Parliamentary questions
Jamie Hepburn
761 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
10 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12700 by Stewart Stevenson on 16 May 2008, whether it will provide details of the subsidy payments made to rail franchise operators in 2008-09 and profits made by them in 2007-08.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The net subsidy payment made to First ScotRail under the Franchise Agreement for 2008-09 is £310 million.</p> <p >First ScotRail provide certain profitability information to Transport Scotland under the confidentiality terms of the Franchise Agreement, a co…
4 Mar 2010 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the operating costs for the Parliament were in each of the last four years.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The costs are shown in the following table. The costs exclude non cash items such as depreciation, notional cost of capital and technical accounting adjustments.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=71 valign=top > <p >Ye…
4 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a legal requirement for communal space in a residential area that is not maintained by the local authority to be factored.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The title deeds of relevant properties may specify that communal spaces are to be maintained by a factor, but there is no requirement for them to do so.</p>
4 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is legislation setting out how property managers offering factoring services must operate.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is statutorily responsible for the regulation of the activities of registered social landlords (RSLs) and the inspection of local authority housing management functions. Many RSLs and local authorities offer factoring serv…
25 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers and responsibilities are conferred on it by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which is reserved to Westminster, protects disabled people from discrimination in employment, access to goods, facilities and services, the buying, renting, or selling of land or property, education, transport and the e…
24 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers (a) it, (b) its agencies, (c) local authorities and (d) other bodies have to ensure that landowners ensure that their properties, including derelict or vacant properties, are maintained.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are a wide range of provisions that have the potential directly or indirectly to require actions by landowners or property owners to remedy deficiencies of one kind or another.</p> <p >Some examples of particular note are: </p> <p >- In the rural env…
17 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what companies based in Scotland are owned or partly owned by UK Financial Investments Ltd.
Answer · Jim Mather: UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI) has responsibility for managing the UK Government''s investments in the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Lloyds Banking Group, Bradford and Bingley and Northern Rock. </p> <p >Further information can obtained on the UKFI webs…
17 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with representatives of UK Financial Investments Ltd and, if so, what matters were discussed.
Answer · John Swinney: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth met with representatives of UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI) on 29 April 2009. They discussed a number of issues relating to the importance of our financial services industry to the life and economy …
11 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the life outcomes of those children who go through the children’s hearings system and, if so, how many have (a) remained in school education beyond the age of 16, (b) advanced to tertiary education, (c) gone into employment following the conclusion of their education, …
Answer · Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally, however Scottish Government does collect statistics on children who become Looked After, most of whom will have gone through the children''s hearing system. Information about the outcomes of looked after young people el…
29 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people with oesophageal cancer have (a) had and (b) not had surgery as part of their treatment in each year since 1960.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not collected centrally. However, numbers and percentages of oesophageal cancer patients in Scotland diagnosed in the period 1981-2007 who have had surgery as part of their treatment are available in the following table:<…
29 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence of oesophageal cancer in people under 55 has been in each year since 1960.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The incidence (numbers and rates) of oesophageal cancer in people under 55 in Scotland for the period 1960-2007, is shown in the following table:</p> <p >Cancer of the Oesophagus<sup>1</sup>, Scotland: 1960-2007<sup>2</sup></p> <p >Numbers of Diagnoses and …
29 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence of oesophageal cancer has been in each year since 1960.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The incidence (numbers and rates) of oesophageal cancer in Scotland for the period 1960-2007, is shown in the following table:</p> <p >Cancer of the oesophagus<sup>1</sup>, Scotland: 1960-2007<sup>2</sup></p> <p >Numbers of Diagnoses and Age-Standardised Ra…
29 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the survival rate is for people with oesophageal cancer and how this compares with other (a) types of cancer and (b) OECD countries.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Data on the estimated survival rates for oesophageal cancer patients in Scotland can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=cancer_oesophagus_surv.xls&pContentDispositionType=inline">http://www.isdscotla…
25 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive by what date the next franchise agreement for passenger rail services must be in place and how long the tendering process must be.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The next franchise agreement for passenger rail services must be in place before the expiry of the current franchise, scheduled to be 8 November 2014.</p> <p >The timescales for the tendering process must be in accordance with the requirements of the EU Pro…
21 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its powers to call in a school closure decision under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2009 can be used prior to the Act coming into force in cases where a local authority is conducting a consultation based on the Act’s principles.
Answer · Michael Russell: No. Scottish Ministers will only have the power to call in a local authority school closure decision after the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 has commenced on 5 April 2010, regardless of whether or not the authority has chosen to consult using the…
21 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the transitional arrangements are regulating local authority consultation on the proposed closure of schools between the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill being passed by the Scottish Parliament and the Act coming into force.
