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-17146

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the present railway regulatory regime is in the best interests of the railway industry and its customers in Scotland and whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to rationalise the regulatory regime.

Question reference: S1W-17141

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4255 by Sarah Boyack on 25 April 2000, whether it will provide an updated table to show the amount of public sector funding going into or contributing towards the rail network in Scotland which comes from sources outside the Scottish Assigned Budget.

The table below shows the amount of public sector funding going into, or contributing towards, the rail network in Scotland and which comes from sources outside the Assigned Budget.

Public Funding of Scottish Rail Network from Outwith Assigned Budget (£ Millions)

YEAR	Franchise payments to ScotRail (1)(2)	SRA Funds (RPP) (3)	Freight Facilities Grants from DETR (3)	Track Access Grants Payments from DETR (4)	Franchise payments to Virgin Trains (Cross Country services) (2)(5)	Franchise payments to Virgin Trains (West Coast services) (2)(5)	Franchise payments to GNER (2)(5)
1996-1997				Contracts awarded to 1999-2000 amount to £2.01 million.	30.68	5.83	61.47
1997-1998	135.98				115.93	76.63	55.05
1998-1999	130.90				101.45	70.21	37.40
1999-2000	125.80		6.46		86.78	59.06	17.36
2000-2001	110.22	0.08	0.16	0.28	79.89	57.68	6.68
2001-2002		0.41			74.88	57.75	2.20
2002-2003		0.18			55.81	( 4.29)	0.15
2003-2004		0.15			44.74	( 58.25)	0.15
2004-2005		0.06
TOTAL	502.90	0.88	6.62	2.29	590.16	264.62	180.46

(1) Franchise payments to ScotRail met from the Assigned Budget after April 2001.

(2) Franchise payments for 1995-96 to 2000-01 are the net outturn cash amounts paid to the private sector and include actual incentive payments and receipts. Future payments are contracted amounts restated in March 2001 prices exclusive of any incentive payments and receipts.

(3) RPP funding in 2000-2001 relates to the re-opening of Beauly station, while funds from 2001-2002 and onwards relate to Edinburgh Crossrail. Future SRA funded schemes and FFG will be awarded on the basis of individual application and therefore cannot be anticipated.

(4) Awards to 1999-2000 include freight services on the Scottish network. A separate breakdown for Scotland is not available. Each award is made on an individual basis and the duration of each project may differ. The amount shown is the total volume of the awards.

(5) The figures for GNER and both services operated by Virgin Trains are the total Franchise payments. Amounts in brackets will be paid by the train operating companies to the SRA. Separate breakdowns for Scotland are not available.

Question reference: S1W-17144

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is still its policy, as set out in section 1.5 of Strategic Priorities for Scotland's Passenger Railway, that existing rail franchises should be replaced as quickly as possible with 15-20 year franchises to maximise private sector investment; whether its current intention is to extend the present ScotRail franchise by a short period of time or to re-franchise the service for a 15-20 year period; what its current target date is in either case for the re-franchising of passenger railway services, and whether its guidance and direction to the Strategic Rail Authority on these matters have been accepted by the authority and by Her Majesty's Government.

Question reference: S1W-17145

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what effect it anticipates extending the existing rail franchise for two years only will have on its strategy for increased investment on the East Coast Main Line and what proposed investment in rail services it expects to be deferred now that the existing franchise has been extended for two years rather than awarded for a period of 15-20 years.

Question reference: S1W-17142

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimates are of all payments from the Scottish Office and the Scottish Assigned Budget to support the passenger railway network during each year of the current rail passenger transport franchises.

The table below shows the amount of public sector funding going into, or contributing towards, the rail network in Scotland and which comes from the Scottish Assigned Budget during each year of the current Scottish passenger rail franchise.

