Kenny MacAskill

1 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail what action it has taken to support, promote and fund a Glasgow CrossRail or Cross Link.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I understand that Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive has commenced investigation into the economic viability of a Glasgow Cross Link but has not yet commissioned a formal study. The Glasgow CrossRail project was abandoned at the feasibility stage as th…

1 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has or action it has taken or proposes to take to ensure that there is a rail halt at Abbeyhill for the Parliament at Holyrood.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I understand that last year Railtrack, ScotRail and the City of Edinburgh Council explored the potential for a station at Abbeyhill as part of the Crossrail proposal, but that the idea was abandoned at the pre-feasibility stage as estimated costs were deemed …

18 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement to the Parliament by Jackie Baillie on 27 October 1999 on the establishment of the domestic abuse service development fund, (a) whether or not it will make funding available to local authorities in order that they might provide matched funding for any bid submitt…

Answer · Jackie Baillie: Local authorities current financial settlement is the most generous for 7 years with provision set to rise by £840 million over the next 3 years. They will be expected to provide the match funding from this provision, although it will be open to their local p…

18 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the results of the investigation into the use of Solicitor Advocates in the High Court.

Answer · Jim Wallace: It is proposed that the results will be published in the New Year.

18 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to whether the direction scheme in respect of the Public Defence Solicitors' Office contravenes article 14 of the European Commission of Human Rights.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The direction criteria which applies to those accused required to use the Public Defence Solicitors' Office is set by the Scottish Legal Aid Board which is a Non-Departmental Public Body established under the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986. We do not believe, …

18 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number of waivers applied for by defence agents from the Public Defence Solicitors' Office and the number granted by it.

Answer · Jim Wallace: By 19 November 1999, the Public Defence Solicitors' Office had received 741 requests for waivers, of which 499 were granted.

18 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number of clients seen to date by the Public Defence Solicitors' Office in Edinburgh as part of the pilot project and (a) the number of individual cases conducted, (b) the number of cases prosecuted in which representation was given, (c) the number of guilty ple…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Excluding clients using the services of the PDSO under the duty solicitor scheme but not continuing with the PDSO, as at 12 November 1999, the PDSO had seen 682&nbsp;clients, in respect of whom they conducted 1053 individual cases.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Informati…

16 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2120 on 8 November 1999 by Lord Hardie, what the nature was of the settlement between the Ministry of Defence and the manufacturers of the Chinook FADEC system and whether there was an implied or explicit admission of liability in relation to the sys…

Answer · Andrew Hardie: The details and basis of the settlement in question are a matter for the Ministry of Defence.

16 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2120 on 8 November 1999 by Lord Hardie, whether the information concerning the litigation by the Ministry of Defence against the manufacturers of the Chinook FADEC system was made available to the legal agents for the families of the victims of the c…

Answer · Andrew Hardie: Yes. The information was received by Crown Office on 17 March 1998, considered carefully against the evidence led at the Fatal Accident Inquiry and the Determination and then passed on to the solicitors by letter dated 23 April 1998.

16 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2120 on 8 November 1999 by Lord Hardie, when the Crown Office obtained a full account of the litigation by the Ministry of Defence against the manufacturers of the Chinook FADEC system.

Answer · Andrew Hardie: This matter came to the attention of the Crown Office on 30 December 1997. That same day a letter was sent to the Ministry of Defence asking for full information. That information was received on 17 March 1998.

11 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public money has been spent evaluating the case for the construction of the Larkhall rail link since 1990.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested. The Larkhall to Milngavie project is the responsibility of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority as the public transport body for the area.

10 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to stimulate the use of solar energy in Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive is committed to the promotion of renewable energy, and we are determined that Scotland will play a full part in developing this important long term energy resource.<P>Solar energy takes several forms such a passive solar design, active solar hea…

4 Nov 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department of Transport, Environment and the Regions in the last month.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with DETR across a wide range of issues.

3 Nov 1999 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Department of Transport, Environment and the Regions in the last month.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with DETR across a wide range of issues.

28 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to detail (a) the cost of the establishment of the Public Defence Solicitors' Office in Edinburgh; (b) the operating costs under each budgetary heading for the past year and the projected expenditure for the remaining years of the pilot project; (c) the amount spent on advertising the pro…

Answer · Jim Wallace: All the costs of setting up and operating the Public Defence Solicitors' Office (PDSO) are charged to the Legal Aid Fund. The only expenditure borne by the Board's grant in aid are minor associated administrative costs which it is impractical to charge to the…

28 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money is anticipated to be recovered by health authorities in respect of charges pursued and recovered under the National Health Service (Penalty Charge) (Scotland) Regulations 1999; how many individuals will be subject to such proceedings, and what criteria, if any, will be spec…

Answer · Susan Deacon: It is not possible to predict how much money will be recovered or how many individuals will be subject to proceedings until the new regulations have been in force for a reasonable period. A sample of NHS prescription forms, dental claim forms or claims for ot…