Answer · Michael Russell: Schedule 3 of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 sets out transitional arrangements for handling consultations underway at the point of commencement of the act on 5 April 2010.</p> <p >Consultations on proposed school closures that commence befo…
21 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30183 by Michael Russell on 14 January 2010, whether this answer indicates that interested parties are precluded from seeking its intervention in cases where they consider that a local authority consultation in relation to a proposed school closure i…
Answer · Michael Russell: As specified in the answer to question S3W-30183 on 14 January 2010, under current regulations Scottish ministers'' involvement in local authority consultations on school closures is restricted exclusively to prescribed occupancy and distance criteria. Minist…
21 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30468 by Stewart Stevenson on 15 January 2010, on how many occasions in each month since 1997 for which information is available the rail franchise holder has been penalised for not providing planned capacity.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no exact monthly totals as rail accountancy is measured in 13 x four-weekly periods per fiscal year. </p> <p >Each Period there are approximately 55,000 trains operated by First ScotRail. The reliability figure for the whole of this period is 99.8%…
21 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30467 by Stewart Stevenson on 15 January 2010, on how many occasions in each month since 1997 for which information is available the rail franchise holder has been penalised for not providing planned capacity on the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk H…
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are no exact monthly totals as rail accountancy is measured in 13 x four-weekly periods per fiscal year. </p> <p >Each Period there are approximately 3,170 trains operating between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk High. The reliability figure for the …
20 Jan 2010 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has the power to initiate court action in relation to a complaint referred to the SPSO.
Answer · Mike Pringle: The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 does not confer power on the ombudsman to initiate court action in relation to a complaint referred to the SPSO.</b></p>
6 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the passenger rail franchise requires specific capacity for particular services.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Rail services in Scotland are managed and monitored by the Scottish Government agency, Transport Scotland, and operated by ScotRail through a Franchise Agreement.</p> <p >ScotRail prepares a train plan containing the total seating plus standing capacity for…
6 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the rail franchise operator is required to run six-carriage trains on the Glasgow to Edinburgh rail line.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: ScotRail plans the capacity for each service in advance of each timetable change. Services on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High route are currently planned to operate with six carriages in the morning and evening peak. Some off-peak and weekend journe…
17 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what scope it has to intervene in a local authority consultation in relation to a proposed school closure if the Scottish Government believes that the consultation is flawed, is based on an incorrect premise or if it receives a report to that effect.
Answer · Michael Russell: Under the Education (Publication and Consultation Etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 1981, Scottish ministers involvement in local authority consultations on school closures is restricted to the following arbitrary circumstances:</p> <p >Where primary pupils are …
15 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill as passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November 2009 changes the consultation process that a local authority must undertake for proposed school closures compared with prior legislative requirements.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act, as passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November, supersedes the Education (Publication and Consultation Etc.)(Scotland) Regulations 1981, and establishes an updated and strengthened consultation process that loca…
15 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers may call in a decision to close a school by a local authority, as set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill as passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November 2009, only if that school is defined as rural.
Answer · Michael Russell: Section 15 of the Schools (Scotland) (Consultation) Act, as passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November 2009, provides for ministers to call in any local authority decision to close a school, be that an urban or rural one, <a href="http://www.scottish.pa…
15 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for ministers calling in a decision to close a school by a local authority, as set out in the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill as passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November 2009.
Answer · Michael Russell: Section 17 of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act, as passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November 2009, sets out the grounds for which Scottish ministers may call in a local authority decision to close a school. In summary, ministers will only call…
15 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provisions of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Bill as passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November 2009 pertain to nursery schools.
Answer · Adam Ingram: Schedule 1 of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act, as passed by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November 2009, sets out all of the local authority proposals that relate to the Act''s provisions. <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/23-Schoo…
8 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are for consultation in advance of the promulgation of a traffic regulation order.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: When making traffic regulation orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, local authorities are required to follow the provisions of the Local Authorities'' Traffic Orders (Procedures) (Scotland) Regulations 1999, which specifies the requirements for …
8 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what bodies are entitled to place an obstruction on a public highway without prior permission of the relevant local authority.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Ministers are not aware of any body that is entitled to place an obstruction on a public road without prior permission of the relevant local authority.</p>
8 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requirements there are for traffic regulation orders to comply with disability discrimination legislation.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Local authorities are under a duty to comply with disability discrimination legislation and should take this into account when promoting traffic regulation orders.</p>