- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 15 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations or submissions it has made to the Department for Transport’s consultation on the review of the rail industry; whether it will publish such submissions, and whether it sought additional powers in respect of the rail industry and, if so, in what areas.
Answer
The Scottish Executive fully engaged in the review of the rail industry process, working jointly with the Department for Transport on proposals as they related to the devolution of rail powers to Scotland.
The UK Government intends that the tasks of planning, specifying, letting (including signing), managing and financing the contract for services operating under the existing Scottish passenger rail franchise and any other Scotland-specific franchise will in future fall to the Scottish Executive. In addition, under the proposals the Scottish Executive would specify network outputs and finance Scottish infrastructure costs.
These changes have been agreed in principle, subject to a fair and appropriate transfer of funding to the Scottish Executive for the additional responsibilities.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 15 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any increase in fuel tax in September will lead to an increase in the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG); if not, when consideration will be given to an increase in the BSOG, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer
The rate of Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) paid to operators will be reviewed in the light of any changes to fuel duty. The aim of BSOG is to maintain or increase the number of kilometres run by local services and for any requirement for fares increases to be mitigated.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 15 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to change the structure of the Rail Passengers Committee Scotland.
Answer
The UK White Paper The Future of Rail proposes the abolition of the Rail Passenger Council regional committees, retaining the council as a single national body. This is a matter for the UK Government. Scottish ministers will be able to appoint a member to the council and also to reflect the devolution of greater rail powers to Scotland. To ensure that Scottish passengers continue to be fully represented, we are presently considering additional arrangements for passenger representation in Scotland.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 13 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive which schemes are funded under the bus route development scheme, showing the amount awarded in each case.
Answer
Transport authorities were invited to submit proposals by 30 July 2004. The proposals received are currently being analysed, and once this process is complete recommendations will be made as to which proposals should be supported. An announcement regarding which schemes are to receive funding will be made soon.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 27 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all passengers landing at airports in Scotland found to be in possession of offensive weapons are charged with a criminal offence and what the reasons are for its position on this matter; whether information on the actions of such passengers are given to the police or the Procurator Fiscal and who decides whether to prosecute and whether in cases where no prosecution takes place, these passengers are informed that such behaviour may lead to prosecution in future.
Answer
Where a passenger arriving ata Scottish airport is found by HM Customs and Excise to be in possession of an offensiveweapon, that person is routinely reported to the police. It is a matter for thepolice to decide, in light of the circumstances and the type of weapon, whetherthe person should be charged. The decisionwhether criminal proceedings should be commenced rests with the Procurator Fiscal,whether or not any person has been arrested or charged by the police. If the ProcuratorFiscal is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence in a case, he will considerwhether, and if so what, action is required in the public interest. The ProcuratorFiscal will also consider the use of an alternative to prosecution or if the publicinterest requires prosecution. Procurators Fiscal do not routinely advise accusedpersons that a decision has been taken not to prosecute.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 25 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Scottish Arts Council's report Review of Publishing - A review of Scottish publishing in the 21st Century - summary report and any consequent additional funding, what sums will be made available for the direct support of publishing and publications; what sums have been, or will be, allocated to the administrative support bodies for publishing; what sums will be allocated for the employment of more staff in the publishing sector; what sums will be allocated to further consultation papers, and how the results of any expenditure in the publication of Scottish literature will be audited and what financial controls will be exercised and by whom.
Answer
I have asked Graham Berry, Directorof the Scottish Arts Council (SAC), to respond. His response is as follows:
The SAC has allocated an additional£215,000 in 2004-05 to implement a number of the Review’s recommendations. Thisone-off additional sum will bring the total SAC budget for Literature in 2004-05to £2,226,285.
From this additional sum, £100,000will be provided in 2004-05 to support block grants and programme publishing, bringingthe SAC support for publications to £309,500.
The remaining £115,000 is tobe made available as a one-off grant to the Scottish Publishers Association fororganisational restructuring in response to the recommendations of the review. TheSAC budget available to the administrative support bodies for publishing is, therefore,increased to £430,000 in 2004-05. Staff employment within the publishing sectoris a matter for the sector itself.
The SAC is currently consideringthe review’s recommendations for further consultancies and/or studies. All grantsare monitored by the SAC.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the national transport agency will be with regard to aviation; what powers it will have in this area, and what rights it will have to give direction and guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority regarding flights within Scotland and the regulation thereof.
Answer
I refer the member to the answergiven to his question S2W-9413 on 28 July 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Colin Boyd on 18 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been relating to the possession of offensive weapons at airports in each year since 1999, broken down by airport.
Answer
There is no specific offencerelating to the possession of offensive weapons at airports and our case data doesnot enable us to identify cases involving the possession of offensive weapons atairports separately from cases relating to other locations.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the Forth Estuary Transport Authority will be, given the proposed creation of a national transport agency and regional transport partnerships; what powers the authority will retain and what powers will be ceded to which body; what alternative source of funding will exist for the development of the A8000, and what alternative body will fund it.
Answer
The relationship between the Forth Estuary Transport Authority and the national transport agency and regional transport partnerships will be assessed as part of the second phase of the Executive’s review of tolled bridges. It is our intention that the second phase will be completed in time to allow its findings to be taken into account in establishing the new national and regional transport arrangements.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 July 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role of the national transport agency will be with regard to the promotion of direct flights from Scotland and the operation of the Interim Route Development Fund.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to his question S2W-9414 answered on 26 July 2004. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, thesearch facility for which can be found at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
