Parliamentary questions

Des McNulty

1,840 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the context of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth’s statement on the objectives of the Audit Scotland review when he said “My priority is to protect the Scottish taxpayer and ensure that any major transport project is value for money, delivering real bene…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The current cost estimateis in the range £170 million to £210 million, based on the risks as currently identified,but we will continue to monitor both in light of prevailing tender prices for roadscontracts. The absolute costs will not be known until tenders …

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The current cost estimateis in the range £130 million to £150 million, based on the risks as currently identified,but we will continue to monitor both in light of prevailing tender prices for roadscontracts. The tender process is under way and the absolute co…

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-1811 on 24 July 2007. Allanswers 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.sea…

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the context of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth’s statement of 6 June 2007 on the objectives of the Audit Scotland review when he said “My priority is to protect the Scottish taxpayer and ensure that any major transport project is value for money, deliv…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As I announced inmy statement to Parliament on 26 June 2007, Transport Scotland is continuing a due-diligencereview of the Borders railway project as it prepares to take on the role of AuthorisedUndertaker for the railway, a role that it is preparing for at t…

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland will continue to be represented in the United States of America through a member of staff based in the UK embassy in Washington.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The First Secretaryof Scottish Affairs in the USA is returning to Scotland on promotion to take up other duties in October.Consideration is underwayon his replacement.

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are taking place with the UK Government regarding future representation of the Executive in the United States of America and Europe.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: We are currently consideringthe replacement of the First Secretary of Scottish Affairs in the USA. In this, as in other overseas representation, we arekeeping the Foreign and Commonwealth Office informed.

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of a full feasibility study for the Clyde Fastlink project (phases 1-3).

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Clyde Fastlink proposals are being led by StrathclydePartnership for Transport on behalf of a consortium of councils. Matters relatingto feasibility studies is therefore a matter for them.

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current standing is of the Clyde Fastlink (phase 1) project.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: My officials are currentlyhaving preliminary discussions with Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire and Glasgow City Councils and Strathclyde Partnershipfor Transport regarding the Clyde Fastlink Phase 1 proposals.

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make its views known on the Regional Transport Strategy for the West of Scotland submitted by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I have been examiningall seven Regional Transport Strategies in detail. They are complex documents thatdeserve careful consideration. I wish to take further time before making my viewsknown.

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the authors of the SUTRANET study, State Intervention in Scottish Shipping Markets, published in June 2007, that “because they own shipping lines, Ministers have little alternative but to allow state-owned ferry lines to operate on a virtual blank cheque basis”.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No, the Scottish Executivedoes not agree with the assertion.

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees with the authors of the SUTRANET study, State Intervention in Scottish Shipping Markets, published in June 2007, that “subsidy paid to state-owned (shipping) operators has been constantly increasing and now appears to be out of control” and what steps are being considere…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executivehas put in place, or aims to put in place, tendered contracts for the operationof all lifeline ferry services subsidised by the Executive. The contracts will resultin robust contractual arrangements for the provision of these vitally imp…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for Transport Scotland for 2007-08 and whether this has changed from the amount allocated by the previous administration.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Budget Billfor 2007-08 Financial Year was laid before Scottish Ministers in January 2007. Thisoutlines the spending plans voted by Parliament for the 2007-08 financial year.The annual budget cycle permits revisions to the Budget Bill, the first beingthe a…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the concessionary travel scheme has had on bus and ferry patronage levels in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scotland-wide freebus travel for older and disabled people commenced in April 2006. The journeynumbers for the first year of operation of the scheme were 156.1 million. Thisis an increase of 5.9% on the journeys made in the previous year (2005-06)under the pr…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many journeys were claimed for by each of the top five bus operators under the concessionary travel scheme in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland can report that payments were made in respect of thefollowing journeys made, to the respective bus operators during 2006-07 asfollows:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> First Group </t…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what payments were made to each of the top five bus operators in respect of the concessionary travel scheme for each of the past three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland can report that the following payments were made to therespective bus operators during 2006-07 as follows<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td nowrap valign=bottom> First Group </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom>…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what total payments were made to bus and ferry operators in respect of concessionary travel schemes in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The totalpayments made to bus and ferry operators in respect of concessionary travelschemes were £154.56 million and £0.507 million respectively in 2006-2007 (thefirst year of operation of the schemes).

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates have been made of what proportion of people eligible under the bus and ferry concessionary travel scheme are currently making use of it and of the pattern of use.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There arecurrently around one millionScottish residents with a valid national entitlement cards allowing them toaccess Scotland wide free bus travel for older and disabled people.There arecurrently 1.2 million people eligible for the bus and ferry sche…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs have been of each extension of eligibility for the bus and ferry concessionary fares scheme in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There were noextensions to eligibility for Scotland-wide free bus travel for older and disabledpeople or to the ferry element of the scheme during 2006-07.

