Parliamentary questions
Jamie Hepburn
761 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Feb 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much oil from Scottish territorial waters has been landed at each terminal in Scotland in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Jim Mather: The information requested is published by the Department for Energy and Climate Change and can be found on their website at the following link: <a href="https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/information/info_strategy/index.htm">https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/information/inf…
25 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are plans to create an additional platform at Croy railway station for new services to Glasgow Queen Street and, if so, what projected investment is needed to complete the work; when it is likely to be completed, and what additional capacity will be created for new services …
Answer · Keith Brown: The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvements Programme (EGIP) will require an investment of around £1 billion. This programme of rail projects is currently in the design development stages and is planned for completion in 2016.</p> <p >The provision of a possible tur…
25 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much investment is forecast for improving the Cumbernauld line as part of the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvements Programme.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvements Programme (EGIP) is currently in the design development stages and is planned for completion in 2016.</p> <p >EGIP which includes electrification and infrastructure improvements to the Cumbernauld line will require an inve…
25 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much investment is forecast for improving the Edinburgh-Glasgow via Falkirk High main line as part of the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvements Programme.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvements Programme (EGIP) is currently in the design development stages and is planned for completion in 2016.</p> <p >EGIP which includes electrification and infrastructure improvements to the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High…
24 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average petrol prices (a) have been in each of the last five years and (b) are forecast to be in each of the next five years and what comparable information it has for (i) each of the other component parts of the United Kingdom, (ii) each EU member state and (iii) each OECD country t…
Answer · Jim Mather: The matter is reserved and therefore the information requested is not held centrally by Scottish Government.</b></p> <p >However, some figures for the UK are produced by the UK Department for Energy and Climate Change, and can be found at:</p> <p >http://ww…
24 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average domestic fuel prices (a) have been in each of the last five years and (b) are forecast to be in each of the next five years and what comparable information it has for (i) each of the other component parts of the United Kingdom, (ii) each EU member state and (iii) each OECD co…
Answer · Jim Mather: Information specifically on fuel prices and comparisons with other countries is not held centrally. However, some of the information requested is available from the following sources:</b></p> <p >Chapter 6 of the <i >Scottish Government Energy in Scotland R…
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the peak demand for electricity consumption (a) has been in each of the last 10 years and (b) is forecast to be in each of the next 10 years
Answer · Jim Mather: Regular monitoring and forecasting of peak electricity demand is the responsibility of the National Grid and annual (historical) figures for the UK are published by the Department for Energy and Climate Change. But forecast information is not held centrally.<…
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of coal production (a) has been in each of the last 10 years and (b) is forecast to be in each of the next 10 years
Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.</b></p> <p >However historic estimates of the volume of coal production in both Scotland and the UK can be found at the Coal Authority website at:</p> <p >http://www.coal.gov.uk/publications/miningtechnology/index.cfm…
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) UK and (b) Scottish coal production, as set out in figure 3.4 of Energy in Scotland: A Compendium of Scottish Energy Statistics and Information, December 2010, was related to (i) underground and (ii) opencast mining
Answer · Jim Mather: A full disaggregation of annual coal production is available from the Coal Authority website at:</p> <p >http://www.coal.gov.uk/publications/miningtechnology/index.cfm.</b></p> <p >For ease of reference the relevant proportion of UK and Scottish coal produc…
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide figures for the Scottish share of UK (a) crude oil, (b) gas and (c) coal production, as set out in figures 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4 of Energy in Scotland: A Compendium of Scottish Energy Statistics and Information, December 2010
Answer · Jim Mather: Official statistics on the Scottish share of UK (a) crude oil and (b) gas are not available. However, research carried out by Alex Kemp and Linda Stephen from the University of Aberdeen provides estimates of a hypothetic Scottish share of production, expendit…
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by local authority area of sales of low-carbon and environmental goods and services, as set out in figure 2.4 of Energy in Scotland: A Compendium of Scottish Energy Statistics and Information, December 2010
Answer · Jim Mather: The low carbon environmental goods and services data in figure 2.4 of the <i >Energy in Scotland</i> report provides an estimate of low carbon sales by sector at a national level or by local authority at an aggregated level. The methodology that underpins the…
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown by local authority area of the number of jobs associated with each of the categories set out in figure 2.2 of Energy in Scotland: A Compendium of Scottish Energy Statistics and Information, December 2010
Answer · Jim Mather: The low carbon environmental goods and services data in figure 2.2 of the <i >Energy in Scotland</i> report provides an estimate of low carbon jobs by sector at a national level or by local authority at an aggregated level. The methodology that underpins the …
21 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what responsibilities householders or businesses have to clear ice, snow or other blockages from footpaths.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: There is no law preventing householders and businesses from clearing ice and snow or other blockages from public footpaths. While there is no legal responsibility for them to do so, we would encourage people to take this kind of practical step to contribute t…
21 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances householders or businesses that clear ice or snow from footpaths might be held legally responsible for injuries sustained by a third party slipping or falling on the footpath.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Being a good neighbour and clearing paths of ice and snow is the kind of practical step that many of us can take during spells of cold weather.</p> <p >The legal position is that there is no law preventing people from clearing snow and ice on the pavement o…
16 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the British Irish Council Summit.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: On 13 December 2010, the 15th meeting of the British Irish Council was held on the Isle of Man. We had a successful meeting attended by ministers from all eight member administrations. The Minister for Parliamentary Business and I represented the Scottish Gov…
15 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the rail network has operated (a) at, (b) above or (c) below its passenger-carrying capacity in each year since 1999, showing the (i) number of passengers and (ii) proportion of passenger-carrying capacity that this represents.
