Parliamentary questions

Elaine Murray

2,411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

14 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what effect the proposed high-speed rail link between Edinburgh and Glasgow will have on the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme.

Answer · Keith Brown: The proposed high speed rail line between Edinburgh and Glasgow is intended to complement the interim completion of the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme, and address future passenger demand.

14 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding mechanism it will use to construct the proposed high-speed rail link between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Answer · Keith Brown: That will be determined as part of the project development process. We will continue to draw on the advice of the Scottish Future Trust (SFT). SFT is one of our development partners in the Scottish Partnership Group for High Speed Rail which delivered “Fast T…

14 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its estimate is of the cost of constructing the proposed high-speed rail link between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Answer · Keith Brown: The estimate of the cost of construction will be determined by route appraisal and final design decisions. However, I have made clear that we must challenge the per kilometre cost assumptions of delivery of high speed rail elsewhere in the UK. A first stage …

13 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans (a) are in place and (b) will cost for the trunk road maintenance contracts for the north west of Scotland, if a contractor is not in place before the handover date of 1 April 2013.

Answer · Keith Brown: On 28 November 2012, I announced that Bear Scotland Ltd had been awarded the trunk road maintenance contract for the north west unit. The commencement of service is 1 April 2013

9 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10110 by Margaret Burgess on 31 October 2012, how the table provided in that answer can be reconciled with the data in its online publication, Housing Statistics for Scotland – Social Sector new build.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The answer to question S4W-10110 also includes housing association rehabilitation starts, off the shelf purchase starts and the home owners’ support fund. This information is not included within the Social Sector new build table referred to. The information p…

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many housing starts were recorded for homes for social rent in each (a) of the first two quarters of 2012 and (b) quarter of each year since 2007.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The following table shows the number of housing starts recorded for homes for social rent in (a) the first quarter of 2012 and (b) quarter of each year since 2009. The second quarter figures for 2012 are not scheduled to be published until 28 November 2012. H…

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10110 by Margaret Burgess on 31 October 2012, whether the core criteria for bids to the Innovation Fund required that, by 31 March 2012, (a) projects should be able to achieve detailed planning consent and (b) housing should be capable of starting o…

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The original core criteria for bids to the innovation fund stated that projects that require planning consent should have detailed planning consent in place, or be able to achieve this by 31 March 2012. In relation to site start it was stated that “housing sh…

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10110 by Margaret Burgess on 31 October 2012, whether it was a condition of bids to the Innovation and Investment Fund for (a) new council house building and (b) the registered social landlord programme that work must have started on site by the end…

Answer · Margaret Burgess: It was originally a condition of bids to the fund that the new council house building work must have started on site by the end of March 2012. Similarly for registered social landlord projects it was stated within our published guidelines that work on all app…

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much was allocated from the Innovation and Investment Fund to (a) new council house building, (b) registered social landlord building and (c) the Innovation Fund.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: In September 2011 the Scottish Government announced two tranches of government investment totalling over £111 million through the innovation and investment fund. The fund was allocated as follows:- £35 million to Scottish local authorities to help build a ne…

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The following table shows the number of social housing approvals in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12: Year Number of social housing approvals 2009-10 6247 2010-11 5461 2011-12 4044

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the affordable housing supply budget for 2013-14 will include the former Home Owners' Support Fund.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The affordable housing supply budget for 2013-14 will include the home owners’ support fund.

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £35 million allocated to support for sustainable and active travel in the 2013-14 draft budget will be allocated to funding for the next phase of the Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Scheme.

Answer · Keith Brown: At this level of budget detail, final spending decisions will not always have been taken and individual allocations may therefore change. In 2013-14, we currently envisage spending around £2.5 million on procurement of low carbon buses through the Scottish G…

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £35 million allocated to support for sustainable and active travel in the 2013-14 draft budget will be allocated to delivering the actions in the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland.

Answer · Keith Brown: In 2013-14 Sustrans will receive £9.66 million for community links and safe routes to school infrastructure projects. Cycling Scotland will receive £2 million for softer measures such as the “Give Me Cycle Space” road safety campaign and cycle training, all o…

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £35 million allocated to support for sustainable and active travel in the 2013-14 draft budget will be allocated to investing in infrastructure that will allow the use of electric and low-carbon vehicles.

