Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve public transport to Holyrood.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Office, the City of Edinburgh Council and Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd jointly commissioned a study into strategic access options to the new Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, which reported in February 1999. Following publication of Oscar…
14 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a series of seminars, similar to those run by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on methods of school travel in order to give advice on the promotion of walking, cycling and public transport for all types of schools.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive intends to organise an awareness seminar or seminars, similar to those being run by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on school travel as a follow up to the guidance I launched in December on <I>How to Run Sa…
12 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3270 by Mr Jim Wallace on 11 January 2000, whether it is able to break down the administrative costs of issuing fixed penalty fines by type of fine and by constabulary area and, if not, whether it will provide an estimate of these costs.
Answer · Jim Wallace: No. Police administration costs of issuing fixed penalties are not calculated in the form requested and could not be estimated with any degree of accuracy.
12 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund a feasibility study into a rail link for Edinburgh Airport.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The potential for a rail link to serve Edinburgh airport has been examined a number of times. Currently it appears to be commercially unviable. It has been estimated that insufficient demand exists to justify the significant amount of capital investment requi…
10 Jan 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S1W-3275 by Sir David Steel on 27 December 1999, to specify the percentage and amount of materials from the Holyrood site retained for possible future use and the percentage and amount of materials from the site that have been otherwise disposed of.
Answer · David Steel: Following demolition of the old Scottish & Newcastle buildings on the Holyrood site 390 pallets of stone were retained for possible use in the construction of the new Scottish Parliament building. This stone will be quantified and quality tested before us…
10 Jan 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S1W-3268 by Sir David Steel on 27 December 1999, to specify the amount of power expected to be generated by solar panels in the Holyrood building and the approximate percentage of the domestic water supply to be provided by this method.
Answer · David Steel: The solar panels to be installed in the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood are expected to generate 24,000 kw per annum of primary energy. This will heat an estimated 400,000 litres per annum of domestic hot water which will be equivalent to 16% of …
10 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct and advise the Strategic Rail Authority that the franchise for the East Coast line must include a contract to electrify the section from Edinburgh to Aberdeen within a reasonable timescale.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under the terms of the devolution settlement for railways announced on 31 March 1998, the Scottish Ministers will be able to issue guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority for daytime cross-border passenger rail services. This may cover matters such as freque…
10 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3269 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 December 1999, what amount or percentage of District Court activity was related to Road Traffic offences.
Answer · Jim Wallace: It is not possible to breakdown District Court activity by time or effort in this way. As a broad indicator, the table below compares the number of persons proceeded against in district courts for motor vehicle and other offences. The table excludes cases whe…
10 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a sustainable life campaign in Scotland similar to the "Are You Doing Your Bit?" campaign run by the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and, if there is to be such a campaign, what level of funding it will receive.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I have commissioned research into the types of campaigning that would most effectively influence people to act in an environmentally sustainable way. When this research is complete I will consider whether the Executive should run a campaign in Scotland simila…
10 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3010 by Lord Hardie on 21 December 1999, whether the Crown Office was advised by the Ministry of Defence as to whether all of the software defects in the Chinook FADEC system were removed by the time the FADEC system went into production.
Answer · Andrew Hardie: The information which Crown Office obtained from the Ministry of Defence focussed on whether there were any defects in the FADEC system which could conceivably have contributed to the crash. The Ministry of Defence explained that there were no such defects. A…
7 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government regarding the impact of an aggregates tax on jobs and the environment in Scotland.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has made a number of representations to HM Government on a wide range of issues including the aggregates tax.
7 Jan 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to answer outstanding questions S1W-1364 and S1W-1366, lodged on 2 September 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: PQ's S1W-1364 & S1W-1366 were answered on the 17 January.
23 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage transport operators to introduce joint ticketing and pricing initiatives and what representations it has made to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions regarding the implications for any such plans of the Office of Fair Trading's recent…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive, through the forthcoming Transport Bill, intend to provide local authorities with the power to require the setting up of joint ticketing arrangements where they conclude that existing provisions are inadequate.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2>…
21 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2120 by Lord Hardie on 8 November 1999, when and by whom information regarding litigation by the Ministry of Defence against the manufacturers of the FADEC system was brought to the attention of the Crown Office.
Answer · Andrew Hardie: As I explained in my answer to question S1W-2912, questions about the FADEC software were first brought to the attention of the Crown Office by solicitors acting for the family of one of those killed in the accident. As I explained in my answer to question S1…
21 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to answer outstanding questions S1W-1364 and S1W-1366, lodged on 2 September 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Questions S1W-1364 and S1W-1366 were answered on 17 January.
