Parliamentary questions
Kenny MacAskill
2,611 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates will be the reduction in the number of car journeys in Scotland as a result of its proposed road tolling.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The effect on the number of car journeys arising from any road charging scheme would depend critically on the characteristics of the scheme, including the charge levels set, the hours over which they applied, the categories of vehicle/road user exempt from ch…
21 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any responsibility for the administration of social security schemes in Scotland and, if so, what is the extent of the responsibility.
Answer · Susan Deacon: No, that is a matter for the Secretary of State for Social Security.
8 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to allow local authorities to designate streets as "Home Zones" and to reduce the speed limit in such 'ones to 10mph.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Local authorities in Scotland already have powers which can be used to deliver the main features of "Home Zones". They can introduce:<UL><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><LI>traffic calming measures, under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, designed to reduce the spe…
7 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under the terms of the European Directive on road bridges (96/53), what is the number of bridges still to be assessed, still to be upgraded and currently restricted below 40 tonnes, and what its proposals and timescale are to implement the directive.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: At present there are no weight restrictions on bridges which are the responsibility of the Scottish Executive. The assessment of 4 structures has still to be completed. Out of a total of 1024 bridges in the trunk road assessment programme, 94 did not pass t…
7 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the development of superquarries prior to a decision being taken regarding the development of a superquarry at Lingerbay on the Isle of Harris.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: We have no such plans.
7 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether in the light of the ongoing review of Minerals Policy Guidance 6 in England and Wales it intends to review National Policy Guidance 4 in relation to use of land for mineral working and, if so, when.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Revised guidance on opencast coal was published in March 1999. This replaced paragraph 74-78 of NPPG 4. As with all planning guidance, the remainder of NPPG 4 will be kept under review although there are no plans at present to update the non-coal aspects of…
2 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the outcome of its investigations into the Gourock to Dunoon ferry services.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: In 1997 The Scottish Office commissioned consultants Deloitte & Touche to examine future options for the provision of ferry services between Gourock and Dunoon. The report was received by the Government at the end of last year. One of the options was iden…
1 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to introduce a statutory obligation on local authorities to fund providers of free independent consumer advice.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The level of support for consumer advice services is a matter for local authorities to consider in the light of local needs and priorities and the resources available to them. The Executive has no plans to curtail this discretion.
1 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to fund citi'ens' advice bureaux in order that they can provide services and in particular to ensure that they can exercise the powers proposed to be granted to them in relation to unfair contract terms.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The level of support for advisory services is a matter for local authorities in the light of local needs and priorities and the resources available to them. The DTI funds the national and Scottish associations of Citizens Advice Bureaux to provide a range of…
1 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates have been made of the level of use of the powers proposed to be granted to consumer bodies, including the citi'ens advice bureaux, to take legal action in relation to unfair contract terms.
Answer · Henry McLeish: None. Consumer bodies will be able to make their own decisions, taking into account the incidence of relevant problems and their own local priorities and resources. The Director General of Fair Trading will continue to be under a duty to consider all compla…
1 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has regarding the provision of community legal services and what the timetable is for progressing the proposals contained in the document "Access to Justice: a consultation paper on civil legal aid".
Answer · Jim Wallace: I am considering the way forward on the proposals in "Access to Justice Beyond the Year 2000" in the light of analysis of responses to the paper and more recent developments. I hope to announce detailed plans in due course.
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the charges, fees levied and expenses recovered under the powers contained in the Food Environmental Protection Act 1985.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Fees are charged under Part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 for licences for the deposit of substances or articles in the sea and under Part III for the approval of, and monitoring the effects of, pesticides. Fees for licences under Part II…
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to seek a review or variation of the 40 year rule, in relation to the publication of documents, for documents held by Scottish Natural Heritage and, and if so, to detail the proposed terms of access to such documentation.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive intends to consider, in its forthcoming consultation on freedom of information, whether any change is required to the existing legislation and rules, such as the 30 year rule, which apply to the release of public records in Scotland, in…
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends make a statement as to what percentage of revenue collected by virtue of road tolling will be spent on the infrastructure of public transport and roads network.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Our initial proposals on the use of revenue collected by means of possible future road user charging or workplace parking levy schemes are set out in the consultation paper on these issues published today. A copy of the paper will be deposited in the Parliame…
29 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the charges on individuals under the powers contained in the Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Act 1999 and, if so whether it will provide details of those changes.
Answer · Susan Deacon: A new charging regime was introduced on 5 April 1999 through Regulations made under the terms of the Road Traffic (NHS Charges) Act 1999. Under the new arrangements, individuals are no longer charged an emergency treatment fee for hospital attendances followi…
23 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to carry out any investigation into the current management and operation of East Lothian Council's education department.
