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: S1W-07517

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government on the 10-year transport strategy.

Question reference: S1W-07516

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any input and representation it made to the National Rail Summit.

Question reference: S1W-07586

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in respect of the Road Haulage Association's plans for an essential user rebate.

Question reference: S1W-07794

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government on the proposed merger between British Airways and KLM regarding any implications for maintaining direct services between Scotland and Amsterdam.

Question reference: S1W-06025

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is made available to local authorities to provide concessionary travel cards for pensioners and whether any additional funds will be made available.

Grant aided expenditure for councils' discretionary concessionary travel schemes is included in the local government finance settlement; the figure for 2000-01 is £33.8 million. The GAE allowances for individual services are not spending targets or limits. They are a relative assessment of need to spend and contribute towards the calculation of councils' total grant allocation. It is a matter for local authorities to determine their spending priorities and allocate resources accordingly.

Question reference: S1W-07588

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is and criteria are for the renewal of the ScotRail franchise and when it intends to publish these.

The process for replacing rail passenger franchises is being managed by the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (SSRA). The SSRA wishes to see all current franchises with a duration of seven years replaced by new agreements by the end of 2001. The ScotRail franchise was let in 1997 for seven years, and expires in March 2004. The criteria for franchise replacement are outlined in the SSRA's guidelines Building a Better Railway: Franchise Replacement, which will be made available in SPICe.

The Executive will give the Strategic Rail Authority directions and guidance on the replacement of the ScotRail franchise, which we will publish.

Question reference: S1W-07583

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any directions or guidance it has given to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the Borders rail line; when these were given, and whether it will place copies in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Under the provisions made in the UK Transport Bill, introduced on 1 December 1999, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for passenger rail services which begin and end in Scotland. These will reflect the Executive's strategic priorities for the provision of rail services throughout Scotland. In drawing up these priorities, consideration will be given to a range of proposals, including the Scottish Borders railway line. We will publish our directions and guidance when they are issued.

Question reference: S1W-07591

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what instruction and guidance was given by it to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the East Coast main line franchise, whether it will detail any representations made regarding the line north of Edinburgh, and when it will publish these.

Under the provisions made in the UK Transport Bill, introduced on 1 December 1999, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue advice to the Strategic Rail Authority for day-time cross-border passenger rail services. Since the Bill has not completed its passage through Parliament at Westminister, the Scottish Ministers are not yet able to exercise these powers.

In advance of legislation, however, the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority has invited the Scottish Executive to submit advice as part of the franchise replacement negotiations for the East Coast Main Line. The Scottish Executive intends to publish this advice, which will be issued shortly.

Question reference: S1W-05884

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its announcement on 31 March 2000 of an additional #444 million package of improvements and repairs to the motorway and road network, what expenditure is proposed for each of the 49 projects listed in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02.

The estimated expenditure for each project is as follows:

Planned Expenditure

Project	2000-01	2001-02
	£ million	£ million
A1 Haddington to Dunbar	0.118	9.100
A78 Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston Bypass	0.254	0.376
A830 Arisaig to Kinsadel	1.294	5.100
A96 Fochabers and Mosstodloch Bypass	0.204	0.306
M77 Malletsheugh to Fenwick	2.658	1.850
A876 Kincardine Bridge Studies	1.100	0.410
A1 Howburn to Houndwood / Bowerhouse to Spott Road	1.935	4.345
A7 Hawick Traffic Relief Scheme	2.651	0.165
A68 Soutra	1.015	0.000
A75 Cairntop to Barlae	0.100	1.990
A75 Chapelton to Bush o' Bield¹	0.080	0.070
A76 Crossroads	0.965	0.000
A76 Gateside	0.030	0.525
A77 Central Reservation Safety Fencing	0.750	0.000
A77 Hansel Village Footbridge²	0.035	0.450
A77 Turnberry	0.100	0.600
A9 Bankfoot	0.020	0.500
A9 North Kessock	0.250	0.250
A90 Bridge of Dee to Ellon Road pedestrian improvements³	0.075	0.177
A90 Forfar - Kirriemuir	0.105	1.592
A90 Forfar - Glamis	0.125	1.840
A90 Glendoick⁴	0.129	0.223
A90 Hatton Bends⁵	0.150	0.300
A90 Inchmichael	1.560	2.280
A90 Inchture	0.020	2.855
A90 Kinfauns ⁶	0.129	0.223
A95 Cromdale	0.154	0.410
A95 Advie Bridge replacement⁷	0.010	0.250
A96 Coachford⁸	0.103	0.062
A96 Newtongarry	0.570	1.012
A720 Edinburgh City Bypass Phases 2 and 3	7.098	2.530
A8 Baillieston to Shotts Phase 1	0.294	5.424
A90 Kinfauns (Phase 2)	1.400	0.028
A90 St Annes to Careston	0.700	0.014
A92 Tay Bridge Approach Road	0.700	0.000
A985 Admiralty Road, Rosyth	1.100	0.000
M8 Claylands to Livingston	2.500	0.050
M8 Cumbernauld Road to Provan	1.750	0.035
M9 Almond Bridge	1.000	0.020
M73 Manse Road to Lochend	1.200	0.024
M73 Maryville to Baillieston	1.500	0.030
M74 Raith Interchange	0.650	0.015
A68 Drygrange Bridge	0.320	0.200
A76 Afton Bridge	0.600	0.008
A78 Inverkip Street Rail Bridge⁹	0.050	0.300
A87 Shiel Bridge	0.240	0.240
M8 Kingston Bridge	10.000	10.000
Skye Bridge discount scheme and freezing of tolls	1.000	1.100
A9 Millennium Cycle Route	2.150	0.000

Notes:

1. Estimated expenditure of £1.598 million in 2002-03.

2. Estimated expenditure of £0.015 million in 2002-03.

3. Estimated expenditure of £0.321 million in 2002-03.

4. Preparation costs only; construction costs in later years.

5. Estimated expenditure of £0.25 million in 2002-03.

6. Preparation costs only; construction costs in later years.

7. Estimated expenditure of £0.25 million in 2002-03.

8. Estimated expenditure of £1.52 million in 2002-03.

9. Estimated scheme cost is £2.2 million. Work expected to commence late 2001 with the balance of expenditure in 2002-03.

Question reference: S1W-05864

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any schemes, plans or studies for the expansion of electrification of the rail network and provide costings for these.

The Scottish Ministers will be able to issue directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for the franchise providing passenger rail services which begin and end in Scotland. They will reflect strategic priorities for the provision of passenger rail services throughout Scotland and build upon the good working relations that already exist between the Strategic Rail Authority, Train Operating Companies and Railtrack. It would then be for the Train Operating Company, in conjunction with Railtrack, to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure and rolling stock to meet the terms of the franchise.