Mr David Davidson

15 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what new grant schemes will be put in place to assist compliance with the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:</p> <p>There is no intention to introduce grant schemes to assist compliance with this directive.</p>

15 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what exemptions there will be in respect of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, as referred to in the ministerial statement by the Deputy Minister for Communities on 14 December 2005 (Official Report c. 21691).

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard,Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. Hisresponse is as follows:</p><p>The directive allowsthe following buildings to be exempt from energy performance certification:</p><p>buildings which …

15 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with COSLA in respect of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and what the outcomes were of these discussions.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:</p> <p>COSLA were invited to a meeting in September 2005 about certification of local authority housing, but they were una…

15 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional burdens will be placed on local authorities by the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and how these will be paid for.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA), to answer. His response is as follows:</p> <p>It is not possible to identify all the likely burdens imposed on local authorities as a consequence of the EU Energ…

14 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive at what date accumulated toll revenue covered the capital building costs of the (a) Tay Road Bridge and (b) Erskine Bridge.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Details of capital costs and tolling revenue associated with the Tay Road Bridge are matters for Tay Road Bridge Joint Board.</p> <p>The costs of constructing the Erskine Bridge were met from the then Scottish Office Transport programme. Tolling revenue is th…

14 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedure was used to raise the capital required to build the (a) Tay Road Bridge and (b) Erskine Bridge.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Details of the capital funding associated with the construction of the Tay Road Bridge is a matter for Tay Road Bridge Joint Board.</p> <p>The costs of constructing the Erskine Bridge were met from the then Scottish Office Transport programme.</p>

14 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of expenditure of toll revenue raised on the (a) Tay Road Bridge and (b) Erskine Bridge in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Details of tolling revenue and expenditure at the Tay Road Bridge are matters for Tay Road Bridge Joint Board.</p> <p>Revenue raised by toll charges at the Erskine Bridge is credited to the Scottish Executive’s Transport programme, which funds the maintenance…

14 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on the maintenance and upkeep of the (a) Tay Road Bridge and (b) Erskine Bridge in each of the last five years, broken down by funding source.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Spending on the maintenance and upkeep of the Tay Road Bridge, and funding of that expenditure, are matters for Tay Road Bridge Joint Board.</p> <p>Expenditure on the Erskine Bridge is detailed in the Erskine Bridge Accounts 2000&#8209;01 to 2004-05, copies o…

14 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was raised in toll revenue on the (a) Tay Road Bridge and (b) Erskine Bridge in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Revenue raised from toll charges at the Tay Road Bridge is a matter for Tay Road Bridge Joint Board.</p> <p>Revenue raised by toll charges at the Erskine Bridge is detailed in the Erskine Bridge Accounts 2000-01 to 2004-05, copies of which are available in th…

13 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected cost is of the Glasgow Airport Rail link and when the project will be completed.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) currently estimate the capital cost of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) as £160 million, including an allowance for Optimism Bias, this is based on 4th Quarter 2004 prices. The most recent programme from SPT envisaged…

13 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether the introduction of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill has been delayed and, if so, why and what additional costs have been incurred by (a) it and (b) Strathclyde Passenger Transport as a result of any such delay.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The draft Private Bill for theGlasgow Airport Rail Link (GARL) was submitted to the Scottish Parliament, by StrathclydePassenger Transport (SPT) on 9 January 2006, and is expected to be formally introduced on 31 January.</p><p>Earlier versions of the SPT prog…

9 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21147 by Tavish Scott on 8 December 2005, whether it will provide a breakdown of the £16.3 million it has spent to date on the Edinburgh Tram Network.

Answer · Tavish Scott: A breakdown of the £16.3 million spend to date is summarised in the following table:-</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Area of Spend</p></td> <td> <p align=center>Background</p></td> <td> <p align=…

9 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10147 by Malcolm Chisholm on 23 September 2004, whether its review of prescription charge exemptions will include existing exemptions for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and asthma, with a view to maintaining such exemptions.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The consultation document is currently being drafted and will be published early in the new year. The purpose of the consultation will be to encourage debate on ways of addressing acknowledged anomalies and inconsistencies in the current NHS prescription char…

9 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21051 by Tavish Scott on 8 December 2005, what plans it has to re-brand Strathclyde Passenger Transport and how much of the existing First ScotRail franchise budget will be put towards the costs of re-branding.

