Parliamentary questions
Murray Tosh
706 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will contract for any trunk road services with council operator providers after 2000-01 and, if so, for which services.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The responsibility for the provision of the majority of services on the trunk road network after 2000-01 will be determined by the outcome of the competition currently underway for the new management and maintenance term contracts. Council providers are devel…
1 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid in 1999-2000, and will be paid in 2000-01, to each local authority as council operation provider for work on trunk roads outwith the management and maintenance contracts.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The net expenditure for trunk road management and maintenance paid to each local authority as Council Operations Provider in 1999-2000 is shown in the table below.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The figures for 2000-2001 are not available.<P ALIGN="CENTER"><CENTER><TABLE …
1 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid in 1999-2000, and will be paid in 2000-01, to each of its all-purpose and premium unit contractors for trunk road management and, where appropriate, maintenance.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The net expenditure for trunk road management and maintenance by Premium and All Purpose Units in 1999-2000 and the estimated net expenditure for 2000-01 is as follows:-<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="35%" VALIGN="TOP"><P AL…
31 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Ministers have been allocated questions S1W-2735, lodged on 23 November 1999, S1W-3953, lodged on 25 January 2000 and S1W-4675, lodged on 24 February 2000, and why no responses have yet been given to these questions.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I have today answered questions S1W-2735, S1W-3953 and S1W-4675.
31 Jul 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what capital contracts are currently out to tender, or being prepared for tender, in relation to the Holyrood Project, indicating in each case the timescale for award of the contract, commencement on site, and completion of works.
Answer · David Steel: The information is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Works Package</TD><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Estimated <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Award </TD><TD WIDTH="25%" VAL…
31 Jul 2000 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer what capital contracts have been let so far in relation to the Holyrood Project, indicating in each case the timescale for the contract, the name of the successful contractor and the total cost of the contract.
Answer · David Steel: The contract sums involved are commercially confidential. In line with standard public sector procurement policy the financial details of the successful tender are commercially confidential, as disclosure of such information could substantially prejudice the…
27 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3638 by Sarah Boyack on 24 January 2000, whether it will list, for every year since the enactment of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, the total number of (a) completion notices served by local authorities, (b) completion notices con…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The information regarding (a) is not held centrally. The other information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Category</TD><TD WIDTH="20%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">From May 199…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-665 and S1W-6783 by Mr Jack McConnell on 6 September 1999 and 26 June 2000, what the estimated figure was for special grant for Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive supported rail services paid to each local authority in cash terms and at 1998…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: In 1996-97, support for rail services in the SPTA area totalled £111,770,297.20 at 1998-99 prices. Since this predated the letting of the ScotRail franchise in 1997, payment was channelled through the Local Government Finance Settlement as part of the grant-a…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Strathclyde Passenger Transport has submitted a full business case for the Larkhall to Hamilton railway line; whether the details of the proposed Private Finance Initiative scheme have now been concluded, and why there has been no decision on whether or not to progress the project.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has still to receive the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority's Full Business Case for the Larkhall to Milngavie Rail Route project. I understand this is now expected in September. It will require to be evaluated carefully before a…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4256 by Sarah Boyack on 27 April 2000, whether it is now in a position to state the timescale for completion of multi-modal studies on the M8 and M80 corridors.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The scoping report for the Central Scotland multi-modal studies confirms my earlier estimate that the work programme will take 18 months to complete, reporting in early 2002. This timescale is consistent with similar multi-modal studies currently being undert…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has calculated an estimate of the capital value of the non-trunk road network in Scotland, both in aggregate and by road classification.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No.
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3242 by Sarah Boyack on 20 January 2000, whether Scottish guidance on Airport Transport Forums and Airport Surface Access Strategies has now been issued.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I hope to publish the guidance later this year.
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3204 by Sarah Boyack on 12 January 2000, whether any progress has been made in discussing co-ordination of the M77 and the Glasgow Southern Orbital; whether the Scottish Executive intends to progress the two roads through a joint single contract, or …
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Objections were made to the planning applications, compulsory purchase orders, and side road orders needed by East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire Councils for the construction of the Glasgow Southern Orbital. These objections require to be considered at a…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7182 by Sarah Boyack on 3 July 2000, whether ownership and entry to the land in question has now been taken; whether all necessary statutory consents are now in place; what progress has been made in establishing the viability of the proposed Public/…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Ownership of the land covered by the Compulsory Purchase Orders for the M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh scheme has been transferred to the Scottish Ministers and entry has been taken to the land. The exception is Eastwood Golf Club's land where entry will be take…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2898 by Sarah Boyack on 20 January 2000, whether a first draft of the guidance to assist with multi-modal corridor studies is now available and when the consultation period will begin and end.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Consultants were appointed in May to prepare the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance. The first draft is expected in late September and, following consultation with a small group of likely users, a final draft should be available in November.<P ALIGN="JUSTI…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-4229 and S1W-4662 by Sarah Boyack on 18 February and 21 March 2000, whether the Scottish Airports and Air Services Study has been submitted to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions; whether the Scottish Executive has reconsidered…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Airports and Air Services study report has now been submitted to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Scottish Executive. The findings from this study, from the other United Kingdom regional studies and from the UK Reg…
20 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-2876 and S1W-4259 by Mr Tom McCabe on 4 April 2000 and 17 May 2000 respectively, whether the new corporate system has now been introduced and when it intends to make available the results of its subsequent study on cost.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The introduction of the new Corporate system to handle ministerial correspondence was completed on 10 July 2000. The study on the cost of answering ministerial correspondence is under consideration at present and the results will be available later this year.
