Parliamentary questions
Alex Neil
3,059 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had internal discussions on the matter of US agencies using Scottish airports as refuelling stops for flights in which it is alleged that suspected terrorists are being carried to countries where the practice of torture is used for the purposes of interrogation.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There have been a number ofroutine discussions primarily in relation to the answering of parliamentaryquestions and other enquiries on this matter.</p>
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20890 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 December 2005, who is responsible for co-ordinating the external independent audit of the annual competency tests and continuous professional development programme that Scottish fingerprint officers must undertake and how…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Quality Assurance and Training Officers in each bureau of the Scottish Fingerprint Service co-ordinate the annual competency testing of the experts within their bureau. The competency tests are set and the results evaluated by an independent forensic test…
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20890 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 December 2005, why it considers that the disagreement referred to has no implications for any current or future court cases where fingerprint evidence is used.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The case in question arises from an opinion published in 2005 about a criminal case concluded in 1999. Since then more than 2,000 identifications made by officers in Glasgow have been verified by experts from the Metropolitan Police Service and the Police Ser…
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it is appropriate for the Scottish Prison Service not to retain historical data in respect of prisoners held in a regular prison who should be held in an open prison.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is asfollows:</p><p>Establishments assessregularly prisoners whom they consider are suitable for transfer to open prisonconditions. There is no operational value…
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21070, S2W-21071 and S2W-21072 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 December 2005, whether it will now consider instructing the Scottish Prison Service to keep historical data in respect of prisoners held in a regular prison who should be held in an open prison.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21529 on 22 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available o…
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21070, S2W-21071 and S2W-21072 by Cathy Jamieson on 7 December 2005, why historical data is not retained in respect of prisoners held in a regular prison who should be held in an open prison.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p>I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21529 on 22 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available o…
8 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would expect the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to agree to meet the sponsors of a £16 million investment project designated for an unemployment blackspot in Lanarkshire.
7 Dec 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is putting in place to prevent deaths from hypothermia this winter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is implementing a number of measures including the central heating and Warm Deal Programmes, the Chief Medical Officer’s Wrap Up for Winter Campaign and the annual influenza campaign.</p>
5 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is able to state its position on whether, had the way forward contained in a letter from William Rae to it on 12 December 2000 been acted upon, public money could have been saved.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The main allocations for the delivery of the Working for Families fund in local authorities are £10 million per annum for 2004-06 and £15 million per annum for 2006-08.</p> <p>In addition to the main allocations, piloting, development and evaluation activitie…
5 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the answers to questions S2W-20244 and S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005 and the level of media publicity regarding the case referred to in these answers, whether it is able to release any further information and whether it is able to comment on those matters bey…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The case remains sub judice and I am not able to comment further.</p>
5 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-20244 and S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005, whether it is able to comment on the proposition that the ongoing publicity in respect of the case referred to in these answers is causing damage to its own reputation and that of the Scotti…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The case in question arises from an identification made in 1997. Since then more than 2,000 identifications made by officers in Glasgow have been verified by experts from the Metropolitan Police Service and the Police Service of Northern Ireland. In addition,…
5 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20247 by Cathy Jamieson on 9 November 2005, when the annual competency tests and Continuous Professional Development programme were introduced for fingerprint experts.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The annual competency tests for fingerprint officers in the Scottish Fingerprint Service began in 2002. The Continuous Professional Development programme was introduced in 2003.</p>
5 Dec 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20246 by Cathy Jamieson on 17 November 2005, whether this indicates that fingerprint identification is ultimately a matter of opinion of the experts examining the specific fingerprint in question.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Fingerprint Service agrees with the internationally accepted definition that fingerprint evidence is expert opinion of identification based on the scientific fact that fingerprints are unique to every individual. An identification is made when th…
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it considers that Transport Scotland will improve the transport system.
Answer · Tavish Scott: As an executive agency of the Scottish Executive, Transport Scotland will have a clear remit focused on delivery of transport services and delivery, distinct from the wider role of a Government department and with the relevant skills and resources all in one …
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the strategic objectives of Transport Scotland are.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland’s purpose is to support the delivery of the Scottish Executive’s vision for sustainable transport in Scotland, making a real difference for people and businesses using the national rail and road systems. The specific aims, objectives and ta…
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns in respect of the number of bidders for recent competitive tenders for road capital projects.
