Parliamentary questions
Bruce Crawford
999 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in relation to which current transport projects it is minded to lever in private investment.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: There is no set list of projects where the Executive is minded to lever in private investment. Past projects such as the completion of the A74(M)/M74 DBFO project demonstrate how capital infrastructure projects can be brought forward more quickly by use of pr…
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what studies its prediction that road traffic is likely to grow by 50% over the next 50 years is based.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: In my statement to the Parliament on 28 September regarding the Executive's transport spending priorities I said that road traffic is likely to grow by more than 50% in the next 30 years.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">This statement is based on the figure…
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport and the Environment's statement on transport expenditure on 28 September 2000, whether it will list the 13 motorway and trunk road schemes referred to (Official Report, col. 804).
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The 13 motorway and trunk road schemes are listed below:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=491><TR><TD WIDTH="63%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Scheme</TD><TD WIDTH="37%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Month Opened</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="63%" VALIGN="TOP"><P…
11 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport and the Environment's statement on transport expenditure on 28 September 2000, whether it will list the 33 major public transport projects referred to (Official Report, col.804), specifying in each case the projected cost and completion date.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The table below lists those 33 projects which are currently being supported from the Public Transport Fund, and includes the amount awarded to each authority from the fund and the estimated completion date.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=642><…
6 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce whether the Freight Transport Group's bids to the Public Transport Fund have been successful for the Stirling to Dunfermline rail link.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: There are two separate funding aspects to the reopening of the Stirling to Dunfermline rail link. Clackmannanshire Council submitted a bid to the Public Transport Fund for a passenger rail service from Stirling to Alloa building on proposals to reinstate the …
5 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3544 by Sarah Boyack on 26 January 2000, when the studies being conducted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to determine likely sources of tritium within the landfill leachate will be available.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-10185 on 25 October.
4 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what directions or advice it has given or intends to give to the Rail Regulator regarding Railtrack's intention to sell off land.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The sale of land by Railtrack is currently a commercial matter for the company. I understand that the Rail Regulator has suggested a new licence condition which would require Railtrack to develop and maintain a register of key assets. If implemented, Railtrac…
3 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has indicated to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions in any response to the consultation paper on proposed new regulations for vehicle number plates that it supports the use of the letters "GB" on vehicle number plates.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Crawford to the reply I gave him to question S1W-10204.
3 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has indicated to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions in any response to the consultation paper on proposed new regulations for vehicle number plates that it supports the use of the letters "SCO" on vehicle number plates.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Crawford to the reply I gave him to question S1W-10204.
3 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) in response to the DETR consultation paper on proposed new regulations for vehicle number plates, with particular regard to the use of national identity symbols on vehicle number plates.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.
3 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3032 by Sarah Boyack on 21 December 1999, what the sources are of the tritium in leachate identified as existing at the landfill sites listed in the answer to question S1W-3544 by Sarah Boyack on 26 January 2000.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) authorises the disposal of low level radioactive waste to approved landfill sites in Scotland under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. This type of waste is generated in the main by hospitals and universitie…
3 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure it has committed on transport in 1999-2000 and how much it plans to spend in (i) 2000-01, (ii) 2001-02 and (iii) 2002-03, showing the capital charges to be incurred during each financial year; what the purpose is of the capital charges in these expenditure plans, and whet…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: In 1999-2000 the Scottish Executive spent £320.6 million on transport. Capital charges were not computed for this year.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Expenditure plans for the next three years, which in each case include capital charges, are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELL…
12 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has held any discussions with Forth Valley Health Board and Tayside Health Board about the future of maternity and paediatric services for people living in the Callander and Dunblane areas.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The planning and delivery of health services is a matter primarily for health boards and Trusts. I can confirm, however, that the Scottish Executive meets regularly with health boards - including Forth Valley and Tayside - to learn of their proposals for impr…
11 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of those small departments, non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which it is responsible and what allocation of revenue and capital support each of these bodies received in (a) 1997-98, (b) 1998-99 and 1999-2000.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The relevant information is set out below:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=612><TR><TD WIDTH="37%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT SIZE=1><P ALIGN="CENTER">NDPB/Agency</TD><TD WIDTH="22%" VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=2><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=1><P ALIGN="CENTER">19…
11 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of those small departments, non-departmental public bodies and agencies which it is responsible for in terms of both operational matters and policy framework, specifying in each case the Minister who is responsible.
Answer · Angus MacKay: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-09636.
