Kenny MacAskill

13 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been made available to Lothian and Borders Police because of increased security risks from terrorist attacks.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Funding levels for Scottish police forces are currently at record levels. As a result of the spending review, the Grant Aided Expenditure for Lothian and Borders Police will rise by almost 20% between 2002-03 and 2005-06 (from £149 million to £179 million).<P…

7 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of the costs of the Waverley Station upgrade will be met through the forthcoming passenger rail franchise.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The direct costs of the Waverley project will not be met through the Scottish passenger rail franchise, as the franchise is for services only. Indirectly it is possible that the enhanced infrastructure could lead to some cost to the franchisee in the form of …

7 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specifications are being put in the tender documents for the passenger rail franchise regarding the infrastructure and renovation works at Waverley Station.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: None. The Scottish passenger rail franchise is for the provision of services only and this will be reflected in the franchise documentation.

7 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional work the closure of the accident and emergency services at the old Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh will create for the Scottish Ambulance Service and what additional resources will be provided to deal with any such additional work.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Lothian University Hospitals Trust and the Scottish Ambulance Service have been working closely together to ensure (i) that there is a smooth transition for both emergency and non-emergency ambulance services and (ii) that the impact of the re-location of…

7 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took to promote Scotland in the light of the world-wide coverage of the Hogmanay festivities and what TV advertising regarding Scotland as a holiday destination was promoted by it, VisitScotland, the British Tourist Authority or any organisation on its behalf.

Answer · Mike Watson: The promotion of Scotland as a tourist destination is an operational matter for VisitScotland. They have vigorously promoted Scotland as a winter destination and will continue to do so.

7 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the minimum number of police officers required per division is in (a) Edinburgh and (b) the Lothian and Borders Police area on a night shift (i) from Sunday to Thursday and (ii) on Friday or Saturday, as defined in the force's risk assessment policy, and on how many occasions these …

Answer · Jim Wallace: This information is not held centrally. It would be for Lothian and Borders Police to provide.

7 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers in each division in Lothian and Borders Police are (a) due to retire and (b) expected to leave the force on medical grounds and how many officers are expected to be recruited in each month from April 2003 to April 2004.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Information at this level of detail is not held centrally. It would be for Lothian and Borders Police to provide.

23 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many telephone mast applications by mobile phone operators were (a) made, (b) granted, (c) refused, (d) granted on appeal and (e) refused on the grounds of health and safety and what the average time was for an application to be processed in each year since 1999, broken down by local…

Answer · Des McNulty: The following tables, 1 and 2, show information on planning applications for radio telecommunications infrastructure, including ground-based masts, additional antennas, roof-based masts and equipment housing. The figures show for each planning authority the n…

23 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that there is site sharing in respect of the roll-out of telephone masts for the O2 Airwave service.

Answer · Des McNulty: The Executive's planning policy on radio telecommunications encourages site sharing where it represents the best environmental solution. The additional equipment should be designed and positioned as sensitively as possible, though technical constraints may li…

19 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about (a) the estimated value of goods, equipment and property that, in the event of the passenger railway franchise changing, a new franchise would be required to acquire (i) in total and (ii) broken down by category of asset and (b) what such items are.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally. <P>Bidders for the new franchise will receive information on the book value of assets in an Invitation to Tender and supporting documentation (including an accountant's long form report), which are currently being prepa…

18 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27368 by Lewis Macdonald on 2 August 2002, whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government in support of legislative changes in order to allow a public sector operator to be considered for the passenger railway franchise.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including franchise issues.

18 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from the Strategic Rail Authority about any proposed cuts in funding for the passenger railway franchise; whether it has taken over responsibility for direct payment of funding for the franchise and, if not, when it will do so, and what assessment it has m…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: A contract with agreed levels of funding and an agreed Passenger Service Requirement is in place with ScotRail until April 2004 when the current franchise expires. Payment of the subsidy cost of the franchise is divided between the Strategic Rail Authority (S…

13 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on (a) expenditure incurred by and (b) costs paid to First Engineering in respect of work on rail in Scotland in each year since 1997.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: First Engineering is a private sector company. As such this information is commercial-in-confidence and is not held centrally.

4 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any application for European Commission state aid for Scottish Enterprise's telecommunications infrastructure programme Project ATLAS and, if so, whether it has received any formal approval from the Commission in response.

Answer · Iain Gray: No application has been made.

4 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions Scottish Enterprise has had with the telecommunications policy division of the Department of Trade and Industry regarding the telecommunications infrastructure programme Project ATLAS and whether the project is an element of the UK policy on telecommunications infrastruct…

Answer · Iain Gray: Scottish Enterprise have analysed the Scottish telecoms market and identified a complex set of issues constraining market growth. Project ATLAS was developed to address this problem on the basis of Scottish Enterprise's economic development remit which is a d…

4 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish telecommunications provider industry was excluded from bidding for Phase II of the Scottish Enterprise telecommunications infrastructure programme Project ATLAS to connect communication networks between Edinburgh and regional business parks and what the reasons are fo…

Answer · Iain Gray: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

4 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Enterprise has assessed the impact of its telecommunications infrastructure programme Project ATLAS on the Scottish communications industry and, if so, how many job losses it estimates the programme may result in.

