Parliamentary questions
Derek Brownlee
680 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed 15-minute frequency on the Airdrie to Bathgate rail line would be affected if the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link does not go ahead.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No.</p>
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications would be for the Airdrie to Bathgate rail project if the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link does not go ahead.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Airdrie to BathgateRail Link is a stand alone project and is not dependant on the Edinburgh AirportRail Link project for its delivery. There are no implications to project deliverability,timescales or cost if the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link does not go ah…
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what expenditure has been incurred under its contract for design, print and publication services, due to expire on 3 October 2007, broken down by year, and what additional expenditure is projected to be incurred for the remainder of the contract term.
Answer · John Swinney: The costs incurredby the Scottish Government during the period of the contract are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=246 valign=top> <p align=center>Year</p> </td> <td width=96 valign=top> <p align=…
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has provided to the Sustainable Development Commission Scotland in relation to expenditure on (a) advertising and (b) publications.
Answer · Michael Russell: None.</p>
11 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of Sustainable Development in Scotland: A review of progress by the Scottish Executive were printed; to whom they were distributed, and what the total cost was of (a) printing, design and associated costs and (b) delivery and distribution and associated costs.
Answer · Michael Russell: The review was publishedby the Sustainable Development Commission, which is a jointly established non-departmentalpublic body with a UK-wide remit. The information requested is a matter for thecommission and is not held by the Scottish Government.</p>
6 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed freeze in council tax at 2007-08 levels will be in cash or real terms.
Answer · John Swinney: The ScottishGovernment is committed to a council tax freeze at 2007-08 levels in cashterms. I am currently in constructive discussions with local government on howbest this can be achieved.</p>
5 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of Principles and Priorities: The Government’s Programme for Scotland were published; to whom they were distributed, and what the total cost was of (a) printing and all associated costs and (b) distribution and all associated costs.
Answer · Bruce Crawford: A total of 500copies of the document <i>Principles and Priorities: The Government’s</i> <i>Programmefor Scotland</i> were printed. The document was also placed on the ScottishGovernment website. Copies of the document were distributed to all MSPs, tomembers o…
4 Sep 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many road traffic accidents have been recorded on roundabouts on the A75 (a) east and (b) west of Castle Douglas in each year since 1997.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The roundabouts onthe A75 trunk road to the east and west of Castle Douglas have recorded six andthree personal injury accidents respectively since 1997. The following table showshow many accidents have occurred in each year since 1997.</p><table border=1 cel…
21 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential properties have been sold by the Forestry Commission during the last 10 years and, of these, how many have been sold (a) with vacant possession and (b) to sitting tenants.
Answer · Michael Russell: Over the last 10 years,Forestry Commission Scotland has sold 149 residential properties, including 58 withvacant possession. The remaining 91 properties were offered to sitting tenants ata discounted purchase price. This resulted in 61 properties being sold t…
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts the Executive has made or is making to influence the European Commission in relation to the method and timing of implementation of electronic sheep identification.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Executivecontinues to work closely with the European Commission on the introduction of ElectronicIdentification (EID) in Scotland. EU Regulation 21/2004 provides for the mandatoryintroduction of EID from 1 January 2008. This is subject to review …
9 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a commercial trial of electronic sheep identification and, if so, what conditions it would apply to such a trial.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: It would not be the Scottish Executive’s intention to support any commercial trials of electronic identification(EID) of sheep. Any manufacturer wishing to trial EID equipment would do so purelyas a commercial decision.</p>
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has quantified the benefit to the local and Scottish economy of the free zone at Prestwick.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish EnterpriseAyrshire reviewed the Prestwick free zone in the late 1990s to establish whetherit could leverage additional investment into Ayrshire and Scotland. The review found that newer regulations have been introducedwhich mean that any person may a…
7 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had, or plans to have, any discussions with the UK Government about creating another free zone in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Executivehas not had any recent discussions with the UKgovernment about creating another free zone in Scotland.</p><p>Moreover, newer regulationshave been introduced which mean that any person may apply to HM Revenue and Customsto have an area of…
3 Aug 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the forthcoming draft budget will present directly comparable figures for previous and future years at levels one, two and three based on the current Executive structure and that in place prior to May 2007.
