Chris Ballance

24 Oct 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it accords equal status to constituency and list MSPs in all circumstances except those specified in the Code of Conduct for Members of the Scottish Parliament.

Answer · George Reid: Yes, with the furtherexception set out in paragraph 1 of Part B of the Allowances Scheme approved bythe Parliament on 21 June 2001.  </p>

24 Oct 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether a Parliament community outreach event can go ahead where a constituency MSP is unable to attend the event.

Answer · Duncan McNeil: As noted in written answerS2W-27528, for purely practical reasons the approach to date in organisingcommunity outreach events has been to confirm a suitable date with theconstituency MSP and then invite relevant list MSPs. However, some Communityoutreach even…

9 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Ofgem in respect of energy suppliers that continue to charge customers for the debt arising from failure to recalibrate the token repayment meter following a price rise.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I understand that Ofgem hasconcerns about the build-up of debt due to delays in recalibrating prepaymentmeters following a price rise. It will bring forward proposals to address thisas part of its current Supply Licence Review. </p><p>We share Ofgem’s concern…

28 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the availability of concessionary travel for the elderly on non-registered bus services, such as dial-a-bus schemes.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-28724 on 25 October 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

20 Sep 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures and values the social impact of proposals to reopen rail lines and stations when reaching decisions about possible funding to support such proposals.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland uses the Scottish Transport AppraisalGuidance (STAG) process to determine the best solution to evidence basedtransport problems. STAG is a multimodal framework approach covering five key policyobjectives, including accessibility and social …

8 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the level of public funding received by the Springboard consultancy training organisation.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer to the member to the answer to question S2W-28240 on 21 September 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can befound at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…

8 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each of its agencies has given to the Springboard consultancy training organisation in each year since 2003.

Answer · Tom McCabe: This information is not heldcentrally. Agencies will take decisions on their training requirements based ontheir specific needs.</p>

6 Sep 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects sections 39 to 42 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 to be fully implemented, and what advice it will give to organisations who can no longer reorganise through the provisions of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990, but ca…

Answer · Johann Lamont: We are currently developing regulationsunder section 39(2) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 which will outline theprocedures for applying to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator for areorganisation. Charities will be able to…

5 Sep 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S2W-27528 by Duncan McNeil on 21 August 2006, in which parliamentary constituencies no community outreach events have been held since September 2004 nor are planned to be held by the end of December 2006.

Answer · Duncan McNeil: Since the Outreach ServicesTeam was established in September 2004, 34 community outreach events involvingMSPs have been held across the length and breadth of Scotland.Community outreach events have not been held in the following constituenciessince September …

7 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish a response to the Thundering Hooves report into Edinburgh’s festivals and, if so, when it will do so.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive and theother members of the client group who commissioned the <i>Thundering Hooves</i>report – the Scottish Arts Council, EventScotland, City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian and Festivals Edinburgh – welc…

20 Jul 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many requests for community outreach events since June 2003 have not resulted in an event taking place and what the reasons were in each case, broken down by constituency.

Answer · Duncan McNeil: Community Outreach events havebeen held since September 2004. Indeed we have a full programme of community outreachevents scheduled until the end of 2006, and we are unable to schedule any furtherevents in this period.</p><p>The Community Outreach Officerdoes…

18 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the application of its strategic environmental assessment legislation will be restricted to the land use aspects of building new nuclear power stations or whether the legislation will enable a strategic consideration of Scotland’s energy requirements and opportunities.

Answer · Allan Wilson: An application to build a nuclearpower station would come from the commercial sector. Such a proposal would be subjectto an Environmental Impact Assessment and would be considered by Scottish Ministersunder their powers under the Electricity Act 1989. It woul…

18 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what considerations it can take into account when using planning powers in respect of decisions on new nuclear power stations.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Consent to build a powerstation under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 normally includes deemedplanning consent. In considering an application to build a new power stationunder their powers under Section 36 ministers must consider each application onits…

18 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the Department of Trade and Industry’s responsibility for reaching a justification decision on new nuclear power stations would have on the power of the Scottish minister with responsibility for planning to stop the building of new nuclear power stations in Scotland.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The UK EnergyReview document states “Planning is a devolved matter, and powers to grantconsent for large power stations in Scotland(under the Electricity Act) have been executively devolved. Therefore it willbe for Scottish ministers to decide on the relevant…

18 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the Department of Trade and Industry’s statement in the UK Energy Review that, in respect of decisions on new nuclear power stations, “Since energy policy is a reserved matter, the responsibility for reaching a Justification decision would remain with the Secretary…

Answer · Allan Wilson: Underthe Scotland Act 1998 nuclear safety, security and safeguards are reservedmatters. Decisions on Justification of practices, including generation ofnuclear power, are dealt with under the terms of the Justification of PracticesInvolving Ionising Radiation…

30 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many trips have been organised by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland (a) to galleries in Edinburgh from other cities and (b) from Edinburgh to galleries outwith Edinburgh since the Friends’ inception in December 2000.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: This is an operational matterfor the National Galleries of Scotland. I have asked the Director-General, John Leighton, toreply directly.</p>

22 Jun 2006 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on how many occasions since June 2003 a request for a public outreach event has had to be refused because the relevant constituency MSP has been unable to find a space in their diary and whether it will list those constituencies concerned.

