Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to have an assault upon a public transport official during the course of his or her employment viewed as an aggravation of the crime, detailing the reasons behind its position on this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Individuals who are assaulted in the course of their duties are already treated as the victims of an aggravated assault. Procurators Fiscal treat such assaults as being more serious due to the employment status of the victim. The punishment for assault is not…
10 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to amend or replace relevant provisions of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 in order to legislate for the licensing, regulation and monitoring of private vehicle hire companies and those involved in the ownership and operation of such companies.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Executive proposes to consult in the near future on the terms of regulations which will allow local authorities to license taxi and private hire car booking offices.
10 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funds have been made available (a) directly or (b) indirectly to the Craigmillar Partnership in each year since 1997.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Craigmillar Partnership has received indirect funding from the Scottish Executive since 1997 from the Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) Fund. The City of Edinburgh Council as grant recipient, accepts the resources allocated on their behalf. Direct fundin…
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities will be encouraged to ensure that owners of private hire cars display plates on the exterior of their vehicles which easily identify them as such and whether the display of such plates would be beneficial to public safety and the easy identification of such vehic…
Answer · Peter Peacock: Within the licensing framework of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982, it is for individual local authorities to determine what plates should be issued for taxi and private hire car vehicles and how these should be displayed. While it is clearly in the p…
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding insurance charges to be levied on air flights following 11 September 2001.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: None.
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions regarding the provision and need for security at airports managed by the Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) and what level of security it views as required at each airport operated by…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has regular contact with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) about a range of issues including security. The Executive believes that the level of security at airports should be appropriate for the type …
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what costs were incurred by each NHS board on air transport on behalf of patients in each year since 1997.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will either reimburse or make additional funds available to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd for the cost of security imposed on it by instructions issued by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The cost of additional security measures applied by the UK Government, following the events of 11 September, have, to date, been met by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd from its resources which included Scottish Executive support.
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has contributed either (a) directly or (b) indirectly through a third party to Edinburgh and Lothian Racial Equality Council in each year since 1997.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The Executive does not provide direct funding to Race Equality Councils. It is open to councils to apply to the Executive's Ethnic Minority Grant Scheme for funding for specific projects.
8 May 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has contributed either (a) directly or (b) indirectly through a third party to Care in Craigmillar; how much each individual contribution was, and on what date each contribution was made in each year since 1997.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has made no direct contributions to the project Caring in Craigmillar. I can confirm, however, that the Craigmillar Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) has agreed to contribute the sum of £64,000 to Caring in Craigmillar from its 2002-03…
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made regarding the level of fares on Highland and Island air services and (a) when and (b) to whom it made any such representations.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive and its agencies are in regular contact with airlines to discuss a range of aviation matters including fare levels.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the level of fares in issuing guidelines and granting public service obligations in respect of lifeline air services in the Highlands and Islands; whether the current levels of fares is appropriate, and, if not, what the level of fares for such services sho…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The criteria used for the assessment of the public service obligation routes include consideration of the level of air fares. The current levels are considered appropriate.
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) owner-occupied, (b) public sector rented and (c) private sector rented houses have been demolished in Midlothian in each year since 1997.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Midlothian Council has reported that they have demolished only one property in the four year period 1997 to 2000, and that the demolition took place in 1999. The dwelling demolished was outwith the local authority rented sector, though its exact tenure is not…
26 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many new homes for (a) sale and (b) rent have been built in Midlothian in each year since 1997.
Answer · Margaret Curran: The numbers of new dwellings which were completed in Midlothian in the years 1997-2000 were published in the following Scottish Executive Quarterly Housing Trends Statistical Bulletins, which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre:<P>HSG/1998/6 - …
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to set up community warden schemes in the Lothians and the Borders or whether it will rule out the use of such schemes in those areas.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We have no plans for community support officers with police powers in Scotland to undertake neighbourhood patrols along the lines proposed south of the border. However, the Scottish Executive has provided funding under the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund (…
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on any plans of Strathclyde Passenger Transport in respect of constructing a rail link to Strathbungo and what consideration has been given to any impact of such a link on the financing and delivery of the M74 northern extension.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has had initial discussions about the Strathbungo Link with Strathclyde Passenger Transport. Those discussions include an assessment of the impact of the proposed link on the M74 northern extension. No decision has yet been reached on t…
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers in Lothian and Borders Police Force have been the subject of a complaint in each year since 1997.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information on the basis sought is not held centrally. The following table gives the number of complaint allegations made involving officers in Lothian and Borders Police and also the number of cases investigated: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WID…
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents police officers from Lothian and Borders Police Force have been requested to attend by (a) the Vehicle Inspectorate, (b) the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, (c) HM Customs and Excise, (d) the Department for Work and Pensions and (e) local authority social work…
Answer · Jim Wallace: This information is not held centrally.
