- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 May 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 19 May 2015
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) deaths, (b) serious injuries and (c) minor injuries there have been each year since 1999 in incidents that involved (i) whisky road tankers, (ii) HGVs on the A9 between Perth and Inverness and (iii) freight trains on the main line between Perth and Inverness, and what information it has on casualty rate per tonne-mile for (A) HGVs and (B) freight trains.
Answer
The number of accidents involving whisky road tankers is not available as they cannot be identified separately from other HGVs in the information obtained from Police Scotland regarding road accidents via the STATS 19 data collection system.
Accident data involving freight trains on the main line between Perth and Inverness is not held centrally. However, general information about the overall number of railway accidents can be found in tables 7.18 and 7.19 of the publication Scottish Transport Statistics which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre library (Bib. number 56731) and on the Transport Scotland website at:
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/statistics/j357783-10.htm#tb7_18
Information about casualty rates per tonne-mile is only available for HGVs. In 2013 there were 0.014 casualties involving HGVs per million tonne-miles across Scotland (source: Road Freight Statistics, Department for Transport and Reported Road Casualties Scotland, Transport Scotland).
The following table shows the number of casualties involved in accidents which involved at least one heavy goods vehicle on the A9 between Perth and Inverness, by casualty severity.
|
Year
|
Fatalities
|
Seriously Injured
|
Slightly Injured
|
Total
|
|
1999
|
1
|
6
|
6
|
13
|
|
2000
|
1
|
5
|
6
|
12
|
|
2001
|
7
|
6
|
10
|
23
|
|
2002
|
1
|
3
|
12
|
16
|
|
2003
|
2
|
7
|
14
|
23
|
|
2004
|
1
|
5
|
7
|
13
|
|
2005
|
0
|
7
|
23
|
30
|
|
2006
|
3
|
7
|
7
|
17
|
|
2007
|
2
|
4
|
13
|
19
|
|
2008
|
1
|
1
|
9
|
11
|
|
2009
|
1
|
8
|
18
|
27
|
|
2010
|
3
|
9
|
43
|
55
|
|
2011
|
2
|
3
|
16
|
21
|
|
2012
|
3
|
8
|
9
|
20
|
|
2013
|
1
|
2
|
8
|
11
|
|
Total
|
29
|
81
|
201
|
311
|
Source: Transport Scotland strategic road safety accident database
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 May 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 May 2015
To ask the Scottish Government how much double-tracking between Inverness and Nairn, as set in August 2014 in the document, Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvements Project GRIP 3 – Phase 1 Enhancements, is to be provided; where it will be laid, and what the timescale is for the work.
Answer
Infrastructure improvements for the Aberdeen to Inverness Improvements project, including some double tracking between Inverness and Nairn, will be prioritised for delivery in the next phase of the project (during Control Period 6 2019-24). I can confirm that the Scottish Government is absolutely committed to delivering significant journey time improvements and greater connectivity on the Inverness to Aberdeen corridor, including enhancing services between Inverness and Elgin.
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Friday, 01 May 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 May 2015
To ask the Scottish Government when the extra commuter trains between Inverness and Elgin, which were discussed at the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership board meeting of 10 April 2015, will become operational; what times of day they will operate, and how it will ensure that there will be sufficient (a) train sets available and (b) spare capacity retained at Inverness as contingency cover for breakdowns.
Answer
Transport Scotland is currently working with Abellio, Scotrail and Network Rail, progressing the development work that will ensure that the opportunities presented by investment in the Aberdeen-Inverness line for passengers and freight are realised as early as possible.
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 16 March 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has carried out of the effectiveness of its Gaelic language plan; when it will next carry out an evaluation, and who it will consult on this.
Answer
In 2013 Bòrd na Gidhlig commissioned FE Scott to carry out an independent study on the delivery of the commitments contained in a number of Gaelic language plans including the Scottish Government. This study found that the Scottish Government was indeed meeting its commitments.
In addition, there is an annual evaluation exercise to Bòrd na Gidhlig carried out by all public bodies that have produced a Gaelic language plan in Scotland. The Scottish Government last reported on progress with the commitments in our plan in September 2014.
