- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 25 August 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the retention of the Fire Precautions (Sub-Surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989.
Answer
During the drafting of the Fire (Scotland) Bill and its subsequent introduction to the Scottish Parliament and scrutiny, Scottish Executive officials liaised with colleagues in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) regarding the reform of fire safety legislation.
Included in those discussions was the future of the Fire Precautions (Sub-Surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989. The Scottish Executive and the ODPM agreed that a consistent approach across the UK was desirable and that no proposals would be made to revoke these regulations until such time as sector-specific fire safety guidance, showing how all necessary protections currently afforded by the 1989 Regulations are continued by other laws, had been made available.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 August 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 24 August 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government, train operating companies and other relevant rail industry bodies, including trade unions, concerning additional security and safety measures following the bombings in London in July 2005.
Answer
Safety and counter-terrorism security on the rail network are reserved matters. The Department for Transport maintains close contacts with the rail industry and the British Transport Police on a range of issues including the potential threat to the network and the measures to be deployed to minimise the risk of future security incidents. This has continued since the events in London on 7 and 21 July.
First ScotRail has assured the Executive of its compliance with all safety and security requirements in the context of franchise management meetings.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Duncan McNeil on 8 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what assessment it has made of the personal financial gain to MSPs who have (a) used the Edinburgh accommodation allowance to facilitate the purchase of private properties before selling them on at a higher price or (b) borrowed on the basis of a value significantly increased from the time of original purchase of private property using the Edinburgh accommodation allowance.
Answer
In answer to (a), none. This is personal information which the Allowances Office does not require to have to administer the Allowances Scheme as approved by the Parliament.
In answer to (b), the Allowances Office checks annually the mortgage statement of accounts for each member who claims. The scheme only allows for payment of interest on capital borrowed to purchase a property. An extension of mortgage beyond the capital borrowed to purchase the property would not qualify for interest payments under the Allowances Scheme.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Duncan McNeil on 8 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the average price paid by MSPs who used allowances to purchase property has been and what information it has on how much each property is now worth.
Answer
As the SPCB does not hold all information on the prices paid by the 48 MSPs who used allowances to pay interest on property purchased, it cannot supply an average price.
The SPCB does not hold information on how much each property is now worth.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Duncan McNeil on 8 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many MSPs have used public money through the Edinburgh accommodation allowance to purchase privately property in Edinburgh since 1999.
Answer
The Allowances Schemes approved by the Parliament, the most recent of which was approved on 21 June 2001, made provision for the payment of interest due on capital borrowed by a member in order to purchase a property in accordance with the Scheme. It is not an allowance to purchase the property. There is an annual rate up to which a member may claim and, like other allowances, must be claimed and vouched.
The total number of members who have made a claim against this allowance to meet interest payment on borrowed capital is 48.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Duncan McNeil on 8 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it was originally envisaged that MSPs could access the Edinburgh accommodation allowance to facilitate the purchase of private property for themselves.
Answer
Yes. The Allowances Schemes made provision for qualifying members to claim, (a) rent payable for accommodation, (b) overnight hotel costs or, (c) the interest on capital borrowed to purchase a property, all within the prescribed financed limits.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 5 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how much was paid, and on which dates, through the Strategic Rail Authority to the National Express Group as compensation for loss of revenue during any industrial disputes within ScotRail.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does not hold this information. We have requested information from the Strategic Rail Authority and will write to the member with information once we receive it.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 4 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reverse any moves towards prison privatisation and bring HM Prison Kilmarnock into the state sector in light of the BBC Frontline Scotland programme's account of the operation of the prison.
Answer
I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:
No.The SPS do not consider that this would be justified or necessary. Premier Prison Service is carrying out an investigation into the allegations contained within the BBC programme. The SPS will work with the company to ensure that all necessary action is taken.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to set aside funds to compensate train operating companies in the event of industrial disputes on the railways.
Answer
Consideration is being given to all matters pertaining to the proposed transfer of responsibility for the Scottish passenger rail franchise from the Strategic Rail Authority to the Scottish Ministers.
- Asked by: Tommy Sheridan, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Socialist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 March 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be assuming powers previously employed by the Strategic Rail Authority in respect of providing compensation for loss of revenue arising from industrial disputes.
Answer
Compensation to train operating companies is an element of the ScotRail franchise agreement. Following the enactment of the Railways Bill the responsibility for the ScotRail franchise will pass from the Strategic Rail Authority to the Scottish ministers.
