Parliamentary questions
Elaine Murray
2,411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £131 million of savings reported by the Scottish Futures Trust in its 2011-12 benefits statement was independently verified and, if so, by what organisation.
Answer · Alex Neil: I have asked Barry White, Chief Executive of the Scottish Futures Trust to respond. His response is as follows: The Scottish Futures Trust arranged for independent validation of the 2011-12 Benefits Statement from the London School of Economics as well as G…
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Futures Trust's 2011-12 benefits statement is publicly available and, if so, where.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Futures Trust’s Benefits Statement for 2011-12 along with all supporting documentation is available from the SFT website by way of the following link http://www.scottishfuturestrust.org.uk/publications/benefits/.
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what sections of rail track will be electrified in each year until 2020.
Answer · Keith Brown: We are committed to the electrification of the rail network as set out in our High Level Output Specification published on 21 June 2012, which requires Network Rail to develop and implement a rolling programme of electrification that will cover around 100 sin…
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what components of the original Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme will not be progressed before (a) 2017 and (b) 2020.
Answer · Keith Brown: The first phase announced on 4 July will be delivered within the next Control Period (2014-19). Further elements of EGIP including the electrification of Stirling, Dunblane and Alloa services, Glasgow connectivity with Edinburgh Gateway station and the propo…
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what costs the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme has incurred on rail improvement schemes that are not included in the programme announced on 4 July 2012.
Answer · Keith Brown: We remain committed to the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme. We are unable to provide a breakdown of costs by individual projects of the programme, however, the costs incurred across the Programme before 4 July 2012 were circa £70 million.
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what costs the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme had incurred before 4 July 2012.
Answer · Keith Brown: The costs incurred before 4 July 2012 were circa £70 million, including construction, feasibility, outline design and management costs.
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost estimate was for rail electrification to Stirling, Dunblane and Alloa proposed in the original Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme.
Answer · Keith Brown: The budget estimate for electrification of Stirling, Dunblane and Alloa routes is around £95 million.
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost is of each component of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme announced on 4 July 2012 and over what period these costs will be incurred.
Answer · Keith Brown: The budget for the programme is £650 million and will be delivered within the next control period (2014-19). The breakdown of this cost is commercially sensitive.
24 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what new train services will be introduced as a result of the Paisley Rail Corridor Improvements and what the timescale for these services will be.
Answer · Keith Brown: From December 2012, there will be four trains per hour between Glasgow Central and Ayr, an increase of two, one of which will terminate at Irvine between off peak periods.
11 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Human Rights Act 1998 applies to cases of theft of mobile phones and, if so, which sections.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Human Rights Act provides for a variety of protections, including an individual’s right to privacy. The right to privacy may be infringed if it is necessary for a specific purpose (such as the prevention and detection of crime), and the action is proporti…
11 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the police are permitted to use tracking techniques in an effort to identify perpetrators in cases of theft of mobile phones.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Obtaining communications data is provided for by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Any data obtained must first meet the statutory tests of necessity and proportionality.
11 Jul 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the police are permitted to use tracking techniques to attempt to recover stolen mobile phones.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Obtaining communications data is provided for by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. Any data obtained must first meet the statutory tests of necessity and proportionality.
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendations made in the Consumer Focus Scotland report, Guaranteed water rights – Consumer awareness of Scottish Water’s minimum service standards.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government welcomes this report by Consumer Focus Scotland on Scottish Water’s Guaranteed Service Standards. There is a clear message in the recommendations that Scottish Water must do much more to get across to all its customers what a good sche…
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when construction of the Hardgrove to Kinmount improvement scheme will (a) commence and (b) be completed.
Answer · Keith Brown: The construction of the A75 Hardgrove to Kinmount scheme is currently scheduled to commence on site in early 2013 with an anticipated completion date early 2014.
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used to allocate the recently announced £20 million of new funding for affordable housing for local authorities and whether each local authority will be able to apply for this.
Answer · Keith Brown: The extra £20 million will be allocated this autumn to local authorities to enhance their three year strategic local programmes of new developments in their area, which may be a combination of registered social landlords and local authority build. We are disc…
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the recently announced £15 million of accelerated existing funding for affordable housing will be distributed and what proportion will be allocated to (a) affordable socially rented housing and (b) homes for mid-market rent.