25 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any information was held by or known to the Lord Advocate and the Crown Office but not produced at the time of the fatal accident inquiry in 1996 into the crash of ZD576 RAF Chinook on the Mull of Kintyre relating to litigation by the Ministry of Defence against the manufacturers …

Answer · Andrew Hardie: All information known to the Lord Advocate and Crown Office was made available to those representing the families of the deceased, the Ministry of Defence and the aircraft manufacturers. All evidence known to the Lord Advocate and Crown Office which was consi…

25 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government as to why information regarding litigation by the Ministry of Defence against manufacturers of the Chinook FADEC system was apparently not made available to the fatal accident inquiry in 1996 into the crash of ZD576 RAF Chin…

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…

21 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of recent scientific reports concerning the safety of genetically modified crops and the distance over which cross pollination can occur, what action is being proposed regarding the planting of experimental genetically modified crops.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The possible effects of pollen transfer are fully considered in the risk assessment undertaken by the independent Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). <P>As part of its considerations, ACRE takes into account issues such as farm ecology, …

20 Oct 1999 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of recent scientific reports concerning the safety of genetically modified crops and the distance over which cross pollination can occur, what action is being proposed regarding the planting of experimental genetically modified crops.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The possible effects of pollen transfer are fully considered in the risk assessment undertaken by the independent Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). <P>As part of its considerations, ACRE takes into account issues such as farm ecology, …

15 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of further information now available, it intends to instigate a judicial enquiry or will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to instigate a public enquiry into the cause of the crash of ZD576 RAF Chinook on the Mull of Kintyre in June 1994.

Answer · Andrew Hardie: The crash of the helicopter was the subject of a lengthy Fatal Accident Inquiry held in public and under judicial conditions. Since then, allegations have been made about some of the computer software on the aircraft but those allegations were investigated an…

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what enquiries have been made of Scottish local authorities with regard to weight restrictions that are currently in force on bridges and what additional budget will be made available to local authorities to meet requirements to upgrade these bridges.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive regularly receives information from the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (which represents the 32 local authorities) as part of the Society's surveys of Councils' bridge assessment and strengthening programmes. Go…

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what are the costs of expanding the M8 to a six lane highway between Edinburgh and Glasgow and of dedicating the additional lane to HGV and public transport.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Based on a study undertaken for the Scottish Office in 1994, which considered the section of the route between Junction 2 (Edinburgh - Newbridge) and Junction 6 (Newhouse), and more recent work relating to the Newhouse to Glasgow (Baillieston) section, it is …

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail (a) the amount of nuclear waste stored in Scotland on a monthly basis over the last three years, (b) the locations of such waste and (c) the procedures for monitoring the storage of the waste, including the nature and frequency of checks as part of the monitoring pr…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The storage of nuclear waste is covered by the nuclear site licences granted by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII). This reflects the NII's function of administering nuclear site licences and regulating nuclear waste management and safety on nuclear…

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the number of incidents of nuclear emissions or leaks investigated or noted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) over the last five years, the dates on which they occurred and the actions taken by SEPA in each case.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I am arranging to obtain the relevant information from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency since its inception in April 1996 and shall write to you in due course.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>I shall place a copy of my letter in the Scottish Parliament …

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail (a) the current transport modal split for employees travelling to work at Victoria Quay, (b) the modal split for journeys by staff and the Executive between Victoria Quay and the Parliament and return, (c) the average cost of each modal form and (d) the number of jo…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: A study carried out in 1997 found that around 60% of staff commuted to Victoria Quay by private car, 32% by bus, 5% by train, 13% walk, and 6 % cycle. (The figures add up to more than 100% as some staff use two modes, eg train and bus). The other information …

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it will take to ensure that Scottish companies are aware of the availability of freight facilities grants.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is revising the guide for potential applicants and related publicity material for the Freight Facilities Grant scheme to increase further its profile in Scotland. The revised guide and related material will be available for financial ye…

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the grants paid in relation to freight facilities over the last three years, the amounts paid and to whom they were paid.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Freight Facilities Grants awarded over the last three years are as follows:<P><table BORDER cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 width=70%> <tr> <td width="50%" valign="TOP"> <p><font face="Arial" size="2">Deanside Transit, Hillington</font> </td> <td widt…

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether freight facilities grants will be extended to shipping and, if so, whether additional money will be made available for this purpose.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is responsible for those ferry and marine freight operations that start and finish in Scotland. The Government intends to extend Freight Facilities Grants to coastal and short sea shipping movements and will consult on the details later…

8 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is the average length of time taken to process an application for a freight facilities grant.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The average time for processing the applications for Freight Facilities Grant so far awarded is approximately 8 months. The time taken is determined by the quality of information provided by the applicant and the nature of the project.