Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-23270

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what agencies in Scotland use cost-generating telephone numbers such as 0845 numbers for public services.

The Scottish Government does not use cost generating phone numbers and its agencies are informed in their use of 0300 and 0845 numbers, which are also non-cost-generating, by best practice as recommended by the industry regulator OFCOM.

Disclosure Scotland utilises a 0870 national rate number for an externally hosted helpdesk. No income is generated for Disclosure Scotland as these numbers are provided by BT Global Services as part of a business and technology outsourcing agreement.

Question reference: S4O-03844

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on NHS Lanarkshire’s out-of-hours service.

Question reference: S4W-22759

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) service level, (b) station and (c) infrastructure improvements it has achieved on each franchised ScotRail passenger route in each year since 2012 and how each was funded.

Since 2012 the Scottish Government has worked with ScotRail to achieve many improvements to service level, stations and infrastructure. The improvements and funding is set out in the following table by Regional Transport Partnership (RTP) area.

RTP	Improvement since 2012	Funded
SPT area routes - Paisley Canal, Anniesland, Whifflet, East Kilbride, Neilston, Newton, Barrhead, Kilmarnock, Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Shotts

(a) service level

Sunday service on Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts	No increase to franchise payments
New two hourly service between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh via Carstairs	Scottish Goverment - franchise
Paisley Canal electrification has provided journey time improvements	Network RailRegulatory Asset Base (RAB)
Increased frequency and reduced journey time between Glasgow and Ayr – Monday to Saturday (from two to four trains per hour)	Scottish Government – franchise
Increased frequency of service between Glasgow and Ayr on Sundays (from hourly to half hourly with earlier start and later finish)	No increase to franchise payments
Introduction of a two hourly service between Ayr and Edinburgh via Glasgow Central between peak periods; Increased frequency of service between Glasgow and Gourock (from three to four per hour)	Scottish Government - franchise
Sunday service introduced to call at Dalmarnock station; Sunday service introduced to call at Anderston station; New hourly Sunday service between Glasgow and Anniesland	No increase to franchise payments
Electrification of the Cumbernauld route has enabled three services per hour to be provided (previously two per hour); two extended from Dalmuir to Springburn and one service between Glasgow Queen Street and Falkirk Grahamston via Cumbernauld	Scottish Government - franchise
Increased frequency between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh via Airdrie to Bathgate providing a half hourly service from start of service; Recast of Argyle Line services with improved journey time on some routes; Introduction of electrified services on the Whifflet route (some routes have also been improved with early morning, later services or additional station calls)	No increase to franchise payments

(b) station

Cumbernauld redevelopment	Network Rail RAB
Dalmarnock redevelopment	Third party funding with RAB contribution
Newton - new lifts and footbridge; Hyndland - new lifts and footbridge; Milliken Park – ramp	Network Rail RAB
Irvine – car park expansion	Scottish Government budget – shovel ready
Glasgow Central High level, Low Level, Charing Cross, Anderston and Argyle Street – Gateline	Network Rail RAB
Glasgow Queen Street toilet refurbishment	Scottish Government - franchise
Pollokshaws West – disused station building: cycle hire/repairs; New Cumnock – disused station building: café/youth hub; Helensburgh Central – mixed martial arts gym	Scottish Government – Station Community Regeneration Fund (SCRF)
A package of station enhancements have also been carried out at a large number of stations in the SPT area such as new customer information screens, new shelters, cycle racks, ticket vending machines, wi-fi, seating, automatic ticket doors, adjustable counters, environmental improvements etc.	Scottish Government – franchise/ third party

