- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12509 by Sarah Boyack on 17 May 2001, whether the discussions with Skye Bridge Limited have now taken place and, if so, what the outcome was.
Answer
These discussions have not yet taken place. As stated in the response to question S1W-12509, the issue will be raised when we next negotiate with Skye Bridge Ltd on matters affecting the concession.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 21 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9098 by John Home Robertson on 7 September 2000, how it will ensure, under its finalised Scottish Forestry Strategy, that the Forestry Commission exercises effective controls to ensure necessary clearance of naturally regenerating woodland which could adversely affect scheduled ancient monuments in its own and in privately-owned forests.
Answer
For the Forestry Commission's own forests, Forest Enterprise has agreed management plans with Historic Scotland for all scheduled ancient monuments on the Commission's land. Each plan contains a programme for positive management, including regular monitoring and controlling regeneration as appropriate. For privately owned forests, the Forestry Commission will only approve management plans if they contain satisfactory proposals for safeguarding any scheduled ancient monuments covered by the plan.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has subjected proposals for an A77 Girvan by-pass to its New Appraisal Methodology and, if so, what the ratings are for integration, economy, safety, environment and accessibility, and what the summary of monetised cost-benefit measures is for both central and 'ero growth scenarios at both the 1994 price base and at current prices.
Answer
No. The Executive would expect proposals prepared around a decade ago to be reviewed using the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance issued on 30 July.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16407 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 July 2001, where the 10,000 Gaelic translations of the census form questions were held during the census period; what steps were taken to advertise their availability; how many requests were made for copies, and what has been done with any unused copies.
Answer
4,500 Gaelic translation leaflets were distributed around Scotland's 22 Census Areas, broadly in proportion to the numbers of Gaelic speakers in each area. Some 3,500 were retained at Census HQ to meet any demand coming to the centre and a further 2,000 were retained at the premises of the distribution contractor for immediate response to extra demand in an area. Although there was no paid advertising for the Gaelic translation leaflet, its availability was mentioned in a number of News releases concerned with the availability of translations into minority languages generally; the Registrar General made a point of referring to the available translations in broadcast interviews and there was a specific news piece carried on Radio Nan Gaidheal by one of our Census District Managers. In anticipation of this broadcast a further 1,000 copies of the leaflet were despatched to the Area Manager for the Western Isles.Generally, however, the promotion of the availability of the leaflets was devolved to the 22 Census Area Managers throughout Scotland as part of their Community Liaison responsibilities and in response to demand. No specific record was kept of the take up of the leaflets but demand was not high. Authority has been given to destroy the unused copies held by Area Managers. The copies held at Census HQ and with the distributor are currently still held there, but may soon be destroyed.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-16539 and S1W-16540 by Sarah Boyack on 6 July 2001, whether such planning applications included applications for road construction consent; whether any proposals by local authorities to grant consent were notifiable to it as planning applications or road construction applications or both; where such proposals are not notifiable, what mechanisms exist for calling in the applications in question and, where they are notifiable, in what respects decisions by local authorities on such applications are not made readily available to the Executive.
Answer
None of the planning applications referred to in the answers to questions SIW-16539 and SIW-16540 related to planning applications for road construction consent. Road construction consents are not notifiable to the Scottish Executive and therefore the Executive does not have records of the decisions taken by the local authorities.There are no mechanisms for calling in applications. The applicant can appeal against road construction consents under the sub sections (6) and (7) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 once the decision has been made by the local authority.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the proportion of capital expenditure spent on renewable energy schemes which are sourced from Scotland, the rest of the United Kingdom and other countries and what its strategy is to increase the proportion sourced from Scottish-based suppliers.
Answer
No such monitoring is carried out. Our proposals to introduce a new Renewables Obligation (Scotland) on all licensed suppliers to significantly increase the amount of electricity supplied from renewable sources is already creating a real demand for new renewable energy schemes and equipment in Scotland. This has already led to the recent decision by Vestas, the Danish wind turbine manufacturer, to set up a factory near Campbeltown, and we will continue to work with Scottish Enterprise to ensure that Scotland benefits both economically as well as environmentally from the development of our considerable renewable energy resource.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Railtrack's proposals to develop the Waverley Station require any statutory consents or clearances within its areas of responsibility and, if so, whether any such consents and clearances have been granted.
Answer
Railtrack has already secured the necessary Parliamentary powers to raise the roof height of Waverley Station. I understand that the next stage is for the company to prepare detailed design plans and then to seek Planning Permission from the City of Edinburgh Council as the planning authority.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16259 by Sarah Boyack on 2 July 2001, whether it will publish (a) a summary of the non-sensitive information contained in the road safety investigation report for the A9 Ballinluig junction and (b) the recommendations contained in the report.
Answer
The investigation that was commissioned on the Ballinluig junction was to establish if the layout of the junction, existing signs and road markings contributed to the fatal accident that occurred on 3 April 2001. The conclusion of the investigation report was that none of these factors contributed to the accident.Some measures were identified which could increase safety and the following measures are being implemented: -
repositioning of the speed camera on the southbound carriageway;
new speed camera on the northbound carriageway;
introduction of a temporary 50mph speed limit;
installation of a video surveillance camera;minor improvements to signing and road markings.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16578 by Allan Wilson on 9 July 2001, what targets it has set Historic Scotland in relation to taking additional properties within the care of the Scottish ministers and what properties have been taken into care since 1 July 1999.
Answer
No targets have been set for taking additional properties into care. Each case is judged on its merits. Since 1 July 1999 the following properties have been taken into care:Iona: Abbey Iona: NunneryKisimul Castle, BarraLindsay Aisle, Angus
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16407 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 July 2001, how many calls were made to Gaelic-speaking operators on the Census Helpline during the census period seeking assistance in completing census forms.
Answer
157 calls were made.