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has allocated to the concessionary fares scheme in (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Full information on councils' detailed budget plans for 2002-03 is not yet available. Councils will not set their final budgets for 2003-04 until later this year.
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers left Lothian and Borders Police Force as a result of work-related ill health in each year since 1997.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Information on the number of work-related ill-health retirements is not held centrally. It would be open to the member to approach Lothian and Borders Police to obtain these figures. The numbers of officers from Lothian and Borders Police who retired early on…
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many officers in Lothian and Borders Police Force claimed Criminal Injuries Compensation in each year since 1997.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what areas of Edinburgh Castle are occupied or used by (a) the Ministry of Defence and (b) the British Army and whether any rent is paid or payment made by each in respect of such use.
Answer · Elaine Murray: The army occupy the following areas:<P>the Barrack Block (offices and accommodation);<P>a large majority of the Governor's House with use of the Governor's Garden (Officer's Mess and Governor's official residence); <P>the Gatehouse south wing (Guard accommoda…
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it owns any part of Edinburgh Castle and what role it plays in the operation of the castle.
Answer · Elaine Murray: Title to Edinburgh Castle is held by the Scottish ministers. Historic Scotland manages the whole castle site, including the esplanade, on their behalf.
23 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to (a) the Ministry of Defence and (b) the British Army about withdrawal of guards from Edinburgh Castle.
Answer · Elaine Murray: The Scottish Executive and its agencies engage in discussion with the Ministry of Defence and the Army on a wide range of issues, including the management of Edinburgh Castle.
22 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken with regard to upgrading access roads between the Rosyth ferry terminal and the M90; what (a) funding has been secured and (b) timetable exists in respect of such upgrading, and what studies have been carried out into the (i) current and (ii) projected traffic fl…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive held discussions earlier this year with Fife Council about the council's strategy for access to the Rosyth Ferry Terminal. These discussions were largely concerned with signage, particularly for heavy goods vehicles. However, the main a…
22 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the freight facilities grant for the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link, whether any conditions have been imposed on Superfast Ferries in respect of hiring (a) UK or (b) other EU-based labour; whether it will give details of any such conditions, and what the reasons are for th…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The terms of the freight facilities grant payable to the Forth Ports plc in respect of the ferry facilities at Rosyth do not impose any conditions about the recruitment of seagoing staff by Superfast Ferries. As advised in my answer to question S1W-25260 on 7…
22 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Superfast Ferries about recruiting locally-based labour for the on-board ferry crew.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The recruitment of seagoing staff by Superfast Ferries for its new Rosyth to Zeebrugge service is a commercial matter for the company. I understand that the company recently advertised for seagoing staff in the Scottish press.
19 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its current position is on the financing of the M74 northern extension.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The position remains as stated in the answer given by Sarah Boyack to Robert Brown in question S1W-15440 11 May 2001.
19 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote or fund further bus park-and-ride schemes similar to Ferry Toll in Fife; what sites have been selected under any such plans, and what (a) funds have provided and (b) steps have been taken to date.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Promotion of park-and-ride schemes is a matter for individual local authorities.<P>The Scottish Executive supports the development of park-and-ride and other interchange schemes through the Public Transport Fund. To date over £20 million has been awarded towa…
19 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received about introducing capital city policing in Edinburgh; from whom any such representations have been received; whether capital city policing will be introduced in Edinburgh and, if so, what funding will be made available.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Representations have been received from the Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board and also from the Chief Constable.<P>Funding for the Scottish Police Service is currently at record levels. It is a matter for the Lothian and Borders Joint Police Board to set…