Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be able to give directions and guidance to the company limited by guarantee that will replace Railtrack and, if so, under what terms and circumstances; whether such directions and guidance will be subject to veto and, if so, by whom.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The regulation of whatever company succeeds Railtrack will remain a reserved matter and as such will be the responsibility of the Office of the Rail Regulator.
5 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it requested that a separate company by guarantee be established to succeed Railtrack in Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No.
5 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what shareholding it will have in the company limited by guarantee that will succeed Railtrack.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: If Network Rail succeeds Railtrack, it will be a company limited by Guarantee. There would be no shareholders and any operating surplus would be re-invested in the rail network.
5 Apr 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions regarding the company limited by guarantee that will succeed Railtrack.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions on a wide range of issues including the proposal for a company limited by guarantee to succeed Railtrack.
22 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what bilateral meetings have taken place between its Transport Division and Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Division to discuss Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - A Consultation Paper.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Policy areas throughout the Scottish Executive, including the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Division (ELLD), were consulted before the consultation paper was issued. No bilateral meetings between Transport Officials and ELLD have taken place to date. I als…
22 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to assess the potential impact on social exclusion of the proposals set out in Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - a Consultation Paper.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24333.
22 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to assess the potential impact on its information technology policies, as set out in Connecting Scotland: our broadband future, of the proposals set out in Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - A Consultation Paper.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive's consultation paper <I>Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works</I> invited comments on disruption from road works carried out by utility companies and asked for suggestions on how to alleviate any perceived problems. Once the responses t…
22 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether road congestion has decreased or increased in each of the last five years and, if there has been an increase, to what extent the level of road works has contributed to that increase.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Estimates of traffic growth vary, but the long term trends suggest an increase in traffic volume on major roads between 1990 and 2000 of around 16%. <P>The aim of <I>Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - A Consultation Paper</I> is to evaluate the …
22 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why local authorities and highway agencies are exempt from the proposals set out in Reducing Disruption from Utilities' Road Works - A Consultation Paper.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The aim of this consultation paper was to evaluate the extent to which utility companies' roadworks caused disruption to road users and what steps could be taken to alleviate any problems identified using the powers contained in the New Roads and Street Works…
15 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the concessionary bus fares scheme will be introduced in each local authority area; whether the scheme will allow for access to bus services beyond the local authority area of pensioners' residence, and, if so, under what terms and conditions such access will be allowed.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is working with COSLA to introduce free local off-peak bus travel from 1 October 2002 by enhancing existing concessionary travel schemes operated by local authorities.
11 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to increase the number of direct flights to Scotland following the publication of its Tourism Framework for Action and what additional budget will be allocated for this purpose.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The role of direct air services in meeting Scotland's air transport needs, will be a key issue in the forthcoming air transport consultation exercise. The Scottish Executive has no specific budget provision for the promotion of new direct air links. The Execu…
11 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding it plans to make available for the marketing of Scotland overseas following the publication of its Tourism Framework for Action.
Answer · Mike Watson: The Framework for Action is not a new strategy. It contains new actions, mainly for the industry, that will meet our aims for this important sector of the economy. The public agencies who provide support to the industry, will be able to do so within existing …
11 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its news release SE1903/2000 of 28 June 2000, what role it has played in the allocation and distribution of funding for post offices in deprived urban areas; how much funding has been made available; whether any further funding will be made available and, if so, (a) when, …
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23491.
4 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it (a) has made or (b) will make any representations to the Postal Services Commission as part of the current consultation on the commission's market opening proposals in respect of the impact of the proposals on (i) social inclusion, (ii) rural areas and (iii) urban deprived area…
Answer · Allan Wilson: Consignia, post offices and postal services are reserved matters. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Postal Services Commission on a range of issues, including its most recent consultation.
