- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 3 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the European Commission regarding possible funding mechanisms for the replacement Forth crossing.
Answer
No discussions haveyet taken place with HM Treasury or the European Commission regarding possible fundingmechanisms for the replacement Forth Crossing.
However, I can confirmthat preliminary discussions have been held with officials from the Department forTransport about the possibility of securing some European funding.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 3 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the authors of the SUTRANET study, State Intervention in Scottish Shipping Markets, published in June 2007, that “subsidy paid to state-owned (shipping) operators has been constantly increasing and now appears to be out of control” and what steps are being considered to bring subsidy levels into line with levels in 2002.
Answer
The Scottish Executivehas put in place, or aims to put in place, tendered contracts for the operationof all lifeline ferry services subsidised by the Executive. The contracts will resultin robust contractual arrangements for the provision of these vitally importantservices. The levels of subsidy paid are strictly controlled by the terms of thesecontracts. These contracts will control the costs.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 3 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the context of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth’s statement of 6 June 2007 on the objectives of the Audit Scotland review when he said “My priority is to protect the Scottish taxpayer and ensure that any major transport project is value for money, delivering real benefit to the travelling public and the Scottish economy. I want to be absolutely sure about the calculation of the costs involved in these projects, and the assessment of risk involved, before they progress any further”, he is now absolutely sure about the calculation of the costs and assessment of risk involved in the Waverley rail line.
Answer
As I announced inmy statement to Parliament on 26 June 2007, Transport Scotland is continuing a due-diligencereview of the Borders railway project as it prepares to take on the role of AuthorisedUndertaker for the railway, a role that it is preparing for at the behest of theprevious administration. This exercise will better inform me of what the costs and risks involved in the Borders railline are likely to be.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 3 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the context of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth’s statement on the objectives of the Audit Scotland review when he said “My priority is to protect the Scottish taxpayer and ensure that any major transport project is value for money, delivering real benefit to the travelling public and the Scottish economy. I want to be absolutely sure about the calculation of the costs involved in these projects, and the assessment of risk involved, before they progress any further”, he is now absolutely sure about the calculation of the costs and assessment of risk involved in the M80 Stepps to Haggs project.
Answer
The current cost estimateis in the range £130 million to £150 million, based on the risks as currently identified,but we will continue to monitor both in light of prevailing tender prices for roadscontracts. The tender process is under way and the absolute costs will not be knownuntil tenders have been returned and the contract completed.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 3 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2526 by Stewart Maxwell on 14 August 2007, what legislative or administrative proposals it is considering in relation to promoting the successful and sustainable transformation of communities across Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Governmentwill be bringing forward proposals for the successful and sustainable transformationof communities in the context of the spending review. We will make announcementsin due course.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 3 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2526 by Stewart Maxwell on 14 August 2007, how it will create the right environment for private and public investment.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3318 on 3 September 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 3 September 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2526 by Stewart Maxwell on 14 August 2007, how it will devolve power to the local level.
Answer
I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3318 on 3 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Linda Fabiani on 30 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are taking place with the UK Government regarding future representation of the Executive in the United States of America and Europe.
Answer
We are currently consideringthe replacement of the First Secretary of Scottish Affairs in the USA. In this, as in other overseas representation, we arekeeping the Foreign and Commonwealth Office informed.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 July 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 29 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new houses to be sited in or near Stow, Galashiels or Tweedbank have been proposed under Scottish Borders Council’s draft development strategy.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:
The Scottish BordersFinalised Local Plan provides indicativehousing capacity for all settlements across the Borders.
The current indicativehousing capacity as identified in the Local Plan for Galashiels, Stow and Tweedbank is:
Galashiels – 955 units
Stow – 30 units
Tweedbank – 131 units.
The Finalised LocalPlan is available at:
http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/life/planningandbuilding/plansandpolicy/2748.html.
- Asked by: Des McNulty, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 August 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 29 August 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what its total energy consumption was in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Answer
During 2006-07 thetotal energy consumption for the buildings on the core Government estate was asfollows:
| Energy Type | Consumption (kWh) |
| Electricity | 14,520,971 |
| Gas | 9,585,155 |
| Liquid Fuel | 707,487 |
| Total | 24,813,613 |
Around a fifth of the total floor area of the core government estate is occupied by a number of othertenants. As it is not possible to disaggregate their energy use from the total consumedthe figures include that used by these minor occupiers.
