- 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.
- 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 Sarah Boyack on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15676 by Sarah Boyack on 11 July 2001, whether at the time of the answer it had the information to include in the answer details of what may be spent in Scotland as a consequence of the #100 million modernisation fund for the road haulage industry and also provide an outline of the details of its proposed consultation with the road haulage industry; whether it will now provide this information, and whether it will indicate whether any decisions have been taken about the equivalent measures to be introduced in Scotland and on the level of resources which will require to be applied to implement them.
Answer
The Executive did not have details on 11 July of what may be spent in Scotland. Possible measures for implementation in Scotland are still under review in consultation with the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association. The action to be taken in Scotland will be announced once consideration of the options is completed.
- 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 Angus MacKay on 20 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether question S1W-16399, which was answered by Angus Mackay on 3 July 2001, was an inspired question and, if so, why it decided to proceed also by means of question S1W-17045, which was answered by Angus Mackay on 17 July 2001.
Answer
Question S1W-16399 was not an inspired PQ.
- 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: 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: Thursday, 19 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase resources for the Rural Stewardship Scheme in future financial years.
Answer
Agri-environment expenditure is planned to increase year on year up to £37m in 2006.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications under the Rural Stewardship Scheme were made in the current financial year to its Environment and Rural Affairs Department; what this year's budget provision is; what the estimated total cost of all the applications is; how the applications will be prioritised, and what plans it has to increase the available budget or to give a degree of priority to schemes from farms within areas directly affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
Answer
The number of applications submitted for approval this year is 476. These applications have a total cost of £28.5m. The total agri-environment budget for the current financial year is £30m, subject to sterling/euro currency fluctuations. As set out in the scheme literature, applications will be prioritised on the basis of the extent to which they will contribute to achievement of international and national conservation objectives and to local priorities for biodiversity. Agri-environment expenditure is planned to increase year on year up to £37m in 2006. There are no plans to give additional priority to schemes from farms within areas directly affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.
- 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 Allan Wilson on 17 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to assess any damage done to archaeological sites in Scotland as a result of land cover changes in recent decades following Scottish Natural Heritage's analysis of these changes as part of the National Countryside Monitoring Scheme.
Answer
I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to answer. His response is as follows:Historic Scotland began monitoring the condition of all scheduled ancient monuments in 1986. A team of eleven part-time locally based staff visits these sites on a cyclical pattern and records their condition and the surrounding land-use on a central database. Over 7,000 sites of national importance are currently monitored in this manner. There are no plans to extend monitoring to unscheduled archaeological sites.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions before his recent announcement that Her Majesty's Government favours renewing existing rail franchises for short periods of time only; what its response was to any such consultation, and whether it has amended its directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority in relation to passenger railway services in Scotland and the East and West Coast Main Line services in accordance with this policy.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions on a wide range of issues, including rail franchising. Directions and Guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for the next Scottish passenger rail franchise are a matter for the Scottish Executive. Advice on any new cross-border franchises will be issued when appropriate.
