Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-693 by Mr Frank McAveety on 19 June 2003, what detailed information was available on the costs for developing visitscotland.com (a) internally and (b) externally, as referred to in paragraph 1.5 of eTourism Joint Venture with VisitScotland, Area Tour…
Answer · Frank McAveety: The information which is publicly available on the costs for developing the visitscotland.com venture is contained within the Public Sector Business Case, a version of which was placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre in October 2002. Any other informatio…
23 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given to the Strategic Rail Authority within the east coast main line capacity utilisation study and whether this advice concentrated solely on the London to Edinburgh route or referred also to the Edinburgh to Aberdeen route.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in contact with the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the east coast main line route utilisation strategy. As the Strategic Rail Authority's work is at an early stage, it would be premature for the Scottish Executive to provide advi…
20 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of extending the planned Stirling to Kincardine rail line to the port of Rosyth; what the additional technical and cost requirements would be of doing so; what advice, or guidance, has been given to the promoters of the project about any possible extension, and…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine project is an essential precursor to a rail link to the port of Rosyth and nothing in that project will preclude the development of a link to the port. However, any link to the port would need to be separately justified and…
18 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of the funding of the ScotRail franchise has been in each year since 1998-99 and what the franchise funding costs will be in each of the next 10 years.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish franchise was let on 1 April 1997.The following information below shows franchise payments net of SPT passengerincome from 1998 to 2002, taken from ScotRail's statutory accounts filed atCompanies House. The costs of the next franchise will be det…
18 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to have the railway station at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport brought under the control, or operation, of either the rail franchise holder or the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive through the ScotRail franchise
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scottish Executive officials met with representatives of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport last month, to discuss the proposed transfer of Prestwick International Airport railway station to the main network.
18 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the last date is for the commencement of the Larkhall to Milngavie rail line before powers for the line's establishment lapse and what the current situation is regarding commencement of the project.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Larkhall to Milngavie project is being promoted by Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive. I understand that the current parliamentary powers lapse on 21 March 2004.
18 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the road maintenance budget has been in each year since 1998-99 and what the budget will be in each of the next ten years.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The road maintenance budget since 1998-99 is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=621><TR><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN="TOP" ROWSPAN=2> </TD><TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1998-99</TD><TD WIDTH="13%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1999-2000</TD><TD WID…
18 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital costs will be of each infrastructure project referred to in the transport section of A Partnership for a Better Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The capital costs of projects will depend on the prices achieved through tendering and these will be affected by both the market at the time and the type of contract awarded. For a number of the projects proposed in <I>Partnership for a Better Scotland</I> it…
18 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is still its intention not to impose tolling on the newly announced Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine rail line, as stated by the Minister for Transport in the debate in the Parliament on 12 June 2003 on public transport (Official Report, c743), and whether it will seek to obtain…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-483 today. 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/webapp/search_…
16 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds are available for developing Hampden Park, Glasgow, as a sports campus.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive launched in March 2003 its national and regional facilities strategy. <B>Sport</B>scotland will shortly issue guidance and invite proposals from potential partners for the development of a suite of regional indoor training facilities for footbal…
16 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representation it has on the British Olympic Committee and what consultation any such representatives undertake in order to represent the views of Scotland.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Neither the Executive nor any administration or government department in the UK is represented on the British Olympic Association.
16 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that road traffic regulations benefit public transport.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Roads authorities have general duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the "expeditious, convenient and safe movement" of all traffic. This general duty is met by the road authority making traffic regulation orders which can be introduced …
13 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the Royal Mail's proposal to cease rail operations will have on the (a) road network and (b) number of lorry (i) journeys and (ii) miles travelled (1) daily and (2) annually.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.
13 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the British Olympic Committee with regard to participation in the football tournament of the Olympic Games in 2012 in the event of London being successful in its bid to host the games.
Answer · Frank McAveety: None. This is a matter for the football associations of the four home countries.
13 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide CCTV coverage on buses; whether it will make funding available for this purpose, and, if so, how much funding and what the criteria will be to qualify for such funds.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is primarily a matter for the bus industry. Whilst the Scottish Executive is not responsible for the provision of CCTV coverage on buses, resources have been made available under the Public Transport Fund to local authorities such as Dundee City Council …
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is with regard to the creation of full-si'ed indoor football facilities; when, and over what period, the #30 million earmarked for indoor sports facilities will be made available and whether these funds are independent from those committed to sportscotland
Answer · Frank McAveety: Football is likely to be one of the main beneficiaries of the national and regional indoor sports facilities strategy. An outline specification for these facilities together with indicative costings and levels of funding will be issued to relevant organisatio…
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available for the development of youth football; from what budget such funding is allocated, and over how many years the funding has been earmarked.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive contributed £41,000 in 2002-03 from monies allocated for sport towards the costs of an independent review of youth football development. We will consider the financial implications arising from its recommendations when the study is completed.<P>…
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that drivers who obstruct access to bus stops are prosecuted.
