Parliamentary questions
Mark Ballard
81 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Mar 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that efforts by local authorities to meet the requirements of the EU landfill directive should focus on waste reduction and increased rates of reuse and recycling and whether these methods would be more timely and cost-effective than incineration.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We are encouraging the move awayfrom landfill through a combination of waste prevention, re-use, recycling and compostingand residual waste treatment. Generally, these measures have some cost and taketime to set up which will vary according to circumstances. …
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in ensuring that all diesel multiple units in the First ScotRail fleet comply with the current EU Non-Road Mobile Machinery Directive (1997/68/EC) and what preparations are being made to ensure compliance with tighter guidelines to come into effect in 2011.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive throughthe ScotRail franchise agreement requires the franchisee to comply with all applicablelaws at all times.</p>
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the estimated final cost of the A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass includes the costs of access roads, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, preparatory works, including engineering and surveying, and other associated costs.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Yes.</p>
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the estimated final cost of the A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass includes a figure for VAT and, if so, how much.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The estimated final cost of theA68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass is provided in the answer to question S2W-32581 on29 March 2007. The estimated final cost is exclusive of VAT.</p><p>All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s we…
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive at which financial year’s prices the estimated final cost of the A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass is expressed.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The estimated final cost of theA68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass is provided in the answer to question S2W-32581 on29 March 2007. The costs have been expressed at 2006 prices.</p><p>All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s we…
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how opportunity costs, such as loss of amenity, were factored in to the estimated final cost of the A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The scheme cost includes theprovision of appropriate measures to mitigate the effects of the new road onthe local environment.</p>
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the estimated final cost of the A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass was calculated.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The estimated total cost of theA68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass comprises the following costs:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td valign=top> <p> </p> </td> <td valign=top> <p align=center>Estimated Total Cost (Excluding VAT)</p> …
19 Mar 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated final cost is of the A68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The estimated final cost of theA68 Dalkeith Northern Bypass is £45.6 million (excluding VAT).</p>
23 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for assessment for and fitting of hearing aids, broken down by NHS board, and when it expects the national audiology collection programme, being established by the Information and Statistics Division of NHS National Services Scotland, to provide such infor…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information is not heldcentrally. However, ISD has been working with NHS boards to create a data set toestablish maximum waiting times from referral to fitting. Data has been collectedsince April 2006. ISD recommend that data is collected over four quart…
29 Nov 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address road traffic reduction targets in its national transport strategy.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Yes, we have retained the aspirational target to stabilise roadtraffic volumes at 2001 levels by 2021 and will continue to publish national trafficfigures annually to ensure we understand and can address the bigger picture.</p><p>However, the National Transpo…
21 Nov 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it plans to allocate in each of the next five years for cycling and walking infrastructure, broken down by organisation receiving the funding.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Funding allocated for cyclingand walking infrastructure for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08, broken down by organisation,is listed in the following table. A funding package of £5 million pounds to tacklethe school run is still to be allocated for 2007-08 and wi…
14 Nov 2006 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it is satisfied that the Non-Executive Bills Unit (NEBU) is adequately resourced to support the development of Members¿ Bills.
Answer · John Scott: The Corporate Body issatisfied that the Non-Executive Bills Unit is adequately resourced to supportthe development of Members’ Bills as agreed by the Parliament on 26 October 2005.</p><p>This session the overallamount of assistance provided by NEBU has i…
11 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many flights from UK hubs have ceased to operate since November 2002 as a result of new direct flights to and from Scotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: While direct air servicesfrom Scotland reduce the need to interline through the UK hubairports, it is not possible to confirm whether or not the cessation of anyspecific flight from a UK hub is directly or indirectly attributable to theestablishment of the RD…
11 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any research or calculations that it has undertaken to compare the climate change emissions from non-lifeline UK internal flights supported by the Route Development Fund with the climate emissions associated with alternative transport options.
