Bruce Crawford

8 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has committed to the development of the renewable energy industry since 1 July 1999.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Funding for research and development of renewable energy is a reserved matter, and is the responsibility of the Department of Trade and Industry. Scottish developers and Scottish projects have received around £10 million in funding from these programmes over …

3 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals, and which bodies, have responded to its consultation paper Strategic Priorities for Scotland's Passenger Railway, published in December 2000.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: A total of 238 responses to the consultation were received, and all have been placed in the Scottish Executive library. The table shows the number of responses from different categories of respondent.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=309><TR><TD…

3 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when alternative operators for the Invergordon-Kirkwall and Campbeltown-Ballycastle ferry routes will be procured following the withdrawal of the current operator; what procurement process will be followed in appointing new operators, and how it will ensure that there is no interruption t…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In relation to the Invergordon-Kirkwall aspect of the question, the Scottish Executive provides support under the Tariff Rebate Subsidy (TRS) scheme to reduce the costs of imports to the islands and mainland seaboard areas of the Highlands and Islands and to …

24 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what selection procedure is being used to appoint the Chairs of the new unified NHS Boards.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The procedure involves a number of stages beginning with advertising for the positions for which we are seeking candidates. The advertisement was brought to the attention of a large number of diverse organisations and individuals to encourage applications, in…

17 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Minister currently responsible for any aspect of environment policy will attend the next Earth Summit in Johannesburg in 2002 in a negotiating capacity.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15113.

17 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the First Minister will attend the next Earth Summit in Johannesburg in 2002 in a negotiating capacity.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-15113.

17 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations are being made to ensure that it is represented at the next Earth Summit in Johannesburg in 2002.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Executive attendance will be decided nearer to the Summit.

19 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had or plans to have any discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions with regard to any environmental or health implications of the possible processing at Dounreay of Australian research reactor…

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. I understand that no spent fuel from Australia is due to be received at Dounreay.

12 Mar 2001 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what conditions were inserted into the trunk road management and maintenance contracts to protect the pension rights of employees transferring under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The new contracts do not contain any conditions relating to pensions to be paid to employees transferring under TUPE.<P>TUPE does not cover occupational pensions.

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what construction projects with a value of over #1 million are currently expected to be procured by the three water authorities over the next nine months.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I have asked the water authorities to provide a list of those construction contracts in excess of £1 million they expect to award in the next nine months. These are as follows:<U><FONT FACE="Arial"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">North of Scotland Water Authority</U><P>Ac…

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture on 28 February 2001 regarding the future structure of the water industry, whether it anticipates any delays in the procurement of any construction work planned by the water authorities as a result of these pro…

Answer · Allan Wilson: No delays are anticipated.

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with representatives of the haulage industry regarding compensation or other forms of financial support in connection with the loss of income resulting from restrictions on the movement of livestock caused by the current outbreak of foot-and mouth-disease.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has had discussions with the Road Haulage Association. The situation for hauliers will have eased somewhat as a result of the licensing scheme for slaughter which came into effect on 2 March. This licence permits the movement of animals…

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in relation to recent reports that BEAR Scotland Ltd may not be acting in accordance with the terms of the Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector regarding the protection of occupational pensions of staff transferring employers as a result …

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The First Minister's answer to your question S1F-910 explained the position on occupational pensions under the new contracts. My earlier answer to Murray Tosh (question S1W-8984) explained the Executive's view on the Statement of Practice in general, and the …

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the terms of the Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector regarding the protection of occupational pensions were included in the contracts for maintenance and management of trunk roads.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given on 22 March 2001 to question S1O-3171 and the supplementary questions.

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #100 million for the support of renewable energy technologies announced by the Prime Minister on 6 March 2001 it will receive through the Barnett Formula.

Answer · Angus MacKay: The allocation of the £100 million for renewable energy announced by the Prime Minister has yet to be decided, and will be the subject of a report due in the autumn from the UK Government's Performance and Innovation Unit. We will stay in close touch with HM …

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new trunk roads maintenance contracts specify that pension schemes offered by the new contractors to transferred employees under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) legislation are final salary pension schemes.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1F-910 on 15 March 2001.