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 16 March 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of reports of a reduction in the profile of the Gaelic language on the MV Loch Seaforth.
Answer
The Scottish Government is unaware of any reports regarding the reduction in the profile of the Gaelic language on the MV Loch Seaforth. CalMac Ferries Ltd remains committed to the promotion of the Gaelic language and this is continued on MV Loch Seaforth. Relevant signage in English is also replicated in Gaelic.
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 February 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 March 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that mountain rescue services remain properly funded.
Answer
The Scottish Government provides annual grant funding to Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) of £312,000, to distribute to the 27 voluntary teams across Scotland, and is the only government in the UK to do so. The Scottish Government has taken steps to develop a good working relationship with SMR and assists further, financially, if it is able to meet any additional requests. SMR are grateful for the continued financial support, acknowledging that it goes some way to meeting the cost of delivering Scotland’s world class mountain rescue service.
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 12 March 2015
To ask the Scottish Government to what extent it can direct its regulated public bodies to follow its policies.
Answer
The nature of each regulated public body’s relationship with the Scottish Ministers is outlined in its founding legislation and framework document. All public bodies operate within a policy context determined by ministers and should therefore contribute to the achievement of the National Performance Framework and the Scottish Government’s Economic Strategy.
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Friday, 27 February 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 10 March 2015
To ask the Scottish Government how many times each of the four weekday trains from Wick was cancelled for all or part of its journey due to (a) track problems including signalling and (b) congestion on the line due to other trains being late in the period from July to December 2014.
Answer
There were 13 full or part cancellations reported for the six months 1 July to 31 December 2014 for trains from Wick to Inverness, for the reasons cited in the question. The reported reasons include:
| Reason | Number of full or part cancellations |
| Track defects | 1 |
| Power supply failure | 2 |
| Other network issue (no further information available) | 1 |
| Leaf contamination of railhead | 1 |
| Level crossing failures | 2 |
| Points failures | 1 |
| Radio/telecoms systems | 4 |
| Token systems | 1 |
No full or part cancellations were reported because of congestion on the line due to other trains being late.
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 6 March 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that, when (a) it and (b) its regulated public bodies operate on a per-capita funding basis, the challenges of geography are taken into consideration so that this does have not a negative impact on remote or rural areas.
Answer
The allocation of resources is driven by the ‘Purpose of the Scottish Government’: to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth.
Any regional allocation of central Scottish Government resources, such as to health boards and local authorities, is typically managed through objective formula incorporating indicators such as population, deprivation, rurality and remoteness so that no geographic areas are systematically disadvantaged.
It is for individual agencies, in collaboration with their community planning partners, to determine the appropriate regional distribution of the resources under their control.
- Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
-
Date lodged: Monday, 23 February 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 6 March 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s total annual spend on (a) vessels and (b) infrastructure on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network (i) was between 1 January 2007 and 31 January 2015 and (ii) is estimated to be in each year between 2016 and 2024.
Answer
Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s (CMAL) total annual spend on vessels and infrastructure on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service network is as follows:
| | Actual Capital expenditure (£) |
| Year Ending | Vessels | Infrastructure |
| 31 March 2008 | 5,000 | 3,923 |
| 31 March 2009 | 5,114 | 4,542 |
| 31 March 2010 | 8,012 | 7,113 |
| 31 March 2011 | 13,009 | 7,926 |
| 31 March 2012 | 6,792 | 12,492 |
| 31 March 2013 | 13,569 | 5,881 |
| 31 March 2014 | 8,297 | 7,231 |
| 31 March 2015 | 12,009* | 9,128* |
| Total | 71,802 | 58,236 |
*Currently Forecasted.
Please note that up until October 2009 the responsibility for maintaining harbours was with CalMac Ferries Ltd.
Future spending on vessels and infrastructure for 2016–24 will be subject to the outcome of future spending reviews. Scottish Ministers have already ordered a third hybrid vessel which is currently under construction at a cost of £12.8 million. In addition, CMAL have tendered for the procurement of two new 100 metre vessels. Ministers have also given a commitment for the redevelopment of Brodick harbour at an estimated cost of £18 million. The redevelopment work will start in May 2015.