Answer · Tavish Scott: In conjunction with the Departmentfor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the other Devolved Administrations,the Scottish Executive is funding the production and publication of the NationalAtmospheric Emissions Inventory which will contain emissions data …
11 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any economic research or calculations that it has undertaken to determine whether more direct air flights will increase tourism revenue.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Overseas visitor numbers to Scotland haverisen by 50% in 2001-05, and overseas spend has risen by about 44% in real termsin the same period. This is a strong indication that the increased number of directflights to Scotland is contributing directly to increas…
11 Oct 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any research or calculations that it has undertaken to determine whether expanding direct air flights from Scotland will reduce climate change emissions.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has notcarried out any such research. All proposed Route Development Fund air routes arehowever appraised against a range of operational and economic benefit criteria.These include an environmental component to the appraisal of new serv…
22 Aug 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it scrutinises the amount of funding allocated to community and independent voluntary sector organisations addressing health inequalities in each NHS board area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-27930 on 11 September 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webap…
22 Aug 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it evaluates the success of, and value for money delivered by, community and independent voluntary sector organisations addressing health inequalities in each NHS board area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Evaluation and scrutiny of communityand independent voluntary sector organisations, whether addressing health inequalitiesor any other topic, is a matter for those bodies which provide the funding.</p><p>In the case of organisationsin receipt of funding from …
20 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it evaluates the success of, and value for money delivered by, community health projects in each NHS board area, given the contribution of such projects to improving public health.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-27529 on 16 August 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
20 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it scrutinises the amount of funding given to community health projects in each NHS board area, given the contribution of such projects to improving public health.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-27529 on 16 August 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
20 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of NHS board funding was allocated to community health partnerships in the last year, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive does notallocate funding directly to Community Health Partnerships (CHPs).</p><p>NHS boards receive a total fundingallocation from the Scottish Executive which they use to implement their overallDelivery Plans. CHPs are part of NHS boar…
20 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was given to community health projects in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not held centrally.</p><p>NHS boards have the freedom to allocate resources to best meet the health needs of their populations, whilst at the same time working towards national health improvement targets. The allocation of funding…
31 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the examination of the economic, social and environmental impact and cost of retaining or removing tolls from the Forth Bridge, as detailed in amendment S2M-4197.3 in the name of Tavish Scott, will be limited to the impacts on Fife and Dundee or whether it will also include impact…
Answer · Tavish Scott: We will report on the proposalsfor this study as soon as possible.</p>
3 Feb 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions exist to ensure that staff and passengers on public transport will be protected by the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005, particularly on modes of transport where the driver has responsibility for the vehicle and is the only member of staff in the enclose…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Transport operators will needto display “no-smoking” notices as required under the Smoking, Health and SocialCare (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Premises(Scotland) Regulations 2006. These must state that the vehicle is no-smokin…
31 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the baseline report on NHS Scotland’s sustainable development performance, announced in paragraph 15.13 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy, will be made available to the public.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Yes.</p>
31 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the baseline report on NHS Scotland’s sustainable development performance, announced in paragraph 15.13 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy, will include a measure of national well-being.
Answer · Ross Finnie: There will be no specific measure of national well-being included in the proposed baseline report on NHSScotland’s performance. The proposal is to produce a report similar in scope to the English NHS report <i>Claiming the Health Dividend</i>, produced by the…
31 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to review the options for additional and improved ways of measuring progress in respect of sustainability announced in paragraph 14.18 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive will review the options for additional and improved ways of measuring progress to reflect a broad view of progress - capturing well-being, quality of life and environmental issues. The findings will be reported publicly by the end 2006.</p>
31 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish data in respect of sustainability indicators on a quarterly basis, as is the case for GDP.
Answer · Ross Finnie: A revised set of sustainable development indicators will be published at the end of March 2006. The frequency of reporting is based on what is appropriate for each individual indicator. For the majority of indicators data are collated on an annual basis.</p>
31 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether differences between the initial set of sustainability indicators introduced in April 2002 and those announced in December 2005 will affect comparison between the two.
Answer · Ross Finnie: A revised set of sustainable development indicators will be published at the end of March 2006. Any changes in comparability between the two sets will be clearly set out.</p>
31 Jan 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to use the revised set of sustainability indicators announced in paragraph 14.16 of Choosing Our Future: Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The revised set of sustainable development indicators will be used to measure progress across the different dimensions of sustainable development.</p>