Parliamentary questions
Murray Tosh
706 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport's comments to the Transport and the Environment Committee on 8 November 2000 (official report col. 1155) whether electronic charging schemes will require road users to pay only on roads within designated areas and not for crossing cordons on the peri…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Transport (Scotland) Bill allows local authorities to levy a charge for either of the scenarios outlined.
24 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport's comments to the Transport and the Environment Committee on 8 November 2000 (official report col. 1155) whether any proposed electronic charging schemes will require any equipment to be fitted to motor vehicles, and whether road users will be expect…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Transport (Scotland) Bill allows local authorities to require, if they so wish, specified equipment to be carried in, or fitted to, a motor vehicle while it is on a road on which charges are imposed. It is up to the local authority as to whether road user…
24 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport's comments to the Transport and the Environment Committee on 8 November 2000 (official report col. 1155), whether it will confirm that it will not approve any road user charging scheme which is paper based.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Transport (Scotland) Bill allows local authorities to introduce a variety of electronic or paper-based road user charging schemes. While the Executive does not believe that a paper-based scheme is suitable for a large-scale urban area, there may be local …
24 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10649 by Jackie Ballie on 9 November 2000, whether any specific projects approved under (a) the empty homes initiative and (b) the rough sleeper initiative have been cancelled and, if so, what these projects and their approved costs were and how it h…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive has not cancelled any Empty Homes Initiative (EHI) or Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI) projects. However, there have been a number of instances where councils have been unable to progress approved projects. In EHI cases we have worked wit…
24 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10164 by Sarah Boyack on 28 October 2000, when it will announce the criteria for defining which areas should be targeted for extra resources under the Powershift programme.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: A list of postcodes defining the areas to be targeted for the additional resources for Powershift was passed to the Energy Savings Trust by the Scottish Executive on 17 November. The criterion used to determine this list was a drivetime of over 30 minutes fro…
20 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with representatives of South East Scotland Transport (SESTRANS) regarding all rail approaches to Waverley station, who is funding any research arising from such discussions, who is undertaking the lead role in any ongoing work and when it and SESTRANS will rec…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Preliminary discussions are underway amongst SESTRANS, the shadow Strategic Rail Authority, the Scottish Executive and the rail industry on the merits of conducting a rail capacity study for Central Scotland. Such a study would include consideration of rail a…
20 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the 2001-02 Public Transport Fund, to detail the bids which were (a) granted in full, (b) granted in part, (c) rejected and (d) deferred, and what the values were of any awards made.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Details of bids to the Public Transport Fund for projects commencing in 2001-02 which were granted in full, granted in part, rejected and deferred are set out in the table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="26%" VALIGN="TOP"><F…
10 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its research commissioned on distinctive Scottish aspects of the operation of the compulsory purchase framework and whether it has set a timescale to complete its review of compulsory purchase and compensation legislation.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The research is due to be completed shortly and we will publish the findings in due course. We expect to publish a consultation paper next spring based on the review of compulsory purchase and compensation legislation.
10 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9553 by Sarah Boyack on 22 September 2000, whether the City of Edinburgh Council has referred to it any objections to the proposed Road Closure Order for Holyrood Road and, if so, what procedures were used to resolve any outstanding objections to the…
Answer · Sam Galbraith: I understand that the City of Edinburgh Council have not yet advertised any proposed Road Closure Order in respect of Holyrood Road.
10 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10649 by Jackie Baillie on 9 November 2000, whether any or all underspending in 2000-01 under (a) the empty homes initiative and (b) the rough sleeper initiative will be carried forward into 2001-02 and, if necessary, into subsequent financial years,…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: Funding under the Empty Homes and Rough Sleepers Initiatives was allocated on the understanding that the money would be spent in the year for which it was being sought. Therefore, no mechanism was established specifically to provide additional funding for cou…
31 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the M77 Special Road Extinguishment of Public Right of Way Orders, announced in the public notices in The Herald on 27 October 2000, will come into effect.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The dates that the rights of way will be extinguished will be determined by the speed of construction of the new motorway. The dates will be published by notice or order in due course.
31 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the A77 Fenwick to Floak and Floak to Malletsheugh de-trunking orders, announced in the public notices in The Herald on 27 October 2000, come into effect.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The de-trunking orders will come into effect on 1 April following the date on which the new motorway is open for through traffic on the lengths of road described in the Schedules to the orders.
26 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was budgeted to be spent in 1999-2000 under (a) the empty homes initiative and (b) the rough sleeper initiative; what the actual outturn was for each initiative; whether any under-expenditure was carried over into 2000-01 or subsequent financial years, and what the current projec…
Answer · Jackie Baillie: In 1999-2000 £6.7 million was budgeted to be spent by local authorities on the Empty Homes Initiative which included £1.3 million of underspend carried over from the previous year. The actual outturn spend in 1999-2000 was £3.8 million. The underspend of £2.9…
26 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers, or any proposals to take on powers, to charge telecommunications operators for the right to lay cables under trunk roads and verges or to authorise local authorities to do so in respect of local roads and verges.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No such powers are available, nor is it proposed to introduce such powers.
