Chamber and committees

The promoter has indicatedto the Scottish Executive that no discussions have taken place with Network Railregarding the maintenance of track and signalling for the Waverley railway line. However, The Scottish Executive understandsthat early discussions between the promoter and Network Rail’s predecessor Railtrackdid take place in 2002 where indicative maintenance costs were presented to thepromoter by Railtrack. At this stage of the project the partner who might undertakethe development has not been identified and need not be Network Rail.

Transport Scotlandis continuing a due-diligence review of the Borders railway as it prepares to takeon the role of Authorised Undertaker for the railway, a role that it is assumingat the behest of the previous administration. Until this exercise is complete, itis not prudent to speculate on the validity of the original estimated maintenancecosts of track and signalling, and by what mechanism these costs would be met.

The Budget Billfor 2007-08 Financial Year was laid before Scottish Ministers in January 2007,this outlines the spending plans voted by Parliament for the 2007-08 financialyear. The Annual Budget Cycle permits revisions to the Budget Bill, the firstbeing the Autumn Budget Revisions and later the Spring Budget Revisions, whichare both laid before Parliament.

Any revisions tothe spending plans for 2007-08 resulting from the review of  Transport Scotland Major Projects in June 2007 will be reflected inthese Budget Revisions.

Spending plansare set during biennial spending reviews, with the last year of one spendingreview becoming the first year of the next. Spending Review 2004 revised plansfor 2005-06 and set new plans for 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Work on thecurrent Spending Review 2007 will set out spending plans for financial years2008-09; 2009-10 and 2010-11.

My officials are currentlyhaving preliminary discussions with Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire and Glasgow City Councils and Strathclyde Partnershipfor Transport regarding the Clyde Fastlink Phase 1 proposals.

The Budget Billfor 2007-08 Financial Year was laid before Scottish Ministers in January 2007. Thisoutlines the spending plans voted by Parliament for the 2007-08 financial year.The annual budget cycle permits revisions to the Budget Bill, the first beingthe autumn budget revisions and later the spring budget revisions, which areboth laid before Parliament.

Any revisions tothe spending plans for 2007-08 for Transport Scotland will be reflected in these budget revisions.

All pressures acrossthe Scottish Executive will be reviewed as part of the wider current Scottish ExecutiveSpending Review SSR07.

I have asked Dr.Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, toanswer. His response is as follows:

The SBSA intendsto continue its programme of auditing the effectiveness of local authorityverifiers with particular regard both to their individually agreed balancedscorecards and also representations made to the agency by users of the system.

I have asked Dr.Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, toanswer. His response is as follows:

The constitutionof an expert panel that will meet this September has been announced. Revisionsto the energy standards in Scottish building regulations will be kick-startedby this meeting and the issue of mandatory low and zero carbon technologies,such as micro-renewables, will be on the agenda.

I have asked DrPaul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, toanswer. His response is as follows:

All legislationrequired for the implementation of the EU Directive on the Energy Performanceof Buildings Directive (EPBD) came into force on 1 May 2007.

EnergyPerformance Certificates (EPCs) have been introduced for all new buildings, andwill be phased in for all buildings which are to be sold or rented out and forpublic buildings by 4 January 2009.

The optionof provision of advice on boilers rather than inspection has been selected andan equivalence report will be issued in January 2008, and

The inspectionsof air conditioning equipment will start from January 2009.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-97 on 1 June 2007. All answers to parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility forwhich can be found at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.