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans or proposals to extend eligibility for the bus and ferry concessionary travel scheme and whether it has received representations from MSPs or organisations about extending eligibility.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executivehas no plans at present to extend the eligibility criteria for the Scotland-WideFree Bus Travel Scheme and ferry concessions for older and disabled people. We have,however, given a commitment to review the scheme in its third year of ope…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected cost is of the bus and ferry concessionary travel scheme for each of the next three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The projectedcost of Scotland Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People is £163 millionin 2007-08 as reflected in the 2007-08 Draft Budget. Spending plans for2008-09 and 2009-10 financial years will be determined as part of the currentspending…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of administering the bus and ferry concessionary travel scheme and what proportion this represents of the budget for the scheme in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The cost ofadministering the Scotland-wide concessionary travel scheme for older and disabledpeople was £4.163 million in the financial year 2006-07 (the first year ofoperation of the scheme). This figure represents 2.59% of the budget for the schemefor the s…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) projected and (b) actual cost was of the bus and ferry concessionary travel scheme in each of the past three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scotland-WideFree Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People cost £154.56 million against abudget of £159 million in 2006-07 which was the first year of operation of theScheme.The ferry elementof the scheme cost £0.507 million against a budget of £1.7 mi…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what concessions are given to freight operators using (a) CalMac and (b) Northlink ferries; how much these concessions have cost the taxpayer in each of the last five years, and why there are different tariff arrangements for the carriage of freight and livestock between the northern isle…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: CalMac Ferries Ltdoperates a traders’ rebate scheme under which rebates are granted to commercialvehicle operators for frequent use of CalMac’s ferry routes. Rebates from 2.5% to15% relate to the annual number of journeys made by a commercial customer and are…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the restrictions on eligibility under the Air Discount Scheme, disqualifying those residents outside the Highlands from benefiting from the scheme, meet the legal requirements of UK and European anti-discrimination and human rights legislation.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Air Discount Schemewas approved by the European Commission as Aid of a Social Character. Under Article87(2)(a) of the EC Treaty, such aid can be granted to those resident in a specificregion of need, as long as the relevant air services are open to free c…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what legal basis the Air Discount Scheme is regarded as being not discriminatory against shipping operators.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Air Discount Scheme(ADS) was approved by the European Commission as Aid of a Social Character. It isnot a subsidy to airlines, but instead provides for discounted fares to individualscheme members.As a measure to facilitatesocial inclusion, the pur…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any STAG appraisals took place prior to the introduction of new shipping or air subsidy schemes and whether each or any of the subsidy schemes introduced were taken forward via a tendering process in the last five years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Air Discount Scheme(ADS) was not subject to a STAG appraisal. Subsidies for existing lifeline ferryservices have not been subject to STAG appraisals. It is standard practice to undertakea STAG appraisal for all new vessels and for any new ferry service pr…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation took place prior to the purchase of new specialised livestock containers for northern isles ferry services; what justification there is for public money being used to fund these purchases; whether the containers are suitable and available for use on vessels other than th…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In response to concernsexpressed by the local community and having regard to the Welfare of Animals (Transport)(Scotland) Regulations 2006, ministers in the previous administration asked NorthLinkFerries Ltd to develop new livestock transport arrangements com…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent by central and local government on new port and terminal infrastructure at (a) Dunoon, (b) Kirkwall, (c) Aberdeen, (d) Scrabster, (e) Stromness and (f) Lerwick since 2000; whether it regards this expenditure as part of the subsidy provided to state-owned ferry oper…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The financial informationrequested is as follows:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=194 valign=top> Harbour </td> <td width=140 valign=top> SE Grant Paid Since 2000 (£ Milli…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pages the recent CalMac bid to operate services between the Scottish mainland and the islands off the west coast contained; how much it cost the company to prepare; whether the cost has been properly audited, and what timescale was involved in the bid’s preparation.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: CalMac submitted itsClyde and Hebrides ferry services bid electronically in linewith Scottish Executive procurement arrangements. The bid represented more than200 pages of text plus extensive supporting financial, technical and backgroundinformation.Ca…

8 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken by ministers to prevent further cost over-runs by Northlink Ferries since 2005.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The public service contract with NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries Ltd was amended in September 2004 to take account of the company’s commercial position and the additional payments that were necessary to maintain essential lifeline ferry operations whils…