Parliamentary questions

Robin Harper

759 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected increases in (a) road traffic levels and (b) greenhouse gas emissions will be in (i) 2011 and (ii) 2021 for the (1) A1 Haddington to Dunbar, (2) A78 Bypass of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston, (3) A8 Baillieston to Newhouse, (4) A80 Stepps to Haggs, (5) A830 Arisaig …

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Apart from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral, indicative traffic levels and greenhouse gas emissions for the other 10 trunk road projects requested were published by the Executive in the November 1999 document, Travel Choices for Scotland: The Strategic Road…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure is planned for the M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh and Glasgow southern orbital public private partnership (PPP) road project in each year from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and what the total cost is of the PPP contract.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The M77 Fenwick to Malletsheugh and Glasgow Southern Orbital is being taken forward in partnership with East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire Councils. The Executive is responsible for the M77 while the Glasgow Southern Orbital is the responsibility of East…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure is planned for the Aberdeen western peripheral route road project in each year from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and what the total cost of the project will be.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The North East Scotland Transport Partnership (NESTRANS) estimate the cost of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route as £120 million at current prices. The Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning announced on 19 March 2003 that the Scottish Ex…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure is planned for the A80 Stepps to Haggs road project in each year from 2002-03 to 2006-07.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34908 today. 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/webapp/searc…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure is planned for the A8 Baillieston to Newhouse road project in each year from 2002-03 to 2006-07.

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24007 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 March 2002, what expenditure is planned for each of the current and new trunk road projects in each year from 2002-03 to 2006-07.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The following table provides budget estimates of expenditure for individual schemes. Progress on each scheme will depend on a number of factors and will vary from prediction as each scheme is developed. Accordingly, final annual expenditure in future years wi…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure is planned for the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link in each year from 2002-03 to 2006-07.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The programming of expenditure for the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link is currently being agreed by Network Rail and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive. At this stage, the Scottish Executive has committed £16 million towards this project.

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure is planned for the transport projects announced on 30 January, 4 March and 12 March 2003 in each year from 2002-03 to 2006-07.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: On 30 January, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) published its Strategic Plan. Its contents are a matter for the SRA.The £375 million announced on 4 March is available in principle to Edinburgh City Council to at least fund one tramline. A n…

26 Feb 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from air travel on targets to reduce climate change.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The UK has a Kyoto Protocol target to reduce emissions of the basket of six greenhouse gases to 12.5% below 1990 levels by 2008-12. This is a UK-wide target, and action taken to meet it will occur across all sectors of the economy and in all regions of the UK…

18 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many farms have restocked with cattle after the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and how many took its advice to isolate any bought cattle and to consider private bovine tuberculosis testing for such cattle.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Information on the number of farms that have restocked with cattle is not held centrally. It is not known how many farms have taken the advice contained in the leaflet issued by my department to all Scottish cattle farmers in 2001 to isolate bought-in cattle …

18 Feb 2003 · Written Question

Answer · Ross Finnie: The information requested is shown in the following table.Confirmed Incidents of Bovine Tuberculosis 2000-02 (By Quarter)2000<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=557><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP">Local Authority Area</TD><TD WIDTH="16%"…

18 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cattle herds in former foot-and-mouth disease-infected areas have been re-stocked since the lifting of foot-and-mouth disease restrictions; how many herds have been tested for bovine tuberculosis; how many cattle have been confirmed positive, and in how many herds the source of …

Answer · Ross Finnie: In the Scottish Borders area all 21 cattle herds depopulated as a result of foot-and-mouth disease have been restocked. All have been tested for bovine tuberculosis and none have tested positive.In Dumfries and Galloway, of the 523 cattle herds depopulated…

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make an early announcement about distributing supplementary financial resources to local authorities in order to help them meet any additional costs of running care homes following the Court of Session decision in the case of Scottish Water v Clydecare Ltd.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-33481 today. 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/webapp/searc…

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will give an estimate of the impact on levels of bed-blocking of any reduction in the number of available care home places following the Court of Session decision in the case of Scottish Water v Clydecare Ltd.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to respond to any increase in the number of care home closures following the impact of the Court of Session decision in the case of Scottish Water v Clydecare Ltd.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is its intended policy that care homes will pay water charges that are five times greater than the charges paid by their counterparts in England and Wales following the Court of Session decision in the case of Scottish Water v Clydecare Ltd.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am not in a position to comment on the detail of charges to individual customers of Scottish Water. The Executive's policy on water charges is that the revenue raised under a charges scheme for a particular year should not exceed the revenue cap specified b…

