Parliamentary questions
David Mundell
955 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the decision to allow Dumfries and Galloway to form a transport partnership in its own right, it will consider allowing any other local authorities to be exempt from the proposed regional transport partnerships if they so wish.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The current Transport (Scotland) Bill 2004 places a duty on the Scottish ministers to create regional transport partnerships covering the whole of Scotland. This duty would not allow exemptions.</p>
18 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13106 by Nicol Stephen on 26 January 2005, what exact role it envisages for Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT), in light of the commitment made to the Parliament by the Minister for Transport on 16 June 2004 that "I still expect SPT to have a dire…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15923 on 5 May 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/wa.s…
17 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund any shortfall in the final costs of the Waverley Line, over and above the £151 million already identified.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Responsibility for identifying and securing any additional funding required for the project rests with the bill promoters.</p>
17 May 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds have been committed towards the costs of the Waverley Line by (a) it, (b) the City of Edinburgh Council, (c) Midlothian Council, (d) Scottish Borders Council and (e) any other sources.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.
9 Mar 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is in respect of a Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance appraisal report on a proposal for a link road between Dumfries and the M74.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: It is understood that Dumfries and Galloway Council are currently preparing a Part 1 STAG appraisal entitled <i>Dumfries Transport Links to Motorway Network</i>.</p>
25 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the Environment Agency's draft fisheries management plan for the Border Esk and, if so, whether it will publish the response.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The latest draft incorporates advice provided at a meeting to discuss the plan held by the Scottish Executive and Fisheries Research Services with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Sci…
24 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms will be used to prosecute anyone breaching the environment agency's rod licence arrangements on the Scottish section of the Border Esk.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Anyone reported by the policeor bailiffs as being suspected of committing a breach of the rod licence arrangementswill be considered by the procurator fiscal for referral to the courts, as wouldbe the case for any other failure to fulfil the particular requir…
24 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-1997 by Allan Wilson on 22 April 2004, what further discussions it has had with the Environment Agency with regard to new byelaws for the Border Esk.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There have been no further discussions.I currently await the latest draft version from the Environment Agency for consideration.The introduction of rod licences is a separate although related matter, and is notsubject to consideration or approval by Scottish …
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of each route currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, specifying (a) the number of foot passengers carried, (b) the number of car passengers carried, (c) the amount of subsidy spent and (d) the profit or loss made, for each of the last five years.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not hold information which distinguishes between foot passengers andthose travelling with a vehicle on individual routes, with the exception ofGourock-Dunoon. However, details of total passenger and vehicle carryings areheld on a r…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it used to determine that the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route could be operated without subsidy and what criteria it will use to demonstrate whether any other routes currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne could be operated without subsidy.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-14496, answered on 16 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can befound at:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scottish.p…
16 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, following the invitation to tender for the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route, whether a precedent will be set for other Clyde and Hebridean routes currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne to be offered for tender, if they are identified as being able to operate without subsidy.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Since 2003 the Gourock-Dunoonroute has been treated separately from the rest of the CalMac network in relationto the tendering proposals for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. This reflects the presence of along-established unsubsidised commercial operato…
10 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the total funds invested in the previous ScotRail franchise by (a) it and the Scottish Office, (b) National Express Group and (c) any other sources over the entire period of the franchise.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.</p> <p>The franchise payments received by ScotRail since 1998-1999 are detailed in the table below.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=581> <tr> <td> <p> </p></td> <td> <p>1998…
10 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the total funds invested in the First ScotRail franchise by (a) it, (b) First Group plc and (c) any other sources since the inception of the franchise.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The total subsidy provided to First ScotRail since the start of the franchise is £102.7 millions.</p><p>On agreeing to the terms of the Franchise for operating the Rail services in Scotland, First Group plc committed to spending £40 million of Capital Expendi…
7 Feb 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role it plays in appointments to the office of Lord-Lieutenant.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Queen appointsLord-Lieutenants in Scotland, as in England and Wales. When a Lord-Lieutenant retires, the Prime Ministerconsults the First Minister before giving advice to Her Majesty on theappointment of a replacement.</p>
13 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the 2007-08 local authority settlement so that local authorities are able not to reduce services or raise council taxes.