Answer · Keith Brown: ScotRail provides more seating capacity on the network in any year than the number of passengers travelling.</p> <p >ScotRail''s obligation in the Franchise Agreement with Scottish Ministers is to allocate its train fleet and resources in the most effective…
15 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the passenger-carrying capacity of the rail network has been in each year since 1999.
Answer · Keith Brown: We do not hold annual data for the passenger-carrying capacity of the rail network. We do hold the agreed weekday seating capacity for ScotRail services for each of the main timetable changes since 2005 and this is provided below. This information is not held…
14 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures its agencies undertake with representative offices of countries that its staff visit on business
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There is no formal guidance setting out how agencies should engage with representative offices in Scotland before travelling to their countries.</b></p>
1 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities can insist that individuals use provided care services rather than choose self-directed support or direct payment options for care services.
Answer · Shona Robison: <i >The National Strategy for Self-directed Support</i>, published on 23 November, makes it clear that local authorities should allow people who need support the right to choose how that support is provided and to take as much control of managing that support…
1 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding implementing self-directed support options for individuals and direct payments for care services.
Answer · Shona Robison: Self directed support guidance was issued to local authorities in July 2007 and is available at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/181224/0051499.pdf">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/181224/0051499.pdf</a>. This guidance primarily focuse…
1 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances individuals affected by brain injury would be entitled to receive direct payments or access self-directed support.
Answer · Shona Robison: Individuals affected by brain injury, who have been assessed as requiring a social support service, are eligible for a direct payment. Under no circumstances should a person be refused a direct payment based purely on their condition or injury.</p> <p >The c…
16 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37092 by Stewart Stevenson on 3 November 2010, whether it will provide a breakdown of the rail infrastructure and other transport programmes investment by (a) type of investment and (b) project.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The breakdown of the rail infrastructure and other transport programmes investment budgets by (a) type of investment and (b) project is shown below.</p> <p >(a) The rail infrastructure represents the network grant which the Office of Rail Regulation judged …
16 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what road construction, improvement or maintenance projects have been undertaken using the design, build, finance and operate model in each year since 1999; what the cost of each was, and what contractors were involved in each project.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Two design, build, finance and operate road projects have been undertaken since 1999. The first is the M77/Glasgow Southern Orbital contract which was awarded to Connect M77/GSO Plc, a consortium owned by Balfour Beatty Capital Projects Limited, at a cost of …
16 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37092 by Stewart Stevenson on 3 November 2010, how much of the investment in improving the road network in each year was spent on (a) new construction, (b) structural maintenance, (c) improvements and (d) design, build, finance and operate schemes.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The answer to S3W-37092 only gave details of direct capital expenditure, relating to new construction and design, build, finance and operate (DBFO) expenditure. The breakdown is as follows:</b></p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td…
16 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional jobs have been created by the work associated with the construction of Laurencekirk railway station.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: During the construction of Laurencekirk Station around 50 staff were involved on site with this project.</p>
16 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional jobs have been created by the work associated with the construction of the Airdrie-Bathgate rail line.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: During the peak construction activity around 900 jobs were created. In addition, First ScotRail has announced 130 permanent posts associated with the new Airdrie-Bathgate railway.</p>
11 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many homes for social let owned by a (a) local authority and (b) registered social landlord have been completed in each year since 1999, broken down by (i) Scottish Parliament constituency and (ii) local authority area.
Answer · Alex Neil: The number of local authority homes completed in each year since 1996-97 is published on the Scottish Government website by local authority area. All of these homes are for social rent. The following is a link to this data:</p> <p >http://www.scotland.gov.uk…
11 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average class size has been for primary (a) one, (b) two and (c) three in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Michael Russell: Information on the average class sizes in primary stages one, two and three by local authority from 2004 to 2009 can be found in table 6.6 of the relevant year''s publication of <i >Pupils in Scotland</i> at:</b></p> <p >http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Sta…
11 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what rail passenger numbers have been in each year since 2006 and what information it has on how this compares with each (a) other part of the United Kingdom, (b) EU member state and (c) OECD country.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Comparisons of rail passenger numbers in Scotland and Great Britain are published in the Scottish Government''s <i >Main Transport Trends 2010</i> publication (Tables SGB1 to SGB3). A copy is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbe…
11 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its administrative costs have been in each year since 1999.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executive''s administration outturn costs since 1999 are shown below:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center >Year Ended 31 March</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=center >Resour…