Parliamentary questions
Chris Ballance
191 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Apr 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the Scottish Diabetes Framework and when it expects the process to be completed.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Diabetes Frameworkwhich was published in April 2002 referred to a 10-year programme to address theincreasing problem of diabetes. </p><p>Since the framework was launched,good progress has been made. Managed clinical networks for diabetes are now …
4 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates have been made of the number of cars speeding on motorways in Dumfries and Galloway on a typical day.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No estimates of this number have been made by the Scottish Executive. Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, both directly and also as part of the local safety camera partnership, is involved in the enforcement of speed limits in its area. In the partnership’s c…
4 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates have been made of the number of cars speedingin 30 mph zones in Dumfries on a typical day.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has made no estimates of this number. Information on the number of cars which exceed the speed limit can come from a number of sources, including safety cameras operated by a partnership within the Scottish Safety Camera Programme and e…
21 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from British Energy or the Health and Safety Executive about the impact of cracks in graphite bricks on the length of outages at Torness and Hunterson B nuclear power stations.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a reserved matter. the Scottish Executive has received no informationfrom British Energy or the Health and Safety Executive on this matter.</p>
21 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from British Energy or the Health and Safety Executive about the impact of cracks in graphite bricks on the lifetime of Torness and Hunterson B nuclear power stations.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a reserved matter. the Scottish Executive has received no informationfrom British Energy or the Health and Safety Executive on this matter.</p>
21 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from British Energy or the Health and Safety Executive about the extent of cracks in graphite bricks at Torness and Hunterson B nuclear power stations and what the implications of such cracks might be for safety.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive has received no informationfrom British Energy or the Health and Safety Executive on this matter.</p>
21 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government in support of its plans to repeal the Competition Act 1998 (Land and Vertical Agreements Exclusion) Order 2000, in light of views expressed by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents and the Scottish Grocers Federation.
Answer · Jim Wallace: On 23 February the Office ofFair Trading (OFT) announced its preliminary conclusions on newspaper and magazinedistribution in light of the repeal of the Vertical Exclusion Order.</p><p>The OFT concluded that it wouldnot recommend to the Secretary of State for…
17 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications would be for the retention of doctors in the NHS of the NHS retirement age being raised to 65 and whether, in such circumstances, doctors who are around 60 years old would be more likely to take early retirement.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The NHS pension scheme reviewbegan in January and views must be submitted by the 25 April 2005. Once this is complete,the department will be able to advise staff what the overall pensions package willlook like so that they can make an informed choice in the 2…
14 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12683 by Nicol Stephen on 20 December 2004 and in light of the abolition of tolls on the Skye Bridge, whether it has calculated how much the abolition of tolls cost and, if this calculation has not been made, when it expects it will do so.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The final cost for ending the tolls on Skye Bridge as agreed in the Termination Agreement was dependent upon the calculation of the corporation tax element. The corporation tax has now been agreed and the total cost is £26.75 million which is very close to my…
10 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken towards fulfilling its commitment in the Partnership Agreement to develop an entitlement to continuous professional development, particularly with regard to nursing staff.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Department’s White Paper <i>Partnership for Care </i>sets out our commitment to develop an entitlement to Continued Professional Development (CPD) for all health service staff.</p><p>However, you may not be aware that NHS boards hold the budget for nursin…
10 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent in 2003-04 on supporting bus services, both directly and through local authorities, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information is set outin the following table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Local Authority</p> </td> <td> <p align=center>Supported Bus Services Gross Revenue(1) expenditure</p> <p align…
10 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the net book value of Scotland's roads was at 30 April 2004 and why the cost of capital charges increased by £66 million in 2003-04 but by approximately £35 million per annum in subsequent years.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Net book value of thetrunkroad network in Scotland as at 1 April 2004 was £10.6 billion.</p><p>The cost of capital is anotional charge on the Net Assets of an organisation and is currently levied byHM Treasury at 3.5% on the average of the opening and clo…
10 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on transport in 2002-03 and 2003-04, broken down by category of expenditure listed in table 8.01 of Draft Budget 2005-06.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The actual expenditure as previously categorised and reported in the Scottish Executive Annual Accounts for Transport Portfolio is reflected in the following table for the 2002-03 and 2003-04 financial years.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> …
10 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12454 by Nicol Stephen on 8 December 2004, why the expenditure in 2003-04 under the Integrated Transport Fund budget is stated to be £56.5 million plus £3.7 million, whereas the budget in Table 8.08 of Draft Budget 2005-06 states that the expenditure…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The figure of £150 million shown as the 2003-04 Integrated Transport Fund (ITF) budget figure in Table 8.08 of Draft Budget 2005-06 is a comparative figure only, as is the figure for 2002-03. The final ITF budget provision for 2003-04, as shown in <i>Scotlan…
4 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any correspondence with the Ministry of Defence regarding any proposals to test a new electromagnetic supergun at the Dundrennan firing range and whether it has any concerns regarding the safety of the environment as a result of such tests.
