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: S2W-00295

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 5 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that public transport workers and vehicles are protected from crime and vandalism; what discussions it has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland about this matter, and what the duty of the police is in respect of policing and protecting public transport and its staff.

As the partnership agreement, A Partnership for a Better Scotland, makes clear, we are determined to act against crime and vandalism. The travelling public and those who provide public transport services have the right to go about their business in safety, without fear of violence or injury. The police have a duty "to guard patrol and watch so as to prevent the commission of offences, to preserve order and to protect life and property". Regular discussions take place between the Executive and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland which cover a wide range of issues, including crime and vandalism. However, it is for each Chief Constable to determine how he uses the resources at his disposal to police his area. As regards public transport, I understand that Lothian and Borders Police, for example, plan to appoint a dedicated Public Transport Liaison Officer whose role will be to liaise with transport providers in promoting the implementation of specific schemes and projects aimed at enhancing safety on public transport.

Question reference: S2W-00293

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 5 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what schemes it has implemented, or plans to implement, to encourage the employment of under 21s in the public transport sector and whether it will support any funding or assistance for insurance cover for public transport drivers under 21.

The Scottish Executive has no specific schemes to encourage young people to gain employment in public transport. However, we welcome such initiatives on the part of transport operators and are aware of a small-scale initiative along these lines in Glasgow involving First Group, which stemmed from the Scottish Welfare to Work Advisory Task Force. The Scottish Executive has no plans to provide financial assistance to public transport operators to fund insurance cover for young drivers under the age of 21.

Question reference: S2W-00275

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether consultants were hired to deal with the implementation of the interim route development fund; if so, which consultants were hired and by whom; what the cost of each consultancy was in terms of fees and tendering process, and what specification was imposed in the agreed contract

Scottish Enterprise, which is administering the Interim Route Development Fund on behalf of the Executive, hired the following consultants to support the fund after advertising/tendering in the Official Journal of the European Communities:Aviasolutions to act as project managersYork Aviation to prepare an economic evaluation of routesBooz Allen Hamilton to prepare a strategic study.The terms of these contracts, including the fees, are commercially confidential.

Question reference: S2W-00258

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what routes have been given aid under the interim route development fund since the fund was established; what the purpose of each application to the fund was, and what sums were awarded in each case.

Question reference: S2W-00252

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of usage of the rail station at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport has been in each month since 1999 and what plans there are to increase the capacity or frequency of this rail service.

Question reference: S2W-00249

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive how, by whom, and according to what criteria motorway lighting columns are checked and what monitoring of compliance with these criteria is carried out and by whom.

The condition of motorway lighting columns is checked by the trunk road operating companies during regular maintenance inspections. The inspection and maintenance requirements for road lighting are specified in paragraph 2.16 of Schedule 7 Part 1 of the Trunk Road Maintenance Contract, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number. 16573), and the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges - Volume 8, TD23/99.The performance of the operating companies in complying with these requirements is monitored by the independent Performance Audit Group.

Question reference: S2W-00257

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will create a permanent rather than interim route development fund; if so, what the timetable for the fund's operation will be and whether any changes to the fund, in particular in the structure, qualification and funding available, will be proposed.

Question reference: S2W-00256

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 4 June 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether support from the interim route development fund for an air link between Scotland and Shannon Airport has been rejected and what the reasons are for the position on this matter and whether the route qualified for support and, if so, on what criteria.

Question reference: S2W-00364

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 May 2003
Current Status: Answered by George Reid on 4 June 2003

To ask the Presiding Officer what the current situation is regarding the Parliament's mail service and what the timescale is for renewal and implementation of the mail contracts.

Question reference: S1W-34726

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2003
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 March 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times (a) it and (b) each non-departmental public body has met with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) in (i) Edinburgh and (ii) elsewhere in Scotland; whether the chairman and chief executive of the authority attended any such meetings, and what future meetings are planned with the chairman and chief executive.