Parliamentary questions
Rob Gibson
971 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Feb 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support short sea shipping services as a means to reduce road congestion by heavy freight vehicles.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We will continue to encouragecoastal and short sea shipping services through the Freight Facilities and WaterborneFreight Grant schemes. These have supported projects which have removed over 15million lorry miles from our roads since 1999.</p>
19 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-11990 by Sarah Boyack on 15 February 2007 (Official Report, c. 32166-67), on what basis it states that BASF’s genetically modified potato EH92-527-1 is not going to be grown in Scotland or the rest of the United Kingdom.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This GM potato produces amodified form of starch with improved processing characteristics. Since the UKhas no quota and therefore no infrastructure for potato starch processing,there is unlikely to be a UK market for this GM organisms.</p>
16 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27238 by Tavish Scott on 3 August 2006, in how many fatal and serious road accidents heavy goods vehicles were involved in the Highlands and Islands parliamentary region, in each year from 1999.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The following table givesthe numbers of fatal and serious injury road accidents involving heavy goodsvehicles in the Highlands and Islands Scottish Parliamentary region in each of the years from 1999 to 2005. Some accidents involved more than one heavy goodsv…
16 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the percentage of foreign-registered heavy goods vehicles that are involved in collisions in Scotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Data about injury roadaccidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executiveusing the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only roadaccidents in which one or more people were injured and which become known tothe police. …
14 Feb 2007 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who the members will be of the committee of inquiry into crofting led by Professor Mark Shucksmith; when the committee will start work, and what timescale is envisaged for it to report.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Appointment of the members of the committee of inquiry will take place soon. Professor Shucksmith and his staffhave already started preparatory work so that committee can start to make progressas soon as the members are appointed. The committee is expected to…
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had about the use of redundant areas of Network Rail’s estate.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland hashad various discussions in respect of individual sites, for example, at Aberdeen Guild Street and Glasgow Queen Street. There have also been discussions on areas of land tobe utilised on delivering the major rail projects.</p><p>The use …
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has provide access to areas of Network Rail’s estate for other public uses.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Provision of public access toareas of Network Rail’s estate is not a matter for the Scottish Executive.</p>
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent brownfield sites form part of Network Rail’s estate, giving the location of any such sites.
Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31619 on 12 February 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the extent to which Network Rail’s estate is currently used for rail services.
Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-31619 on 12 February 2007. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/w…
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of Network Rail’s estate in Scotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive does nothold full details on the estate of Network Rail in Scotland. NetworkRail is a private company, its estate is not controlled by the Executive.</p><p>Reference should be made to eitherNetwork Rail or Registers of Scotland for spec…
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many air traffic controllers have left posts in each airport controlled by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in the last 12 months and how many have been replaced.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Four members of the Air TrafficControl staff have left posts with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in the past 12 months. Thesewere a Senior Air Traffic Control Officer and two Air Traffic Control Officers atStornoway and a Senior Air Traffic Control Office…
1 Feb 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many managers have left their posts in each department at each airport controlled by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in each year since 2003.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The information requested isset out in the following table:</p><p>Number of Managers who have leftPosts with Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL)</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p>HIAL Department*</p> …
26 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to provide council tax rebates to service personnel serving abroad and, if so, whether it will consider providing such assistance.
Answer · George Lyon: The Scottish Parliament may legislateto create exemptions from council tax for specified groups of people. Scottishministers supported the Prime Minister’s announcement in October 2006 that he wouldlook into providing support for the council tax costs of serv…
19 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what modes of transport were used by the First Minister for his visit to Inverness and the surrounding area on 12 and 13 January 2007.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The First Minister used the GovernmentCar Service for his journeys to, from and within Inverness and the surrounding areaon the 11 and 12 January.</p>
17 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list any examples of developers who have applied for, and received, the right to pay a commuted sum, calculated by the district valuer, in lieu of building an agreed percentage of affordable homes in a permitted housing development, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Des McNulty: This information isnot held centrally.</p>
17 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions ministers have travelled by air on official business in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information on air travel byministers is only available from April 2002.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=76 valign=top> <p align=center> </p> </td> <td width=53 valign=top> <p align=center>2002</p> </td> <td width=5…
17 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions ministers have travelled in official cars on official business in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information available onthe number of journeys ministers have travelled in official cars on officialbusiness in each year since 1999 is set out in the following tables.</p><p>Tables 1 and 2: Journeys UndertakenBetween 1999 and 2004<sup>1</sup></p><p>Table…
17 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions ministers have travelled by rail on official business in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Information on rail travel byministers is only available from April 2002.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=76 valign=top> <p align=center> </p> </td> <td width=53 valign=top> <p align=center>2002</p> </td> <td width=…
17 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the modes of transport used by ministers on official business in each year since 1999.
