Parliamentary questions

Tommy Sheridan

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

1 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any proposals to waive penalty payments for train operating companies involved in industrial disputes.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-14907 answered on 22 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliam…

1 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive where responsibility will lie for the collection of penalty payments from train operating companies in Scotland once the UK Railways Bill comes into force.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Penalty payments are a contractual element of the ScotRail franchise agreement. Following the enactment of the Railways Bill the responsibility for the ScotRail franchise will pass from the Strategic Rail Authority to the Scottish ministers.

1 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to set aside funds to compensate train operating companies in the event of industrial disputes on the railways.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Consideration is being given to all matters pertaining to the proposed transfer of responsibility for the Scottish passenger rail franchise from the Strategic Rail Authority to the Scottish Ministers.

1 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how much was paid, and on which dates, through the Strategic Rail Authority to the National Express Group as compensation for loss of revenue during any industrial disputes within ScotRail.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not hold this information. We have requested information from the Strategic Rail Authority and will write to the member with information once we receive it.

25 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated size of the gap is between the number of reported assaults in (a) Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland and the actual number that took place in the last five years.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The available information comparing the number of assaults experienced by people in Scotland; the numbers reported by them to the police, and the numbers recorded by the police is published in Appendix Table A4.1 of The 2000 Scottish Crime Survey: Overview…

25 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many recorded assaults there have been in (a) Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland in each of the last five years and how many of these assaults involved a knife or sharp object.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information on the numbers ofserious assaults recorded by the police in the city of Glasgow and Scotland is publishedfor each year in table 8 of the relevant statistical bulletins Recorded Crimein Scotland, copies of which are available in the Parliame…

25 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many admissions there have been to accident and emergency departments in the last five years, broken down by hospital within the NHS Greater Glasgow area.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The total attendances at accident and emergency departments in Greater Glasgow are shown in the table. NHSScotland - Accident and Emergency attendances1: Locations in Greater Glasgow Health Board Area: Years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004<…

3 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by BAA on the proposal to reduce firefighting services at Glasgow Airport and the impact that this would have on the emergency services within the Executive's responsibility.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14038 on 23 February 2005. 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/weba…

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on emergency services within its responsibility of BAA's proposed reduction in firefighting services at Glasgow Airport.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The provision of airfield firefighting facilities is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority. Responsibility for responding to fires in the terminal building or other “land-side” areas at Glasgow Airport, and for determining the level of the response, rests…

9 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what training and recruitment opportunities exist in the shipping industry in Scotland and how these will be increased.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Schemes administered by the Department for Transport and relating to seafarer employment and training opportunities include the Support for Maritime Training Scheme (SMarT) which provides support for the training of officers and ratings. SMarT provided fundin…

9 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently employed as seafarers in Scotland.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Labour Force Survey cannot provide estimates for the number of seafarers as the Standard Occupational Codes do not identify seafarers as a distinct group. Instead seafarers are mixed with occupations from agriculture. The ScottishExecutive does publish fi…

9 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding employment and training opportunities for seafarers in Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including seafarer employment and training opportunities.Specific discussions have covered the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT)scheme, a Department for Transpo…

4 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the most up-to-date statistical correlation is between households’ income levels and the council tax bands of the properties resided in by households.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The following table gives for each council tax band the estimated percentage of households in each household income band, based upon the latest data from 2001-02 and 2002-03. For example, an estimated 29% of households occupying a band A dwelling have a gros…

4 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by how much council tax bills have risen since 1999, expressed both in monetary terms and as a percentage, and by how much it expects council tax bills to rise in each of the next three years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The table below shows the increase in Scotland average band D council tax for each year from 1999-2000 to 2004-05. In total, over this period the Scotland average band D council tax has risen by £204 or 24.1%.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 wi…

4 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have (a) one wage earner and (b) two, (c) three and (d) four or more wage earners and whether there are any recognisable trends in the projections of such households over the next 10 years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The number of wage earners in a household is not collected. However, the number of people in paid employment in each household can be estimated from the Labour Force Survey. These estimates are reported in table 1. The Scottish Executive does not produce pro…

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the average level of household income to be; how many households have an income below this average level, and how many people live in those households.