Answer · Keith Brown: We are currently discussing with councils how they plan to utilise their Resource Planning Assumptions to deliver a range of affordable housing over the next three years. As part of that process we will agree how the funding will be drawn down over the three …
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where information on a (a) national or (b) local authority basis can be accessed regarding the average rent paid for temporary accommodation.
Answer · Keith Brown: This information is not held centrally.
28 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where information on a (a) national or (b) local authority basis can be accessed regarding the average length of time that households registered as homeless are allocated temporary accommodation.
Answer · Keith Brown: This information is not held centrally.
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been for the purchase of properties owned by registered social landlords under the (a) preserved and (b) modernised right to buy scheme in each year since 30 September 2002.
Answer · Keith Brown: This information is collected by the Scottish Housing Regulator and is available up to 31 March 2011 for financial years only. The information is contained in the following table: Financial Year Applications under Preserved Right to Buy Applications under …
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there have been for the purchase of council-owned properties under the (a) preserved and (b) modernised right to buy scheme in each year since 30 September 2002.
Answer · Keith Brown: This data is provided by local authorities on the basis of financial years and is available up to 2010-11. The information is contained in the following table: Financial Year Applications under Preserved Right to Buy Applications under Modernised Right to …
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which (a) housing developments and (b) local authority areas will participate in the New Supply Shared Equity with Developers Scheme.
Answer · Keith Brown: The housing developments by local authority area that have been approved to participate in the New Supply Shared Equity with Developers Scheme in 2012-13 are provided in the following table. Developer Project Local Authority Area Beshouse Residential Prop…
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to bring forward proposals on future rail fare levels following its consideration of the responses to Rail 2014 - Public Consultation.
Answer · Keith Brown: A range of options for the setting of regulated fares is currently being modelled. We also intend to expand fares regulation to protect those in rural areas as well as commuters. The levels at which regulated fares will be set for the next franchise will be i…
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) discussion or (b) consultation it has initiated regarding the (i) criteria for, (ii) governance of and (iii) application process for bids to the Scottish Stations Investment Fund.
Answer · Keith Brown: Transport Scotland has received 12 enquiries about individual station proposals as a result of the announcement. The governance, criteria and application process for the Scottish Stations Investment Fund will be discussed and agreed with key stakeholders ove…
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult further on the criteria that would initiate a break in the next ScotRail franchise after five years.
Answer · Keith Brown: The detail of the specification for the next franchisees is currently being drawn up. The criteria being considered for the break clause in the ScotRail franchise include growth in passenger numbers and improvements in overall performance. A programme of ong…
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where the responses to Rail 2014 - Public Consultation have been published.
Answer · Keith Brown: The responses have been published on the Transport Scotland website: http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/strategy-and-research/publications-and-consultations/rail-passenger-services-2014.
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new trains it has funded in each year since 1999.
Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish Ministers assumed responsibility for the rail franchise in Scotland in 2005. The Scottish Government through ScotRail lease all of the trains in its fleet directly from Rolling Stock Operating Companies [ROSCOs] as part of its Franchise funding arra…
25 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what railway stations have been opened or reopened in each year since 1999 and how much funding it provided toward each.
Answer · Keith Brown: Station Opened Total Cost Scottish Government Funding Dunfermline Queen Margaret January 2000 £1.8 million Nil Howwood March 2001 £1.23 million Nil Beauly April 2002 £0.2 million Nil Brunstane, Newcraighall June 2002 £11 million SG £8.5 mi…
19 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which train operating companies have made requests to (a) close and (b) reduce the opening hours of station ticket offices in the most recent period for which information is available and for which stations.
Answer · Keith Brown: There have been no requests from ScotRail to permanently close or reduce station ticket office opening hours during the term of this Franchise.
13 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-07343 by John Swinney on 6 June 2012, whether private companies limited by guarantee are eligible for financial support from the Scottish Government and, if so, what criteria apply.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07893 on 25 June 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…
13 Jun 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-07343 by John Swinney on 6 June 2012, how it defines "third sector" with regard to eligibility for financial support.
Answer · John Swinney: The Third Sector is made up of community groups, voluntary organisations, charities, social enterprises, co-operatives and individual volunteers. An organisation is regarded as being in the third sector if it: has a positive community purpose is run by an …