Chamber and committees

The responses have been published on the Transport Scotland website:

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/strategy-and-research/publications-and-consultations/rail-passenger-services-2014.

The detail of the specification for the next franchisees is currently being drawn up. The criteria being considered for the break clause in the ScotRail franchise include growth in passenger numbers and improvements in overall performance.

A programme of ongoing consultation with key stakeholders is currently being drawn up so that the development of the specification of the forthcoming franchises can be discussed.

This data is provided by local authorities on the basis of financial years and is available up to 2010-11. The information is contained in the following table:

Scottish Ministers assumed responsibility for the rail franchise in Scotland in 2005.

The Scottish Government through ScotRail lease all of the trains in its fleet directly from Rolling Stock Operating Companies [ROSCOs] as part of its Franchise funding arrangements. These leases are in place until the end of the current Franchise in November 2014.

ScotRail has added the following trains to its operating fleet since 2005.

The housing developments by local authority area that have been approved to participate in the New Supply Shared Equity with Developers Scheme in 2012-13 are provided in the following table.

Notes:

[*] Cost breakdown for the four stations delivered within the Larkhall line re-opening is not available but the total project cost was £35.6 million.

[^] Station built as part of Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine line re-opening cost was £85 million.

[#] Five stations built as part of Airdrie-Bathgate line re-opening cost was £375 million.

New stations have recently been delivered within larger rail enhancement projects.

A range of options for the setting of regulated fares is currently being modelled. We also intend to expand fares regulation to protect those in rural areas as well as commuters. The levels at which regulated fares will be set for the next franchise will be included in the franchise specification.

There have been no requests from ScotRail to permanently close or reduce station ticket office opening hours during the term of this Franchise.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07893 on 25 June 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Third Sector is made up of community groups, voluntary organisations, charities, social enterprises, co-operatives and individual volunteers.

An organisation is regarded as being in the third sector if it:

has a positive community purpose

is run by an unpaid (or mostly unpaid) committee

is not principally set up to distribute profit to shareholders

is not run by or affiliated to a political party or a government body.

The Private Company Limited by Guarantee is one of the legal structures used by third sector organisations, although not all Private Companies Limited by Guarantee would be considered part of the third sector.

The Scottish Government provides financial support across a range of policy areas to a wide range of third sector organisations, each fund has specific criteria tied to policy outcomes, and applicant organisations will have their own legal structure. Applicants should consult the appropriate fund guidance for advice.

The Scottish Government’s Third Sector Unit is currently exploring how to focus its future direct funding investments to support further growth and development across the sector.