- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to each of the four voluntary transport partnerships by (a) it and (b) each constituent local authority in each year since their inception.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not hold information on contributions from constituent local authorities, but the Voluntary Transport Partnerships have agreed to provide this to us. I will write shortly once the necessary information has been collated.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 24 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government regarding the upgrade of the A74 from Gretna to Carlisle and what the outcome was of these discussions.
Answer
The Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty's Government on a range of transport issues in England which have implications for Scotland, including construction of the M6 from Carlisle to Guards Mill at Gretna.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 24 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the 2007-08 local authority settlement so that local authorities are able not to reduce services or raise council taxes.
Answer
There are no plans in place to reopen the outcome of Spending Review 2004 which provided the funding for the 2007-08 local authority settlement.
In my statement to Parliament on 8 December setting out the Local Government Finance Settlement, I announced a robust funding package for local authorities for the next three years. This package included an increase in funding through Aggregate External Finance (AEF) of 10.4% over the three years 2005-08. This package is designed to provide a level of Executive funding which, together with a contribution from council tax income, will not only maintain existing levels of service but provide growth in key areas like care in the community and roads maintenance. The council tax contribution assumes increases of around only 2.5% in both 2006-07 and 2007-08.
In making my statement, I did acknowledge that the 2007-08 package is perceived by some to be tight but I will continue the dialogue with COSLA and individual local authorities on the matter of the 2007-08 funding package and this dialogue will be undertaken in the context of the overall Scottish budget and local government’s progress in implementing the Scottish Executive’s efficient government plan that expects overall savings from local government of £325 million.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 24 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to "promote quality contracts for bus services", as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer
The Executive issued comprehensive guidance in October 2001 covering the bus measures in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001, including quality contracts. The aim of the guidance was to help authorities consider and assess the wide range of options available to them under the 2001 Act. We are currently considering what further assistance the Executive might give to the development of best practice on quality contracts.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 24 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates any legal difficulties arising under EU competition regulations between its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland to "promote quality contracts for bus services" and its role in approving any such contracts.
Answer
No. The Scottish Executive ensures that it acts in accordance with European Law in performing all of its functions including in the role it would take in approving any quality contracts for bus services. The legislative mechanism for this is set out in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 20 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the public holiday (a) days and (b) dates (i) were in 2004 and (ii) will be in 2005.
Answer
There is no legal orstatutory definition of public holiday in the United Kingdom.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 20 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the local holiday (a) days and (b) dates (i) were in 2004 and (ii) will be in 2005.
Answer
This information is not heldby the Scottish Executive. Local holidays are determined by individual councilswho are able to advise on the dates of local holidays in their areas. Datesare set which reflect local traditions and consultation with local businessinterests, and may vary between local authority areas.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 20 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12989 by Ms Patricia Ferguson on 24 December 2004, how it will ensure that the new tourism hubs have an adequate cash flow in the period between membership fees ending and the new funding arrangements taking effect.
Answer
Membership fees will end on 31 March 2005 with thewinding up of the Area Tourist Boards, and the new funding arrangements which VisitScotlandis discussing with the Executive will come into effect on 1 April. Part of thesediscussions is about the scale of the savings which are expected to result fromachieving efficiencies from network integration. The positionremains that, once these efficiencies are achieved during the course of 2005-06,the tourism network is expected to be sustainable.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 20 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the bank holiday (a) days and (b) dates (i) were in 2004 and (ii) will be in 2005.
Answer
The information is as follows:
| Holidays | 2004 | 2005 |
| New Year’s Day (or in lieu of) | Thurs | 1 Jan | Tues | 4 Jan |
| 2 January (or in lieu of) | Fri | 2 Jan | Mon | 3 Jan |
| Good Friday | Fri | 9 Apr | Fri | 25 Mar |
| Early May Bank Holiday | Mon | 3 May | Mon | 2 May |
| Spring Bank Holiday | Mon | 31 May | Mon | 30 May |
| Summer Bank Holiday | Mon | 2 Aug | Mon | 1 Aug |
| Christmas Day (or in lieu of 25 Dec) | Tues | 28 Dec | Mon | 26 Dec |
| Boxing Day (or in lieu of 26 Dec) | Mon | 27 Dec | Tues | 27 Dec |
More information on bankholidays can be found on the Scottish Executive website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library4/JD/CL/00018329.aspx?mode=view.
- Asked by: David Mundell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 20 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the legal status is of (a) local, (b) public and (c) bank holidays.
Answer
There is no statutory basis forlocal or public holidays.
Scottish ministers are responsiblefor setting bank holidays in Scotland. The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 providesthe statutory basis for UK bank holidays. Schedule 1 prescribes Scottish bank holidays.Section 1(2) of the act provides for alternative days to be appointed as bank holidaysby Royal Proclamation where a day specified in schedule 1 to the act is inexpedientin any particular year. Section 1(3) of the act provides that special days may beappointed as bank holidays by Royal Proclamation either throughout the United Kingdomor in any place or locality in the United Kingdom.
