Kenny MacAskill

9 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government on the proposed merger between British Airways and KLM regarding any implications for maintaining direct services between Scotland and Amsterdam.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to do so. The decision to maintain direct air services, or to develop new services, between Scotland and Amsterdam is a matter for the commercial judgement of airlines.

7 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to monitor and regulate the burning of tyres and whether it has plans to enhance these powers.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 prohibits the keeping, treating or disposal of controlled waste unless a waste management licence authorising the activity has been issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The Act also…

7 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to legislate to ensure that water companies and other relevant bodies have a statutory duty to tell householders of high lead levels noted in the water supply following testing or inspection.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The draft Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 2000, that are currently out to consultation, require water authorities to notify householders of any breach of the lead standard detected as a result of sampling. In practice, the Scottish water a…

7 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is to support the separation and recycling of household waste.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The National Waste Strategy: Scotland defined 11 Waste Strategy Areas which group together local authorities, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the waste industry, waste producers, voluntary organisations and local business.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">These …

7 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the recycling of household waste.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No targets have been set to date.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">If targets are to be realistic and worthwhile they must be based on sound data. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has committed itself to providing guidance on targets for household waste recycling …

7 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources and incentives have been provided to local authorities to assist them in a recycling strategy annually since 1997 and what will be available in future financial years for which figures are available.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Local authorities are given an annual budget and normally it is for the individual authority to decide how the money is spent. Grant Aided Expenditure for waste, including recycling, was some £116 million in 1999-2000.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In recognition of the …

7 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the classes of vehicles which are entitled to rebated fuel in Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive keeps in regular contact with Treasury on a range of reserved issues which affect Scottish interests.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the operation of the Renfrew Ferry requires to go out to tender following European Commission directives regarding state aid to ferry services and, if this is not a requirement, why it is not.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has asked relevant local authorities for details of their current ferry services. This information will be taken into consideration in forming a judgement on whether services, including the Renfrew Ferry, need to be tendered.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has sought or obtained regarding any effect of European Commission directives on state aid to ferry services if such operations were devolved to a transport authority.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information, information is not disclosed if to do so would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion, including internal opinion, advice and deliberation. This is the case for internal co…

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sought derogation from European Commission directives regarding state aid to Caledonian MacBrayne's operation of ferry services and, if it did not, why it did not seek a delay such as that granted to the Greek Government for services to their island communities.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Council Regulation (EEC No. 3577/92) of 7 December 1992 applied the principle of freedom to provide services to maritime transport within member states (maritime cabotage). The decision whether to seek a derogation was a matter for Her Majesty's Government at…

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision regarding any Bellwin funding for the city of Edinburgh following the recent flooding, when such payments would be made and whether it can make a projection of the sum to be provided.

Answer · Jack McConnell: A decision on whether to trigger the Bellwin Scheme for the recent flooding will depend on information yet to be submitted by the City of Edinburgh Council on the scale of the emergency and its associated costs.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what direction and guidance it has given to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the Orton Loop and the improvement of the Aberdeen to Inverness line.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions made in the UK Transport Bill, introduced on 1 December 1999, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue advice to the Strategic Rail Authority for passenger rail services that begin and end in Scotland. Since the Bill has not completed…

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited annually since 1997.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. The information requested is not held centrally.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency annually since 1997.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information requested is not held centrally.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by the Scottish Executive and The Scottish Office annually since 1997 broken down by department.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The fuel costs incurred by the Scottish Office from 1 April 1997 to 1 July 1999 and for the Scottish Executive from 1 July to 31 March 2000 are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">…

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by the Scottish Prison Service annually since 1997.

Answer · Angus MacKay: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The information is as follows:<P ALIGN="LEFT"><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=295><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN…

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the fuel costs of each local authority social work department have been annually since 1997.

Answer · Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by each water authority annually since 1997.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I have asked each authority to provide information on their fuel costs, and their responses are detailed below:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=612><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=4><P>West of Scotland Water Authority</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="49%" …

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by Reporters to (i) Children's Panels and (ii) the Children's Hearing System since 1997.

Answer · Peter Peacock: This is a matter for the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration. The information requested is not held centrally.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by each local enterprise company annually since 1997.

Answer · Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the chairman to reply to the member. A copy of the reply will be placed in SPICe.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by Scottish Enterprise annually since 1997.

Answer · Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the respective chairman to reply to the member. A copy of the reply will be placed in SPICe.

6 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what fuel costs have been incurred by the Scottish Tourist Board and each local tourist board annually since 1997.

Answer · Henry McLeish: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Tourist Board and the Area Tourist Boards. I shall ask the Chairmen of these bodies to write to you direct.

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has in respect of the rebate scheme relating to heavy oil.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has no function in respect to rebate schemes relating to heavy oil. This is a tax matter and therefore reserved.

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information was made available to it on 5 May 2000 regarding GM contaminated crops; what was the nature of that information; to whom and by whom it was passed, and what action was then taken prior to the communication being received from the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food…

Answer · Ross Finnie: An official from the Scottish Executive's GM Co-ordination Team attends fortnightly liaison meetings on biotechnology issues involving officials from the UK Government and the devolved administrations. After the formal meeting on 5 May, he participated in a c…

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what instruction and guidance was given by it to the Strategic Rail Authority regarding the East Coast main line franchise, whether it will detail any representations made regarding the line north of Edinburgh, and when it will publish these.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the provisions made in the UK Transport Bill, introduced on 1 December 1999, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue advice to the Strategic Rail Authority for day-time cross-border passenger rail services. Since the Bill has not completed its pass…

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its timetable is for a decision on the Freight Facility Grant Application for the Stirling/Alloa/Dunfermline line and what is the maximum and likely sum to be made available.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive received Railtrack's application on 8 May and this is in the process of being assessed. The application is subject to a detailed economic analysis and a final decision about any grant award will only be reached once the assessment proce…

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to respond to Railtrack's Network Management Statement and when it will publish any response.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr MacAskill to my answer to question S1W-6850.

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is and criteria are for the renewal of the ScotRail franchise and when it intends to publish these.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The process for replacing rail passenger franchises is being managed by the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (SSRA). The SSRA wishes to see all current franchises with a duration of seven years replaced by new agreements by the end of 2001. The ScotRail franch…

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has obtained or will seek to obtain the Strategic Rail Authority's comments on the Incremental Output Statements relating to Scotland and whether, when and how these comments will be published.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Officials of the Scottish Executive are in regular contact with the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (SSRA) on a range of matters, including the draft Incremental Output Statements. Railtrack's estimated costings for these are being evaluated by the SSRA. The …

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in respect of the Road Haulage Association's plans for an essential user rebate.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Any proposals that are put to the Scottish Executive by the Road Haulage Association for an essential user rebate will be carefully considered. However if such proposals are linked to the taxation system then the issue would be a reserved matter for considera…