4 Mar 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available in order to ensure (a) that the Bridgeguard 3 assessment programme will be completed and (b) that any necessary action identified by the assessment programme will be taken.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: On 25 February, I awarded an extra £20 million in grant in financial year 2001-02 to local authorities to speed up assessment and repair work to local roads and bridges. This is in addition to the extra £70 million included in capital allocations between fina…
26 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been received from Her Majesty's Government towards the support of post offices in urban deprived areas and how much it has spent on such post offices.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive's Assigned Budget was increased by £1.5 million as a formula consequential, reflecting the funds set aside in England to support post offices in deprived urban areas. Decisions on the use of the Assigned Budget are devolved. Ministers c…
26 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Minister is responsible for devolved matters relating to the Post Office and its impact in (a) rural areas and (b) deprived urban areas.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Minister for Environment and Rural Development is the lead Cabinet Minister on all Post Office related matters of a devolved nature, and I deal with them on a day to day basis. All relevant ministers are consulted as appropriate and, in relation to depriv…
26 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made nominations to the staff and board of Postwatch and what discussions it has had with that organisation.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Postal services and consumer protection are reserved matters. The Consumer Council for Postal Services, known as Postwatch, currently consists of 14 members: a chairman, nine regional chairmen and four ordinary members. They are all appointed by the Secretary…
26 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what sums were received by NHS boards and trusts in donations from the Women's Royal Voluntary Service or other charitable bodies in each year since 1997, broken down by NHS board area and charitable body.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Information on donations received from individual organisations is not held centrally.<P>The annual accounts of NHS trusts only provide information relating to the utilisation of donations as a whole within the financial year reported.<P>The total value of ch…
21 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will make available in respect of the redevelopment of Waverley Station, what form that funding will take and from what budget it will be allocated.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive, in partnership with the Strategic Rail Authority, is currently considering several options for the redevelopment of Waverley Station. Funding issues will be addressed as part of that process.
21 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the contracts or the tender documents for the contracts in respect of the new Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh relating to the cafeteria facilities for staff, patients and visitors include or included provisions regarding cost and nutrition and, if so, whether it will provide details …
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Project Agreement covers the provision of catering facilities for staff, patients and visitors within the main restaurant in the hospital (and the food court which will be provided in Phase II of the development). All aspects of the catering service are c…
21 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide profit and loss accounts for each of the airports operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in each year since 1997.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23352.
21 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the salary and remuneration was of each board member of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in each year since 1997.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The salaries of the Chairman and members of the board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=595><TR><TD WIDTH="30%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="11%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1996-97</TD><TD WIDTH="1…
21 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure of Inverness Airport was in each year since 1997, broken down by category of expenditure.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-23352.
21 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what income was received by Inverness Airport in each year since 1997, broken down by the source of the income.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is given in the <I>Annual Reports and Accounts for Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd</I>, copies of which are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre. The Bib. numbers are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 …
14 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of proposals to open the market for postal services on the level of unemployment.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Postal services are a reserved matter. Subject to Postcomm's primary duty to ensure the provision of a universal postal service it also has a remit to promote competition in the interests of consumers. The UK Government take the view that the way in which pos…
14 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when any (a) compulsory purchase orders and (b) parliamentary consents in respect of the proposed Milngavie to Larkhall line will expire and what action it plans to take on this matter.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The British Railways Order Confirmation Act 1994 and the British Railways (No.3) Order Confirmation Act 1994 conferred powers on the British Railways Board, in respect of the proposed Larkhall-Milngavie rail link. The expiry of powers to make compulsory purch…
6 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents were (a) recorded and (b) reported to the Procurator Fiscal by each police force in each month since May 1997 and how many such accidents were recorded as being caused by adverse or winter weather conditions.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage only acc…
6 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20219 by Lewis Macdonald on 1 February 2002, what the extent and nature are of the aviation experience of the two members of the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd with such experience.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: One of the board members of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) had 17 years' experience in aviation with helicopter, airline and oil companies prior to his appointment. The other member had six years' experience with an airline.
6 Feb 2002 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22081 by Mrs Elish Angiolini QC on 4 February 2002, how many reports were submitted to the Lothian and Borders Regional Procurator Fiscal regarding alleged offences under section 41 (1) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967; in respect of how many such r…
Answer · Elish Angiolini: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service does not collect statistical information broken down by reference to particular crimes or offences. Thus, information about the numbers of reports of offences under section 41(1) of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967…