- 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.
- 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 Ross Finnie on 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12515 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 January 2001, whether it is now able to issue a definition of the public interest groups who may be granted rights to act under the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability.
Answer
The Commission issued a working document on 25 July, outlining the principles on which the proposed Directive on environmental liability could be based. This does not refer to "Public interest groups", but rather to "Qualified entities in the field of environmental protection". These are defined as:
"Any body or organisation which, according to the criteria, if any, laid down in national law, has an interest in ensuring that significant environmental damage is restored. Bodies and organisations whose purpose, as is shown by the articles of incorporation thereof, is to protect the environment should be deemed to have such an interest".
The Commission will be consulting on this working document, with a view to bringing forward a proposed Directive on environmental liability, probably in early 2002. I shall be placing a copy of the working document in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
- 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 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12504 by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001, what the outcome was of the four Freight Facilities Grant applications which were under review at that date.
Answer
The 4 applications remain under review. One of the applicants was given a provisional offer of grant but the applicant subsequently changed the costing involved in the project and the application is being reconsidered. Another of the applications is being processed to a conclusion in conjunction with Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
- 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 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12503 by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001, what the outcome was of the three Freight Facilities Grant applications which remained under review at that date.
Answer
The 3 applications concerned remain under consideration.
- 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 Lewis Macdonald on 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12508 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 30 January 2001, whether it is now able to state how work towards future surveys of aggregate working can be progressed.
Answer
The Executive has commissioned research on the need to review national planning policy guidance for minerals in Scotland. This is considering a number of issues that will be relevant to the collecting, collating and publishing of aggregates data. The findings of the research, which are expected in the autumn, will be considered carefully before deciding on the most effective way forward.
- 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 Jackie Baillie on 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12368 by Jackie Baillie on 23 January 2001, whether the working group studying the employment and inclusion implications of housing investment has now reported and, if so, where the report may be obtained, what its recommendations are and what actions will be taken by the Executive on its recommendations.
Answer
The housing and employment working group is now completing its report and intends to hold a seminar in September at which the report will be considered.
- 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 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12502 by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001, whether it will now publish the estimates provided by local authorities in their statutory road traffic reduction reports.
Answer
A summary of the Executive's response to the local authorities' statutory road traffic reduction reports will be included in the Transport Delivery Plan for Scotland, to be published in the autumn. The full report will be published as a follow-up document to the plan.
- 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 Neil Davidson on 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12745 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 21 February 2001, how MSPs might be made aware of, and enabled to scrutini'e, the advice given by the Lord Advocate to Procurators Fiscal in relation to planning enforcement.
Answer
In common with all communications between Ministers and their officials, communications between the Lord Advocate and Procurators Fiscal are confidential.
- 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 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12505 by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001, whether, following the receipt of the full business case for the Larkhall to Milngavie rail route project, it is now able to give a definitive answer to question S1W-12505.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S1W-14515.
- 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 13 August 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12500 by Sarah Boyack on 30 January 2001, whether the draft Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance has now been issued.
Answer
The Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance was issued as a draft consultation document on 30 July 2001. A copy has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