Answer · Duncan McNeil: Themajority of Outreach Services Team events are held in response to approachesfrom local community groups and associations who request a presentation on the Scottish Parliament and how their community can successfully engagewith the Parliament. These events …

19 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-23886 by Allan Wilson on 14 March 2006, where details of consented reserves of opencast coal can be obtained as the weblink contained in the answer is no longer operational.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Details of consented reservesof opencast coal are available from the British Geological Survey at <ahref="http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/minequar/coal/occ/home.html">http://www.bgs.ac.uk/mineralsuk/minequar/coal/occ/home.html</a>.</p>

9 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects that the Atkins Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance analysis of a bypass for Maybole will be published and why it has not yet been published, given the statement by the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications in a letter dated 9 March 2006 that Part One of the anal…

Answer · Tavish Scott: The STAG transport study forMaybole has been published today 29 June 2006. The delay has been due to furtherconsideration of the report by Transport Scotland and further discussions with their consultants.</p><p>Transport Scotland has the operationalresponsib…

9 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it uses to assess the best practicable environmental option when comparing strategic outline cases from different local authorities for funding from the Strategic Waste Fund.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The criteria used to assess strategicoutline cases from local authorities are available at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/07/2690741/07425">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/07/2690741/07425</a>.The criteria used to assess com…

9 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure waste reduction across Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: On household waste, we are supportingwaste prevention work by the Waste and Resources Action Programme including homecomposting, work with retailers to minimise waste from products and packaging, andreal nappies. We have also provided resources to community s…

5 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the operation of the undisturbed meal break policy in the Scottish Ambulance Service and whether it has any plans to revise the policy.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Ambulance Serviceis following the terms and conditions set out in Agenda for Change by implementingundisturbed meal breaks. There are no plans to change this policy.</p>

5 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any occasions on which human life has been threatened by lengthy response times when the nearest ambulance crew has been booked off duty on an undisturbed meal break.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I am not aware of any occasions.</p><p>I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26527 on12 June 2006. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://…

5 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring it undertakes of the impact on response times of undisturbed meal breaks in the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Answer · Andy Kerr: This is an operational matterfor the Scottish Ambulance Service in the first instance. The Ambulance Service’semergency medical dispatch centres monitor the situation to ensure that meal breaksare managed and cover is provided at all times. This is done throu…

17 May 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for dualling the remaining single-track sections of the Dumfries, Kilmarnock and Glasgow railway line to enable a greater frequency of service to and from Dumfries.

Answer · Tavish Scott: SPT havecommissioned Network Rail to look at provision of a new dynamic loop betweenStewarton and Dunlop with the option for this to be extended to Lugton. TransportScotland are working with SPT and NetworkRail on progressing this scheme as quickly as possibl…

10 May 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost at today¿s prices to extend the proposed Borders rail link past Tweedbank to include Borders General Hospital and the council headquarters at Newtown St Boswells and how much traffic would be moved from road to rail as a result.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The costs and benefits of extendingbeyond Tweedbank were assessed in the Scott Wilson feasibility study of 2000.</p><p>Following this assessment andthe subsequent STAG appraisal the Waverley Railway partnership decided not to promotethe extension.</p>

28 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it remains committed to ensuring that an accessible footbridge is built at Lockerbie Station; whether it accepts that the money it granted to Dumfries and Galloway Council to support the project is now considered to be inadequate and, if so, whether it will either (a) increase fun…

Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland,The Scottish Executive, Network Rail and Dumfries and Galloway Council are considering the delivery ofa fully accessible footbridge at Lockerbie Station. We have been in discussionswith all parties to fully appraise the construction details…

28 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the case for providing funding for an early morning direct train service from Carlisle and Lockerbie to Edinburgh.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive has not directlyconsidered the case for an early morning service from Carlisle and Lockerbieto Edinburgh.</p><p>Significant analysis of the marketfor such a service was included in a study for Dumfries and Galloway Council onthe feasibility of i…

22 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Executive-funded jobs have been relocated across Scotland under its relocation programme and, of these, how many have been relocated to (a) the Scottish Borders, (b) Dumfries and Galloway, (c) East Ayrshire, (d) South Ayrshire and (e) North Ayrshire.

Answer · George Lyon: Under the ScottishExecutive’s Relocation Policy there have been 2,342 posts located to date: 2,180posts located out-with Edinburgh and 162 remaining in Edinburgh.</p><p>The jobs located there underthe relocation programme since 1999 are set out in the followi…

20 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how a performing company aspiring to “national performing company” status, as referred to in Scotland’s Culture: Scottish Executive Response on the Cultural Review, can qualify for such status and when the set of qualifying criteria will be published.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The exact criteria fornational performing arts company status are still being developed. The criteriawill be used to assess both new applicants and, periodically, existing nationalperforming arts companies. Once these criteria have been finalised andpublished…