Answer · Tavish Scott: It will be for StrathclydePassenger Transport and the new Regional Transport Partnership to decide whatapproach they wish to take for RTP West activities. The Executive has no plansto require that First ScotRail direct any of the existing franchise budget spe…

7 Dec 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had in respect of funding the grouping of rural further education colleges.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Responsibility for funding Scotland’s further education colleges lies with the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council. As part of that responsibility, the Funding Council has undertaken a review of the remoteness element of the core grant which…

6 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when each phase of the upgrade and refurbishment of Waverley Station will (a) begin and (b) be completed and how much it envisages each phase will cost.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The construction work for Phase 1 of the re-development of Waverley Station will commence in January 2006. The target date for completion of Phase 1 is November 2007. The Scottish Executive is fully funding Phase 1 of the redevelopment of Waverley Station at …

6 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the journey time by rail between Edinburgh and Glasgow and what targets it has for such a reduction.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We are currently consulting on what our strategic priorities for rail should be, in preparation for producing rail strategy next summer. Reducing journey times may emerge as a conclusion of that work.</p>

6 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be spent on the upgrade and refurbishment of Waverley Station by (a) it, (b) Network Rail, (c) the City of Edinburgh Council and (d) any other source, broken down by specific project.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is fully funding the enhancement of capacity for more trains and improvements to station accessibility in the Waverley Station Phase 1 project. The cost of these works is estimated to be £150 million.</p> <p>Maintenance and renewal of t…

1 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance assessment of the new Stonehaven to Milltimber section of the Aberdeen Western Periphal Route will be completed.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We expect to complete and publish a STAG part 1 assessment within the next few months.</p>

1 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the schemes of compensation for those properties affected by the new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, including timescales for application, scales of payments, details of proximity qualification and total budget available.

Answer · Tavish Scott: A leaflet entitled <i>A guide to the compulsory purchase process and compensation</i> is available and can also be downloaded from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route scheme website: <a href="http://www.awpr.co.uk/downloads/awpr_a_guide_to_cppc.pdf">http://…

1 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be further public consultation following the announcement of a different route for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route from that of the five options consulted on by the former Minister for Transport.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We will be discussing throughout next year the implications of the developing design with affected parties and statutory bodies. Formal consultation will then take place in association with the publication of the draft Roads Orders and Compulsory Purchase Ord…

1 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have required medical treatment in the last five years following the regular ingestion of aspartame.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not collected centrally.</p>

1 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what controls exist in respect of the use of aspartame in diet sodas.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I have been advised by the Food Standards Agency Scotland that the use of aspartame in diet sodas is controlled in the UK by the Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1995 (as amended). These regulations list sweeteners permitted for use, the foodstuff categories in…

1 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are available to provide a complex for young people in Aberdeen similar to the Castlemilk Youth Complex.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>The Scottish Executive makes provision for a range of funds that are targeted to help close the opportunity gap across Scotland, and lend su…

1 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding streams were accessed by the Castlemilk Youth Complex to fund construction of the complex.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>Castlemilk Youth Complex is an independent organisation, and therefore the Scottish Executive does not hold comprehensive information about …

28 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what savings it estimates could be achieved through the adoption of an FTR StreetCar scheme, rather than a fixed line tram scheme, in Edinburgh.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21149 on 8 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…

28 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the use of an FTR StreetCar scheme as a feasible alternative to fixed tram lines.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Consideration of alternative tram technologies has been undertaken at length, both by the promoter in the various reports completed to date on Edinburgh’s future transport requirements and as part of the required STAG appraisal processes for both Edinburgh Tr…

28 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has contributed towards the Edinburgh tram lines schemes to date.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21147 on 8 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…

28 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has set aside for the Edinburgh tram lines schemes in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) any subsequent years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: £16.3 million has been spent to date on the Edinburgh Tram Network. The Scottish Executive has set aside £23.2 million in 2005-06 for 2005-06. Funding in future years depends on an acceptable Interim Outline Business Case.</p>

24 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that any legal action may be taken as a result of the changed status of Strathclyde Passenger Transport and what budgetary provision has been made for the costs arising from such action.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive has not been notified of any legal action as a result of the coming into force of The Transfer of Rail Functions To The Scottish ministers Order 2005 on 28 November 2005.</p>