Parliamentary questions

Peter Peacock

1,395 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service could be operated with the current vessels owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A dedicated service between Mallaigand Lochboisdale could not be delivered with the existing vessels. However, therecould be other options possibly involving summer services.

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has invited CalMac Ferries Ltd to explore the possibilities of operating a Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service and recommend to the Scottish Government how this might be achieved and at what cost.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Following the award of thenew contract, and in response to issues raised by local elected representatives,CalMac Ferries Ltd were asked to search the market place for suitable vesselsthat might be available to support a Mallaig – Lochboisdale service. They ha…

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether CalMac Ferries Ltd is free to suggest alterations to its contract in order to accommodate new services or variations to services currently on offer.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8414 on 28 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is free to add new routes, or variations to routes, to the contract operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd.

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what constitutes the difference between what may have been deemed to be a non-compliant innovative solution to a ferry problem and a compliant innovative solution, in terms of the tender specification for services currently operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8411 on 28 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any innovative solutions offered by CalMac Ferries Ltd during the tendering process for the current contract operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd formed part of the final contract and, if so, why such solutions were considered to be compliant at the time.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8413 on 28 January 2008. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it meant in the tender specification for island ferry services now operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd by the reference to seeking innovative solutions to problems of ferry service delivery .

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Invitation to Tender wasissued by the previous administration. However, the Scottish Government has takenthe view that innovative solutions would be any new option that delivered at leastthe minimum service specification.

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an issue that was non-compliant at the time of bidding in terms of the tender specification for ferry services to the islands now operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd could now be considered competent as a separate addition to the contract.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Under the terms of the PublicService Contract no changes can be made to the timetable during the first six monthsof the contract. Thereafter the terms of the Public Service Contract allow CalMacFerries Ltd to make minor and major changes to the timetable with…

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, during the tendering process for services currently operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd, it advised CalMac Ferries Ltd that some of its proposals were non-compliant and, if so, how that advice was given, on what date, by whom and to whom.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Invitation To Tender (ITT)set the service specification for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract as the thencurrent timetable plus a number of specified enhancements. The ITT also requiredtenderers to submit a variant bid that included a …

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any one part of a tender bid for ferry services which is deemed to be non-compliant renders the entire bid non-compliant.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No. The options that includeda service for Mallaig to Lochboisdale were submitted by CalMac Ferries Ltd as supplementsto the main bid. The “base network” bid was fully evaluated both technically andfinancially and was considered to be fully compliant with the…

14 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what constitutes a non-compliant bid in relation to tenders for the services currently operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Invitation to Tender (ITT,)issued by the previous administration on 14 December 2006, set out the minimumservice specification for the Public Service Contract for the Clyde and HebridesFerry Services as the then current timetable of services plus the spe…

11 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether single outcome agreements with local authorities will set targets for each local authority with regard to improving the attainment levels of pupils.

Answer · John Swinney: Raising attainmentis an important part of school improvement. However, we have concerns from previousexperience that narrow attainment-based targets can encourage teaching to the testand can narrow the curriculum. Teaching and assessment should focus on suppo…

11 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether single outcome agreements with local authorities will set targets for each local authority to extend the amount of school budgets devolved to schools.

Answer · John Swinney: Under the terms of the concordat,local authorities will help deliver on progress towards a range of national outcomesand associated national indicators and targets, some of which relate to education.single outcome agreements will be based on the agreed set of…

10 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether single outcome agreements with local authorities will include provision for those local authorities in flood-prone areas to secure and make investments in the provision of appropriate radar cover for their areas to assist in predicting serious potential flooding events.

Answer · Michael Russell: The single outcome agreementswill cover the services delivered by local authorities. These do not include weatherinformation, which is supplied by the Met Office, or flood warnings, which are theresponsibility of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

10 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which agencies are responsible for making investments to secure radar coverage for the purpose of assisting in the prediction of serious potential flooding events and what role it considers it has in supporting any such investments.

