- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 18 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of increased fuel prices on local authorities providing lifeline bus services.
Answer
We will continue to work in partnership with local government partners to drive forward our transport priorities. For future years, funding for supported bus services will be included within the overall local government finance settlement. It will be the responsibility of each local authority, in conjunction with their Community Planning Partners, to allocate the funding on the basis of their local needs and priorities “ taking into account their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities, including the Scottish Government's key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments. Further details on these new arrangements can be found in the Scottish Budget Report and related concordat with local government. Copies of both documents are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 44076 and 44077 respectively).
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 18 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that bus service operators do not have to increase fares or reduce services following the Scottish Government’s decision not to increase the Bus Service Operators Grant.
Answer
Ultimately, the level of fares and the provision of bus services is a matter for individual bus operators who use their own commercial judgement in these matters. The Scottish Government currently provides substantial funds to the bus industry of around £260 million a year. This covers Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), concessionary fares, local authority supported services and Bus Route Development Grant. Following the budget statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 6 February, I can confirm that it is our intention that the budget for BSOG will be around £61 million in 2008-09.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 18 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support bus service operators facing increased fuel prices.
Answer
The cost of fuel is one of a number of factors which impact on the provision of bus services. The Scottish Government currently provides substantial funds to the bus industry of around £260 million a year. This covers Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), concessionary fares, local authority supported services and Bus Route Development Grant. Following the budget statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 6 February, I can confirm that it is our intention to increase the budget line for BSOG to around £61 million in 2008-09.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 8 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has with regards to funding a second round of the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme.
Answer
Following the spending review,substantial additional funding is available for microgeneration and community renewables,including biomass projects. The Scottish Government is currently considering futuresupport for biomass projects outside these categories, and will take into accountthe potential to increase support for biomass under the Renewables Obligation aswell as the progress made by projects under the current Scottish Biomass SupportScheme.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 7 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to the proposed new prison in the north east being built on the existing site at HM Prison Peterhead.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:
The Cabinet Secretary forJustice announced on 24 August 2007 that a new public sector prison for the north-eastof Scotland would be built in the Peterhead area. The SpendingReview plans, published in November 2007, provide funding to meet thiscommitment. Work is underway to take forward the replacement of HM Prison Aberdeen andHM Prison Peterhead with a new prison, HM Prison Grampian. The site for thisdevelopment will be confirmed in due course.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 7 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had regarding the location of the proposed new prison in the north east.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:
The Scottish Prison Servicehas held discussions with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils regardingthe proposed HM Prison Grampian which will replace the existing HM Prison Aberdeenand HM Prison Peterhead.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 7 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for the planning, construction and opening of the proposed new prison in the north east.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.
His response is as follows:
Work is underway to takeforward HM Prison Grampian to replace HM Prison Aberdeen and HM Prison Peterhead.The timescale for planning, construction and opening of the new prison is partof that work. The programme will be confirmed in due course.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 6 February 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that Scotland’s share arising from any further fuel duty support from the UK Government for bus operators in England and Wales is allocated directly to bus service operators in Scotland.
Answer
Scottish ministers,subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament, are free to allocate the availablebudget in whatever way they see fit. Ministers, from the present and previous administrations,have therefore made their decisions on the basis of what is best for Scotland, irrespective of the way in which budgets have been allocatedin England and Wales.
If the Departmentfor Transport were to make changes (increases or decreases) in the level of fuelduty support, that would affect the budget available to Scotland, as calculated through the Barnett formula. It wouldbe for ministers, taking account of the net change in the total Scottish budget,to decide which Scottish budget lines should be amended, and to ask Parliament toapprove the relevant budget amendments.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 30 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Aberdeenshire Council on the provision of funding for a replacement Ellon Academy.
Answer
There have been general,rather than school specific, discussions with representatives of Aberdeenshire Councilon the council’s school estate management and investment plans. Decisions on thedeployment of capital resources at their disposal are matters for the council accordingto their assessment of needs and priorities.
- Asked by: Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 January 2008
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 28 January 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive which powers of Scottish Enterprise it is planning to transfer to local authorities.
Answer
Under the reforms, responsibilityfor certain functions in relation to local regeneration activity and to the BusinessGateway will transfer from Scottish Enterprise to local authorities.
