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-05101

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 17 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken or proposes to take to maximise any benefit for all of Scotland from the current franchise bidding for the East Coast Rail Line from Aberdeen to Edinburgh.

Question reference: S1W-06485

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 16 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many custodial sentences were imposed in Edinburgh Sheriff Court in each of the years from 1993 to 1997 inclusive.

Question reference: S1W-06026

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 12 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive to detail any projects it proposes to support and the level of funding it will add to assist the implementation of Railtrack's Network Management Strategy.

Question reference: S1W-06342

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what are the criteria for the tendering process for Lifeline Services to the Highlands and Islands and, in particular, what is the specification intimated in respect of airports to be used.

Question reference: S1W-04514

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 February 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 9 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to promote electrification of the rail network directly or indirectly through the Strategic Rail Authority and whether it will detail any plans or proposed representations.

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 Company 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.

Question reference: S1W-04877

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 9 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the policy statements and advice it has made in respect of genetically modified organisms over the last six months.

My response to question S1W-4852 set out Scottish Executive policy on genetically modified organisms.Over the last six months, Ministers have fully set out our position on genetically modified organisms in response to 55 items of ministerial correspondence and 38 parliamentary questions. The Scottish Executive's policy on this issue was also explained in detail during the parliamentary debate on GM Science held on Thursday 23 March 2000.

Question reference: S1W-05865

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 8 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail its plans to assist the implementation of RailTrack's Network Management Strategy, any projects it proposes to assist and the level of funding to be provided.

The project proposals outlined in Railtrack's 2000 Network Management Statement for Scotland will help inform the Scottish Executive's consideration of the strategic priorities for the Scottish railway network. These priorities will underpin the directions and guidance that will be issued to the Strategic Rail Authority for the passenger services. The directions and guidance will not contain detailed prescription about infrastructure. It will 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.

Individual projects may be eligible for support from public resources, for instance from the Public Transport Fund or the Railway Passenger Partnership Fund. These funds have already assisted a number of rail projects in Scotland.

Question reference: S1W-06343

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 8 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps or representations it intends to make, and to whom, to ensure a distinctive Scottish identification plate for motoring purposes.

Question reference: S1W-05367

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive to provide details of any plans it has to seek, or support, further electrification of the Scottish rail network.

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.

Question reference: S1W-06225

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 May 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations regarding mandatory public liability insurance for farms involved in GM crop trials and, if so, to whom these representations were made.

No. The Scottish Executive's main priority has always been to ensure the protection of the environment and human health. The farm scale trials are the latest in a comprehensive series of rigorous tests designed to ensure that the crops concerned are safe to human and animal health, and to the environment. There are currently no provisions in Scots or UK law covering liability for damage caused specifically by genetically modified organisms. However, under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, there are powers to prosecute where conditions attached to a deliberate release consent are breached.

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