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland will examine and report on the implications for Scottish Water's tariff structure of the Court of Session decision in the case of Scottish Water v Clydecare Ltd.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Water Industry Commissioner has no plans to do so.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider applications from care home owners to the water industry hardship fund in light of the Court of Session decision in the case of Scottish Water v Clydecare Ltd.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The water industry hardship fund has been set up to assist those organisations suffering hardship as a result of having had their relief on water and sewerage charges withdrawn - care homes are already able to apply to the fund on this basis.

28 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in respect of liability of care homes to water charges in light of the Court of Session decision in the case of Scottish Water v Clydecare Ltd and when it will issue advice to the owners, operators and residents of such homes on the implications of the court's dec…

Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive and local authorities presented the independent care sector with a substantial offer to uplift fee levels from 1 April 2003 at a meeting on 31 January. The offer honours our earlier commitment to meet the fee levels recommended by the National R…

20 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish an updated version of the Report on care home costs for older people in Scotland by the National Review Group.

Answer · Frank McAveety: We have no plans to update the National Review Group Report. The group was established to conduct a review of the costs associated with providing nursing and residential home care for older people in Scotland and to determine a framework for appropriate fee l…

15 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in relation to the introduction of the European Union law that requires the recycling of unwanted cars and other vehicles.

Answer · Ross Finnie: EC Directive 2000/53/EC on End of Life Vehicles aims at the prevention of waste from vehicles and the re-use, recycling and other forms of recovery of end-of-life vehicles and their components, with a view to reducing waste disposal. We are liasing with the U…

14 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Government of Iceland or any international environmental agencies regarding the proposed hydro-electric developments in Iceland and any threat to the breeding grounds of geese that winter in Scotland.

Answer · Allan Wilson: We have had no discussions with the Icelandic Government on this proposal.

14 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government requesting that it make representations to the Government of Iceland regarding the proposed hydro-electric developments in Iceland and any threat to the breeding grounds of geese that winter in Scotland.

Answer · Allan Wilson: We have made no representations to the UK Government on this development.

23 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a national fire safety strategy that includes the aim of reducing the incidence and severity of fires and, if not, whether it intends to develop such a strategy.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has a community fire safety strategy which is aimed at reducing the number of fires occurring and the consequent loss of life, injuries and damage to property. The strategy is delivered in partnership with local fire authorities and bri…

20 Dec 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the contribution of lifelong learning to achieving sustainable development will be included in its final lifelong learning strategy to be produced early next year.

Answer · Iain Gray: The strategy, which will be launched shortly, will refer to the contribution of lifelong learning to achieving sustainable development, through a co-ordinated approach to economic development, social justice and active citizenship.

11 Dec 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to bring forward legislation to establish a register of civil partnerships in the light of the announcement by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive notes that the UK Government intends to consult in summer 2003 on the introduction of a civil registration scheme. The Executive is committed to equality and will, therefore, consider the issue carefully over the coming months in consultation wi…

27 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will determine whether to call in the planning application to alter and extend the waste disposal facility and to construct a leachate treatment plant at Aucheninnes landfill site, Dalbeattie.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The notified planning application for the Aucheninnes site extension was received by the Scottish ministers on 27 November and is now being assessed to decide whether it should be called in for determination by the Scottish ministers or cleared back to Dumfri…

27 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been notified by Dumfries and Galloway Council of a planning application to alter and extend the waste disposal facility and to construct a leachate treatment plant at Aucheninnes landfill site, Dalbeattie, affecting bog bush-crickets in that location, which Scottish Natura…

Answer · Margaret Curran: The planning application for the Aucheninnes site extension was notified to the Scottish ministers by Dumfries and Galloway Council on 27 November. It is now being assessed to decide whether it should be called in for determination by the Scottish ministers o…

27 Nov 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to take forward its consultation on governance and accountability in the further education sector.

Answer · Iain Gray: I am currently considering the responses to the consultation exercise, and I hope to be in a position to announce the outcome of my consideration early in the New Year.

25 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what up-to-date statistical data is available on energy flows, including primary inputs, transformation and distribution and areas of utilisation.

Answer · Iain Gray: The information requested is not held centrally.