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, how much money will be paid through Freight Facilities Grant, in current and real prices, in each financial year from 2000-01 to 2003-04 and how much money it will add to the funding automati…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Details of the amount of money that will be allocated through the Freight Facilities Grant in each financial year up to 2003-04 will be published early next year in the full budget document for 2001-02 and beyond. Further details about specific grant awards w…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out any studies specific to Scotland to establish probable levels of traffic growth over the next 30 years; whether it will project traffic growth in Scotland over this period by vehicle type, road type and area type, as defined by the Department of the Environment,…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: A research project is currently underway to assess the impacts of <I>Travel</I> <I>Choices</I> <I>for</I> <I>Scotland</I>, the Transport White Paper published in July 1998. Part of this involves a scoping exercise to identify an appropriate methodology to for…
16 Oct 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer whether and how information concerning the 91 works packages which comprise the Holyrood Project is being recorded; who has access to these records; whether successful contractors are being asked for consent to publish figures for the gross value of contracts awarded, now or at some future…
Answer · David Steel: Copies of all paperwork relating to the procurement of works packages for the Holyrood Project are retained by the Holyrood Project Team, the Construction Managers, the Design Team and the cost consultants for the project as appropriate. This information is a…
16 Oct 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-9552 on 19 September 2000, whether the SPCB and the Holyrood Progress Group (HPG) consider that it might be appropriate to benchmark any of the works packages for the Holyrood Project against the Scottish Executive offices at Victoria Quay, the Nation…
Answer · David Steel: I have consulted the Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group. He has confirmed the view of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body that a benchmarking exercise of this nature would be time consuming, expensive and would inevitably divert valuable resources …
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a record has been kept of the final value of all contracts relating to the construction of its offices at Victoria Quay; in what form the information is recorded; who has access to the records; whether the records have been made public; whether it is intended that the records will…
Answer · Angus MacKay: Victoria Quay was developed by Victoria Quay Ltd, a joint venture between Forth Ports PLC and Godfrey Bradman. The company was responsible for tendering the construction contracts. In 1995 Victoria Quay was purchased by Property Holdings Scotland (part of the…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement on page 19 of Making a Difference for Scotland: Spending Plans for Scotland 2001-02 to 2003-04 on waste disposal, what resources will be made available to local authorities in each financial year to 2003-04 for "increased investment to secure modern facilities"; …
Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to the answer Sarah Boyack gave to question S1W-10588 on 25 October 2000.
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, what estimate it has made of additional costs which local authorities will incur as a result of the new national concessionary fares scheme and how local authorities will be resourced to meet…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive commissioned consultants, Colin Buchanan and Partners, to carry out a research study into the likely costs of various options for enhancing concessionary fares arrangements. Their report will be made available shortly to the Transport a…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether it will make direct payments to transport operators under the new national concessionary fares scheme and, if so, how much it has budgeted in each financial year to 2003-04 for such e…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No.
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether the national concessionary fares scheme will include free rail and bus travel for eligible groups on morning and evening peak services.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-10099 on 28 September.
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it classifies road traffic as (a) local and (b) through traffic and what its criteria are for classifying "A" roads as (i) trunk roads or (ii) local roads.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Local traffic has its origins and destinations within the area, which is being considered. Through traffic does not.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Trunk roads form the national system of routes for through traffic. They are routes which were so designated in the Trunk Ro…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when traffic was last surveyed by or on behalf of the Scottish Executive or Scottish Office on the section of the A71 which links the A77 with the M74, and on those sections of the A70 between Ayr and Cumnock and between Cumnock and the M74 and what proportion of (a) car, (b) light goods …
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested as the A70 and A71 are local roads. Gathering such information would be a matter for the relevant local roads authority.
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether her reply to Mr David Davidson (Official Report, col. 820) means that it will only allow the proposed Aberdeen Western peripheral route to proceed if the local authorities use the pow…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral route is one part of the Modern Transport System being progressed by the North East Scotland Economic Development Partnership. The partnership plan delivery of the route by 2011. The Executive's work with the partnersh…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, whether it has received and considered the Halcrow Fox study carried out to consider, inter alia, the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and whether it will now commission a new study…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Scottish Executive officials received a copy of the most recent Halcrow Fox report for the North East Scotland Economic Development Partnership, <I>Delivery of an Integrated Transport Strategy for North East Scotland</I>, in August last year. Officials have m…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, which of its budget headings and funds will in future include resources for allocating grants to local authorities which propose to develop road user charging schemes under the Transport (Sco…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Funding is included within the Other Transport Programmes set out in our spending plans <I>Making a difference for Scotland</I>, published on 20 September. A breakdown of that programme will be provided in the full budget to be published early next year. The …
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, how much money, in current and real prices, will be allocated through the new Integrated Transport Fund in each financial year up to 2003-04; whether local authorities will be eligible to rec…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Details of the amount of money that will be allocated through the Integrated Transport Fund in each financial year up to 2003-04 will be published in the full budget document for 2001-02 and beyond in the New Year. Further details about the Integrated Transpo…
16 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the Minister for Transport and the Environment on 28 September 2000, what resources it has budgeted to spend in each of 2002-03 and 2003-04 on substantial capital construction of (a) the A80/M80 upgrading, (b) the A8/M8 upgrading, and (c) additional and upgrad…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Following the Strategic Roads Review, the A80/M80 and the A8/M8 corridors are the subject of multi-modal transport studies. The main studies began late last year and are due to be completed in spring next year. Similarly, consultants have been engaged to take…