Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Jul 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated administration costs are of the proposed congestion charging scheme in Edinburgh expressed as a percentage of the estimated amount of revenue to be raised by the scheme.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is a matter currently being explored by the City of Edinburgh Council and Transport Initiatives Edinburgh as part of the development of their charging proposals.
20 Jun 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-10467 on 6 November 2000, how many of the Parliament's staff are now seconded from (a) the United Kingdom civil service, (b) other public sector bodies and (c) the private sector.
Answer · David Steel: The information sought as at 24 June 2002 is as follows:<OL TYPE="a"><LI>the United Kingdom Civil Service - 44 secondees, including 14 members of the Holyrood Project Team</LI><LI>other public sector bodies - two secondees</LI></OL><P>the private sector - 0 s…
20 Jun 2002 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-11005 on 20 November 2000, what the breakdown now is of the gradings and level of seniority of the staff on secondment from the Scottish Executive.
Answer · David Steel: <B>Sir David Steel:</B> The figures requested as at 24 June 2002 are set out in the table below:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=271><TR><TD WIDTH="34%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Grade</TD><TD WIDTH="66%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Number Of Employees</TD></TR><TR>…
20 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what mileage rates are paid to foster carers, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26940.
20 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current rates of remuneration are for foster carers, broken down by the age of the child and by local authority.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally. The Fostering of Children (Scotland) Regulations 1996 and the accompanying guidance make clear that it is for local authorities to decide their own types and scales of payment to foster carers, depending on local childc…
17 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the (a) Procurator Fiscal who conducted the fatal accident inquiry into the crash of the Chinook ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre in June 1994, (b) Crown Office and (c) Lord Advocate were advised of (i) the hellicopter crash of a Chinook helicopter in Wilmington, USA, (ii) litigation by…
Answer · Colin Boyd: Neither the Lord Advocate nor the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is aware of a crash of a Chinook helicopter in Wilmington USA. The Lord Advocate and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are aware of damage to the engine and transmission…
17 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information was provided to the Lord Advocate about the cause of the crash of a Chinook helicopter in Wilmington, USA, and related litigation, given his responsibility for the fatal accident inquiry into the crash of the Chinook ZD576 in the Mull of Kintyre in June 1994.
Answer · Colin Boyd: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26831.
17 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what long-term health monitoring is being undertaken on the people who took part in the pesticide testing carried out on behalf of Bayer.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I understand that this question relates to a study carried out by a contract research organisation in Scotland in which eight healthy adult volunteers were exposed to the organophosphate pesticide azinphos methyl. The study was based on an "ascending-dose pro…
17 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the testing of pesticides on human beings undertaken in Scotland on behalf of Bayer.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not hold information of this type. This is essentially a matter for the company, the researchers and the individual volunteers involved in the study.<P>The Bayer company has, however, confirmed that eight adult volunteers were exp…
13 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role and powers it would have in regard to the re-let of the rail network franchise should the ScotRail franchise come to an end with no successor in place, detailing the reasons behind its response on this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Should the ScotRail franchise come to an end with no successor in place the Scottish Executive would continue to have the same role and powers as it does at present with regard to the re-let of the rail network franchise.
13 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received a copy of The Direct Air Services Action Plan Final Report dated February 2000 from Scottish Enterprise National; if so, on what date it received the document; what action it took upon receiving it, and whether any budget was allocated to implement any of the report's…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Enterprise Report <I>Direct Air Services Action Plan</I> was commissioned as part of that agency's continuing work to promote new air services to and from Scotland, and to identify and evaluate those routes which are best for the Scottish economy…
13 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider designating a public service order for a ferry link between Ardrossan and Tarbert or any other appropriate port.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I have no plans to offer a public service obligation for a ferry link between Ardrossan and Tarbert. I have however undertaken to protect all lifeline ferry services currently provided by Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd., including the existing Ardrossan to Brodick …
13 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any study has been undertaken into ferry links between Ardrossan and Tarbert and, if not, what action it plans to take on this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I understand that a study to investigate the potential to introduce new fast ferry services from Ardrossan was commissioned by Clydeport plc and North Ayrshire Council, and that a ferry link between Ardrossan and Tarbert was an option explored by the research…
13 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take in regard to the possible creation of a global container hub at Flotta or Hunterston; whether any financial assistance has been or would be given to any such proposal, and whether any Executive department or non-departmental public body would be designated …
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is liaising closely with the promoters of the possible container transhipment terminal at these sites, and will continue to do so. Highlands and Islands Enterprise has provided financial assistance for the marketing of the Flotta propos…
12 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requests it has made for European funding relating to the creation of a global container port and what European money may be available for such a port.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There are currently no applications for funding from European funds for a global container port in Scotland. Any application for such a project would receive due consideration, in line with any other application, to assess compatibility with the relevant prog…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will advise directors of education to consider using the ferry from the Port of Rosyth when embarking on school trips to Europe; whether it has already given any such advice, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The routes and mode of travel for school trips abroad will depend on a range of factors, including the operational requirements of the tour operating companies or other organisations which individual schools and education authorities may deal with in organisi…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many school trips overseas are made by bus or coach and (b) via which ports such trips were made in each year since 1999.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not collect the detailed information requested.