21 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Scottish Airports and Air Services Study.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The findings from the Scottish Airports and Air Services Study will be published in late spring and will help inform a formal UK consultation process on the policy issues which need to be addressed in the preparation of a UK aviation policy for the next 30 ye…
20 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote light rail transport in Scotland.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The development of local transport initiatives such as light rail is the responsibility of the relevant local authorities. They would have to be convinced that sufficient demand exists to justify the substantial investment required for projects such as an ele…
13 Dec 1999 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what percentage of building materials used at the Holyrood site will be recycled, materials broken down by category of material.
Answer · David Steel: This information is not yet available. Reconstituted stone from the demolition of the old Scottish & Newcastle buildings on the site will be used but the percentage against the total amount of stone required is not yet known. The remainder of the material…
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the administrative costs are to Scottish police forces of the issuing of fixed penalty fines broken down by type of fine and by constabulary area.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Administrative costs of issuing fixed penalties are not calculated in the form requested.
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2168 by Mr Jack McConnell on 29 November 1999, what receipts were given to Her Majesty's Treasury under the heading "road traffic fixed fines and penalties" in each year for which figures are available in 1998-99 prices.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The table below gives details of receipts in respect of District Court activity and paid into the Consolidated Fund as Fixed Fines and Penalties:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=5><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P AL…
13 Dec 1999 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what plans there are to make use of solar power in the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood.
Answer · David Steel: The use of solar power is just one of several energy consumption reduction measures planned for the Holyrood building. An area of roof has been identified where the fitting of solar panels would have minimal visual impact in this architecturally sensitive sit…
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in the light of the representations made by the Road Danger Reduction Forum and the publication of Guidance - How to Run Safer Routes to School, what funding is being made available to local authorities and other organisations to support cycle training and what is the level of any such fu…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive provides local authorities with a block allocation for expenditure on a number of services. It is for each local authority to consider the priority to be given to cycle training, in terms of all the services for which it is responsible,…
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to detail, by local authority area, the additional payments which will be made from the #2.5 million announced to prepare and plan the implementation of the national waste strategy.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The £2.5 million will be distributed as set out in the following table:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Distribution of £2.5 million for the National Waste Strategy - 2000-01<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=370><TR><TD WIDTH="46%" VALIGN="…
13 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made or intends to make to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency regarding the legality of the use of the term SCO on vehicle registrations in Scotland and what response it has received to any su…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has made no representations regarding the legality of the use of the term SCO on vehicle registrations in Scotland and has no plans to do so.
9 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Treasury in order to protect local bus operators in Scotland from the effects of any increases in fuel taxation.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Direct contacts with Treasury Ministers and the Scotland Office ensure that Scotland's interests are placed firmly on the agenda in Whitehall, on tax as on other matters.
8 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the method of administration that will be used for the fuel duty rebate and whether it will detail the powers, if any, that it has to alter the rate set.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Payment of Bus Fuel Duty Rebate is made for eligible local registered bus services based on total mileage and fuel consumption. The Scottish Parliament has the power to alter the rate used in the calculation of the rebate.
8 Dec 1999 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Treasury in order to protect local bus operators in Scotland from the effects of any increases in fuel taxation.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Direct contacts with Treasury Ministers and the Scotland Office ensure that Scotland's interests are placed firmly on the agenda in Whitehall, on tax as on other matters.
7 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2585 by Lord Hardie on 26 November 1999, whether it will give details of what enquiries or representations it has made or proposes to make and what has prompted it to make such enquires or representations, as to why the information relating to the li…
Answer · Andrew Hardie: When allegations about the FADEC system were first made the Crown Office immediately sought and thereafter obtained a very full account of the issue from the Ministry of Defence. The litigation, which was settled out of court, related to the test of a pre-pro…
2 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2120 by Lord Hardie on 8 November 1999, whether the allegations referred to were made in the media coverage regarding the FADEC system and whether any information was provided by the Ministry of Defence regarding the FADEC litigation prior to the Cro…
Answer · Andrew Hardie: Questions about the FADEC software were first brought to the attention of the Crown Office by solicitors acting for the family of one of those killed in the accident.
2 Dec 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, when it intends to answer outstanding questions S1W-1364 and S1W-1366, lodged on 2 September 1999.
Answer · Jim Wallace: These questions were answered on 17 January.