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: S4W-11166

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 13 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been provided to colleges in (a) Aberdeen and (b) Aberdeenshire in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S4W-11636

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 12 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent per head of population on large road projects in the north east compared with the national average in each of the last five years.

Since 2007 this government has invested over £2.5 billion to maintain and improve the trunk road network. During that time over £743 million has been invested in trunk roads in the North East which has enabled the delivery of schemes such as the A96 Fochabers to Mosstodloch Bypass which has reduced congestion, enhanced safety and improved journey times. Information which sets out annual trunk road spend per head of population is not held centrally.

Question reference: S4W-10944

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 11 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Aberdeen and Banff and Buchan colleges regarding the possible merger and subsequent creation of a regional college.

The Scottish Government has had no discussions with either college on possible merger. We do however keep in close touch with the many discussions currently taking place between the Scottish Funding Council and colleges throughout Scotland who are exploring restructuring. A key element of our plans to reform post-16 education is the reform of a college sector which was neglected for far too long by previous administrations.

Question reference: S4W-11524

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the outline business case for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

As a result of the preparatory work already progressed, two days after the Supreme Court Judgement was handed down a Prior Information Notice was published signalling to the market that we will be seeking expressions of interest from contracting parties early next year with construction to start in 2014. Additionally we have hit the ground running by awarding the supplementary ground investigation contract, both providing tangible evidence of our ability to deliver this much-needed project for the North East.

The outline business case for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will be agreed between project partners before the contract notice is published in early 2013. The full business case will be agreed prior to contract award which is expected in autumn 2014.

As we are about to commence the formal procurement of this project, for commercial reasons, it is not intended to publish this Business Case until after the contract for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of this road, has been awarded.

Question reference: S4W-11526

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the cost of completion of each of the elements of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Question reference: S4W-11525

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it calculated the updated estimated cost of £693 million for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

The estimated total cost of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is £653 million at 2012 prices. The breakdown of how this figure is made up is contained within the answer to question S4W-10756 on 7 November 2012.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-11521

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for the dualling of the A90 Balmedie to Tipperty.

The A90 Balmedie to Tipperty scheme will be taken forward in a Non-Profit Distributing Model form of contract alongside the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWRP).

The agreed indicative timetable for the combined project is:-:

19 October 2012 – prior information notice published;

Early 2013 – Hold industry day with potential bidders;

Early 2013 – Publish Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) contract notice;

Spring 2013 – Issue invitation to tender;

Autumn 2014 – Award contract / commence works; and

Spring 2018 – Construction completion.

We will look at opportunities for opening parts of the AWPR / Balmedie to Tipperty project as early as possible to ensure maximum benefit to the people in the North East in advance of the full scheme opening in spring 2018. We will discuss the phasing of these opportunities with tendering parties through the competitive dialogue period when tender documents are issued in spring next year.

Question reference: S4W-11523

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 10 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the procurement process was for the (a) dualling of and (b) awarding of contracts for the A90 Balmedie to Tipperty.

The A90 Balmedie to Tipperty scheme will be taken forward in a non-profit distributing model form of contract alongside the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR).

The agreed indicative timetable for the combined project is:-:

19 October 2012 – Prior information notice published;

Early 2013 – Hold industry day with potential bidders;

Early 2013 – Publish Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) contract notice;

Spring 2013 – Issue invitation to tender;

Autumn 2014 – Award contract / commence works; and

Spring 2018 – Construction completed.

We will look at opportunities for opening parts of the AWPR / Balmedie to Tipperty project as early as possible to ensure maximum benefit to the people in the north east in advance of the full scheme opening in spring 2018. We will discuss the phasing of these opportunities with tendering parties through the competitive dialogue period when tender documents are issued in spring next year.

Question reference: S4O-01567

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when the energy academy will begin its work.

Question reference: S4W-11161

Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 27 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on Aberdeen roads in each of the last five years.

The following table shows the gross revenue expenditure by Aberdeen City Council on roads for the last five available years.

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11
	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m
Aberdeen City	20.742	21.424	21.745	22.070	21.449

Source: Local Financial Returns – Roads and Transport (LFR 5) statistical return provided by councils to the Scottish Government.

Note – 2011-12 data will become available in February 2013.

The following table shows the gross capital expenditure by Aberdeen City Council on roads for the last five available years.

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11
	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m
Aberdeen City	16.129	8.573	9.065	8.916	5.655

Source: Capital statistical return (CR Final) provided by councils to the Scottish Government.

Note – 2011-12 data will become available in February 2013.

Note – 2006-07 capital expenditure figure is not directly comparable to later years due to changes in the data collection categories [2006-07 uses a wider definition of roads expenditure].

The following table shows expenditure by Transport Scotland on trunk road maintenance in Aberdeen for the last four available years.

	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
	£m	£m	£m	£m
Aberdeen City	0.276	0.720	0.706	1.310

Source: Transport Scotland