Answer · Allan Wilson: There has been no correspondence with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) regarding any proposals to test a new electromagnetic supergun at the Dundrennan firing range. The MoD has advised the Scottish Executive that representatives of Dumfries and Galloway Council…
28 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what partner organisations it expects to work with in developing the walking and cycling infrastructure in the next five years.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We will continue to work closely with all major walking and cycling infrastructure providers and with cycling and walking organisations including local authorities, regional transport partnerships, Cycling Scotland, Sustrans, Bike Week and the Paths for All P…
28 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it plans to allocate in each of the next five years for investment in cycling and walking infrastructure, broken down by organisation receiving the funding.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Budget published in October provided details of spending for cycling and walking. Included in the budget was continued provision to local authorities for cycling, walking and safer streets projects to 2007-08. Provision beyond that time will depe…
28 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated for investment in the cycling and walking infrastructure in each of the last five years, broken down by organisation.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Allocations have been made to local authorities for cycling, walking and safer streets projects and from successful bids from the Public Transport Fund as well as to Sustrans for the development of the National Cycle Network in Scotland. The allocations are s…
28 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategic plan is for development of the walking and cycling infrastructure in the next five years.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Transport White Paper, <i>Scotland’s Transport Future</i>, was published in June 2004 and introduced the development of Regional and National Transport Strategies.</p><p>Consultation will take place throughout 2005 and early 2006 on a National Transport S…
27 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the radioactivity levels were of the 21 lime scale particles found at the outfall at Chapelcross during 2003.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the question S2W-13903 answered on 8 February 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…
27 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what reports it has received from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the radioactive lime scale particles near the discharge outfall at the Chapelcross nuclear site and whether it will place any reports in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).</p><p>Results of its monitoring programme are published in the joint report with the Food Standards Agency, Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE). A copy is availa…
27 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants' consultation on proposed guideline levels for radionuclides in foods for use in international trade and, if so, whether it will place the response in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No. There was no need for the Scottish Executive to respond to the consultation carried out by the Food Standards Agency on the CODEX Committee proposals. </p><p>The Food Standards Agency is representing the United Kingdom in negotiating those CODEX proposals…
27 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a copy of the final report by the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters and the response by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation and the Environment and whether it will respond to these reports.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Yes. The Executive has received a copy of the report of the Committee Examining Radiation Risks of Internal Emitters (CERRIE) and of the subsequent response from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) in their 9th report.</p…
11 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been conducted on the appropriateness of railway or tram options (a) as part of the Edinburgh tram proposals, (b) as part of the Airdrie to Bathgate reopening plans or (c) in any other capacity.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Transport solutions in Scotland are assessed in accordance with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). This guidance requires that solutions be considered for all modes of transport against criteria for the environment, economy, safety, accessibili…
11 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the option of reopening the Airdrie to Bathgate route as a light rail line has been investigated and, if so, what the results of the investigation were and, if no such investigation has been undertaken, what the reasons are for its position on the matter, given that Scottish Trans…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Transport solutions in Scotland are assessed in accordance with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG). This guidance requires that solutions be considered for all modes of transport against criteria for the environment, economy, safety, accessibili…
29 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Table 10.01 of Building a Better Scotland Spending Proposals 2005-2008, whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of expenditure listed under “Other grants to local authorities and regional transport partnerships” for (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06 and (c) 2006-07.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: <i>Building a Better Scotland Spending Proposals 2005-2008</i> publication outlined the individual portfolio spending plans. Table 10.01 in this publication, presents the Transport Portfolio spending plans for 2004-08 at Level2 spending plans.</p><p>The Scott…
29 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what has been allocated for bus and rail expenditure in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2006-07 within the Integrated Transport Fund and how this compares with expenditure on other forms of transport.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Levels of spending in the Transport budget for all modes are given in Table 8.01 of the <i>Draft Budget 2005-06</i>, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 34133).</p><p>Table 8.08 of the <i>Draft Budget 2005-06 </i>set…
26 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost per annum is to it of abolishing the Skye Bridge toll.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive is currently negotiating with Skye Bridge Ltd with a view to ending the discredited tolling regime. These negotiations are commercially confidential and it would be inappropriate to detail costs at this time.</p>
25 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the average rail journey time from Edinburgh to Glasgow will lengthen (a) during and (b) after construction of the Edinburgh Airport rail link and, if so, by how many minutes in each case.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There should not be any impact on Edinburgh to Glasgow journey times during the construction of the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link. Detailed timetable modelling is currently being undertaken to establish the impact post-construction.</p>
24 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who it consulted over the siting of the National Theatre.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The matter of a location for the administrative base of the National Theatre was discussed with the Scottish Arts Council and the City of Glasgow Council.</p>