Answer · Tom McCabe: A breakdown of the main modesof transport used by ministers on official business is provided in this and thethree related questions referred to as follows. It is also likely thatministers will have travelled on occasion by other means but there is no centralr…
17 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what modes of transport were used by the First Minister for his visit to Inverness and the surrounding area on 15 January 2007.
12 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2F-2643 by Mr Jack McConnell on 11 January 2007 (Official Report c. 31005) whether there is any review in progress to assess the efficiency of Executive responses to storm and coastal erosion.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: No review of the efficiency of the Executive’s response to storm and coastal erosion is underway. Primary responsibilityfor preventing coastal erosion of land by the sea lies with the landowner althoughlocal authorities have discretionary powers to deal with …
12 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S2F-2643 by Mr Jack McConnell on 11 January 2007 (Official Report c. 31005), what resources were offered to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to progress its bids for storm mitigation schemes.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: There is no provision for stormmitigation schemes, hence no resources were offered to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.</p>
12 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-2643 by Mr Jack McConnell on 11 January 2007 (Official Report c. 31005), on what dates requests for aid were received from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar following the storm damage of January 2005; when decisions were made on each request, and what aid wa…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The following table sets outdetails of the requests for aid received from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, whenthese were received and when the Executive responded.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=132 valign=top> <p>Subject of reque…
12 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21076 and S2W-21077 by Rhona Brankin on 6 December 2006, whether it will list the applications made by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar for grant aid to tackle storm damage and coastal erosion due to the January 2005 storm, including the dates of receipt …
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar hasapproached the Executive with six coast protection schemes. Discussions are on-going.The scheme at Balivanich has met the Executive’s economic, environmental and technicalcriteria but Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has not submitted th…
12 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21076 and S2W-21077 by Rhona Brankin on 6 December 2006, whether it will explain the procedure and time required to authorise applications made by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to undertake remedial action following storm damage and coastal erosion cau…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Coast Protection Act 1949sets out the statutory process to be followed for the undertaking of coast protectionworks, other than for maintenance or repair. Subject to the provisions of theact, a local authority proposing to carry out any coast protection w…
12 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21076 and S2W-21077 by Rhona Brankin on 6 December 2006, what specific funding has been allocated to tackle storm and coastal erosion in the Western Isles in respect of the storm of January 2005.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: My answer to answer to questionS2W 31015 on 26 January 2007, sets out the process under the Coastal Protection Act1949 with regard to coast protection works. As Rhona Brankin stated in her replyto question S2W-21076, answered on 6 December 2005, primary respo…
12 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21076 and S2W-21077 by Rhona Brankin on 6 December 2006, what steps have been taken to reduce the time taken to assess, plan and build new defences against coastal erosion and storm damage.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Primary responsibility for preventingcoastal erosion of land by the sea lies with the landowner. Local authorities havediscretionary powers to deal with coastal erosion and it is for the local authoritiesto bring forward schemes in the first instance. In taki…
11 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efficiency savings Scottish Water made in (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06 and what these savings were used to fund, broken down into (a) Scottish Water-related projects, (b) other Executive projects and (c) projects undertaken by other Executive agencies.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The responsibility for assessingthe efficiencies delivered by Scottish Water lies with the Water Industry Commission.In its <i>Cost and Performance Report 2003-06</i>, it calculated that for the lastfour-year regulatory period 2002-06, Scottish Water delivere…
9 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of the Scottish Prison Service’s structural and organisational review, broken down into (a) internal costs and (b) costs incurred on external consultants.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>Internal costs of £250,000 andexternal costs of £10,000 were incurred in the SPS structural and organisationalreview which seeks to m…
9 Jan 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Prison Service’s (SPS) unpublished structural and organisational review informs succession planning in the SPS.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>The structural andorganisational review has made a number of recommendations which are currently beingconsidered by the SPS Board and…