(c) infrastructure	Rutherglen and Coatbridge (Whifflet electrification); Cumbernauld electrification; Paisley corridor improvements; Paisley Canal electrification; Newton junction re-doubling to provide improved line speed; Busby Junction doubling; Whitecraigs turnback	RAB
SWESTRANS routes – Stranraer, Carlisle and Newcastle
(a) service level	Early morning service from Dumfries to Glasgow; Additional Sunday evening Glasgow to Stranraer service	No increase to franchise payments
(b) station	A package of station enhancements have also been carried out at a number of stations in the area such as new customer information screens, new shelters, cycle racks, ticket vending machines, wi-fi, seating, automatic ticket doors, adjustable counters, environmental improvements etc.	Scottish Government – franchise/third party
(c) infrastructure	Hurlford improvement; Dumfries station turnback and line speed improvements	Network Rail RAB
SEStran routes – Fife, Newcraighall, North Berwick, Dunbar, Edinburgh-Glasgow
(a) service level	Enhanced Sunday service on Fife Circle providing an hourly frequency; New Sunday Perth to Edinburgh service via Dunfermline and return journey in the evening; Introduction of a Saturday service between Edinburgh and Dunbar; Increased frequency between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh via Falkirk High providing a half hourly service from start of service; Increased frequency of Sunday service between Stirling and Edinburgh	No increase to franchise payments
(b) station	Haymarket redevelopment; Edinburgh Waverley redevelopment and steps upgrade; Linlithgow – new lifts; Rosyth – new access ramp; Shotts – new access ramp; Camelon line speed improvement; Ladybank junction	Network Rail RAB
	Bathgate – car park expansion	Scottish Government budget - shovel ready
	North Queensferry – disused station building: exhibition centre	Scottish Government - SCRF
	A package of station enhancements have also been carried out at a number of stations in the area such as new customer information screens, new shelters, cycle racks, ticket vending machines, wi-fi, seating, automatic ticket doors, adjustable counters, environmental improvements etc.	Scottish Government – franchise/ third party
(c) infrastructure	No improvements
Tactran routes – Dundee, Stirling, Perth, Dunblane, Alloa
(a) service level	Additional calls at Monifeith, Broughty; Ferry and Invergowrie stations on Monday to Saturday; Early morning Dundee to Inverness service;	No increase to franchise payments

(b) station

Gleneagles station refurbishment and enhancement	RAB and other third parties
Dunblane – new footbridge; Perth – new footbridge, Gateline	Network Rail RAB
Ladybank – new car park	Scottish Government budget - shovel ready
Ladybank – disused station building: multi-purpose meeting room	Scottish Government - SCRF
A package of station enhancements have also been carried out at a number of stations in the area such as new customer information screens , new shelters, cycle racks, ticket vending machines, wi-fi, seating, automatic ticket doors, adjustable counters, environmental improvements etc.	Scottish Government – franchise/ third party

(c) infrastructure

Stirling Middle junction;

Barnhill line speed improvement

Network Rail RAB

Nestrans routes -

Aberdeen, Inverness,

(a) service level

Additional weekday calls at Portlethen and Laurencekirk stations

No increase to franchise payments

Increased frequency of service between Glasgow and Aberdeen on a Sunday providing an hourly service (previously two hourly).

Scottish Government - franchise

(b) station

Dyce – new footbridge;

Montrose – new footbridge

Network Rail RAB

Keith – car park expansion

Scottish Government – shovel ready

A package of station enhancements have also been carried out at a number of stations in the area such as new customer information screens, new shelters, cycle racks, ticket vending machines, wi-fi, seating, automatic ticket doors, adjustable counters, environmental improvements etc.

