Kenny MacAskill

12 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it can take in the event of a strike by bus drivers in Edinburgh.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: It is the responsibility of the relevant local authority to consider what steps should be taken to meet any public transport requirements it considers appropriate and which would not otherwise be met. I understand that City of Edinburgh Council have put in pl…

12 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek costings and timings for both Glasgow and Prestwick Airports in the specification for the public service obligation in respect of air services to and from the Highlands and Islands and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. The link to a major service centre from Campbeltown, Tiree and Barra will take into account the views of the communities concerned and will be detailed in the <I>Official Journal of the European Communities.</I>

12 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it anticipates the average journey time will be on the west coast main line between Glasgow and London in each year from 2002 to 2006 and how much of the Scottish section of that line will (a) have a speed capacity of 125 mph and (b) be used by trains travelling at speeds of 125 mph.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has been leading a detailed review of plans to modernise the West Coast Main Line, in conjunction with Railtrack, Virgin Trains and other users of the route. This work is nearing completion and the SRA has indicated that it …

11 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average or median time is for a police officer to process an arrest from arrival with an accused at the police station to the officer's returning to duties in each year since 1997; if no such information is recorded, whether it will now do so, and what the reasons are for its po…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Information at this level of detail is not held centrally. I would expect forces to be taking steps, including the introduction of appropriate technology, to ensure that processing times are kept to a minimum in order to maximise officer time on front-line du…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it and the former Scottish Office gave to football in each year since 1997 and which organisations received any such funding.

Answer · Elaine Murray: <B></B>Lottery Funding<P>The Lottery Sports Fund has provided over £17 million directly to football since 1997. This does not include awards made to multi sport applications totalling £23,730,297 from which football may benefit. Full details under the various…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations representing football interests it funds or communicates with on a regular basis, either directly or indirectly.

Answer · Elaine Murray: The Scottish Executive generally channels resources for the development of sport, including football at all levels, through <B>sport</B>scotland.<P>On the matter of communication, the Executive has contact with a range of football bodies including individual …

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provided either directly or indirectly to community newspapers in each year since 1999, broken down by newspaper.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The information requested is not held centrally.

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what effect an increase in insurance premiums will have upon (a) the economy and (b) jobs and what representations it has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this issue.

Answer · Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is aware of the concerns being expressed by business about the potential impact of increased insurance premiums, and we are already in contact with the UK Government on this issue.

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor air quality levels in Holyrood Park as a result of traffic flow changes brought about by the building of the Parliament.

Answer · Allan Wilson: All local authorities in Scotland have a duty under the Environment Act 1995 to review and assess air quality in their areas against the air quality objectives contained in the <I>Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland</I>. If …

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in Edinburgh have been subject to an unruly certificate in each year since 1997.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The information available is given in the following table.<P>Unruly Certificate Remands Where the Prisoner's Recorded Address was in Edinburgh<…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether sheep currently gra'e in close proximity or adjacent to the reservoirs, rivers and lochs providing the water supply to Edinburgh and adjacent communities and, if so, how many and whether it is its intention to have them removed and, if so, when; if no sheep are gra'ing, when they …

Answer · Ross Finnie: As with the majority of water supply catchment areas in Scotland, there are sheep on the catchments for the Edinburgh water supply reservoirs. These catchments are privately owned and Scottish Water cannot control sheep farming activities carried under good a…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the redundancies at TelesensKSCL in Edinburgh, whether it will make representations to the Department of Trade and Industry in regard to any legislative changes which may be required to guarantee redundancy payments to workers.

Answer · Iain Gray: Such guarantees are already in place. Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Department of Trade and Industry can pay redundancy pay and certain other debts owed to former employees of insolvent companies out of the National Insurance Fund. This legislatio…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to implement the Ernie Walker Think-tank report into Scottish football.

Answer · Elaine Murray: This is a matter for the Scottish Football Association who commissioned this report.

