- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to legislate to ensure that water companies and other relevant bodies have a statutory duty to tell householders of high lead levels noted in the water supply following testing or inspection.
Answer
The draft Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 2000, that are currently out to consultation, require water authorities to notify householders of any breach of the lead standard detected as a result of sampling. In practice, the Scottish water authorities already carry out such notification.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive to detail port investment in Scotland, by port, over the last 10 years.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it proposes to ensure that Granton Harbour in Edinburgh remains viable for fast ferry services following any redevelopment.
Answer
The redevelopment of Granton Harbour is primarily a matter for Forth Ports plc as the statutory harbour authority subject to the relevant planning requirements involved. It is also for the harbour authority and any potential ferry operator to consider the practicality and viability of any possible fast ferry services from the harbour.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive to detail the number of cruise ships docking in Scotland over the last five years on an annual basis and by port.
Answer
This information is not held centrally. Transport Statistics Report: Maritime Statistics provides a wide range of information on UK port traffic movements and it is available through The Stationery Office.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the recycling of household waste.
Answer
No targets have been set to date.
If targets are to be realistic and worthwhile they must be based on sound data. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has committed itself to providing guidance on targets for household waste recycling by the end of this year.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is to support the separation and recycling of household waste.
Answer
The National Waste Strategy: Scotland defined 11 Waste Strategy Areas which group together local authorities, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the waste industry, waste producers, voluntary organisations and local business.
These groups are working to identify the best method of dealing with waste in each area, including the role for separation and recycling of waste. I have asked that area waste plans should be submitted to the Executive by the end of this year.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what its timetable is for a decision on the Freight Facility Grant Application for the Stirling/Alloa/Dunfermline line and what is the maximum and likely sum to be made available.
Answer
The Scottish Executive received Railtrack's application on 8 May and this is in the process of being assessed. The application is subject to a detailed economic analysis and a final decision about any grant award will only be reached once the assessment process - which can vary in terms of the length of the time taken between different applications - has been completed.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to extend fuel duty rebate to commercial vehicles; whether it will detail the basis of these powers or restrictions, and whether it has any plans to extend the fuel duty rebate schemes to encompass an essential user rebate scheme for road haulage vehicles.
Answer
The Bus Fuel Duty Rebate scheme is operated under section 92 of the Finance Act 1965. Legislative competence and financial responsibility for this scheme was devolved to the Scottish Parliament on 1 July 1999. The Scottish Executive's Transport (Scotland) Bill is seeking powers to make regulations as to which class of buses the scheme may apply. We have no plans to extend the scheme beyond public transport service vehicles.
- 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 Henry McLeish on 20 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by Scottish Enterprise annually since 1997.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the respective chairman to reply to the member. A copy of the reply will be placed in SPICe.
- 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 Sarah Boyack on 20 June 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what direction and guidance it has given to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the Orton Loop and the improvement of the Aberdeen to Inverness line.
Answer
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 passenger rail services that begin and end in Scotland. Since the Bill has not completed its passage through Parliament at Westminster, the Scottish Ministers are not yet able to exercise these powers.
Railtrack are currently improving infrastructure to reduce the journey time between Aberdeen and Inverness by 10 minutes by 2001. Additional upgrading of the route would be necessary if there were to be increased frequency and a further reduction in journey time.