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what experience of running airports each member of the management of Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd (HIAL) had prior to appointment at HIAL and, in particular, how many management posts each held, for how long each such post was held and what specific experience each gained in the comm…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is contained in the personnel records of the individuals concerned and which are retained by HIAL. Under Part II of the <I>Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information</I>, information contained in personnel records (…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what complaints it has received, directly or indirectly, regarding any smell and discomfort caused by Seafield sewage treatment works and what action it will direct any non-departmental public body to take on this matter.
Answer · Ross Finnie: To date, the Executive has received three complaints from MSPs on behalf of their constituents about odours from the Seafield Waste Water Treatment Plant. Additionally, last year, my officials received a summary report on the problems at the plant from the th…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the increased costs to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd were of new security measures introduced following 11 September 2001 in each month since such measures were introduced, broken down by airport.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The additional costs to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in meeting the new security measures each month since 11 September 2001 has been:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=608><TR><TD WIDTH="16%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=19><P></TD><TD WIDTH="10%" …
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what timetable existing public service obligations on air routes will be renewed and what role (a) it and (b) the Department for Transport will have in respect of this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The current contractual arrangements with regard to the Scottish Executive's supported lifeline routes expire on 30 March 2003 and will require to be renewed from 1 April 2003 to ensure continuity of service. The Executive has responsibility for determining w…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what public discussion will take place, and with whom, in respect of renewing existing public service obligations.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive consults local interests including local authorities, local enterprise companies and community organisations to inform decisions on the renewal of Public Service Obligations.
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated what the cost would be of buying out the Private Finance Initiative in respect of the terminal at Inverness Airport; if so, what its estimate of this cost is; if it has not investigated the cost, whether it will do so, and what the reasons are for its position …
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has not investigated the cost of buying out the Inverness Airport Terminal Private Finance Initiative (PFI). The PFI approach enabled the full redevelopment of the terminal to be completed earlier than would have been possible through p…
10 Jun 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking, directly or indirectly, in order to promote and support the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has recently announced the award of £767,666 in European Regional Development Fund funding towards marketing initiatives by local tourist boards targeting the Northern European market and Scottish Enterprise has provided financial suppo…
30 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out an investigation into road and pathway maintenance similar to that recently instigated by the House of Commons Transport Sub-Committee, detailing the reasons behind its position on the matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has no plans to carry out a comparable examination. However, officials liaise closely with colleagues in other departments on the development of UK technical standards for roads and we will look with interest to the results of the committee's in…
30 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any information on the effect of congestion charging on (a) the retail sector and (b) other types of business in Edinburgh and, if not, whether it will undertake a study on this issue, detailing the reasons for its position on this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The City of Edinburgh Council commissioned a consultant's report as part of the development of its New Transport Initiative, to look at the potential impacts of congestion charging schemes. This report is in the public domain.
30 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether congestion charging will or will not be in the interests of the retail sector and other businesses in Edinburgh, detailing the reasons for its position on the matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Congestion charging schemes will be introduced only where there are firm proposals to reduce local congestion and improve public transport. We believe that schemes which meet these requirements will be in the interests of business, especially in the longer te…
21 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role and powers it has under section 26 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Merchant Shipping Act 1988 was repealed by the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. The Scottish Executive has no powers under the 1995 Act, which is reserved and the responsibility of the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
21 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether further education in Midlothian and East Lothian is adequately provided for in view of anticipated population growth, detailing the reasons behind its position on this matter.
Answer · Iain Gray: Since 1 April 1999, the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) has had responsibility for securing the adequate and efficient provision of further education in Scotland, primarily through the distribution of grant-in-aid funds to colleges in accor…
21 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take to protect public transport workers from assault and abuse during the course of their employment.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We are awaiting a report from the Scottish Business Crime Centre about crime on buses, which will make recommendations on the way forward, and we will continue to encourage bus operators and the police to deal with incidents of vandalism and assault with the …