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-03638

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 24 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its review of the planning system will bring forward proposals to prevent or control the implementation of "begun developments" either in general where significant time periods have elapsed between development beginning and the implementation of subsequent phases of development, or in circumstances where either the adopted Structure and Local Plans have been amended materially in the interim, or where the relevant planning authority considers that the development proposal should now be subject to traffic, environmental impact or other assessments which were not required when the original consent was issued.

Question reference: S1W-03457

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 21 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish any directions and guidance it gives to the Strategic Rail Authority.

Question reference: S1W-02960

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has safeguarded the routes of each of the proposed M8 Baillieston-Newhouse (both options), M80 Stepps-Haggs, M74 northern extension, A8000, A876 Kincardine Bridge, A68 Dalkeith Bypass, A90 Balmedie to Tipperty and A985 Rosyth Bypass in the relevant structure and local plans.

Question reference: S1W-02898

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following publication of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment report, it will issue guidance to local enterprise companies and local authorities on how to assess potential local economic benefits from potential trunk road improvements.

In the light of the SACTRA report, officials are considering how local economic impact assessments could be improved. The Executive is currently developing guidance to assist with the multi-modal corridor studies which I announced following the Strategic Roads Review, and this will include advice on how to treat local economic impacts. We will work with local authorities and other interested parties to ensure that the guidance is equally useful to them. It is anticipated that a first draft of the guidance will be produced in mid-2000, and a consultation period will follow.

Question reference: S1W-03242

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 20 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidance equivalent to Guidance on Airport Transport Forums and Airport Surface Access Strategies issued by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and, if so, when.

Question reference: S1W-01901

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 18 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-664 on 20 August 1999, whether it will provide updated details on its projected expenditure on transport in the light of the statement on its expenditure plans made by the Minister for Finance on 6 October 1999.

The updated information is shown below.

	1995-96	1996-97	1997-98	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m
	Outturn	Outturn	Outturn	Estimated Outturn	Plans	Plans	Plans
Motorway and Trunk Road Construction & Improvement Note 1	142	120	91	58	35	18	37
(Indexed Prices) Note 2	158	129	96	59	35	17	35
Motorway and Trunk Road Repair & MaintenanceNotes 1&3	84	83	80	98	140	162	168
(Indexed Prices)	93	89	84	100	140	158	160
Other Transport Programmes Note 4	45	44	46	64	72	73	75
(Indexed Prices)	50	47	48	65	72	71	71
HIAL	11	7	7	9	13	11	13
(Indexed Prices)	12	8	7	9	13	11	12
CalMac	10	11	18	17	24	19	19
(Indexed Prices)	11	12	19	17	24	18	18
SPTE Note 5	-	-	102	94	88	83	78
(Indexed Prices)	-	-	107	96	88	81	74

Notes:1. Disaggregated figures are not available for road management costs. These cover a range of activities such as traffic calming and management, and consultants fees. The costs are included in these figures.2. The Indexed prices are based on the GDP deflators at 9 November, the latest available. (The earlier answer was based on GDP deflators at 22 March 1999).3. PFI payments are included from 1998-99 onwards.4. Expenditure on "Other Transport Programmes" includes Freight Facilities, Grants to Shipping services, Rural Transport Measures, Bus Fuel Duty Rebate, Road Safety Measures, Lifeline Air Service Subsidy and grants for Piers and Harbours including CalMac piers.5. The SPTE figures for 1997-98 and 1998-99 are actual grants made to SPTE for rail services. The Plans for 1999-2000 onwards are the best estimates of grant to be provided. Prior to 1997-98 payments to SPTE were made by the constituent local authorities of the SPTA as part of their general expenditure supported by Revenue Support Grant paid by The Scottish Office. Figures for ScotRail have not been included as the provision for the non-SPTE element of the franchise is currently made by the DETR. This responsibility will pass to the Scottish Executive as part of a tranche of functions to be transferred in relation to franchises, including provisions proposed in the UK Transport Bill.

Question reference: S1W-03338

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 18 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2875 by Sarah Boyack on 14 December 1999, whether it will identify the eighteen bridges determined as adequate, the twenty confirmed failures, and the twenty bridges still being re-assessed; what assessment it intends to make of the thirty-three bridges not included in the current programme of re-assessment, and whether it will identify these thirty-three bridges.