Answer · Tom McCabe: In 2002-03, the median level of gross household income in Scotland was £18,200 per annum and the mean level of gross household income was £25,300. Fifty per cent of households will have income below the median (1,120,000 households) and 1,880,000 indiv…

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of council tax debt relates to water and sewerage charges.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Council tax debt and water and sewerage charge debt are reported separately by local authorities.As at 31 March 2004, the debt outstanding across Scotland against water and sewerage charges from 1996-97 to 2003-04 was £191.966 million. Over the same pe…

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the level is of (a) council tax and (b) community charge debt across Scotland.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The table below shows the total debt outstanding across Scotland as at 31 March 2004, for both Council Tax and Community Charge.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> </td> <td> Bill…

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for compulsory sale orders there have been since their inception for debts relating to (a) council tax and (b) other debts.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Data at this level of detail is not collected centrally. Top-line information is collected and published annually in Civil Judicial Statistics. The latest version can be viewed on the Scottish Executive website at <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/j…

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many bank arrestments there were for debts relating to (a) council tax and (b) other debts in each of the last three years.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Data at this level of detail is not collected centrally. Top-line information is collected and published annually in Civil Judicial Statistics. The latest version can be viewed on the Executive website at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/c…

3 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many wage arrestments there were for debts relating to (a) council tax and (b) other debts in each of the last three years.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Data at this level of detail is not collected centrally. Top-line information is collected and published annually in the Civil Judicial Statistics. The latest version can be viewed on the Executive website at:<ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5…

15 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to amend fire safety regulations in respect of sub-surface railway stations.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Fire Safety in sub-surface railways is subject to the Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989 and additionally, since 1999, the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997. The continued need for these Regulations is being considere…

7 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the potential benefits of a local land valuation tax.

Answer · Tom McCabe: We have set up an independent review into local government finance, which will examine different forms of local taxation, including Land Value Tax. Once the Review Committee has completed their work they will make recommendations to the Scottish Executive and…

7 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majestys Government regarding the introduction of a local land valuation tax in Scotland to generate income for local communities.

Answer · Tom McCabe: We have had no discussions with Her Majesty’s Government regarding this matter.

7 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce a local land valuation tax to generate income for local communities.

Answer · Tom McCabe: We have set up an independent review into local government finance, which will examine different forms of local taxation, including Land Value Tax. Once the review committee has completed their work they will make recommendations to the Scottish Executive and…

6 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the portrayal of Campbeltown recently broadcast in a BBC documentary, what proposals it has to help regenerate the Kintyre peninsula; what action it proposes to take to improve the environment of Campbeltown; what proposals it has to improve the quality of life for the whole …

Answer · Jim Wallace: The claimant countunemployment rate in the Campbeltown area is currently below the Scottishaverage (South Kintyre ward 2.1% compared with 3.4% for Scotland).However, the ScottishExecutive’s economic development agency, Highlands and Islands Enterprise,…

1 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the national transport agency will have to terminate the Scottish passenger franchise in the event of the franchise being unable to meet its financial commitments.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Currently the contractual aspects of the Scottish passenger rail franchise are administered by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on behalf of and under direction from the Scottish ministers. The recent UK Government White Paper, the Future of Rail, an…

1 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for introducing legislation to establish the national transport agency.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The national transport agency will be an executive agency within the ScottishExecutive exercising functions delegated to it by Scottish ministers. The establishment of the national transport agency does not therefore require legislation. The agency will be es…

1 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role is envisaged for the national transport agency in relation to the regulation of rolling stock leasing charges.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Rolling stock leasing charges are not regulated. There are therefore no plans for the Scottish transport agency to take on this role.

1 Sep 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of rolling stock leasing charges paid in each year since 1998-99.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the train operating companies, and this information is not held centrally.