- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has identified any distinctly Scottish issues relating to rail safety including the high number of single track lines and level crossings on many lines in Scotland.
Answer
Under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, the provision and regulation of railway services, which includes rail safety, is a reserved matter. These are the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions within the UK government.
Vandalism is a particular problem for rail safety in Scotland. 94% of all train accidents in Scotland in the year to 31 March 1999 were caused by vandalism, as against 59% for Great Britain as a whole. I will shortly be meeting the Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Constable (Area Commander Scotland) of the British Transport Police to discuss this and other issues.Single-track lines and level crossings are found in many places on the GB network.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by John Home Robertson on 6 September 1999, what progress has been made in introducing the #3 million per annum support funding to the salmon farming industry being handled by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and when will the terms of the support scheme be made clear to salmon farmers.
Answer
Details of the scheme to assist fish and shellfish farmers directly affected by Infectious Salmon Anaemia were announced by HIE on 7 October. Applications have been received and are under consideration.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1661 by John Home Robertson on 6 October 1999, what progress is being made in developing a vaccine against Infectious Salmon Anaemia and whether a timescale for its development, approval and introduction has been proposed.
Answer
All that can be added to the answer given to the earlier question is that the Scottish Executive is aware of a number of companies currently undertaking development work with a vaccine to combat the Scottish strain of ISA.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 16 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Rural Affairs Department officials have visited Shetland, or plan to visit Shetland, to discuss with the Shetland salmon farmers practical means of simplifying or relaxing the Infectious Salmon Anaemia control measures.
Answer
There are no plans for officials to visit Shetland in the near future, but we will be happy to receive representations from the industry.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 4 November 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish local authorities have made financial provision to cover the cost of pre-school education for pupils whose parents have opted for deferred entry and which authorities these are.
Answer
Details are not held centrally of local authorities' financial provision for children whose entry to primary school has been deferred. We understand that virtually all local authorities provide pre-school places for a number of such children.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 28 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the Shetland Health Board in Shetland to enable the Board to present its views on the proposed Arbuthnott formula, and whether it will then give further consideration to any proposals which the Board makes.
Answer
As part of the Arbuthnott consultation exercise officials from the Scottish Executive met Shetland Health Board in Shetland on 6 September 1999 to explain the proposals and hear the Boards' views. The Board took the opportunity to present a fulsome response to the proposals, and as a result officials have agreed to examine a number of issues which were raised.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 28 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the Shetland Health Board in Shetland to enable the Board to present its views on the proposed Arbuthnott formula, and whether it will then give further consideration to any proposals which the Board makes.
Answer
As part of the Arbuthnott consultation exercise officials from the Scottish Executive met Shetland Health Board in Shetland on 6 September 1999 to explain the proposals and hear the Boards' views. The Board took the opportunity to present a fulsome response to the proposals, and as a result officials have agreed to examine a number of issues which were raised.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 25 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has had with the fishing industry during the preparation of their proposals for submission to the European Union for the application of the Fisheries Instrument Financial Guidance funding and what has been the response to the consultation.
Answer
The Scottish Executive issued 250 copies of a consultation paper to interested organisations on the application of the proposed new Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). 42 replies were received. While a range of views were expressed about the priority areas for application of future aid, most respondents favoured a continuation of assistance for the kinds of measures assisted under the existing FIFG regulation.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 25 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, following the transfer of executive functions for railways, which body will ultimately be responsible for enforcing safety standards on Scotland's railways and the penalties Railtrack and franchise operators face if they fail to meet safety standards.
Answer
The transfer of executive functions for railways did not include responsibility for rail safety, which is a reserved matter and is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions within the UK government. The Health and Safety Executive are responsible for enforcing safety standards on railways throughout Great Britain, including those in Scotland. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with these and other responsible bodies on matters relating to rail safety in Scotland.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 11 October 1999
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 25 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to set targets for future improvements in rail safety and if so how these targets will be delivered.
Answer
Under Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, the provision and regulation of railway services, which includes rail safety, are reserved matters. They are the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions within the UK government.The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions, the Health and Safety Executive and their Railways Inspectorate, the Rail Regulator and the British Transport Police on matters relating to rail safety in Scotland.