Answer · Iain Gray: An independent market and economic appraisal of Project ATLAS, carried out for Scottish Enterprise, showed that Project ATLAS should benefit the communications industry in Scotland by stimulating it to supply new and inventive services using the new business …

3 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31313 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 November 2002, what monitoring it carries out to ensure that sums granted under the Public Transport Fund (PTF), the Integrated Transport Fund and the Rural Public Passenger Grant element of the PTF are fully utilised a…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive monitors the progress of projects awarded grant under the Public Transport Fund, the Integrated Transport Fund and the Rural Public Passenger Grant element of the Rural Transport Fund by scrutiny of the various management returns and in…

19 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it advised the operators of the Barra to Glasgow air link that the public service obligation in respect of that route would be for a period of one year, and whether it sought the agreement of the operators to the introduction of the one-year period and, if so, when and from whom it d…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive consulted a number of interests on the continued imposition of a Public Service Obligation (PSO) on the Glasgow to Barra air service. Any discussions with the current operator of the service are commercially confidential.

19 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any representations to the European Commission in support of public service obligations on flights within the Highlands and Islands being exempted from the maximum period restriction of three years.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We would wish any extension of the maximum period of three years for public service obligations on lifeline air routes to be considered in the context of any revision of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers …

19 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a child may be fostered by a blood relative; if so, whether the relative is entitled to receive remuneration in respect of such fostering; what information it has received about any local authorities refusing to remunerate such relatives as foster parents, and what action it will …

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There are different circumstances in which relatives can be assessed and approved as foster carers. The Fostering Children (Scotland) Regulations 1996 and the accompanying guidance make clear that it is for local authorities to decide their own types and scal…

18 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what input it or the former Scottish Office had to the Ernie Walker think-tank on Scottish football set up by the Scottish Football Association (SFA); what updating it has sought to any previous input that it had, and what monitoring of this issue has been carried out.

Answer · Mike Watson: None, but we understand that the streamlining of decision-making processes within the SFA in recent years followed acceptance of recommendations made by the Independent Review Commission chaired by Mr Walker.

11 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whom it consulted about any restriction of the extension of the public service obligation for the Glasgow to Barra air link to one year; whether the continuation of the air link is related to the introduction of the new Sound of Barra ferry service; whether it will give a commitment to en…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive consulted Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Western Isles Enterprise and local Barra interests on the continued imposition of a public service obligation on the Barra to Glasgow air service. The Executive wishes to ensure that the air service …

7 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to direct the British Tourist Authority over its marketing budgets for overseas campaigns and what input it or VisitScotland will have on this issue.

Answer · Mike Watson: The Executive will be consulted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the new management statement that will set out the BTA's revised structure and modus operandi. It has always been the BTA's practice to consult with VisitScotland on the …

7 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what way the British Tourist Authority (BTA) will be accountable to the Parliament and what representation it will have on the new BTA or its committees.

Answer · Mike Watson: The Executive has agreed with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) that the BTA will in future report on, and account for, its overseas marketing activities entirely separately from its new responsibilities for marketing England, and that the fo…

7 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what changes will be made to the memorandum of understanding between the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and VisitScotland following the recent combination of functions of the BTA with the English Tourism Council.

Answer · Mike Watson: The memorandum of understanding between VisitScotland and the BTA will be reviewed by these bodies in the light of the recent announcement about changes to the structure of the BTA. It is too early to say what changes might be necessary as a result of that re…

7 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29377 by Hugh Henry on 11 October 2002, whether it will bring forward legislative proposals on the storage or placement of flammable or otherwise dangerous materials in proximity to a railway line or siding in the light of the recent disruption to ra…

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to legislate in such a way. The Scottish Executive is of the view that the existing statutory controls on the storage or placement of flammable or otherwise dangerous materials are appropriate with regard to poss…

7 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it was first consulted by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the changes to the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and, in particular, the combination of functions of the BTA with the English Tourism Council; what representations it has made and to whom on th…

Answer · Mike Watson: The Executive keeps in close touch with DCMS on a range of issues, including tourism. As they are obliged to do under the terms of the Concordat between the two departments, DCMS gave the Executive advance notice of their proposals for changes to the structur…

6 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28643 by Lewis Macdonald on 4 October 2002, how much has been spent under public transport funding grants by each local authority in each of the last three years; what amounts have been earmarked and committed, and whether there was any underspend or…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Total funding committed by the Scottish Executive in the last three years to each local authority under the Public Transport Fund, the Integrated Transport Fund and the Rural Public Passenger Grant element of the Rural Transport Fund was provided in the answe…

6 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether and, if so, in what way Scottish internet service providers will be able to sell into the broadband trading platform being created by Scottish Enterprise.

Answer · Iain Gray: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.