Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the main purpose is of visitscotland.com.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Visitscotland.com is a world-class visitor contact centre covering in breadth and detail the whole scope of Scottish tourism. It plays a vitally important role in promoting Scottish tourism, and this role will become even more important in future.
9 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to allow area tourist boards direct access to visitscotland.com's software to enable them to amend any errors in details posted on the website and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Although this is an operational matter for VisitScotland, I understand that area tourist boards already have the facility to amend and update tourism provider details. A more powerful amendment facility is being developed and will be available to area tourist…
6 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-275 by Nicol Stephen on 4 June 2003, why the terms of its consultancy contracts are commercially confidential, in what circumstances it would detail how much it has been spent on employing consultants; how much it has spent from the interim route dev…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The terms of the Scottish Executive's contract with Aviasolutions, which ended on 31 March 2003, are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 27924). £41,479 has been paid out up to that date. Aviasolutions' on-going work, and other consult…
6 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what targets have been set for visitscotland.com and by whom, with particular regard to (a) hits, (b) contacts, (c) turnover and (d) bookings; what the penalties will be if any of the targets are not met, and what incentives there are for achieving or surpassing the targets.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Visitscotland.com's annual business plan requires the approval of VisitScotland. It sets out visitscotland.com's business strategy and targets, and the actions needed to achieve them. Visitscotland.com is a commercial company and its business plan targets for…
6 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to make it easier for tourist information centres operated by area tourist boards to take cash payments when booking online on behalf of visitors through visitscotland.com.
Answer · Frank McAveety: This is an operational matter for the area tourist boards.
6 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of the area tourist board review has been in respect of consultancy fees and other items, broken down by budget heading
Answer · Frank McAveety: Apart from a small sum for production of the initial consultation letter, no external costs or consultancy fees were incurred during the course of the area tourist board review.
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed tram network in Edinburgh will be within the ambit of the concessionary fares scheme as it currently operates; if not, whether the scheme will be amended to include the tram network and, if so, when and by whom any such amendment will be made, and what public consult…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Transport Act 1985 gives local authorities the power to establish a travel concession scheme for the provision of travel concessions on journeys on any form of public passenger transport.
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which minister is responsible for the operation of the (a) Scottish Public Pensions Agency and (b) Police Pensions Regulations 1987; which minister can seek a referral, or re-referral, to a medical authority in respect of the regulations, in particular in respect of Part H; on what ground…
Answer · Tavish Scott: The operation of the Scottish Public Pensions Agency and the regulation of the Police Pensions Regulation1987 in Scotland form part of the Finance portfolio. <P>Under Regulation H of the Police Pensions Regulations 1987, the Scottish ministers role is limited…
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for developing and implementing a rail freight strategy.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: With the exception of the administration in Scotland by the Scottish Executive of the Freight Facilities Grants and Track Access Grant schemes, rail freight is a reserved matter and as such is the responsibility of the Strategic Rail Authority
4 Jun 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to support school transport.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive supports school transport by providing funding each year to local authorities to assist them to meet their statutory duty to make transport arrangements for certain pupils.
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) powers and (b) plans it has to introduce toll charges for all users on the rail route from Stirling to Kincardine.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There is no intention to impose toll charges on the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine line.<P>The Office of the Rail Regulator has the power under the Railways Act 1993, as amended by the Transport Act 2001, to approve access agreements that require a user of t…
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the toll regime for the Skye Bridge will end.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive is committed to reviewing existing bridge tolls and entering into negotiations with a view to ending the discredited toll regime for the Skye Bridge. We have made initial contact with Skye Bridge Ltd and hope to start discussions shortly.
28 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce toll charges for all users of the M74 northern extension following completion of the project.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: There are no plans to introduce tolls.
22 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether sums spent by Transport Initiatives Edinburgh in respect of administration and running costs for development of transport systems in Edinburgh will be met from any funds allocated by the Executive to it and, if so, from what date any such costs will be met.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive part-funds City of Edinburgh Council to undertake the development of transport projects. The detailed funding arrangements between the council and Transport Initiatives Edinburgh are a matter for those bodies.
22 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated to the construction of a tram system in Edinburgh; from which budget the money has been allocated; over what period the money will be available; what organisation will be responsible for the construction of the system, and how that organisation will be held pub…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has allocated around £15 million from the Transport Budget to the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) for the promotion of the necessary private bills which will allow the construction of the proposed Edinburgh tram lines. Iain Gray, former…
22 May 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what the current situation is regarding the Parliament's mail service and what the timescale is for renewal and implementation of the mail contracts.
