- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 3 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be able to give directions and guidance to the company limited by guarantee that will replace Railtrack and, if so, under what terms and circumstances; whether such directions and guidance will be subject to veto and, if so, by whom.
Answer
The regulation of whatever company succeeds Railtrack will remain a reserved matter and as such will be the responsibility of the Office of the Rail Regulator.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 April 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 3 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote or fund further bus park-and-ride schemes similar to Ferry Toll in Fife; what sites have been selected under any such plans, and what (a) funds have provided and (b) steps have been taken to date.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 April 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 3 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what its current position is on the financing of the M74 northern extension.
Answer
The position remains as stated in the answer given by Sarah Boyack to Robert Brown in question S1W-15440 11 May 2001.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 3 May 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions regarding the company limited by guarantee that will succeed Railtrack.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 26 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether road congestion has decreased or increased in each of the last five years and, if there has been an increase, to what extent the level of road works has contributed to that increase.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 22 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive why local authorities and highway agencies are exempt from the proposals set out in Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - A Consultation Paper.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to assess the potential impact on social exclusion of the proposals set out in Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - a Consultation Paper.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24333.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what bilateral meetings have taken place between its Transport Division and Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Division to discuss Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - A Consultation Paper.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 16 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to assess the potential impact on its information technology policies, as set out in Connecting Scotland: our broadband future, of the proposals set out in Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - A Consultation Paper.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 15 April 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been received from Her Majesty's Government towards the support of post offices in urban deprived areas and how much it has spent on such post offices.
Answer
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.
