Parliamentary questions
Des McNulty
1,840 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what penalties may be levied against Scottish Water if specified cryptosporidium removal rates are not met at the proposed water treatment plant at Milngavie.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26586 today. However, if Scottish Water supply water unfit for human consumption, they shall be guilty of an offence unless they can demonstrate that they had exercised all due diligence for securing that…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what maximum level of cryptosporidium is allowable in drinking water supplies under relevant Scottish guidelines.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There is no maximum level set for cryptosporidium in The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations. The regulations require that water does not contain any micro-organism or parasite at a concentration which would constitute a potential danger to hu…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what minimal level of cryptosporidium removal is required under relevant legislation and European directives for water treatment plants.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Neither the European Drinking Water Directive nor The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations set performance criteria for cryptosporidium removal at water treatment works. Where there is an identified risk of cryptosporidium entering a water supp…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans Scottish Water has in place to rectify any failures of the proposed water treatment plant at Milngavie to meet specified removal efficiency criteria.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Water has carried out extensive trials on pilot plant to check the performance of the water treatment process proposed for Milngavie. However, should the full scale plant fail to meet all the necessary regulatory standards, then the Drinking Water Qu…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the selected treatment technology for the proposed water treatment plant at Milngavie has been assessed by any United Kingdom standards agency or received certification from any United States state or federal agency.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There are no certification schemes covering the efficiency of water treatment processes. The highly variable nature of raw water means that the treatment technology appropriate for a particular treatment works has to be selected by carrying out trials on the …
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether treatment technology similar to that selected for the proposed water treatment plant at Milngavie has been used elsewhere in the United Kingdom and, if so, what the track record of any such plants has been.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The treatment technology selected for the proposed Milngavie water treatment works is widely used across the industry. The effectiveness of the process, like all treatment processes, is dependent on the monitoring and control regimes put in place. Scottish Wa…
16 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many reports have been finalised by (a) the Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland and (b) the Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner and Health Service Ombudsman, broken down by (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority area, in each of the last three years.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25988.
16 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been received by (a) the Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland and (b) the Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner and Health Service Ombudsman, broken down by (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority area, in each of the last three years.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Information about the number of complaints that are received, or how many reports have been finalised, by (a) the Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland, (b) the Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and (c) the Health Service Comm…
3 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff at director level left West of Scotland Water Authority for roles at Thames Water in the last year.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. Their Chief Executive's response is as follows: <P>Records inherited from West of Scotland Water show that one member of staff at director level or above left the organisation to join Thames Water in the past 12 months. Th…
3 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether risks of potential fines for non-compliance with any relevant legislation and EU directives are borne by (a) it, (b) Scottish Water or (c) its contractors.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Any fine imposed on the UK by the European Court of Justice resulting from a failure to meet an EC obligation would be borne by the UK Government as the member state. If the fine was a result of a breach of EC law on a devolved matter in Scotland, then paragr…
3 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether risks of delays in the construction of the Loch Katrine Water Project are borne by (a) Scottish Water or (b) its contractors.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. Its Chief Executive's response is as follows:<P>Delays in construction resulting from planning are specifically excluded from the contract for the Katrine Water Project, with all consequential costs falling to Scottish Wat…
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates any commercial agreements were signed between West of Scotland Water and Thames Water or its subsidiaries or consortia, including but not limited to agreements relating to the Loch Katrine water project.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a question for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is:<P>Three agreements were signed between the West of Scotland Water and Thames Water.<P>On 3 August 2001 Stirling Water Ltd was appointed by West of Scotland Water as one of four Strategi…
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to residents of West Dunbartonshire through its central heating installation programme and what projections it has for take-up rates in the area.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Allocations for local authorities and housing associations have not yet been finalised for this year because they are still completing the programme for 2001-02. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested for the West Dunbartonshire loc…
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently employed by (a) it, (b) Executive agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies.