Answer · George Reid: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will be considering the mail service on 17 June and the timetable for renewal and implementation of the mail contracts will be dependant on decisions taken.
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been (a) allocated to and (b) spent by each local authority in respect of creating park-and-ride sites in each year since 1999 and what monitoring takes place of the expenditure of funds allocated to the creation of such sites.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The following table shows the funding allocated from the Public Transport Fund by the Scottish Executive to each local authority and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority towards the creation and expansion of park-and-ride sites for each year since 1999. …
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that public transport workers and vehicles are protected from crime and vandalism; what discussions it has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland about this matter, and what the duty of the police is in respect of policing and prot…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: As the partnership agreement, <I>A Partnership for a Better Scotland</I>, makes clear, we are determined to act against crime and vandalism. The travelling public and those who provide public transport services have the right to go about their business in saf…
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what schemes it has to promote public transport jobs for women.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive recognises that women are currently under-represented in the public transport workforce. While the Executive does not have any specific schemes to encourage the employment of women in public transport, we would welcome appropriate initi…
20 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what schemes it has implemented, or plans to implement, to encourage the employment of under 21s in the public transport sector and whether it will support any funding or assistance for insurance cover for public transport drivers under 21.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no specific schemes to encourage young people to gain employment in public transport. However, we welcome such initiatives on the part of transport operators and are aware of a small-scale initiative along these lines in Glasgow inv…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consultants were hired to deal with the implementation of the interim route development fund; if so, which consultants were hired and by whom; what the cost of each consultancy was in terms of fees and tendering process, and what specification was imposed in the agreed contract
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Scottish Enterprise, which is administering the Interim Route Development Fund on behalf of the Executive, hired the following consultants to support the fund after advertising/tendering in the <I>Official Journal of the European Communities</I>:<P>Aviasoluti…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what routes have been given aid under the interim route development fund since the fund was established; what the purpose of each application to the fund was, and what sums were awarded in each case.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The four routes which have been approved so far are:<P>Edinburgh to Cologne<P>Edinburgh to Jersey<P>Glasgow Prestwick to Skavsta (Stockholm)<P>Glasgow Prestwick to Girona.<P>The applications were for the start-up of new direct air services.<P>Details of the a…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will create a permanent rather than interim route development fund; if so, what the timetable for the fund's operation will be and whether any changes to the fund, in particular in the structure, qualification and funding available, will be proposed.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive is currently considering the future operation and structure of the interim route development fund in Scotland.
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether support from the interim route development fund for an air link between Scotland and Shannon Airport has been rejected and what the reasons are for the position on this matter and whether the route qualified for support and, if so, on what criteria.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: No application has been made for a route to Shannon Airport.
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of usage of the rail station at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport has been in each month since 1999 and what plans there are to increase the capacity or frequency of this rail service.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Information on passenger patronage at Prestwick Airport station is not held centrally. The proposed rail link to Glasgow Airport will require new infrastructure and service configuration that may create opportunities to enhance capacity and services on the Gl…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable and timescales are for the construction and opening of each agreed and proposed new road scheme
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-250 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_…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what road construction proposals have been announced since 1999; how many objections or representations were received in respect of each proposal, and whether a public inquiry was initiated as a result of any such objections or representations.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information requested covers a large number of road schemes, and takes the form of a summary table running to several pages. The Information is therefore given in <I>Summary of trunk road construction proposals since 1999</I>, a copy of which has been pla…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how, by whom, and according to what criteria motorway lighting columns are checked and what monitoring of compliance with these criteria is carried out and by whom.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The condition of motorway lighting columns is checked by the trunk road operating companies during regular maintenance inspections. The inspection and maintenance requirements for road lighting are specified in paragraph 2.16 of Schedule 7 Part 1 of the Trunk…
19 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used for the siting, placement of, and distance between motorway lighting columns, in particular, on the M8; whether there has been any reduction in the number of such columns and, if so, what reduction, and whether any action is to be taken on this matter and, if so, b…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The criteria for the design of lighting column layouts for trunk roads and motorways, including the M8, are set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. There is currently a temporary reduction of lighting on the M8/A8 corridor during maintenance works…
17 Mar 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times (a) it and (b) each non-departmental public body has met with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) in (i) Edinburgh and (ii) elsewhere in Scotland; whether the chairman and chief executive of the authority attended any such meetings, and what future meetings are planned with …
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the SRA on a wide range of issues. The information concerning meetings between non-departmental public bodies and the SRA is not held centrally.