Answer · Tavish Scott: No. We are content that the level of competition for recent contracts has secured good value tender prices.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many bidders there have been for each competitive tender for road capital projects over the value of £10 million in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of bidders for trunk road contracts over £10 million in value let by the Scottish Executive is tabulated in the following:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p></td> <td> <p>Scheme</p></td…
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact would be on air pollution and noise pollution in the immediate vicinity of the A80 through Cumbernauld if it was upgraded to full motorway status.
Answer · Tavish Scott: In terms of air quality, more locations will experience beneficial rather than adverse impacts. The benefits would be greatest in the bypassed communities of Muirhead, Chryston and Moodiesburn. Between Mollinsburn and Haggs the majority of impacts will be ins…
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an upgrade to the A80 from Stepps to Haggs through Cumbernauld to full motorway status would accommodate the volume of traffic expected on that route in (a) 10, (b) 20 and (c) 30 years time.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The M80 on line upgrade is not designed for unconstrained growth. If required, integral demand management measures will be deployed to maintain an acceptable level of service on the route.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what projections it has made in respect of the volume of traffic per day on the A80 in (a) 10, (b) 20 and (c) 30 years time.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Projections have been made for the years 2010 and 2025 for the existing A80 (do minimum) and for the upgrading of the route to motorway status (with scheme). Volumes vary along the route. Typical values are shown in the following tables:</p> <p>Do Minimum</p>…
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the upgrading of the A80 from Stepps to Haggs through Cumbernauld to full motorway status or the construction of a motorway through the identified Kelvin Valley route to join the M80 at Stepps to the M80 at Haggs would cause less disruption to existing traffic flow.
Answer · Tavish Scott: By maintaining two lanes open in each direction between 6am and 8pm, the disruption of constructing an on line upgrade will be minimised. Self evidently, construction of an off line route would cause even less disruption.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to upgrade the road network around Kilsyth in order to improve links from the town to the rest of Scotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The roads connecting Kilsyth to the rest of the Scottish public road network are local roads and are therefore the statutory responsibility of North Lanarkshire Council.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it would manage any disruption to traffic caused in the event of the A80 from Stepps to Haggs through Cumbernauld being upgraded to full motorway status.
Answer · Tavish Scott: There will be a requirement on the contractor to maintain two lanes open in each direction on weekdays between 6am and 8pm. Similar arrangements have been used on other major projects on the A720, the A8, and the Auchenkilns upgrade.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long it estimates that the (a) upgrading of the A80 from Stepps to Haggs through Cumbernauld to full motorway status and (b) construction of a motorway through the identified Kelvin Valley route to join the M80 at Stepps to the M80 at Haggs would take.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The current estimate for both routes is a maximum of three years.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will allow for sufficient room for the construction of a hard shoulder in any new motorways it plans to build.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Hard shoulders will be included where practicable and economic.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the volume of traffic on the A803.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The A803 is a local road and it is the statutory responsibility of North Lanarkshire Council as local roads authority to manage the operation and maintenance of its local roads, including addressing any issues relating to traffic volumes.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reduce the volume of traffic on the A80.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Should it be necessary to control the volume of traffic on the new route to preserve good traffic flow conditions, then measures will be considered to restrict access to the road at junctions and on the motorway upstream of the scheme to give priority to buss…
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the volume of traffic is per day on the A80 and what the comparable figures were for (a) 1995, (b) 1985 and (c) 1975.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The earliest traffic data held in the Scottish Roads Traffic Database for the A80 is for 1987.</p> <p>The current annual average daily flow for the A80 in 2005 is 66,083. In 1995 and 1987 the figures were 59,541 and 44,312 respectively.</p>
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that living near a motorway adversely effects the pulmonary function of children living nearby.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive recognises traffic as a pollution source and that in certain circumstances, a number of traffic derived air pollutants have the potential to adversely affect human respiratory health. It is also accepted that children constitute a vulne…
30 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the ideal distance should be of a major urban settlement from any motorway.
Answer · Tavish Scott: There is no such specified standard.</p>