- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to provide start-up support for international air services to other EU countries or countries outwith the EU.
Answer
The Scottish Executive can consider applications for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) towards start-up international air service projects. The Enterprise Network can also consider support towards, for example, marketing of an international air service. In addition, the Scottish Executive supports Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd which can offer discounted airport charges for new domestic and international air services. However, direct subsidy to an airline can only be paid after the imposition of a public service obligation on a lifeline air route in accordance with EC Regulation 2408/92.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether international air links are beneficial to the Scottish economy; if so, in what way and whether it has any plans to promote such links by making representations to Her Majesty's Government or airlines regarding new air links between Scotland and international destinations.
Answer
The Scottish Airports and Air Services Study, jointly commissioned by the Scottish Executive and DETR, is part of a wider review of aviation policy for the next 30 years. The review is aimed at encouraging the growth of regional air transport to meet local demand for both domestic and international air travel where consistent with sustainable development principles.
International air links can have a positive impact on Scottish economic growth, for example by cutting costs for local businesses, stimulating foreign investment and promoting regional tourism. Decisions on developing new air links between Scotland and international destinations is a matter for the commercial judgement of airlines. Airport operators also have a role in assessing the potential for new services.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was spent on fuel for ministerial cars in each month since July 1999.
Answer
The monthly expenditure on fuel for the Government Car Service (Scotland) (GCS) since July 1999 is shown in the table below:
Month | Expenditure (£) |
Jul 1999 | 3,575 |
Aug 1999 | 1,620 |
Sep 1999 | 4,730 |
Oct 1999 | 4,227 |
Nov 1999 | 2,927 |
Dec 1999 | 3,345 |
Jan 2000 | 2,391 |
Feb 2000 | 2,511 |
Mar 2000 | 3,251 |
Apr 2000 | 4,032 |
May 2000 | 2,353 |
June 2000 | 2,712 |
The GCS provides or arranges car transport for the Scottish Ministers, Ministers of UK Government Departments when in Scotland, office-bearers of the Scottish Parliament, senior members of the judiciary, officials and visiting dignitaries.
Since 1 August 2000 all GCS cars have been dual fuel which enables them to be run, whenever possible, on liquid petroleum gas (lpg) instead of unleaded petrol. Lpg is a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to unleaded petrol.
When demand exceeds available GCS capacity, private hire cars and drivers are engaged from companies with which the GCS has standing arrangements. The cost of fuel is not separately identified within the cost of private hire cars.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 July 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was spent on fuel for ministerial cars in each year since 1997.
Answer
The total expenditure on fuel for the Government Car Service (Scotland) (GCS) is shown in the table below:
1997-98 | £16,417 |
1998-99 | £24,033 |
1999-2000 | £34,832 |
The GCS provides or arranges car transport for the Scottish Ministers, Ministers of UK Government Departments when in Scotland, office-bearers of the Scottish Parliament, senior members of the judiciary, officials and visiting dignitaries.
Since 1 August 2000 all GCS cars have been dual fuel which enables then to be run, whenever possible, on liquid petroleum gas (lpg) instead of unleaded petrol. Lgp is a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to unleaded petrol.
Since 1997-98, the number of jobs carried out by the GCS has increased significantly which is reflected in the increased expenditure on fuel. When demand exceeds available GCS capacity, private hire cars and drivers are engaged from companies with which the GCS has standing arrangements. The cost of fuel is not separately identified within the cost of private hire cars.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 17 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish the Crown Counsel's report to the Lord Advocate on the review of the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre and what the reasons are for its position in relation to the publication or otherwise of this report.
Answer
The advice given by Crown Counsel to the Law Officers is done so on a confidential basis. Consequently, there are no plans to publish the advice which Crown Counsel submitted to the Law Officers in connection with the Chinook helicopter crash.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 14 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to promote the re-opening of the Stirling/Alloa/Dunfermline railway line, and what is the possible timescale for the reopening of (a) its freight service and (b) its passenger service.
Answer
I met representatives of Clackmannanshire Council and local MSPs on 6 April 2000 and discussed a range of transport matters, including the Stirling/Alloa/Dunfermline railway line. Railtrack recently submitted an application for a Freight Facilities Grant for the line. This is being appraised. Until the appraisal has been completed, it would be inappropriate to estimate a timescale to reopen the line.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 9 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many roads have been newly classified as trunk roads since May 1997, specifying the distance involved in each case.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has not reclassified any local roads as trunk since May 1997. The following sections of new trunk road have been opened since May 1997.
Route | Section | Length (km) |
M74 | Paddys Rickle Bridge - Hardhope | 6.84 |
M74 | Hardhope - Middlegill | 6.31 |
M74 | Middlegill-Beattock | 4.24 |
M74 | Beattock-Dinwoodie Green | 21.46 |
M90 | Halbeath Interchange | 2.30 |
A9 | Logie Easter-Garrick Bridge | 1.10 |
A75 | The Glen Improvement | 3.00 |
A82 | Base Camp Rail Bridge | 0.44 |
A828 | Creagan Bridge Diversion | 0.90 |
A830 | Polnish Bridge-Loch Nan Uamh | 1.86 |
A96 | Blackburn Bypass | 4.28 |
A96 | Kintore Bypass | 3.83 |
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Iain Gray on 2 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what the fuel costs of each local authority social work department have been annually since 1997.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 31 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive to detail the central and local government expenditure on the Fife/Edinburgh Park and Ride bus scheme in terms of each contributing body and the categories of expenditure.
Answer
The details in relation to Fife Council's A90 Ferrytoll Park and Ride scheme and the City of Edinburgh Council's A90 bus priority measures are:
Fife Council's A90 Ferrytoll Park and Ride Bus Scheme
The Scottish Office awarded the council £2.7 million from the 1998-99 Transport Challenge Fund to assist with this project which is expected to commence in early December 2000. The council is contributing £1.186 million to the total cost of £4.3 million with other funding being provided by the European Regional Development Fund, Scottish Enterprise and the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board.
City of Edinburgh Council's A90 (Echline to Barnton) Phase 1 Bus Priority Measures
The Scottish Office awarded the council £1.2 million from the 1998-99 Transport Challenge Fund to assist with this project which is expected to be completed in July 2000. The council is contributing £0.5 million to the total cost of £1.7 million.
City of Edinburgh Council's A90 (Queensferry Road) Phase 2 Bus Priority Measures
The Scottish Executive awarded the council £0.8 million from the 2000-01 Public Transport Fund to assist with a package of measures to improve bus journey times westbound on the A90 (Queensferry Road) between Blackhall and Barnton.
The Scottish Executive does not hold information about the categories of expenditure on these local authority projects.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 31 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any representations made regarding light rail and the ability of light rail vehicles to travel on heavy gauge rail.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has not received any representations regarding light rail and the ability of light rail vehicles to travel on heavy gauge rail.
