- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19833 by Sarah Boyack on 23 November 2001, whether it will give specific details on whether it has ever been consulted by, or instigated consultation with, the Strategic Rail Authority on the allocation of the UK rail modernisation fund to railway investment projects in Scotland and, if so, whether it will detail in each case when the consultation took place, the project concerned and who instigated the consultation.
Answer
No. As the member will be aware, it is not usual to provide details of discussions between ministers and third parties.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 11 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19092 by Sarah Boyack on 12 November 2001, how many (a) individuals and (b) organisations were present at the "Ready for Winter ? Winter Maintenance on Scotland's Roads" conference at Victoria Quay on 25 September 2001; whether it will provide full details of the agenda under discussion on the day; whether any contractor or contract area was identified as being ill-prepared for winter maintenance obligations on conclusion of the event, and what the names of any such contractors or contract areas were.
Answer
Approximately 100 individuals, representing 42 organisations, were present at the "Ready for Winter - Winter Maintenance on Scotland's Roads" conference on 25 September 2001. The agenda included the following:Working with an Operating CompanyA Winter's Tale; community expectationsRoad User's PerspectiveNADICS DevelopmentsDevelopments in Met Office - TechnologyWinter Maintenance Risk and LiabilityWinter Maintenance Planning and Operation in NorwayGroup Workshops and DiscussionsOn conclusion of the event it was agreed that further liaison between the Operating Companies, local authorities and the police is vitally important in order to develop and deliver the best possible service to users of both trunk and local roads. Forums to enhance liaison and communications between the Scottish Executive, Operating Companies, local councils and the police have recently been held at Victoria Quay for each of the four trunk road operating company areas. Meetings have also taken place at operational level between representatives of these organisations to discuss winter maintenance plans in detail.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 26 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 10 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive why, under section 2.1 (i) of Schedule 3, Part 4 of the Term Contract for Management and Maintenance of the Scottish Trunk Road Network, Amey Highways Ltd and BEAR (Scotland) Ltd are prevented from responding directly to enquiries from MPs and MSPs and why those groups were so specified.
Answer
This condition, which is no different to that in the previous contracts, was included to define areas of responsibility between the Scottish Executive and the Operating Companies in respect of dealings with MPs and MSPs.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 26 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 10 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive why, under section 2.1 (ii) of Schedule 3, Part 4 of the Term Contract for Management and Maintenance of the Scottish Trunk Road Network, Amey Highways Ltd and BEAR (Scotland) Ltd are prevented from responding directly to enquiries from the media and why the media were so specified.
Answer
This condition, which is no different to that in the previous contracts, was included to define areas of responsibility between the Scottish Executive and the Operating Companies in respect of dealings with the media.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 6 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive why it concluded that the Statement of Practice did not apply to staff transfers under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations associated with the trunk road maintenance contracts tendering process, as referred to in paragraph 15 of Appendix 1 to the submission by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities referred to in the report by the Auditor General for Scotland, The New Trunk Road Contracts: An Examination of the Competition for the Maintenance and Management of the Trunk Road Network; how it came to this conclusion, and what bodies or organisations it liased with during the decision-making process that led to this conclusion.
Answer
After careful examination, the Scottish Executive concluded that the Statement of Practice did not apply. The Scottish Executive was not the employer of the public sector workers involved, nor did the Scottish Executive or its predecessors ever employ them.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 6 December 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive why there was "no obligation on it to protect occupational pensions", as referred to in paragraph 15 of Appendix 1 to the submission by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities referred to in the report by the Auditor General for Scotland, The New Trunk Road Contracts: An Examination of the Competition for the Maintenance and Management of the Trunk Road Network, and what impact this position has had, or will have, on those local authority staff affected.
Answer
I refer the member the answer given to question S1W-20257. The Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations 1981 do not apply so as to transfer contract terms in relation to membership of occupational pension schemes.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 12 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive by what process it prioritises projects seeking support under the Freight Facilities Grant scheme and on what criteria such prioritising is based.
Answer
There are a number of variables that are considered when prioritising Freight Facilities Grant applications. The principal criteria used are a comparison of the grant cost with the environmental benefits that will be secured, the actual level of grant sought taking account of the available resources and an assessment of the relative strategic importance of the projects under consideration which takes account of input from the Strategic Rail Authority where appropriate.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 12 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding the impact of any scarcity of rail signalling resources on the development of rail projects in Scotland and on what dates, to whom and on what specific issues were any such representations made.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government about a wide range of issues related to railways.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any discussions it has had on vertical integration of the rail network since Railtrack plc went into administration, specifying with whom and on what date.
Answer
Since Railtrack plc went into administration I have had a number of meetings with relevant bodies and individuals at which the subject of vertical integration of the rail network was amongst those discussed.
- Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 09 November 2001
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 November 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4059 by Sarah Boyack on 8 November 2001, whether it has ever been consulted by, or instigated consultation with, the Strategic Rail Authority on the allocation of the UK rail modernisation fund to railway investment projects in Scotland and, if so, whether it will detail in each case when the consultation took place, the project concerned and who instigated the consultation.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Strategic Rail Authority on a wide range of issues.
