- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 30 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took to explore the use of European funds in relation to the funding of the Forth Replacement Crossing and for what reasons this was not successful, as indicated by the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change on 15 January 2009 (Official Report c. 14133).
Answer
Transport Scotland secured the submission of an application for Trans-European Network (TEN-T) funding by the Department for Transport (DfT) as one of the two applications that they made for UK projects in 2008. The application was for support for the feasibility study element of the project.
In November we were informed by DfT that the application had been rejected on the grounds that the EC would rather give their support to projects with committed costs over a three year period.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 30 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of how the Scottish Futures Trust will be actively engaged with Transport Scotland and its advisers on all its major road and rail projects, including the Forth Replacement Crossing, as indicated by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth during the Forth Crossing debate on 15 January 2009 (Official Report c.14090).
Answer
The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) is already actively engaged with Transport Scotland as sponsors of a number of major projects including the Forth replacement crossing. The SFT will continue to provide expert advice to Transport Scotland, as it does to other parts of the public sector, on all aspects of the delivery and funding of infrastructure.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 30 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to adapt the hard shoulder of the Forth Replacement Crossing into multi-modal capacity after the bridge has been constructed.
Answer
The hard shoulder which forms part of the current proposals for the replacement crossing will have built in the capability of carrying multimodal public transport should there be some future reason why this cannot be accommodated on the existing Forth road bridge. The cost of this is included in the £1.7 billion to £2.3 billion cost estimate announced in December 2008.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 30 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has changed its plans for contracting the design, preparation and construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing and, if so, for what reasons.
Answer
I announced our plans for contracting the construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing on 10 December 2008 and these plans have not changed.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 30 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated start date is for work on the A90 Balmedie-Tipperty dual carriageway.
Answer
Draft Road Orders for this Scheme were published on 1 November 2007, with the Draft Compulsory Purchase Order following on 10 July 2008. A number of statutory and non-statutory objections were received and whilst Transport Scotland and their agents have worked to resolve many of these, the matter has now been referred to the Reporters Unit of the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Affairs. Arrangements are underway to hold a Public Local Inquiry (PLI), sometime this summer.
Subject to the ministers'' decision following the recommendation of the PLI, the earliest date for publication of the Made Road Orders is expected to be spring/summer 2010. Thereafter the processes of competitively tendering and funding the contract can be commenced.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 29 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated completion date is for the replacement of HMP Peterhead.
Answer
This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0129-01.htm
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will report to the Parliament with draft proposals for reinvesting the £73.1 million accrued through the ScotRail franchise extension.
Answer
The ScotRail franchise extension secured £73.1 million for reinvestment in the railways through a number of Priced Options as outlined in the franchise amendment agreement.
A consultation exercise into how best the Priced Options can be implemented has recently ended. A report on the consultation findings will be made available to Parliament when analysis of the responses has been completed.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that the Rural Aberdeenshire LEADER programme is properly resourced.
Answer
This PQ was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0122-01.htm
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 8 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the 29 projects listed in the Strategic Transport Projects Review will be completed before 2011 and, if so, which projects and when they will be completed.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 8 January 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether every project in the Strategic Transport Projects Review will be delivered by 2022.
Answer
The Strategic Transport Projects Review has recommended 29 transport projects over the next 20 years. The government is committed to delivering these with timetabling and funding determined by successive spending reviews.