The 18 bridges determined as adequate are:

A77 London Road	A87 Lon Na H'Iolainn	M8S Castle Street North
A8 Finlaystone	A887 Caochan Na Muic	M8 Access to King George V dock
A82 Creagdubh	A889 Allt Breakachy	M90 Duloch
A82 Meannarclach	A9 Loaninghead	M90 Lassodie
A82 Chancellor	A9 Tummel	M90 10-10 30
A87 Loch Ainort	A9 Clunie	M90 10-10 40

The 20 bridges confirmed as sub-standard are:

A68 Drygrange	A82 Allt Nan Guibhas	A87 Bideich
A7 Ewelees	A82 Allt Na Feaddh	A9 Loaninghead
A78 Inverkip Street Rail	A82 Alltanrigh	A92 Woodside Road
A8 Orchard Farm Rail	A82 Achtriochtan	A92 Auchmuty School
A82 Allt Chonoglais	A82 Achnambeithach	M90 Masterton Viaduct
A82 Ba	A82 Allt Fhiodhan	M90 Cocklaw
A82 Allt Molach	A87 Loinn Bhainn

The 20 bridges currently being reassessed are:

A76 Bellfield Interchange South	A92 St Forts Rail	M8 over Renfrew Road, Paisley
A76 Bellfield Interchange North	M73S 1-1 10	M8 over A8 Bishopton
A82 Howgate	M73s 1-1 20	M8S 30-30 30
A82 Stuckgowan	M73S 1-1 30	M90 Netherheath
A83 Sandhole	M73S 1-1 40	M90 Cuddyhouse
A898 Westbound sliproad over A878	M74 6-6 50	M90 Cocklaw
A898 over A726 Erskine Approach Bridge	M8 Hillington Slip Road

Of the remaining 33 bridges, the reassessment programme is being extended to include the following seven bridges where more advanced assessment procedures and experience gained on other structures now offers the possibility of improving the original assessment result:

A82 Study

M8 East Whitburn

(westbound)

M9 River Carron

A985 Bluther Burn

M8 East Whitburn

(eastbound)

A9 Kessock

M8 Starlaw Road

The remaining 26 bridges are not considered suitable for reassessment because of their condition or design. Further assessment offers little scope for improving the initial assessment result to a pass although some work may be carried out to reduce the amount of strengthening required.

A720 Water of Leith	A87 Broadford	M8 St James Interchange West
A726 College Milton	A887 Lagain Bhain	M8 Black Cart
A76 Marchburn	A887 Allt Na H-Innse Beag	M8 Gryffe
A8 James Watt Dock	A898 Erskine Bridge	M8 Deans Road Bridge
A82 Lairig Eilde	A96 Fochabers New	M823S 0-0 30
A82 Base Camp Rail	M74 Raith	M9 Kirk Entry
A830 Traigh	M8 Arkleston	M9 Hill Overbridge
A87 Shiel	M8 White Cart	M9 River Avon
A87 Bunan	M8 St James Interchange East

Question reference: S1W-03205

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 13 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all of the land required for the projected M77 extension from Malletsheugh to Fenwick has been acquired, whether any land is currently subjected to compulsory purchase or whether any land is being acquired by negotiations, subject to conditions, including time delays in acquisition.

The land for the M77 extension between Fenwick and Malletsheugh has not yet been purchased. Three Compulsory Purchase Orders to acquire most of the land for the scheme were made at the end of last year. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures, ownership of this land will be vested in Scottish Ministers in spring 2000. Additional plots of land for various additional drainage, landscaping and access works are being acquired by negotiation.

Question reference: S1W-02899

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 13 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism exists for roads not included in the recent Scottish Strategic Roads Review to be assessed in future for major upgrading by the Scottish Executive.

The Executive has prepared Route Profiles of all routes in the trunk road network. These Profiles summarise the key aspects of each route in terms of its operation, safety and maintenance. These profiles are currently being updated and will be used to highlight problems and issues relating to each route as an aid to strategic decision-making. There are also Route Action Plan Studies on 10 trunk roads, focusing on those with the greatest operational safety and maintenance problems. Three further studies are underway. I will write to Mr Tosh shortly with details. Each study has identified a phased and targeted programme of low to medium cost improvements. A significant number of these have been implemented and others will follow as resources permit.

Question reference: S1W-02873

Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 1999
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 13 January 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will conduct a further review of strategic roads and transport corridors.

The recently completed strategic roads review examined the schemes inherited in May 1997. The Executive has no plans for a further review. We will be concentrating our efforts on delivering the five schemes and the corridor studies announced on 4 November.I also refer Mr Tosh to my answer to question S1W-2899. It explains how we intend to identify future priorities for investment in the motorway and trunk road network.