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: S2W-10383

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive who will operate and manage the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway line once it has been completed.

Question reference: S2W-10375

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the installation of the disabled access footbridge at Lockerbie rail station.

Question reference: S2W-10377

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a list of rail stations that have been prioritised for access improvements and, if so, what the criteria are for such prioritisation.

The Strategic Rail Authority intends to consult shortly on its proposed Access for All programme, which seeks to identify stations that are a high priority for access improvements. It will consider – amongst other things – station usage, geographic criteria, and a project’s interaction with initiatives by third parties. Additionally, there are a number of on-going projects in Scotland which will enhance access to stations and their services. These improvements include better provision for disabled people and enhanced public transport, cycle and pedestrian access.

Question reference: S2W-10365

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the proposal to devolve further powers to it in respect of railways, whether rail funding will be allocated through the block grant or the National Track Access regime; what its powers over Network Rail will be; whether it or the Office of the Rail Regulator will have the power to direct Network Rail’s investment in Scotland; in what way Network Rail will be accountable to (a) it and (b) the Parliament, and whether the devolution of additional powers will enable the Executive to control the operation of railway infrastructure and to lead its development, including operational maintenance and renewal.

It has been agreed with the UK Government that, in future, the Scottish Executive will specify network outputs to be delivered by Network Rail and fund Scottish infrastructure costs. This agreement is subject to a fair and appropriate transfer of funding to enable the Executive to undertake these additional responsibilities. Network Rail will be responsible for operating the network and for its performance.

The Office of Rail Regulation will have the same responsibilities in Scotland as in England and Wales, covering safety, performance and cost. In reportingon its performance, Network Rail will separately identify activity in Scotland.

Question reference: S2W-10386

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how much traffic has been removed from the roads as a result of the Freight Facilities Grant awarded to BP at Grangemouth.

Question reference: S2W-10379

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 23 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive who will (a) own and (b) fund the proposed Edinburgh Airport rail station.

Question reference: S2W-10612

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 22 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any advertisements about visitscotland.com are paid for in full, or in part, by VisitScotland and what arrangements are in place between VisitScotland and the provider of the website in respect of payment for advertisements.

Under the terms of the public private partnership agreement between the partners in the eTourism joint venture company, all VisitScotland marketing must promote exclusively and prominently the visitscotland.com website name and telephone number. eTourism Ltd is the public private partnership company set up to provide, develop and operate the website, and it is paying a concession fee of £1 million over the life of the project for these exclusive arrangements. eTourism Ltd also provides the technology platform and e-commerce infrastructure required to deliver the services set out as part of the public private partnership agreement.

Question reference: S2W-10382

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the reinstatement of the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine railway line and whether there are any funding difficulties in respect of the line.

Following Royal Assent to the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine Railway and Linked Improvements Act 2004, work on the detailed design of the scheme continues on schedule.

In parallel with this work detailed discussions with Network Rail and on funding issues are continuing. The partners in the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine Project Execution Team (Scottish Executive, ClackmannanshireCouncil, Fife Council, Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley, Strategic Rail Authority) remain confident that the project is proceeding on schedule.

Question reference: S2W-10381

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how much rolling stock ScotRail currently holds; what its fleet carrying capacity is, and how much of the rolling stock is currently non-operational and for what reason.

The ScotRail daytime fleet currently comprises 234 trains with over 40,000 seats.

The rest of the ScotRail fleet currently comprises of 53 sleeping vehicles and 11 vehicles with seating accommodation offering a total of 864 berths and 248 seats per night. In addition, there are 11 lounge-cars which provide refreshment facilities for sleeping car passengers.

Presently, all of ScotRail’s rolling stock is operational.

Question reference: S2W-10613

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Frank McAveety on 21 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) online and (b) telephone bookings have been made as a result of using visitscotland.com, expressed also as percentages of bookings as a result of using visitscotland.com.