- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 15 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes in response to new evidence from the National Radiological Protection Board that there may be a connection between overhead power lines and certain cancers.
Answer
The Executive welcomes this new study.The NRPB, which provides expert advice on these matters, considers that this new report provides no additional scientific evidence to require a change in exposure guidelines.That said, the Executive fully supports the report's recommendation that the current uncertainty indicates a need for further research. Current research includes a number of Government-funded studies in this country and support for the multi-national Electromagnetic Fields Project set up and co-ordinated by the World Health Organisation. The UK Government will also work with the NRPB to begin new research into the factors that lead to certain households having higher levels of EMFs.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 6 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether all applications for scheduled monument consent are determined by Historic Scotland or whether it is open to Scottish Ministers to take decisions; whether decisions on scheduled monument applications referred to a public inquiry are delegated to its Inquiry Reporters Unit or can be taken personally by Scottish Ministers and whether Scottish Ministers have taken any such decisions personally since acquiring their powers and to provide details.
Answer
The power to determine applications for scheduled monument consent rests with Scottish Ministers (previously the Secretary of State) by virtue of section 2 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. In practice Historic Scotland, which is an executive agency of the Scottish Executive, issues provisional decisions on all such applications, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, which, if accepted by the applicant, become the final decision.Following issue of the provisional decision, an applicant can request that the application be examined through public local enquiry. Decisions on applications which have been the subject of a public local inquiry are taken by Scottish Ministers and are not delegated to the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit. The Inquiry Reporters Unit is responsible only for making the arrangements for the inquiry. Since 1 July 1999 no scheduled monument consent applications have been the subject of a public local inquiry.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether it has received and considered the Halcrow Fox study carried out to consider, inter alia, the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and whether it will now commission a new study of the proposed route to subject it to the New Appraisal Methodology used for the 1999 Strategic Roads Review.
Answer
Scottish Executive officials received a copy of the most recent Halcrow Fox report for the North East Scotland Economic Development Partnership, Delivery of an Integrated Transport Strategy for North East Scotland, in August last year. Officials have met partnership representatives on three occasions since to discuss delivery of the Modern Transport System, It is clear that further essential traffic analysis and appraisal are needed. Officials are considering with the partnership how this can best be undertaken.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, what resources it has budgeted to spend in each of 2002-03 and 2003-04 on substantial capital construction of (a) the A80/M80 upgrading, (b) the A8/M8 upgrading, and (c) additional and upgraded Kincardine Bridges.
Answer
Following the Strategic Roads Review, the A80/M80 and the A8/M8 corridors are the subject of multi-modal transport studies. The main studies began late last year and are due to be completed in spring next year. Similarly, consultants have been engaged to take forward studies into the construction of a new crossing and upgrading of the existing bridge at Kincardine. Decisions on future capital funding requirements will follow consideration of the reports in each case.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 5 March 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether her reply to Mr David Davidson (Official Report, col. 820) means that it will only allow the proposed Aberdeen Western peripheral route to proceed if the local authorities use the powers conferred on them by the Transport (Scotland) Bill or the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and that it will in no circumstances contribute itself to the construction of this road.
Answer
The proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral route is one part of the Modern Transport System being progressed by the North East Scotland Economic Development Partnership. The partnership plan delivery of the route by 2011. The Executive's work with the partnership on delivery will include the range of options to fund the Modern Transport System.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the 2001-02 Public Transport Fund, to detail the bids which were (a) granted in full, (b) granted in part, (c) rejected and (d) deferred, and what the values were of any awards made.
Answer
Details of bids to the Public Transport Fund for projects commencing in 2001-02 which were granted in full, granted in part, rejected and deferred are set out in the table.
LOCAL AUTHORITY | PROJECT | STATUS | AMOUNT AWARDED (£m) |
| Dundee City Council | North West Arterial Corridor | Granted in Full | 1.465 |
| East Ayrshire Council | Cycling and Walking in Kilmarnock | Granted in Full | 0.670 |
| East Dunbartonshire Council | Local Travel Pattern Database | Granted in Full | 0.250 |
| East Lothian Council | Musselburgh Public Transport Spine | Granted in Full | 0.642 |
| Fife Council | Markinch Interchange and Bus Link | Granted in Full | 1.551 |
| Glasgow City Council | Quality Bus Corridors | Granted in Full | 2.136 |
| Highland Council | Transport Interchanges | Granted in Full | 1.727 |
| Orkney Islands Council | Instrument Landing System-Kirkwall | Granted in Full | 0.600 |
| Perth & Kinross Council | Perth Park & Ride and Cycle Routes | Granted in Full | 1.175 |
| Renfrewshire Council | Integrated Transport Improvements | Granted in Full | 0.268 |
| Scottish Borders Council | Borders Railway Parliamentary Order | Granted in Full | 1.865 |
| South Lanarkshire Council | Rutherglen Bus Priority | Granted in Full | 0.725 |
| Aberdeenshire Council* | Railway Station Improvements | Granted in Part | 0.300 |
| Argyll & Bute Council | Cycleways - Helensburgh and Lomond | Granted in Part | 1.900 |
| Clackmannanshire Council | Integrating Rail into Alloa | Granted in Part | 6.500 |
| Dumfries & Galloway Council | Stranraer Integrated Transport Package | Granted in Part | 0.943 |
| East Renfrewshire Council | Cycling and Walking Facilities | Granted in Part | 0.450 |
| Edinburgh City Council | Quality Bus Network for the 21st Century | Granted in Part | 8.468 |
| Falkirk Council | Park and Ride and Visitor Access to Falkirk Wheel | Granted in Part | 1.600 |
| Midlothian Council | Edinburgh to Penicuik Rail Link | Rejected | Nil |
| North Ayrshire Council** | Quality Bus Corridor | Rejected | Nil |
| Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar | Sound of Barra Ferry Service | Deferred | Nil |
| Inverclyde Council | Gourock Integrated Transport Interchange | Deferred | Nil |
| South Ayrshire Council | South Ayrshire Integrated Transport Partnership | Deferred | Nil |
| West Lothian Council | CERT into West Lothian | Deferred | Nil |
| Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority | Multi Modal Information Project | Deferred | Nil |
| Total Awarded | | | £33.235 |
* Remainder of bid deferred.
** Awarded £0.250m
to assist in developing the project further.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 21 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review conflict resolution in the planning process with a view to devising more streamlined and less expensive mechanisms than the current system of public inquiry.
Answer
Alternatives to public inquiries are already available, with the vast majority of cases dealt with by less formal hearings or by written submissions. We have no current plans to review the system.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 21 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters' Unit is subject to quinquennial review in line with Cabinet Office guidelines on executive agencies; if so, when it was last reviewed and when it is next due for review, and whether it proposes to review the unit's relationship with it as a consequence of the incorporation of the European Convention of Human Rights into Scots law.
Answer
The Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit is not an executive agency and is not subject to quinquennial reviews. The Unit, which is part of the Scottish Executive Development Department, publishes an annual report of its work and performance.We keep all aspects of the planning system under review in the light of the European Convention on Human Rights.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 21 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any future review of the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters' Unit will include a consideration of possible options for environmental courts.
Answer
It would be premature to speculate about the content of any future review.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 21 February 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the three options set out by the Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture in his speech to the Royal Town Planning Institute, Scotland in November 2000 on strategic planning rule out the option of unitary development plans in any or all areas of Scotland.
Answer
No.