Answer · Colin Boyd: In terms of regulation 29, and part 1 of schedule 19, of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2003/3113 and section 36 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence for any person driving a vehicle to stop within a bus stop clearway, i.e. a bu…
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when funding for phase 2 of the Ferrytoll park and ride scheme will become available.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Grant assistance of £8.075 million has been awarded to Fife Council for capital costs incurred in increasing capacity at Ferrytoll, as set out in South East Scotland Transport Partnership's (SESTRAN) bid in August 2002 to the Scottish Executive's Public Trans…
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to create the broadband trading platform in respect of the bandwidth exchange Band X and how much the project, as a whole, cost; whether a commercial rate of return is being sought in respect of the project; what the project's operating criteria are, and how many custome…
Answer · Jim Wallace: These are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise.
12 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the tendering process for the Pathfinder project; who is responsible for the process; which companies have been selected to submit tenders as referred to in news release SEFM108/203 of 10 March 2003; how the process was advertised; how clarity and trans…
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Pathfinder projects are subject to Government Procurement Procedures under which the Executive, together with its public sector partners, has responsibility for the tendering process. Government Procurement Procedures ensure clarity and that the tendering…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) direction and (b) guidance it has given to the Strategic Rail Authority on capacity usage and any other matter relating to the east coast main line from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Matters relating to capacity usage and/or associated infrastructure enhancements on the east coast main line are for the Strategic Rail Authority to consider.
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what awards have been made under the Public Transport Fund since 1999; what information is available about sums expended by, and the state of delivery reached in respect of, each project that has received such awards, and whether any projects funded by awards from the Transport Challenge…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Projects awarded funding from the first four rounds of the Public Transport Fund are identified in the regional leaflets associated with the Scottish Executive transport delivery report, <I>Scotland's Transport: Delivering Improvements</I>, which was publishe…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what events have been funded by Events Scotland; for what future events funding from the body has been agreed; how much the funding was, or will be, in respect of each event, and what the criteria are for support from Events Scotland and, in particular, whether there are any criteria rela…
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Major Events Strategy, launched by the First Minister in November 2002, sets out sixteen basic criteria that are adhered to when evaluating potential events for EventScotland support. These criteria include a commitment to prioritise events that highlight…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on capacity and usage of railway lines between Edinburgh and (a) Aberdeen and (b) Inverness.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what intimation it received from Royal Mail regarding the proposed cessation of its contract with EWS; what action the Executive will take, or representations it will make on the matter, and what effect the cessation of the contract will have in respect of increased road journeys.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has not been approached by the Royal Mail on this issue. As I stated during the public transport debate in the Scottish Parliamentary Chamber on 12 June 2003, I intend to make representations to the UK Government to address the issues t…
10 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements there are for Scottish representation at the Office of Communications (OFCOM).
Answer · Frank McAveety: Communications regulation is reserved to the UK Government. There is currently a Scottish member on OFCOM's Content Board. Later this year, a Scottish representative will be appointed to the new regulator's Consumer Panel. In addition, a Scottish committee wi…
9 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the relationship is between visitscotland.com and area tourist boards and what rights the boards have in respect of the functions of visitscotland.com.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Thirteen of the 14 area tourist boards (ATBs) are shareholders in visitscotland.com, with a 12.25% stake between them (Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board is not a participant). Together with VisitScotland's share of 12.75%, the public sector in Sc…
9 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the role and remit of Events Scotland is; what its budget is; from which budget the money has been allocated, and what its relationship is with (a) area tourist boards, (b) the British Tourist Authority, (c) other tourism organisations and (d) local authorities.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Our Major Events Strategy, which we published In November 2002, sets out the Executive's vision of Scotland becoming one of the world's foremost events destinations by 2015. The strategy was developed in close partnership with<B> </B>key players in the public…
9 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has made of how much it would have cost to establish visitscotland.com by means other than by public private partnership.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Ministerial approval to the visitscotland.com joint venture partnership proposal in April 2002 was based on a detailed business case, the public version of which was placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre in October 2002 (Bib. number 27374). The business…