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the £44.4 million allocated to major public transport projects in the 2013-14 draft budget will be spent on (a) the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme and (b) the Borders railway project.

Answer · Keith Brown : The budget for Major Public Transport Projects funds specific commitments including The Borders Railway project, The Paisley Corridor Improvement project, The Waverley Station Redevelopment, The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme and our contribution to …

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £39.8 million that was allocated to major public transport projects in the 2012-13 Scottish Budget will be spent on (a) the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme and (b) the Borders railway project.

Answer · Keith Brown: The budget for Major Public Transport Projects funds specific commitments including the Borders Railway project, the Paisley Corridor Improvement project, The Waverley Station Redevelopment, The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme and our contribution to …

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £53 million allocated to major public transport projects in the 2011-12 Scottish Budget was spent on (a) the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme and (b) the Borders railway project.

Answer · Keith Brown: The budget for Major Public Transport Projects funds specific commitments including the Borders Railway project, the Paisley Corridor Improvement project, the Waverley Station Redevelopment, the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme and our contribution to …

8 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will achieve a saving of £12.7 million in the rail infrastructure budget between 2012-13 and 2013-14 as indicated in its 2013-14 draft budget .

Answer · Keith Brown: The reduction in the 2013-14 spending plan for rail infrastructure reflects a number of factors. Network Rail receive their funding via two routes – a proportion as a direct grant from the Scottish Government (Rail Infrastructure) and the balance through tr…

6 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the rules regarding standard charges for stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package were changed and what the reasons are for this.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The process for calculating customer contributions for stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package was changed on 1 May 2012 for all customers surveyed on or after that date. The reason for making the changes was to improve the process so that it is more transpa…

22 Oct 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the budget lines will be identified in relation to the transfer of £250 million from DEL resource to DEL capital as announced in the 2013-14 draft budget.

16 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what companies can supply smart-ticketing equipment to organisations providing community transport.

Answer · Keith Brown: Any bus operator wishing to participate in Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People is required to use ITSO compliant smart-enabled Electronic Ticket Machines (ETMs) and Related Infrastructure approved by Scottish Ministers. There are thre…

5 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders will be consulted in its review of public sector construction contracts.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-10124 on 5 November 2012. All answers to written Parliamentary are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness…

5 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the work and findings of its review of public sector construction contracts will be taken into account in the consultation on the proposed Procurement Reform Bill.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Evidence relevant to the Procurement Reform Bill, which is gathered as part of the review of procurement in construction, will be considered as part of the development of the Bill. Equally, evidence submitted as part of the consultation on the Bill, which is …

5 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the first meeting of the group reviewing public construction contracts will be held; how regularly the group will meet, and what future dates have been agreed.

5 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who, other than Robin Crawford and Ken Lewandowski, will be involved in its review of public sector construction contracts.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Robin Crawford and Ken Lewandowski will be supported by a small secretariat team within the Scottish Government, although it will remain for Mr Crawford and Mr Lewandowski to determine how the review should proceed. Mr Crawford and Mr Lewandowski have indica…

4 Oct 2012 · Written Question

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The following table shows the number of housing starts recorded for social rent in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12: Year Number of Starts 2009-10 7,677 2010-11 6,063 2011-12 3,025 Timing issues affected the number of site starts in 2011-12. …

4 Oct 2012 · Written Question

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The following table shows grant payments to councils for the construction of new homes for social rent in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2012-11 and (c) 2011-12 under the Council House Build programme. Grant was payable on completion of the homes. Council House Build Prog…

4 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it provided to housing associations for the construction of new homes for social rent in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The following table shows grant payments to housing associations for the construction of new homes for social rent in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12. These figures include expenditure on a small number of rehabilitation projects, as expenditure info…

4 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of its consultation on the future of right to buy.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: We expect to publish the consultation analysis report early in November.

4 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the additional funding for housing that arose from Barnett consequentials, announced in February 2012, was allocated; which Level 4 budget lines benefitted from this, and by how much.

Answer · John Swinney: An additional £87 million was added to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) budget in February 2012 as a result of Barnett consequentials. All of the additional money was added to the Housing Supply Level 4 budget line across the three years of the …