Answer · Tom McCabe: There are no plans in place to reopen the outcome of Spending Review 2004 which provided the funding for the 2007-08 local authority settlement. </p><p>In my statement to Parliament on 8 December setting out the Local Government Finance Settlement, I announce…
12 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the statement in section 17 of the Transport (Scotland) Bill that "The Scottish Road Works Commissioner shall keep a register, to be known as the Scottish Road Works Register" is consistent with its agreement of 1 March 2000 with Susiephone Ltd to allow it to be the sole keepe…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Under the terms of the Transport (Scotland) Bill, it is proposed that the Scottish Road Works Commissioner shall become the keeper of the Scottish Road Works Register. The Scottish Executive is in discussion with Susiephone Ltd about the contractual arrangeme…
10 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12989 by Ms Patricia Ferguson on 24 December 2004, how it will ensure that the new tourism hubs have an adequate cash flow in the period between membership fees ending and the new funding arrangements taking effect.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Membership fees will end on 31 March 2005 with thewinding up of the Area Tourist Boards, and the new funding arrangements which VisitScotlandis discussing with the Executive will come into effect on 1 April. Part of thesediscussions is about the scale of the …
10 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what responses it has received to Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 16: Opencast Coal Public Consultation.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The Executive received 291 responses to the consultation paper. These are currently being considered.</p>
10 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government regarding the upgrade of the A74 from Gretna to Carlisle and what the outcome was of these discussions.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive is in regular contact with Her Majesty's Government on a range of transport issues in England which have implications for Scotland, including construction of the M6 from Carlisle to Guards Mill at Gretna.</p>
10 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the legal status is of (a) local, (b) public and (c) bank holidays.
Answer · Hugh Henry: There is no statutory basis forlocal or public holidays. </p><p>Scottish ministers are responsiblefor setting bank holidays in Scotland. The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 providesthe statutory basis for UK bank holidays. Schedule 1 prescribes Scotti…
10 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the local holiday (a) days and (b) dates (i) were in 2004 and (ii) will be in 2005.
Answer · Hugh Henry: This information is not heldby the Scottish Executive. Local holidays are determined by individual councilswho are able to advise on the dates of local holidays in their areas. Datesare set which reflect local traditions and consultation with local businessi…
10 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the public holiday (a) days and (b) dates (i) were in 2004 and (ii) will be in 2005.
Answer · Hugh Henry: There is no legal orstatutory definition of public holiday in the United Kingdom.</p>
10 Jan 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the bank holiday (a) days and (b) dates (i) were in 2004 and (ii) will be in 2005.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The information is as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=472> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Holidays</p> </td> <td colspan=2> <p align=center>2004</p> </td> <td colspan=2> <p align=center>2005</p> </td> </tr> </thead> <t…
20 Dec 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it estimates that each regional transport partnership will receive from (a) it and (b) constituent local authorities in each of the partnerships' first three years of operation.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has in recent years provided support for the administrative costs of the existing voluntary regional transport partnerships. In 2004-05, approximately £1 million was provided to the partnerships for this purpose. The Executive intends t…
20 Dec 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated to each of the four voluntary transport partnerships by (a) it and (b) each constituent local authority in each year since their inception.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on contributions from constituent local authorities, but the Voluntary Transport Partnerships have agreed to provide this to us. I will write shortly once the necessary information has been collated.</p>
20 Dec 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it still considers that "imposing a new layer of government between the local authorities and the Scottish Executive and Parliament would generate additional bureaucracy and involve significant disruption to local government" in respect of transport policy, as stated in th…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The assessment made by the Executive in 2000 that it would be best not to bring in new statutory regional transport bodies but to persist with a voluntary approach was the right one at the time and was based on a careful consideration of the views of local au…
20 Dec 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what legal restrictions prevent local authorities from establishing local authority-owned bus companies along the same lines as Lothian Buses.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I am not aware of either any legal restrictions which prevent local authorities from establishing local authority-owned bus companies or any provisions which specifically empower a local transport authority to establish such a company. However, there are gene…
20 Dec 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Strathclyde Passenger Transport will continue to have a direct role in the management and development of rail services in the west of Scotland in the future.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12526, on 20 December 2004. 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/web…
16 Dec 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to "promote quality contracts for bus services", as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive issued comprehensive guidance in October 2001 covering the bus measures in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001, including quality contracts. The aim of the guidance was to help authorities consider and assess the wide range of options available to…
16 Dec 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates any legal difficulties arising under EU competition regulations between its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland to "promote quality contracts for bus services" and its role in approving any such contracts.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: No. The Scottish Executive ensures that it acts in accordance with European Law in performing all of its functions including in the role it would take in approving any quality contracts for bus services. The legislative mechanism for this is set out in the Tr…