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what control measures and monitoring processes have been put in place to ensure that existing agreed terms and conditions under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) legislation for transferred employees are adhered to during the term of the trunk road maintenance contracts.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The contract conditions require the contractor to be responsible for bearing all costs, expenses, liabilities and obligations that arise from the TUPE Regulations where on any part of the contract there has been a Transfer of an Undertaking to the new operati…

26 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what exploratory work has been or will be carried out on the upgrading of the M8 through the introduction of additional lanes; who is carrying out any such work, and what the estimated costs of this exploratory work are, broken down by financial year.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: There are no proposals to upgrade the M8 through the introduction of additional lanes.

23 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering the introduction of grant aid for alternative sewerage schemes in rural areas where septic tank systems are the only current option.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: We have no plans at present to introduce grants for alternative sewerage schemes in rural areas.

23 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering the introduction of grant aid to encourage householders to upgrade their septic tank systems to EU standards.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: We have no plans at present to introduce grants for upgrading septic tanks.

1 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what stipulations have been made in the tendering process and contracts for trunk road maintenance to ensure that the provision of high quality traffic information continues.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Traffic information will continue to be collected and analysed through the Scottish Executive's independent contracts for this work. The support required from the Operating Company for the National Driver Information and Control Systems and traffic counting d…

1 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12726 by Sarah Boyack on 23 January 2001, whether it will provide further details of how the comparative costs were calculated, in particular whether weightings were attached to any or all of the bids, what any such weightings were and whether it wil…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The tenderer's quoted rates were multiplied by the base quantities for the relevant items derived by the Scottish Executive. The sum of these products was then totalled with the tenderer's lump sums to give each tenderer's &quot;comparative cost of tender&quo…

1 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific guidance it received from its road network managers in connection with the recent tendering exercise for trunk road maintenance.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Road engineers employed in the Network Management and Maintenance Division of the Transport Group advised on the drafting and were responsible for the review of the specification which sets the service standards for the new contract. They were also responsibl…

31 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission a comprehensive land use study of the entire area of the proposed Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: A range of studies have been, and continue to be, conducted on aspects of land use in order to pave the way for a National Park in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Scottish Natural Heritage, for example, have previously commissioned reviews into land use and ec…

31 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any information is contained in the tender document for the trunk road network regarding the use and operation of trunk road lighting and traffic control signals.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Information is provided in the tender documents covering the supply of electrical energy and use and operation of trunk road lighting and traffic control signals.

31 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the names are of those on the panel for the recent trunk road network tendering exercise, what connections any panel member currently has, or has had, with any of the parties involved in the bidding process, and what relevant expertise each person brought to the panel.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The trunk road network tendering exercise was overseen by a steering group of officials which reported to me. No member of the steering group has or had an interest in any of the bidders. The steering group brought together skills in administrative, financial…

31 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the recent tendering exercise for the trunk road network, whether any consideration was given to the outcome of the Fatal Accident Inquiry relating to The Ord on the A9.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Officials preparing the contract were aware of the tragic accident on the A9 at The Ord and have taken account of this in conducting the tendering exercise.

16 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the #7 billion allocated to the rail modernisation fund will be included in the Scottish assigned budget as a result of the operation of the Barnett formula and, if not, what process is in place to allow bids to be made from Scotland for assistance from this fund.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Barnett formula will not apply to the Rail Modernisation Fund which will be distributed by the Strategic Rail Authority across the rail network of Great Britain. Bids for assistance from Scotland will be considered in the same way as bids from elsewhere i…

11 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive where the responses it has received to its consultation on the proposals for the revision of the EU Directive on public access to environmental information can be viewed by the public and when the findings of this consultation exercise will be published.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The responses received can be viewed at the Scottish Executive Library, Saughton House, Edinburgh and a summary of the views expressed in the consultation has been published on the Internet.

10 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the building of the M74 extension.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I have had three very useful meetings with council leaders from Glasgow City, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Councils since I announced on 28 September that the Executive would fund the strategic link between Fullarton Road and west of the Kingston Bridge.