the future cost will be. Donald Morrison and I mentioned, I think in response to Ms Lennon’s question, that some local authorities are further down the road than others, while some are waiting and holding back their consultation and assessment processes until the regulations come into force. Therefore, we do not yet know where they are in their planning or what the associated costs with that would be.

We would certainly want to continue working with local authority partners. They have been part of the working group to develop the parking guidance for example. That has been pivotal. They have helped to shape and change the guidance as officials have worked with them during the past year and a bit.

We as a Government recognise the need to listen and respond to changes accordingly. I take Mr Kerr’s point seriously, because I recognise some of the financial challenges that local authorities and, it should be said, the Scottish Government face at this time.

We have provided funding of £2.4 million, and we will continue to work with local authority partners on those costs. However, at this time, it is not possible to give a quantifiable amount for each local authority, because some are further down the road with their assessments than others and others have yet to start the process and therefore will not have a cost associated with the work itself.

Yes.