14 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8386 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 13 July 2000, whether it will give local authorities enhanced consent under section 94 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to fund tenants' incentive schemes in designated areas.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: As indicated in my earlier reply, the Executive is currently considering the precise funding mechanisms that will apply to any cash incentives provided to tenants of social landlords in line with the proposals set out in paragraph 42 of the Consultation Paper…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have submitted revisions to their Structure Plans following the revised National Planning Policy Guidelines 16 and which local authorities have advised that they will submit amendments in due course.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: North, South and East Ayrshire (jointly), Mid, East and West Lothian (jointly) and Dumfries and Galloway Councils have all submitted revisions. All other relevant Councils - Clackmannan, Falkirk, Fife, North and South Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross and Scotti…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7983 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 15 June 2000, whether housing associations will have to apply to Scottish Homes or the Scottish Executive when seeking exemption from the modernised right to buy for up to 10 years; whether housing associations themselve…
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Our proposals as set out in the Consultation Paper, <I>Better Homes for Scotland's Communities: The Executive's Proposals for the Housing Bill</I> envisage that it will be for housing associations themselves to decide, over the 10 year period, if and when to …
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7983 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 15 June 2000, what funding mechanisms will be set in place to enable social landlords in designated areas to offer tenants financial assistance towards the purchase of a house on the open market.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: Local authorities currently have powers under section 66 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, to offer grants to qualifying tenants of the authority to assist them to purchase a house in the private sector. Where a local authority decides to operate such a sch…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7983 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 15 June 2000, what criteria will be used in deciding which areas should be designated as areas where there are particular difficulties in meeting the demand for socially rented housing.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: In the consultation paper "Better Homes for Scotland's Community - the Executive's proposals for the Housing Bill" which was published on 5 July, we explained that relevent areas would include those where there is a shortage of socially rented …
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend membership of the Rural Housing National Steering Group to include representatives of local authorities in the South of Scotland and housing associations currently involved in housing development
Answer · Wendy Alexander: When considering the membership of the National Steering Group, I was keen to ensure that the Group contained representatives of the relevant housing interests. Both the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associati…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it will issue to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and local authorities under The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 Statutory Guidance: Regulatory Impact Assessment (Final) about issuing remediation notices to small businesses occupying polluted land, o…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: An enforcing authority can only serve a remediation notice if it is satisfied that it would seek to recover all of the share of the reasonable costs from each appropriate person. If not, it has powers instead to carry out the remediation activity itself, and …
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 Statutory Guidance: Regulatory Impact Assessment (Final), whether contaminated sites will be exempt from remediation notices if public access is prevented and there is no impact on controlled waters.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Statutory guidance on the definition and identification of contaminated land is set out in Chapters A and B of the guidance, which was laid before Parliament on 25 May.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">For a site to be designated as contaminated, there have to exist a sourc…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 Statutory Guidance: Regulatory Impact Assessment (Final), whether sites placed on the public register will be classified in relation to the degree of risk and whether there will be a procedure for removing sites from the re…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Sites will be placed on the public register when remediation notices are served by local authorities, and will remain there, together with details of remediation actions which have been carried out. Special sites will be placed on the public register when the…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 Statutory Guidance: Regulatory Impact Assessment (Final), what appeal mechanisms against remediation notices by local authorities and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will be established.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Appeal procedures are set out in section 78L of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and regulations 7-11 of the Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/178). Remediation notices served by local authorities can be appealed to the sheriff by wa…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 Statutory Guidance: Regulatory Impact Assessment (Final), whether businesses seeking information on sites placed on the registers to be maintained by the enforcing authorities will require to pay fees for access to the Scot…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Public registers will be maintained by local authorities and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Registers will be available, at all reasonable times, for inspection by the public free of charge. Members of the public will also be able to obtain copie…
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the definition of equity or fairness in The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 Statutory Guidance: Regulatory Impact Assessment (Final) will require local authorities and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to assess the affordability to owners and occupiers of r…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Statutory guidance on exclusion from, and apportionment of, liability for remediation is set out in Chapter D of the guidance, which was laid before Parliament on 25 May. It provides guidance on circumstances where two or more persons are liable to bear …
29 Jun 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether controlled waters in terms of the risk assessment under The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 Statutory Guidance: Regulatory Impact Assessment (Final) includes waters in coastal docks and harbours unrelated to natural or canalised water courses.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The definition of controlled waters in section 78A(9) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 refers to that in section 30A of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, and embraces territorial and coastal waters, inland fresh waters and groundwater.