FUNDING OF THE SCOTTISH PASSENGER RAIL NETWORK FROM THE SCOTTISH ASSIGNED BUDGET (£ millions)

YEAR	Payment to the SRA (1)	Payment to Local Authorities (SPT area) (2)	Payment to Local Authority (Fife) (3)	PTF Rail projects (4)	PTF Interchange projects (4)
1997-1998		101.65
1998-1999		93.80			1.20
1999-2000		86.34		0.73	4.80
2000-2001		76.59	1.12	6.49	0.27
2001-2002	110.81	73.86	1.46	10.06	3.92
2002-2003	105.23	72.50	0.81	4.19	4.80
2003-2004	101.83	72.50	0.70	0.40	1.86
TOTAL	317.87	577.24	4.09	21.87	16.85

(1) Payments cover the contracted costs for the ScotRail franchise outwith the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Area (March 2001 prices). The figures do not yet include any changes resulting from the Rail Regulator's review of access charges. Incentive payments or receipts cannot be anticipated and are not included.

(2) Figures between 1997-98 to 2000-01 are actual payments covering money paid by SPTE to ScotRail for railway passenger services, direct costs by SPTE and estimated payments for railway performance regimes. Figures from 2001-2002 are estimates.

(3) Payments to Fife Council include capital funding and funds for rolling stock.

(4) Awards from the Public Transport Fund relate to Local Authority borrowing consents. Amounts to 2000-01 are actual figures while those from 2001-02 to 2003-04 are budgeted.

Question reference: S1W-17140

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6859 by Sarah Boyack on 7 June 2000, whether it will provide an update for the current financial year of the average combined domestic water and sewerage bills.

The average combined domestic water and sewerage bill for the current financial year for each of the three Water Authorities and for the comparable water companies in England and Wales are as follows:

	£		£
Anglian	261	East of Scotland Water Authority	237.21
Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig	270	North of Scotland Water Authority	278.23
United Utilities Water plc	229	West of Scotland Water Authority	201.00
Northumbrian Water Ltd	200
Severn Trent Water Ltd	203
South West Water Ltd	313
Southern Water Services Ltd	244
Thames Water Utilities Ltd	194
Wessex Water Services Ltd	245
Yorkshire Water Services Ltd	215
English & Welsh Average	233*	Scottish Average	228.82

English and Welsh data provided by Ofwat (reference - Water and Sewerage Bills 2001-2002, March 2001)

*includes water bills by water only companies

Data for each company/authority derived from projected revenue divided by number of billed households.

These show that bills in the West of Scotland are still amongst the lowest in the UK, whilst in the East of Scotland, bills are comparable with the average figure for the UK. North of Scotland bills, whilst higher than the English and Welsh average, is comparable to those companies serving largely rural areas with long coastlines and sparsely populated areas such as Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig and South West Water Ltd.

Question reference: S1W-17015

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) the line of and (b) the indicative scheme for the A77 Girvan by-pass meet current standards for road design.

Question reference: S1W-17014

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) the line of and (b) the indicative scheme for the A77 Maybole by-pass meet current standards for road design.

Question reference: S1W-17009

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a need for improved road links to Turnberry Hotel and golf course to retain the course's future Open Championship status, whether it intends to allocate funding to construct an A77 Maybole by-pass in any future trunk roads budget and whether it plans to make additional resources available to South Ayrshire Council to improve related road links through and around south Ayr and north Carrick.

The factors taken into account when considering a golfing venue's suitability for the Open Championship are for the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Representatives of Turnberry have, however, discussed with officials from the Executive the integrated transport management plans being developed with South Ayrshire Council, SPT and the police. Those concerned are aware that the trunk roads programme announced on 27 March includes 7 major improvement schemes on the A77 scheduled for completion by 2005. They also recognise that it would be inappropriate to anticipate in their planning what the trunk road investment priorities will be for later years.Following Spending Review 2000, an additional £70m over 3 years was allocated to help local authorities address local roads and bridges issues. This formed part of the record 3 year block allocation to councils announced by the Minister for Finance in December last year. The Executive has no plans to make additional allocations to councils. Decisions on spending priorities within the block allocations are a matter for the councils concerned.

Question reference: S1W-17005

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 August 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has subjected proposals for an A77 Maybole 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 the 1994 price base and at current prices.