Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions on a wide range of issues including the proposal for a company limited by guarantee to succeed Railtrack.

If Network Rail succeeds Railtrack, it will be a company limited by Guarantee. There would be no shareholders and any operating surplus would be re-invested in the rail network.

Representations have been received from the Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board and also from the Chief Constable.Funding for the Scottish Police Service is currently at record levels. It is a matter for the Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board to set a budget for its area and, within that, for the Chief Constable to determine how best to use the resources available to him to meet local needs and circumstances. In addition, forces have also received extra funding to meet a number of special pressures. Among the extra amounts provided to Lothian and Borders Police in this way are: (i) £4.4 million over the past three years for new recruitment; (ii) £0.1 million in 2001-02 to meet the costs of the Scottish Parliament Police Unit when the Parliament is not sitting - the Parliament meets the rest of the costs of this unit, and (iii) £0.4 million in 2001-02 for additional policing costs incurred following the events of 11 September 2001.

Promotion of park-and-ride schemes is a matter for individual local authorities.The Scottish Executive supports the development of park-and-ride and other interchange schemes through the Public Transport Fund. To date over £20 million has been awarded towards 10 different park-and-ride schemes in Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City, Angus, Perth and Kinross, Fife, Falkirk, Stirling, and Midlothian.

Estimates of traffic growth vary, but the long term trends suggest an increase in traffic volume on major roads between 1990 and 2000 of around 16%. The aim of Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - A Consultation Paper is to evaluate the extent to which utilities companies roadworks caused disruption to road users and to identify steps that could be taken to alleviate any problems. In addition, the Executive recently commissioned a research project, Assessing the Effectiveness Of Utility Company Roadworks. Copies of the research, which is expected to report in May, will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

The aim of this consultation paper was to evaluate the extent to which utility companies' roadworks caused disruption to road users and what steps could be taken to alleviate any problems identified using the powers contained in the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. The relevant provisions of this act extend to utility companies only.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24333.

The Executive's consultation paper Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works invited comments on disruption from road works carried out by utility companies and asked for suggestions on how to alleviate any perceived problems. Once the responses to this consultation paper have been analysed, we will be in a better position to assess whether there are any such problems, and their scale. Thereafter, we will consider what action might be appropriate.

Policy areas throughout the Scottish Executive, including the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Division (ELLD), were consulted before the consultation paper was issued. No bilateral meetings between Transport Officials and ELLD have taken place to date. I also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24333 today.

The Scottish Executive's Assigned Budget was increased by £1.5 million as a formula consequential, reflecting the funds set aside in England to support post offices in deprived urban areas. Decisions on the use of the Assigned Budget are devolved. Ministers continue to examine the scope for providing support to post offices in deprived urban areas in Scotland. However, no funding has yet been committed.