Scottish Government – franchise/ third party

(c) infrastructure	No improvements
HITRANS routes - Oban, Mallaig, Wick, Thurso, Kyle of Lochalsh, Fort William

(a) service level

New station call at Conon Bridge station

No increase to franchise payments

Increased frequency of service between Glasgow and Oban on weekdays (from three services to six service per day)

Scottish Government – franchise

Increased frequency of service between Glasgow and Oban on Sunday (from one service to two services)

No increase to franchise payments

(b) station

Conon Bridge station development	Scottish Government with contribution from other third parties
Inverness – Gateline	Network Rail RAB
Tain – disused station building: restaurant and bar; Helmsdale – disused station building: Holiday let	Scottish Government - SCRF
A package of station enhancements have also been carried out at a number of stations in the area such as new customer information screens, new shelters, cycle racks, ticket vending machines, seating, automatic ticket doors, adjustable counters, environmental improvements etc.	Scottish Government – franchise/ third party

(c) infrastructure

No improvements

Question reference: S4W-22760

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the benefits to passengers of the next franchised ScotRail contract, broken down by (a) passenger service route and (b) region.

Question reference: S4W-22739

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gave to the health of track workers when setting the deadline of 1 January 2020 for effluent retention tanks to be fitted to all rolling stock in the invitation to tender for the ScotRail franchise.

From December 2017 there will be no ScotRail or Caledonian Sleeper franchise-operated rolling stock that discharges toilet effluent on to the track.

The issue of discharging toilet effluent was recognised in preparation of the specification for the next Scotrail franchise that commences on 1 April 2015.

The deadline of 1 January 2020 to fit controlled emission tanks was chosen to provide a practically sufficient period to allow the ScotRail franchisee the time to be able to remove vehicles from service for the fitment of controlled emission tanks without adversely affecting their ability to operate the rail services in Scotland.

Until then, Network Rail remains actively engaged with track working front line staff and operators to remove existing waste and to minimise the locations on the network where such effluent is deposited. Network Rail has advised that they have secured specialist contractors to support a programme of deep cleaning at key site locations and this work remains ongoing.

Question reference: S4W-22743

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many carriages fitted with passenger toilet facilities licensed to operate on the ScotRail franchise are fitted with controlled emission toilets that are (a) connected and (b) not connected to effluent retention tanks and what proportion of the ScotRail rolling stock this represents.

The number of carriages fitted with passenger toilet facilities operated by the ScotRail franchisee is 527.

The number of carriages with passenger toilet facilities connected to effluent retention tanks is 479.

The number of carriages with passenger toilet facilities not connected to effluent retention tanks is 48 – this represents 9% of the carriages fitted with passenger toilet facilities.

From December 2017 there will be no ScotRail or Caledonian Sleeper franchise-operated rolling stock that discharges toilet effluent on to the track.

Question reference: S4W-22746

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take steps to require all ScotRail rolling stock to be fitted with effluent retention tanks before 1 January 2020.

From December 2017 there will be no ScotRail or Caledonian Sleeper franchise-operated rolling stock that discharges toilet effluent on to the track.

The invitation to tender issued by Transport Scotland for the ScotRail franchise competition specified that the fitment of controlled emission tank equipment for all rolling stock to be used on the ScotRail franchise must be installed before 1 January 2020.

This forms an obligation on the franchisee and is contracted in the franchise agreement contract for the franchise commencing on 1 April 2015.

Question reference: S4W-22758

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce the successful bidder for the ScotRail franchise and on what date it will publish the franchise agreement.

Question reference: S4W-22745

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government on which ScotRail routes the rolling stock is not fitted with effluent retention tanks.

The routes on which rolling stock which is not fitted with effluent retention tanks operate, according to the December 2013 rolling stock unit diagrams, are:

Glasgow Queen Street to Alloa, Oban, Fort William, Mallaig and Anniesland;

Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock, East Kilbride, Stranraer, Dumfries, Carlisle; Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts;

Edinburgh to Newcraighall;

Edinburgh to Fife

From December 2017 there will be no ScotRail or Caledonian Sleeper franchise-operated rolling stock that discharges toilet effluent on to the track.

Question reference: S4W-22749

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether ScotRail rolling stock used during the Commonwealth Games 2014 was fitted with effluent retention tanks and what discussions it had with the operator regarding the discharge of effluent on the tracks on ScotRail routes prior to the start of the Games.

Chamber and committees