George Lyon

28 Aug 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action will it take to speed up the tendering process for the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service to facilitate the marketing of the route for next year's tourist season.

Answer · Iain Gray: We will shortly consult key local interests on the draft Service Specification, which will include the requirement that a detailed marketing plan be submitted.

14 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice and correspondence the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning has had from the European Commission regarding the public service order in relation to the contract for the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route and whether it will publish any such advice and correspondence…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Discussions between member states and the Commission on such cases are private and confidential and inform internal discussion and advice. As such, this information is exempted under section 2 and 14(b) of the <I>Code of Practice for Access to Scottish Execut…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any unsubsidised operators are currently operating on the Orkney, Shetland and Aberdeen routes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There is no central record of shipping services provided within Scotland. However, the Executive is aware that there are no unsubsidised passenger ferries operating between Orkney, Shetland and Aberdeen and that other operators provide an unsubsidised freight…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Public Service Obligation on the Orkney, Shetland and Aberdeen ferry routes cover passengers, vehicles and commercial vehicles and, if not, what category of traffic does it cover on these routes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The approved services that are eligible for subsidy on these routes are restricted to passengers and accompanied cars.

15 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much Argyll and Bute Council's grant aided expenditure (GAE) for education (a) was in each of the past five years and (b) is in the current year; whether the council spent above or below the GAE figure in each of the last five years, and what the total GAE for Argyll and Bute Council…

Answer · Andy Kerr: Details of the grant aided expenditure assessments for each local authority for the years 1997-98 to 2001-02 are set out in Grant Aided Expenditure (the &quot;Green Book&quot;) for each year, which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre with Bib. …

8 May 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Water's policy is regarding first time water and sewerage connections.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I understand from Scottish Water that its policy is to support local and national economic development, and community improvements, through the provision of water and sewerage infrastructure, insofar as this can be done at reasonable cost and within Scottish …

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much Argyll and Bute Council's grant aided expenditure (GAE) for roads (a) is in the current financial year and (b) was in each of the last four financial years, indicating whether the council has spent above or below its GAE figure in each of these years.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25578.

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much Argyll and Bute Council's grant aided expenditure (GAE) for Social Services (a) is in the current year and (b) was in each of the last four years, indicating whether the council has spent above or below its GAE figure in each of these years.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Details of the grant aided expenditure assessments for each local authority for the years 1998-99 to 2001-02 are set out in Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) (the <I>Green Book</I>) for each year, which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre with Bib.…

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the current annual pay bill and amount paid in employers' National Insurance contributions are for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and what the estimated annual amount of employers' National Insurance contributions will be for the SPS in 2003-04 following the changes …

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.

24 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the current annual pay bill and amount paid in employers' National Insurance contributions are for each (a) police and (b) fire board and what the estimated annual amount of employers' National Insurance contributions will be in 2003-04 as a result of the changes announ…

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25291.

24 Apr 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many GPs have been recruited in (a) Argyll and Bute and (b) Scotland since the introduction of "Golden Hello" packages for new GPs.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Provisional data from the GP payments system indicate that two GPs in Argyll and Bute and 50 GPs in Scotland as a whole have received a "Golden Hello" payment.

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has issued to Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd regarding any reduction in the level of ferry services on the Gourock to Dunoon route.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: None. <P>Only the passenger element of Caledonian MacBrayne's service on this route is within the Undertaking between the company and the Scottish ministers. Accordingly, the agreement of ministers is not required if the company wishes to change the level of …

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what restrictions or conditions it has placed on Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd on running ferry services from Gourock to Dunoon.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Restrictions on the number of scheduled sailings on the Caledonian MacBrayne, Gourock to Dunoon service, were first imposed in 1982, when Scottish Office ministers restricted the company to one sailing per hour to ensure that public subsidy was not used to un…

23 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail each financial allocation it made to Argyll and Bute Council in 2001-02 and for what purpose the money was allocated.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Details can be found in the document <I>Allocations of Central Government Grant to Local Authorities 2001-02</I>, a copy of which is held in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 19464).