Answer · Peter Peacock: We have no such intention. The published draft of the Improvement of Education Bill makes provision for the inspection of local authority education functions and a programme of inspections of local authorities will take place over a 5 year period.
23 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding or resources it intends to make available to East Lothian Council's education department to improve education and safety for pupils and staff.
Answer · Peter Peacock: East Lothian Council has substantial resources available to it for education. These include funds, targeted through the Excellence Fund, for the improvement of standards, and under the specific grant for the improvement of school security.
23 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will, after 1 July, detail the total finance it is making available, directly or indirectly, to the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit Scheme (CERT), all past, current and projected future expenditure on the scheme on an annual basis, and the timetable for the approval, implementa…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: £15 million additional capital allocations are being made available from the previous Transport Challenge Fund competition for projects commencing in 1997-98 to assist The City of Edinburgh Council with their CERT scheme. The current phasing of the award is …
22 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide information on the estimated annual administrative costs of operating a toll on the M8 motorway
Answer · Sarah Boyack: refer the member to the answer I gave to his question (S1W-00165) on a related subject.
22 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide information on the estimated costs of the consultation process and investigation into its proposal to impose a toll on the M8 motorway.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The issue of road user charging will be addressed in the forthcoming Transport Bill. No decision has been made on the introduction of road user charges on any trunk road or motorway. Accordingly, there is no such proposal.
22 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make available information relating to the number of people detained in Scotland under immigration or asylum legislation in the last three years, the establishments in which they have been detained and for how long, and whether it intends to provide additional accomm…
Answer · Jim Wallace: In terms of the Scotland Act 1998, immigration and asylum are reserved matters for which the Home Secretary is responsible.
21 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to fund the cost of Scottish Ministers or junior Scottish Ministers travelling over the Skye bridge, what costs have been incurred to date, and what the estimated costs for the current financial year are.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Toll charges incurred by Scottish Ministers or Deputy Ministers for travel over the Skye Bridge on official business are reimbursed from budgets allocated within the Scottish Executive for travel and subsistence expenses purposes. To date no costs have …
21 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to rename or redesignate all or part of the M74 motorway as the M6 and, if so, which part.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: New Community Schools is a radical initiative to modernise schools, raise attainment and promote social inclusion. We will be spending £26 million on them over the next 3 years.
18 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had, or plans to have, any meetings with companies or organisations involved in the manufacture or supply of genetically modified food products.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has not had specific meetings with such organisations although there has been full consultations on the recent legislative changes on labelling. In due course it will, however, be important to obtain views from all Scottish interests in…
18 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives or legislative proposals it intends to bring forward to support or promote cycling proficiency in schools, and whether it intends to provide additional resources to do so either directly to schools or through local authorities.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Road Safety Campaign, funded by the Government, has recently reviewed the Scottish Cycle Training Scheme. In the light of this review, training materials are being revised. A new training pack will be issued early next year to all Road Safety Uni…
18 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make available information relating to the number of fixed penalties issued in respect of speeding offences in each of the last three years and to detail the local authority areas in which they were issued, the revenue received and the administrative costs incurred.
Answer · Jim Wallace: We will provide such information in our annual statistical bulletin entitled "Motor Vehicle Offences in Scotland". The data on penalties will be disaggregated geographically by police force area and by particular offences such as speeding. The dat…
15 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to make available information relating to (a) the annual capital spending on construction of the new trunk road schemes in Scotland over the last five years, (b) all such schemes costing over #10 million, and (c) the proposed expenditure in connection with schemes over the…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Details of expenditure since 1994-95 and plans to 2001-02 are contained in "Serving Scotland's Needs", a copy of which is in the Parliament's Information Centre. No plans have yet been drawn up for the fourth year, 2002-03.<FONT FACE="Arial, Helvet…
14 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to announce the findings of the review of trunk road schemes initiated in June 1997 by the Minister then responsible for transport.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive will wish to take stock of the Strategic Roads Review initiated by the UK Government and consider the role of such roads within the integrated and sustainable approach to transport described in <I>Partnership for Scotland</I>. Thereaft…
8 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish, as soon as possible after 1 July 1999, details relating to its liability to pay for the costs incurred in respect of building the M6 cross-border motorway link and any future running costs that may or will be incurred together with clarification as to whethe…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: An analysis of the liability and costs which fall to the Scottish Executive for the M6 Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract can be examined in the Report entitled "The Contract to Complete and Operate the A74(M)/M74 Motorway in Scotlan…
7 Jun 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue the use of public/private partnerships for the "Replacement/ School Building Programme"; and in particular whether it intends to do so in the City of Edinburgh regarding schools in the Niddrie/ Craigmillar and Muirhouse areas.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Decisions on whether to pursue school building public/private partnerships are for the local authorities. Such partnerships are expected to continue to make a significant contribution to the improvement of local authority school buildings, in addition to the…