- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 23 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many home zones there are.
Answer
The Scottish Government has received one Home Zones Designation Order from The Inverclyde Council.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 April 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 17 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive why it chose to extend the First Scotrail franchise three years before the end of the term.
Answer
This was the best time to extend the franchise, allowing government to secure maximum benefits to the public and rail passengers throughout Scotland.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 10 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations it has met in relation to attempts to secure a reduction in the blood alcohol level permitted when driving.
Answer
I met representatives of the British Medical Association (Scotland) (BMA) at Holyrood on 4 December 2007 as part of the BMA campaign to reduce the drink driving limit.
In December 2007, I exchanged correspondence with representatives of the BMA, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents on the issue of lowering the drink driving limit.
I meet regularly with chief constables and other senior representatives of the police in Scotland throughout the year and the drink driving limit is one of many issues that has been discussed.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government on reducing the blood alcohol level permitted when driving.
Answer
On 19 July 2007, I had meetings with Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State at the Home Office. and the Home Secretary to discuss a number of issues including drink driving.
On 12 March 2008, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly MP, urging the UK Government to lower the drink driving limit to 50mg per 100ml of blood, and to introduce random breath testing.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 8 April 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Cabinet has discussed the issue of drink-driving and when such discussions took place.
Answer
Information relating to the proceedings of the Scottish Cabinet is considered exempt from disclosure under sections 29 (a) and (b) and 30(a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 20 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to funding a new railway station at Kintore as a first step to improving commuter rail services in the north east.
Answer
Our high level output specification (HLOS) sets out the Scottish ministers'' aspiration to improve the Aberdeen to Inverness Line between 2009 and 2014. In the context of that development, we will look carefully at the business case for a new station at Kintore. Consideration of the affordability of the HLOS is currently being taken forward between Transport Scotland and the Office of Rail Regulation, and this process is not expected to be complete until autumn of this year.
In view of this ongoing work, it is not appropriate for me to comment on the funding of the proposed station at Kintore at this time.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 13 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Forth Estuary Transport Authority on proposals to build temporary ramps on the Forth Road Bridge to ease traffic disruption during repairs to the bridge’s main expansion joints.
Answer
Officials from the Scottish Government and the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) meet regularly to discuss a number of issues. On 15 January FETA hosted a meeting of key stakeholders, including the Scottish Government, to discuss the possible use of temporary ramps to allow limited traffic flow during works on the main expansion joints.
As the authority with responsibility for maintaining the Forth Road Bridge, FETA is continuing to explore this option, and will keep the Scottish Government and other stakeholders informed of progress.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 10 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to publish the results of research to review the performance achieved in use and any issues found for buildings designed to be low energy, low carbon, zero energy or zero carbon, as outlined in A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland.
Answer
I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:
Research that is commissioned as a direct result of A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland recommendations and the Communities Scotland's research will be presented to Scottish ministers. The intention is that the findings will then be published on the Scottish Government website.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 10 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to support training in new technologies, new products and new standards for low and zero carbon buildings, as recommended in A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland.
Answer
I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:
The Scottish Government is aware that as the market for low and zero carbon technologies increases, there is the need to ensure that training is available for these technologies, new products and new standards. The Sector Skills Councils, the Scottish Development Council and the Scottish Funding Council have been asked to jointly consider the skills needs of the renewables sector, including small scale low and zero carbon technologies.
The SBSA is working with colleagues in the Energy Efficiency Unit of the Scottish Government to address the recommendation in the Sullivan Report to encourage the development of training on new technologies, new products and new standards.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 February 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 10 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the 2010 revised building standards.
Answer
I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:
It is intended that the next revisions proposed for building regulations will be indicated to industry later this year.
