- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Midlothian Council's proposals for the A701 are compatible with article 37 of the European Habitat Directive and, if so, how.
Answer
There is no Article 37 in the European Habitats Directive.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials corresponded with objectors whilst considering Midlothian Council's proposals to develop a new alignment of the A701.
Answer
The Minister for Transport and the Environment replied to three correspondents whilst considering the Notice of Intention to Develop in respect of proposed transport improvements to the A701. In addition, the Scottish Executive received 60 letters of objection and a petition with 502 signatures during this period and all of these were answered by officials.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it gave to letters and petitions regarding realignment of the A701 received by it and the former Scottish Office prior to September 1999.
Answer
The Scottish Executive gave full consideration to all letters and petitions received in connection with the Notice of Intention to Develop, whether submitted before or after September 1999.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the details provided to it regarding Midlothian Council's proposals for the A701 in the notice of intention to develop described the project as a Private Finance Initiative/Public Private Partnership project.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Enterprise or Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited allocated money towards the capital costs of completing the A701 realignment and, if so, when such allocation was made.
Answer
Neither Scottish Enterprise nor Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited have allocated money towards the capital costs of completing the A701 realignment.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Midlothian Council was given additional borrowing consent to finance the future construction of the A701 realignment and, if so, when such consent was given.
Answer
No additional funds have been allocated to the Council since the award from the Transport Challenge Fund for the A701 project.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times (a) officials and (b) Ministers visited the proposed route for the A701 whilst assessing whether to call in the A701 proposals for a public inquiry.
Answer
Scottish Executive officials visited the area on several occasions whilst the Notice of Intention to Develop was being considered by the Scottish Ministers and advised Ministers accordingly.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed improvements to the A701 will have any impact on travel levels on the Edinburgh city bypass and what assessment has been made of any such impact.
Answer
Road Network Management and Maintenance Division (RNMMD) advise that the construction of the A701 improvement, because of its short length, is in itself unlikely to have any traffic impact on the City Bypass. RNMMD have also asked that, as the detailed design for the scheme is progressed, they are consulted to discuss the effect which the construction work of the scheme may have on the slip roads connecting to the City Bypass.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4498 by Sarah Boyack on 2 March 2000, whether there are any binding statutory or legal requirements on Midlothian Council to implement any of the measures to enhance public transport outlined in its notice of intention to develop.
Answer
Implementation of the planning permission is a matter for Midlothian Council who have stated that they are committed to pursuing a package of measures including proposals designed to enhance the potential for public transport, walking and cycling along the existing route.
- Asked by: Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 3 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the original challenge funding for the A701 was specifically for developing Private Finance Initiative-based projects and at what stage it was notified that the project would be funded in a conventional manner.
Answer
Midlothian Council was awarded £2.5 million capital consent from the Transport Challenge Fund in 1997 to assist with the development of a procurement option for the A701 New Milton to Straiton project under the Private Finance Initiative. In 1999 the Council decided to finance the project by way of conventional procurement methods.