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an extension to the existing franchise of the east coast main line would be appropriate, detailing the reasons for the position on this matter.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29117 on 23 September 2002. 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…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who has overall responsibility for the redevelopment of Waverley Station, Edinburgh; which department or executive agency has lead responsibility for the project, and what staff have been seconded to that agency or department from (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) the City of Edinburgh Counci…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29122 on 27 September 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:<P><A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliame…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its remit and role is in respect of the Waverley Station redevelopment project in regard to responsibility for construction, management, funding and giving any necessary instructions.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is a member of the steering group which has been established to ensure a co-ordinated approach to delivering a vision for Waverley. Other members of the group are the Strategic Rail Authority (which chairs the steering group), Railtrack…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers there were in (a) each division and (b) each station within the Lothian and Borders area (i) in each year from 1997 to 1999 and (ii) in each quarter since May 1999.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The deployment of police officers within the Lothian and Borders Police area is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. Information is held centrally on the numbers of police officers in the force, on a quarterly basis, but not on the deployment of tho…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to (a) the Strategic Rail Authority, (b) the Department for Transport and (c) any other relevant authority regarding any extension of the existing franchise on the east coast main line.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government and the Strategic Rail Authority on a wide range of issues, including cross-border franchises.<P>In January 2002 the Strategic Rail Authority extended the East Coast Main Line franchise by tw…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought to ensure that the creation of a Musselburgh Parkway station is a condition of a new franchise for the East Coast Main Line or an extension of the existing franchise, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Under the Transport Act 2000, the Scottish ministers can give statutory advice to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on cross-border franchises, and did so for the East Coast Main Line extension in September 2001. The Scottish ministers advised that the devel…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made in regard to redundancies announced at TelesensKSCL in Edinburgh.

Answer · Iain Gray: Officials at Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothians have arranged to meet with senior management at Convergys Ltd to establish its future plans for the operations in Edinburgh. In addition, officials have been in touch, through the receivers, with the for…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department of Trade and Industry regarding redundancies at TelesensKSCL in Edinburgh and, in particular, whether it will seek to ensure that an investigation is carried out into the actions of the purchasing company and the liquidator.

Answer · Iain Gray: The regulation of company liquidations and acquisitions is a reserved matter. My officials have ensured that the Department for Trade and Industry is aware of the case. They have also contacted the former employees regarding payments due to them and assistanc…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for housing associations to obtain anti-social behaviour orders and what plans it has to simplify the current arrangements.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Local authorities have the power to apply to the sheriff court for an anti-social behaviour order. Housing associations (and any other landlord) can request that the local authority apply for an order on their behalf. The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill will…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding and assistance to organisations and bodies representing and involved in football dependent on structural change and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Elaine Murray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29111 today. All answers to written PQs 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_wa">http://www.sco…

10 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that there is a single unified body regulating football and whether it will withhold funds and support from any organisation which does not accede to this aim.

Answer · Elaine Murray: Scottish ministers have no direct locus in how football is governed. It is a matter for the Scottish Football Association as the recognised governing body of the sport of Association Football in Scotland. I do not anticipate that any strategic decisions about…

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether toll revenues raised on the Forth Road Bridge could be used to support dedicated bus services and, if so, whether it will encourage the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board to give financial support to enhancing bus services and to the Ferry Toll park-and-ride scheme.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Forth Estuary Transport Authority, which replaced the previous joint board from 1 April 2002, is empowered to use toll revenues to develop, support and fund public transport schemes and measures, and to encourage an increase in the use of public transport…

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that any scheme for upgrading the A8000 will also provide for the improvement of the dedicated bus lane service on the northbound side of the A90.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The City of Edinburgh Council, as the relevant roads authority, and the Forth Estuary Transport Authority are jointly taking forward plans to construct the M9 Spur Extension/A90 Upgrading Scheme to provide a new link road and reduce congestion on the A8000, w…

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist and promote the use of smart card technology in order to improve inter-modal and inter-operator use of public transport and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive funded a pilot smartcard project in Aberdeen through the first round of the Modernising Government Fund. Aberdeen City Council has used this support to develop a citizen's smartcard with concessionary fares for elderly people being a core applic…

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to (a) introduce technology and, in particular, bus camera technology to assist in the enforcement of bus lanes as dedicated lanes for public transport and (b) for legislative changes to facilitate the introduction of such technology and what the reasons are for its pos…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Bus lane enforcement is a matter for local authorities and the police. Legislative powers are already in place to enable the use of camera technology for bus lane enforcement. <P>The Road Traffic Offenders (Additional Offences and Prescribed Devices) Order 19…

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to assist coach and bus operators to obtain motor and public liability insurance in the light of any reduction in the number of companies offering such insurance and what steps it plans to take in order to alleviate any increase in premiums.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is a commercial matter for the bus industry. It is not appropriate for the Scottish Executive to underwrite statutory business costs.

5 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty's Government to have Insurance Premium Tax levied on coach and bus operators hypothecated for the benefit of public transport in that mode; if it has made no such representations, whether it will now do so, and what the reasons are f…

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