Answer · Andy Kerr: (a) The Scottish Executive Core departments currently employ 4,290 people; (b) Executive Agencies currently employ 9,432 people, and (c) The number of staff employed in non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the central Scotland transport corridor studies will be completed.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The report for the 2005 and 2010 plans for the three corridors will be submitted to the Executive at the end of this month. Plans for 2020 will be submitted later in the year.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Clyde Tunnel has reached the end of its useful life (a) as envisaged at the time of its commissioning and (b) in terms of the projected costs of maintaining it at a high standard of repair and reliability.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25442.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many days the Clyde Tunnel was not operational with two lanes in both directions in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25442.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive where the maintenance and upgrading work to the Clyde Tunnel is in its programme of transport improvement priorities.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25442 on 17 May 2002.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the closure of the Clyde Tunnel would have on journey times within Glasgow and the surrounding area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Clyde Tunnel is a local road. As such it is the responsibility of Glasgow City Council as the local roads authority for the area.<P>Glasgow City Council has a detailed traffic model of the Glasgow Area that would be most suitable for the analysis of poten…
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether initiatives such as widening or duplicating the Clyde Tunnel are being considered to improve the rapidity of traffic flows through the tunnel.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25442 on 17 May 2002.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what period of time the useful life of the Clyde Tunnel was designed to be and when significant repairs should be undertaken for that life to be achieved.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question on 17 May 2002.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what maintenance work has been undertaken on the Clyde Tunnel and access ramps since 1979 and what the cost of each maintenance project was.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Clyde Tunnel is a local road. As such it is the responsibility of Glasgow City Council as the local roads authority for the area. This is, therefore, a matter for the council to address.
9 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult with (a) the Parliament and its Committees and (b) the general public in regard to the renewal of the Scottish rail passenger franchise.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive will present to the Transport and Environment Committee of the Scottish Parliament its draft Directions and Guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority in June 2002.<P>The Executive launched an extensive public consultation in November 200…
9 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports concerns raised by Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive about the importance of securing a Eurostar link from Scotland to the continent.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: European and international railway services are a reserved matter under the devolution settlement. Under the UK Transport Act 2000, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is required to prepare a strategy relating to services in various parts of Great Britain for…
9 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates would be the effect on (a) the number of cars using motorways and (b) greenhouse gas emissions of provision of a faster, more frequent and more reliable public transport service between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The effects would result in a positive impact but the evidence suggests that this would not be to any significant or quantifiable extent. The existing rail service is already faster and more reliable than the car for journeys between the city centres. Further…
9 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase train capacity at Edinburgh Waverley station and what the timetable is for the completion of any such plans.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: A steering group, which includes representatives from the Scottish Executive, Strategic Rail Authority, Railtrack and City of Edinburgh Council, has been established to take the re-development of Waverley Station forward. This will provide increased train cap…
9 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that Scotrail meets the requirement in its franchise to maintain an additional ticket office at Edinburgh Waverley station.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The additional ticket office at Waverley Station is operated by ScotRail on a commercial basis. This is outwith the terms and conditions of the company's current franchise agreement.
9 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts can be made to provide direct rail services between Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Dunbartonshire already has some links to Edinburgh by direct rail services, with several of the weekday Glasgow to Edinburgh Shuttle services stopping at Lenzie in both directions, and at least one train per day from Edinburgh calling at Bishopbriggs.<P>In ad…
9 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether targets will be set for reducing average journey times between Glasgow and Edinburgh by (a) rail and (b) motor vehicles.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have no such targets.
8 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how public transport links to the Rosyth ferry terminal will be improved from (a) the Lothians, (b) Strathclyde, (c) Fife and (d) elsewhere in Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Transport Challenge Funding and Public Transport Fund grants totalling £11.6 million have been made to Fife Council to support additional rail services between south Fife and Edinburgh, and to make improvements to rail services and stations at Rosyth and Inve…