Answer · Michael Russell: Investment to provide weatherradar coverage is the responsibility of the Met Office, an agency of the Ministryof Defence, not the Scottish Government. However, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) pay the Met Office for the provision of additiona…

10 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support investment in improved radar coverage to assist in the prediction of serious potential flooding events in the Highlands and Islands parliamentary region.

Answer · Michael Russell: Investment to provide or improveweather radar coverage is the responsibility of the Met Office, an agency of theMinistry of Defence, not the Scottish Government.The Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency (SEPA) provide a comprehensiveflood prediction an…

9 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what distribution methods applied to each element of the rolled-up grants distributed to local authorities for capital spending announced as part of the recent settlement with local government.

Answer · John Swinney: The position with regard to previouslyring-fenced grants that have now been rolled up is that they have, as far as possible,continued to be allocated in the same way. Where a distribution mechanism was previouslyused, this mechanism stays the same unless othe…

9 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the distribution of the capital funding element of the recent settlement with local authorities was arrived at.

Answer · John Swinney: The distribution of the capitalfunding element of the recent settlement with local authorities was arrived at inconsultation with COSLA.For those grants rolled-up, where a distribution mechanism was previously used, thismechanism generally stays the sa…

9 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the budget line for flood and coast protection held centrally in the current year, and which remained unallocated for the spending review period, formed part of the grants rolled up and distributed to local authorities as part of the recently announced funding settlement for local…

Answer · Michael Russell: No.

9 Jan 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to ensure that its priorities regarding the Janny¿s Hoose in Inverness and the other healthy living centres in the highlands and islands are met by local authorities.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government providesfunding to health boards and local government to support local services such ashealthy living centres, in line with local needs and priorities.The new capacity building programme,run for the Scottish Government by the Sc…

7 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what obligations local authorities are under to consult neighbouring local authorities when proposed developments are being considered that may potentially have implications for flooding in neighbouring local authorities’ areas.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Before granting planning permissionfor any development, a planning authority is required to consult adjoining planningauthorities where it appears to the authority that the development is likely toaffect land in the district of that authority.

7 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-7605 by Michael Russell on 21 December 2007, what the reasons are for differences by way of omissions between the answer and the schemes contained in List B attached to a letter of 5 December 2007 from the Director General Environment to the Parliame…

Answer · Michael Russell: The Rural Affairs and EnvironmentCommittee were provided with a list of all schemes including those under constructionor ready for construction.The answer to question S3W-7605provided the information we had on costings and timescales of schemes which w…

7 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has specified how often the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) should update its maps of coastal flood risk areas and whether it has invited SEPA to consider the effect of potential tidal surges and climate change scenarios in its flood mapping.

Answer · Michael Russell: It is a matter for SEPA to determinewhen the maps should be updated in light of any new information on flood risk. Weshall be consulting on our proposals shortly for a Flooding Bill which will includeproposals to meet the requirements of the Floods Directive.…

7 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s maps of coastal flood risk areas take account of known parameters of tidal surges and of differing climate change scenarios.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency used flood management industry standard techniques toindicate areas currently with a 0.5% or greater chance of flooding in any year.No specific account was taken of climate change or tidal surge although past surgere…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the proposed Inverness trunk link route between the A9 and A82 should be designated as a new trunk road.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18746 on 8 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out its reasons for not including the Inverness trunk link route between the A9 and A82 in its recent announcements about the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19432 on 19 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reverse its decision not to fund the Inverness trunk link route connecting the A9 to the A82.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18746 on 8 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parli…

18 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of its changed policy on funding for flood and coastal protection will be for the prospects for insurance of business and domestic properties.

Answer · Michael Russell: Insurance of property is relatedto the degree of flood risk, not funding policy - but the 41% increase on the provisionavailable to councils as grant support over the last spending review period, willhelp them to better manage flood risk in their areas.

18 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it consulted the insurance industry before changing its policy on the funding of flood and coastal protection.

Answer · Michael Russell: No. As part of the concordatwith local government, we are freeing local government to succeed, removing ringfencing and enabling councils to allocate resources according to local prioritiesand in line with a new performance framework.

11 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will promote the expansion of community wardens when no central funds are being retained to support such activity.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-7746 on 19 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…