15 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish its draft Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill and whether the Scottish ministers intend to provide tenant farmers with a pre-emptive right to purchase their holding from a selling landlord.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am pleased to announce that I am launching the draft Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill for consultation later today. A 12-week consultation period will follow, with the closing date for responses being Friday 12 July 2002.<P>Copies of the consultation p…

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures the Food Standards Agency Scotland is taking to detect infected meat imported from abroad which (a) is unsafe for human consumption and (b) could pass infection to a farm animal.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that European Union (EU) food hygiene legislation on meat for human consumption requires that all meat sold on the single market must be fit for human consumption, and free from animal diseases. It must have passed th…

2 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers and duties NHS boards and local authorities have to implement health controls when illegal imports of meat arrive at airports and ports.

Answer · Ross Finnie: When illegal imports of meat are detected at ports and airports, it is confiscated and destroyed by either Customs and Excise officers or the local authority.<P>Under the current legislation, local authorities have the power to require the destruction or re-e…

18 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to respond to the Scottish Law Commission's report on the age of criminal responsibility.

Answer · Jim Wallace: As the First Minister said on 17 January we are considering the Scottish Law Commission's Report in the context of our overall approach to youth crime. As part of this consideration we intend to consult on the commission's proposals and will publish a consult…

6 Mar 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the transfer of powers from Her Majesty's Government in relation to the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service will be completed.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: An order to transfer the necessary functions under the Scotland Act will shortly be taken forward in the Scottish Parliament and at Westminster.<P>Completion of the process requires approval of both Parliaments and an Order in Council to be made.

1 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evaluation it has made of any lessons to be learned in Scotland from the report of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Officials have studied the Policy Commission report in detail and have noted that there is considerable overlap between what we are already doing in Scotland and what the Policy Commission recommends for England. There do not appear to be any material lessons…

25 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to creating a national roads inspectorate that would monitor and enforce standards in respect of the state of repair of roads to ensure that the approach to this issue is consistent.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Roads authorities are responsible for monitoring the reinstatement of roads in their area. There are no plans at present to create a National Roads Inspectorate.

25 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering giving any further powers to local authorities to assist them in (a) monitoring water authorities and other utilities companies in respect of repairing the roads they excavate to a satisfactory standard and (b) compelling such bodies to do so.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. Powers are currently available to roads authorities under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to ensure that utility companies reinstate roads to a satisfactory standard after excavations.

25 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what sanctions can be used by local authorities against water authorities or other utilities companies in disputes surrounding roads that they have left in an unsatisfactory state of repair after excavations in the conduct of their business.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-4462 on 17 January 2002.

25 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what data exists that sets out the performance of each local authority in (a) monitoring water authorities and other utilities companies in respect of repairing the roads they excavate satisfactorily and (b) compelling such bodies to do so, and whether it will publish any such data.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for individual local roads authorities.

25 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the current state of roads that have been excavated during the upgrade of water and sewerage mains in the constituency of Argyll and Bute.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter for Argyll and Bute Council as local roads authority.

25 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legal responsibilities the Scottish water authorities and other utilities companies have in respect of returning roads that have been excavated during the conduct of their business to their original state.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to answers given to questions S1O-4462 and S1O-4522 on 17 January 2002 and 24 January 2002 respectively.

16 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that water authorities and their sub-contractors reinstate Argyll and Bute's roads to a safe and acceptable standard after work has been completed.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Utility companies that dig up the road are required, by statute, to reinstate the excavation to a specified standard. That standard is set out in the document <I>Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in the Highway</I>, which was published by HMSO i…

9 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers local authorities have to ensure that utilities companies, such as West of Scotland Water, restore road surfaces after being dug up for installation and maintenance purposes.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Roads authorities have powers under section 131 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, in the event of a failure by a utility company to reinstate the road properly, to issue a notice to the utility company requiring it to carry out remedial works within…

19 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or plans to take, to ensure that disputes between the staff and management of Caledonian MacBrayne are resolved in such a way that they do not disrupt the services available to the public.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Executive officials kept in close touch with the company throughout the recent industrial dispute on the Clyde with the objective of ensuring that adequate lifeline ferry services were maintained. We also funded connecting bus services to help foot p…

12 Dec 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how its proposals for land reform will benefit rural communities.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The access provisions of the Bill will not only provide the public with greater confidence to visit the Scottish countryside, but result in more opportunity for them to do so by the creation of new paths. There is growing interest in outdoor recreation on the…