6 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Forth Valley Health Board and Tayside Health Board over the reshaping of the National Health Service in their areas.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The planning and delivery of health services is a matter primarily for health boards and Trusts. I can confirm, however, that the Scottish Executive meets regularly with health boards - including Forth Valley and Tayside - to learn of their proposals for impr…
28 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Her Majesty's Government on the development of a national (UK) intermediate radioactive waste depository.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is responsible for policy on radioactive waste management in Scotland. It is in regular contact with UK Government Departments and would be involved in any decision to develop a national (UK) radioactive waste policy.
25 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the full costs, including fuel, drivers' salaries, insurance, road fund tax and servicing in (i) the last financial year and (ii) the current financial year to the end of August of providing the Government car service for ministerial use.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Government Car Service (Scotland) (GCS) provides or arranges car transport for the Scottish Ministers, Ministers of UK Government Departments when in Scotland, office-bearers of the Scottish Parliament, senior members of the judiciary, officials and visit…
25 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many miles were travelled by each Minister using the Government car service in the last financial year.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Details of mileage travelled by individual Scottish Executive Ministers in GCS vehicles are not recorded separately. The GCS also provides for the transportation of UK Ministers when in Scotland, office bearers of the Scottish Parliament, officials, visiting …
25 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many tonnes of intermediate radioactive waste are currently being stored broken down by location.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The latest information on the amount and location of radioactive waste in the UK is contained on the CD-ROM <I>1998 United Kingdom Radioactive Waste Inventory</I>, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), reference c…
25 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice and guidance it will be providing to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency about the Agency's consideration of the environmental impact assessment of the proposal by Babcock Rosyth Defence Limited to store radioactive waste on land at Rosyth from HMS Renown.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is a statutory consultee of the local planning authority under the terms of the Environment Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999. In that context, SEPA acts independently. There is, however, general g…
18 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to Scottish local authorities under the Excellence Fund, broken down by the key areas which the fund covers, in the financial years 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and what are the expected allocations for 2000-01.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Excellence Fund was introduced in 1999-2000. The amount of grant allocated to local authorities for each of the programmes during 1999-2000 and 2000-01 is given in the table below.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=482><TR><TD WIDTH="47%" VAL…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has the average home saved on fuel bills following insulation improvements made under a Warm Deal grant.
Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer to my answer to question S1W-7911. The report referred to will quantify average savings in fuel bills arising from the Warm Deal.
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to evaluate energy cost savings in homes which have benefited from a Warm Deal grant.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The data provided by Eaga and by local authorities enables us to quantify a range of benefits from the Warm Deal. These include improvements in energy rating, savings in fuel bills and reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases. A report on these benefits fr…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what has been the average payout for each Warm Deal grant awarded in 1999-2000 and the current financial year.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Part of the Warm Deal is administered by Eaga and resources are distributed as grant for householders. In 1999-2000 the average amount of grant was about £315. That figure remains the average for the current year to date. The other part of the Warm Deal is ad…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many pensioners benefited from the Warm Deal scheme in 1999-2000 and the current financial year.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Part of the Warm Deal is administered by Eaga. In 1999-2000 they arranged insulation for 6,628 pensioner households. 1,559 such households were insulated in April and May 2000, the most recent period for which figures are available. The other part of the Warm…
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many New Deal placements have been created to deliver the Warm Deal scheme and how many long-term unemployed people are engaged in delivering the Warm Deal service to pensioners for the most recent date for which figures are available.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Warm Deal provides about 400 places for people taken on under the New Deal. The trainees are engaged in installing insulation measures across a range of households. No figures are kept on the number of trainees employed on works for pensioners.
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many enquiries have been received by the Energy Action Grants Agency from pensioners regarding grants under the Warm Deal scheme.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Energy Action Grants Agency does not record enquiries by age of caller. However about 40% of grants awarded monthly by Eaga are for the over 60s.
13 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on the Warm Deal by each local authority in 1999-2000 and what are the projected figures for 2000-01.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The amount spent by each local authority in 1999-2000 is shown in table 1 and the allocation for each for 2000-01 is set out in table 2:<P ALIGN="CENTER">Table 1</FONT><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=603><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4 HEIGHT=6…
30 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for the Fife Primary Care NHS Trust is adequate to meet all the needs of all the services provided by the Trust.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The level of funding provided to Fife NHS Trusts is based on the Health Improvement Programme for Fife and is a matter for Fife Health Board to determine with the Acute and Primary Care Trusts.