Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1O-04094

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 November 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 15 November 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the range of powers that the Scottish ministers have in relation to the rail industry.

Question reference: S1O-04059

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 8 November 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the UK rail modernisation fund will be allocated to railway investment projects in Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-19288

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 November 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) whether it will publish an anonymised account of the full report of its internal investigation into the failure to renew the Erskine Bridge toll order, (b) what the specific reasons are for its position on this matter and (c) how its position reflects its stated aims for open government.

We undertook during the debate on the Erskine Bridge Tolls Bill to publish the conclusions and recommendations of the investigation. We did so on 15 October. These cover what happened, and the next steps to avoid a recurrence. The publication of this information is in keeping with the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information. Publication of the full report or an anonymised version would not be in the public interest, as disclosure of this information would prejudice the effective conduct of personnel management in the Scottish Executive (Exemption 7 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information).

Question reference: S1O-03931

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2001
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 25 October 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3669 by Mr Alasdair Morrison on 28 June 2001, whether there is now a target rate of growth for the Scottish economy and whether it expects the long-term trend rate of growth to rise, fall or stay the same in the coming five years.

The Executive does not have a target rate for economic growth in Scotland and does not make economic forecasts.What is important is that the Executive is addressing the underlying conditions for growth and prosperity in the modern economy. We are set upon raising Scotland's global profile, improving our connectivity, exploiting our research strengths and aligning our skills to the knowledge base. We are also taking action in relation to Scotland's education and its infrastructure. All are critical to our longer-term economic performance and it is right to seek to improve such conditions at all times.We are currently designing specific targets for the key elements on the enterprise side that will bring better productivity and growth.

Question reference: S1W-18037

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 September 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 24 October 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any maintenance work will be required on the land erosion affecting an exposed pile at pier 19 of the Kincardine Bridge; whether it will give details of any such work; when this problem was first identified; whether it has been reported to it by any agencies since and, if so, by whom and on what dates; whether it will detail any damage that has been caused to the bridge; over what timescale any such damage has occurred; what the timetable is for any repair work; how much such repairs will cost; whether the cost has risen since the problem was first identified, and, if so, by how much in both percentage and real terms.

A potential scour problem at pier 19 of the Kincardine Bridge was first identified some years ago, and both the Forth Local Authority Consortium and Amey Highways Ltd have subsequently monitored the situation. Scouring of the bed of a river is a complex process and it is often the case that scour holes can be refilled by changing river patterns. In 1999, the Forth Local Authority Consortium (FLAC) put forward a bid to undertake remedial works involving the installation of rock protection around the base of the pier. It was then agreed with FLAC that this should be programmed for the current financial year and the work is due to be undertaken by Amey Highways Ltd in January 2002.

Whilst the erosion has partially exposed the piles below the pier, no structural damage has occurred as a result. The estimated cost of these measures is £50,000.

In relative terms the type and cost of repairs today is no different than it would have been had the protection measures been required at an earlier stage.

Question reference: S1O-03905

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 October 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the development of light railways and tram systems.

Question reference: S1W-18035

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 September 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 1 October 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any incidents on the Kincardine Bridge involving fire since AMEY Highways Ltd became responsible for the maintenance of the bridge and, if so, what type of incidents these were; on what dates the incidents took place; whether staff were on site at the outbreak of the fire or had to attend the incident; whether the emergency services attended, and, if so, whether they had reason to contact the local authority formerly responsible for maintenance on the bridge about the incidents and for what reasons.

There was a fire on the Kincardine Bridge on the evening of 3 August 2001 on the timber jetty in the vicinity of the central pier. An electrical fault is believed to have been the cause and there was local damage to timber members as a result.

A member of the public using a mobile phone raised the alarm with the fire brigade and police who attended the incident. Emergency procedures are in place between Amey Highways Ltd and the emergency services and these were followed. Amey Highways Ltd staff went to the site on being contacted by the emergency services. I understand that the fire brigade also contacted others, including Falkirk Council and Forth Ports Plc.

Question reference: S1W-18031

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 September 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 1 October 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the local authority responsible for maintaining the Kincardine Bridge prior to the maintenance contract being awarded to AMEY Highways Ltd employed a full-time bridge attendant and, if so, whether this was a contractual obligation.

During the term of the previous contract, Falkirk Council maintained Kincardine Bridge on behalf of Forth Local Authority Consortium (FLAC). A council employee was based full-time at the adjacent depot to undertake certain duties in connection with the bridge, the depot and the emergency bridging stock depot at Bandeath.

There was no contractual requirement for FLAC to appoint a full-time bridge attendant.

Question reference: S1W-17853

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2001
Current Status: Answered by Wendy Alexander on 27 September 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16761 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 17 July 2001, how the one-off savings accrued from a delay in project implementation can be allocated to pay for on-going budgets such as the budget to meet the commitment to personal care for elderly people.

Question reference: S1W-17854

Asked by: Andrew Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2001
Current Status: Answered by Angus MacKay on 27 September 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date it will announce any underspend in the budget for 2000-01 and the implications of any such underspend for detailed budgets.