David Mundell

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the study into the Glasgow and Edinburgh airport rail links will be completed given that Strathclyde Passenger Transport has announced it is beginning plans for the introduction of a rail link between Glasgow city centre and Glasgow airport.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The consultants' final report is expected in the autumn.

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its civil servants work on rail matters exclusively and how many on road matters exclusively.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Precise information on the numbers of staff working exclusively on road and rail matters is not available. The following table provides a general picture of the numbers of civil servants working in areas within the Development Department which have responsibi…

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans exist to extend the monitoring system of annual condition surveys on trunk roads to include non-trunk roads.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has no plans to extend the monitoring system of annual condition surveys on trunk roads to include non-trunk roads. <P>Responsibility for non-trunk roads, including carrying out surveys of non-trunk roads lies with each council as the l…

18 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans to introduce national motorways, trunk and ring road tolls in England and Wales as published by the UK Minister for Transport, Local Government and the Regions will be extended to Scotland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. The legislative framework which applies in Scotland is quite different from that in England and Wales.

16 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to motion S1M-2703 as agreed by the Parliament on 7 February 2002, whether its assessment of the effect of the trunk road maintenance contracts on local roads maintenance has been completed.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: In order to establish a continuing process of assessment, my officials have established a standing quarterly meeting with representatives of SCOTS (Society of Chief Officers of Transportation Scotland). They have received information on initial impacts on loc…

16 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many liquefied petroleum refuelling points there are.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Information on liquefied petroleum outlets across the UK can be accessed on the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association website:<P><A HREF="http://www.lpga.co.uk">www.lpga.co.uk</A>. <P>The Scottish Executive does not maintain statistics on this matter.

8 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the replanting of trees will begin at the foot-and-mouth disease burial site at Birkshaw Forest, Lockerbie.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Discussions are currently taking place with Castlemilk Estate about the possibility of some limited replanting of trees at Birkshaw Forest in the current planting season. This would be a welcome development in helping return the site to its former use less th…

19 Mar 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the procedures local authorities must follow to close rural schools.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The publicity and consultation requirements which local authorities are required to follow in connection with school closure proposals are set out in the Education (Publication and Consultation Etc)(Scotland) Regulations 1981. We have no current plans to amen…

15 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The current Scottish passenger rail franchise expires at the end of March 2004. The Scottish Executive expects to issue its Directions and Guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority in the course of summer 2002.

15 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which areas omne communication ltd's broadband services were available from 25 February 2002.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23809 on 20 March 2002.

15 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any jobs will be created in Dumfries and Galloway as a result of the roll out of omne communication ltd's services.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23808 on 20 March 2002.

15 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when omne communication ltd's facilities will be fully operational in Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Omne communications ltd, currently, have no plans to build an office in Dumfries and Galloway. Rollout of broadband services to Dumfries and Galloway is planned for early 2003.

14 Mar 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether MSPs will have access to, and be able to use, computer facilities at their desks in the debating chamber at Holyrood.

Answer · David Steel: The SPCB agreed at its meeting on 19 June 2001 that IT cabling should be installed to the MSP desks in the debating chamber during fabrication, along with the voting and microphone cabling, to allow for any future connecting of IT equipment. There will be no …

6 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in which areas broadband services provided by Omne Communications Ltd will be available from 25 February 2002.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Omne Communications Ltd. offer broadband services in Irvine and Troon.

6 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs will be created in Dumfries and Galloway as a result of the roll out of broadband services provided by Omne Communications Ltd.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Omne Communications Ltd do not have any current plans to open an office in Dumfries and Galloway. However, when the construction of the network commences in this area, Omne expect indirect jobs will be created for construction and installation teams.

6 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when broadband services provided by Omne Communications Ltd in Dumfries and Galloway will be fully operational.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Omne Communications Ltd have stated that planned build for Dumfries and Galloway is scheduled for early 2003.

5 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to contribute additional funding for the west Edinburgh tram system beyond the #5 million it is considering contributing for preparatory work.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is working with City of Edinburgh Council, to examine all options for how best to finance this project beyond our initial commitment, in principle, to fund further appraisal work and work to obtain Parliamentary powers for the project.

5 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed West Edinburgh tram system will be complementary to the West Edinburgh Busways scheme.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive expects City of Edinburgh Council to ensure that the two projects complement each other.

5 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed west Edinburgh tram system will be funded by a Private Finance Initiative.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is working with City of Edinburgh Council to examine all options for how best to finance this project.

5 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning will publish her transport strategy.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning will publish the Transport Delivery Report shortly.

27 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #7 billion which the Strategic Rail Authority has estimated will be needed to purchase new trains from the private sector will be required for the Scottish network.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This figure is the Strategic Rail Authority's best estimate of the commitments needed to deliver the short and medium term priorities for growth and improvement set out in <I>The Strategic Plan</I>. The proportion of that figure that will be required for the …

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Environment and Rural Development will respond to my letter of 6 December 2001 about jobs at West of Scotland Water in Dumfries.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I wrote to the member on 23 October 2001 about this issue. There is no record of a subsequent letter of 6 December on this subject from the member.

22 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to promote the life and works of Thomas Telford.

Answer · Elaine Murray: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows: <P>We fully appreciate the significance of Thomas Telford. Most of his surviving works have been given statutory protection, either as scheduled ancient monu…

22 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in disposing of any property it acquired during the construction of the M74 northern extension.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has not acquired any property for the M74 northern extension. For the section of the M74/A74(M) between Douglas and the border, missives are being concluded for one property, following an open market sale and two others are subject to n…

22 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out any assessment of the impact of depopulation on those areas which the Registrar General has forecast will be significantly depopulated by 2016.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive has not, to date, carried out any assessment of the impact of depopulation on the aforementioned areas. However, analysts within the Executive are planning to consider migration and demographic change in Scotland, and how it will impact upon the…

15 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken in order to meet the aims and objectives outlined in The Nature of Scotland - A Policy Statement.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive has been developing the detail of the policy contained in <I>The Nature of Scotland</I> with the assistance of the Expert Working Group on Site of Special Scientific Interest Reform and the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime. We will …

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which (a) rural and (b) semi-rural areas currently have no access to cable services.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The following table shows which areas in Scotland have access to cable services:<P>% Households with Cable access by Region<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=368><TR><TD WIDTH="38%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Region</FONT></TD><TD …

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of the term "universal access" used in the report, Digital Inclusion: connecting Scotland's people.

Answer · Iain Gray: Universal access will have been achieved, when there is affordable and pervasive access to the web throughout Scotland - whether at home, in work, or through public internet access facilities. Our aim is to ensure that public access to the web is generally av…

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to measure performance in achieving digital inclusion targets by utilising benchmarking and monitoring techniques currently being developed within the European Union.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Executive already monitors internet access and usage through the <I>Scottish Household Survey</I> and surveys conducted by the Office for National Statistics.<P>Eurostat, the European Union's statistical information service, is currently developing recomm…

14 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what average data speed is achieved in rural and remote areas.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Telecoms regulation is reserved to the UK Government.<P>However, the minimum data speed currently set by European legislation, and the subject of an obligation on BT, is 2.4 kilobits per second.