Answer · John Swinney: Final details on thecontent of this year’s draft budget are still being discussed and have yet to befinalised. Budgets will be shown on the basis of the new Executive structure andfigures for years 2002-03 to 2010-11 will be available on a comparable basis.</…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to restore the rail powers previously held by Strathclyde Passenger Transport and transferred to Transport Scotland to the new West of Scotland Regional Transport Partnership.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no plansto restore rail powers previously held by Strathclyde Passenger Transport and transferredto Transport Scotland to the new West of Scotland Regional TransportPartnership, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.</p>
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the cost and timescale of electrifying the Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street route and when it expects to make a final decision on the matter.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is leading work<i> </i>to provide firm proposals forthe most cost-effective ways to improve reliability, bring down journey times andprovide capacity for the expected continuing growth in rail passenger numbers betweenEdinburgh and Glasgow.…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements it has planned to reduce journey times on the Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street route and what the timescales are for such improvements.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is leading work<i> </i>to provide firm proposals forthe most cost-effective ways to improve reliability, bring down journey times andprovide capacity for the expected continuing growth in rail passenger numbers betweenEdinburgh and Glasgow.…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve industry confidence in visitscotland.com.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2668 on 21 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to reform the tourism network, in light of any tensions between Visit Scotland and its stakeholders.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-2668 on 21 August 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to re-establish area tourist boards as independent membership organisations.
Answer · Jim Mather: This Government’sprimary aim is sustainable economic growth right across Scotland, and we see Scottish tourism playing a key role in achievingthat aim.</p><p>The Tourism Frameworkfor Change, which was prepared jointly by the tourism industry and the public se…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to streamline the operations of Scottish Enterprise.
Answer · Jim Mather: Our prime objectiveis to increase the rate of Scottish economic growth and to ensure that this is sustainable.As a component part of this we want to improve the efficiency and effectivenessof the delivery of economic development activity and we are looking at…
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement a “one in, one out” approach to new regulations.
Answer · Jim Mather: We asked the industry-ledRegulatory Review Group for their views on various aspects of the Better Regulationagenda. The group comprises representatives of all the main business organisations.The group has made the recommendation to the government that a “one …
31 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in (a) manufacturing and (b) financial services in each year since 1997 and what percentage of the workforce these represented.
Answer · Jim Mather: Table 1 shows thenumber of employee jobs in the manufacturing and the financial intermediationindustries and the percentage of total employees jobs these industriesrepresent.</p><p>Table 1 Employee Jobsin Manufacturing and Financial Intermediation Industries<…
24 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1647 by Stewart Stevenson on 24 July 2007, what the benefit to cost ratio would have been for the Larkhall to Milngavie rail project if it had been calculated on a 60-year basis, consistent with the other projects referred to in the answer.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Larkhall to Milngavierail project was assessed by SPT under the appraisal system in place at the timewhich assessed schemes over 30 years. Sufficient detail of the analysis is not availableto extend accurately the appraisal to 60 years.</p>
24 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1713 by John Swinney on 23 July 2007, whether any analysis of the impact of the EC state aid rules was made in relation to the previous administration’s proposals to introduce business rate relief for investment in research and development, if so, wh…
Answer · John Swinney: As stated in the answer toquestion S3W-1713, answered on 23 July 2007, the Scottish Executive routinelytakes EC state aid rules into account in relation to any proposed rates reliefschemes. However, any advice provided to Ministers in the previousadministrati…
20 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what publications it has issued since 1 June 2006, giving the circulation, cost and title of each publication.
Answer · John Swinney: A list of ScottishExecutive publications and their costs from 1 June 2006 to 31 May 2007 is given in the followingtable.</p><p>There is currentlyno central record held on the circulation of each publication and this could onlybe obtained at disproportionate c…
18 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1224 by Shona Robison on 9 July 2007, what the age profile is of people in temporary accommodation in each local authority area.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The followingtable gives the age profile of the main applicant and household type forhouseholds applying in 2005-06 which were placed in temporary accommodationduring the course of their application.</p><p>HouseholdType and Age of Main Applicant for Applicant…
18 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what total amount of compensation was paid in respect of claims by (a) pupils, (b) staff and (c) others against local authorities for incidents occurring in schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The informationrequested is not collected centrally.</p>
18 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what total amount of compensation was sought in claims by (a) pupils, (b) staff and (c) others against local authorities for incidents occurring in schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The informationrequested is not collected centrally.</p>
18 Jul 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many payments were made in respect of claims for compensation by (a) pupils, (b) staff and (c) others against local authorities for incidents occurring in schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The informationrequested is not collected centrally.</p>