- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 11 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by Mr Jack McConnell on local government finance on 8 December 1999, whether indicative spending guidelines will operate in 2000-01 in the same way as they did in 1999-2000 and whether it will outline the action it proposes to take, if any, in relation to councils which propose expenditure above guidelines or council tax increases above 5%.
Answer
Expenditure guidelines will operate in 2000-01 in the same way as they did in 1999-2000. I expect local authorities to budget within guideline. Where any authority exceeds its guideline, I shall consider all the relevant factors at the time before deciding what action to take.
- Asked by: Murray Tosh, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 December 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 11 January 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by Mr Jack McConnell on local government finance on 8 December 1999, whether the #15 million held back from the total allocations will be given as specific grant to the successful councils and treated as an increase in the said councils' indicative spending guidelines.
Answer
The arrangements for allocating the £15 million which has been released within the settlement are still under consideration and a further announcement will be made in due course.
- 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 17 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends, in the event that the A876 Kincardine Bridge Scheme is progressed, to refer it to local authorities for their consideration, and whether it will invite them to consider the use of road tolls as a means of funding the scheme.
Answer
Decisions on procurement and funding of the A876 Kincardine Bridge scheme will be taken later. The next steps are to progress the 2 major consultancies referred to in the Report on the Strategic Roads Review.
- 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 17 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has safeguarded the routes of each of the 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.
Answer
It is for local Councils, as planning authorities, to consider whether a particular route should be safeguarded in the structure and local plan for the area. In doing so they should have regard to all material considerations, including guidance contained in National Planning Policy Guidelines.
- 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 17 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the event that the construction of the M74 northern extension and the upgrading of the A8000 proceeds, it intends that the completed roads will be trunk roads.
Answer
The Executive has no plans to increase the trunk road network.
- 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 17 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ruled out tolling as a means of funding the M8 and M80 Schemes.
Answer
I refer Mr Tosh to my answer to question number S1W-2966.
- 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 17 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, given the specific invitation in the Strategic Roads Review - Scheme Decisions to local authorities to consider congestion charges and motorway tolling in respect of the M74 northern extension, and the absence of any such invitation in relation to the A8000, it does not intend to allow the A8000 to be funded by tolling.
Answer
As I announced on 4 November, it is for City of Edinburgh Council to take forward any scheme to replace the A8000.
- 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 17 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates to be the timescale and cost of works on the A96 Keith to Fife trunk road to fulfil its commitment in The Strategic Roads Review - Scheme Decisions to a traffic calming regime and what local consultation it intends to hold on its proposals.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has considered the recommendations set out in the A96 Keith Traffic Calming Inception Report. The implementation of a traffic calming scheme estimated at a cost of £340k is accepted as a high priority scheme and has been included in the list of minor improvement schemes for this route. It is proposed to implement this scheme in stages with phase 1 starting next year, subject to funding being available. The Scottish Executive will consult fully with the Keith community before the design of the scheme is finalised.
- 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 17 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive when and how it will examine practical local options to improve road safety on the A9 Preston to Balfarg Route, and what local consultations it intends to hold on its proposals.
Answer
Officials of the Scottish Executive Development Department expect very soon to discuss, initially with Fife Council, the development of possible solutions to address transport problems on the single carriageway section of the A92 between Preston and Balfarg.
- 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 17 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision not to refer the proposed M8 and M80 schemes to local authorities for further consideration indicates that, if these schemes are progressed, it will develop proposals itself for their procurement and funding.
Answer
The A8/M8 and A80/M80 are trunk roads and responsibility therefore lies with the Scottish Executive. As the Report on the Strategic Roads Review stated the Executive will commission multi-modal studies of these transport corridors. Following the studies, the Executive will consider the procurement and funding of the essential transport improvements.
