Parliamentary questions
David Stewart
1,651 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants are in receipt of merit awards, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested can be found at Appendix H of the latest Annual Report of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards (SACDA) at www.shsc.scot.nhs.uk/shsc/default.asp?p=71.</p> <p >SACDA''s figures relating to overall consultant numbers a…
6 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many consultants are employed by NHSScotland, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the number of consultants employed by NHSScotland, broken down by NHS board is available on the National Services Scotland, Information Services Division website at:</b></p> <p >http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=Consu…
6 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Parliament was informed that there would be no operator of last resort for ferry services and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No formal statement was made to the Scottish Parliament on this issue. The contracts for lifeline ferry services in Scotland were made publicly available and published on the Scottish Government''s website.</p>
6 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the provision of an operator of last resort for ferry services.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Our position is set out in the answer to question S3W-36740 on 26 October 2010. 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…
6 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there is no operator of last resort for ferry services, given that there are operators of last resort for rail services and other UK and Scottish public services subject to competitive tender.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The contracts for the Northern Isles and Clyde and Hebrides ferry services provide for careful management and monitoring of the operator''s performance and contain resolution procedures. The Scottish Government is content that this provides the required secur…
29 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are in place to deter young people from driving between 9 pm and 6 am.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Through Road Safety Scotland, the Scottish Government has produced a number of road safety education resources and publicity initiatives which refer to the implications relating to driving at night. These include, <i >Crash Magnets</i>, a resource for young p…
29 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has undertaken to reduce the number of young driver deaths between 9 pm and 6 am.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scotland''s Road Safety Framework to 2020, published in June 2009, identifies drivers aged 17 to 25 as a priority area for the Scottish Government and its partners. The framework sets out a number of commitments to address young driver safety one of which is…
29 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the benefits would be of a graduated driving licence scheme for young drivers in Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The legislation for graduated licensing is reserved but in our reply to the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) consultation on learning to drive in 2008, we highlighted that there is strong support for regulated driving for new drivers amongst the road safety co…
23 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are (a) legislative, (b) financial or (c) administrative constraints impeding the immediate awarding of the contract for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: (a) Under the terms of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006, a contract for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service can only be awarded when the procurement process has been concluded. Various steps in that process have still to be completed.</p> <p …
23 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be a condition of the tender for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service that the successful company must provide vessels compatible with the Dunoon linkspan.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The tender specification for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service has still to be finalised. It would be therefore be premature to discuss technical requirements or conditions contained within the tender. The tender specification will be publicly available whe…
23 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with HM Revenue and Customs to ascertain that all companies tendering for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service are fully compliant with UK tax obligations.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have had no discussions with HM Revenue and Customs with regard to companies tendering for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service. However, a rigorous consideration of financial capacity and legal/regulatory compliance was carried out in respect of all compan…
23 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies that tendered for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service have been shortlisted.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There are four shortlisted bidders for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service tender.</p>
23 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies expressed an initial interest in tendering for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ten companies expressed an initial interest in tendering for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service.</b></p>
23 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the successful tender for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service will be announced and when the service will begin.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Ministers are currently considering the tender and contract documents for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service. When the documentation is finalised the timetable for the remaining stages of the procurement process will be made clear.</p>
16 Sep 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have taken place regarding full university status for the prospective University of the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Michael Russell: UHI Millennium Institute submitted its application for university title to the Privy Council Office in May 2010. The Scottish Government has sought the advice of the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education on the application and a scrutiny panel i…
7 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35605 by Stewart Stevenson on 1 September 2010, whether under the Railways Act 2005 it is the operator of last resort in the event of the ScotRail franchise being withdrawn or ending without another franchisee being appointed.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Scottish ministers are the relevant franchising authority for the rail passenger services provided under the ScotRail franchise agreement. If that agreement ended without a further franchise agreement having been entered into, Scottish Ministers would be unde…
4 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated total cost is of the Forth Crossing project.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As I announced in the chamber on 10 December 2008, the estimated cost of the Forth Replacement crossing is £1.7 - £2.3 billion (total outturn costs in 2016).</p>
4 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans are in place in the event that the consortium that has been invited to bid for the Forth Crossing contract falls from two to one.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In the event that only one bid was received, then subject to competition having been maintained, it would be considered on whether or not it represented value for money.</p>
4 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who the operator of last resort is for air services that are provided under public service obligations.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There is no operator of last resort for air services provided under public service obligations (PSOs). In the case of any interruption of a PSO air service, a different community air carrier may be selected to operate the service for a period of up to seven …
4 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who the operator of last resort is for rail services.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Section 30 of the Railways Act 1993 as amended makes the relevant franchising authority responsible for securing passenger rail services in the absence of a franchise. Scottish Ministers are the relevant franchising authority for the services provided under t…
4 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who the operator of last resort is for (a) Caledonian MacBrayne and (b) NorthLink ferry services.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There is no operator of last resort in respect of these ferry services.</p>
4 Aug 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether an operator of last resort is identified in the new tendering document for running services on the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route in the event of default or failure in the winning tender
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The tender documents for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry service have not yet been issued. It would therefore be inappropriate at this stage to comment on the content of these documents.</p>
29 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make an early announcement on the future of the pilot Road Equivalent Tariff scheme to ensure that CalMac and local island communities are able to prepare effectively for summer 2011.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We are committed to ensuring that remote and fragile communities have direct links to the wider Scottish economy. We launched the Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) pilot to consider the most effective and sustainable way to improve the affordability of ferry servi…
29 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision on the future of the pilot Road Equivalent Tariff scheme.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35496 on 20 August 2010. 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/Apps2…
2 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to liaise with the Met Office to conduct a weather radar network review with the aim of providing a better service for flood prevention.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: SEPA is in regular dialogue with the Met Office. It has produced a business case for a potential joint flood forecasting service which I am currently considering.</p>
2 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the report, Final Report: Options for the Ferry Services Between Gourock and Dunoon, by the consultants, Deloitte and Touche, was removed from its website; who took the decision to remove it, and whether it will be returned to the website.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This report, which was published in 1998, has not been removed from the Scottish Government website. It is available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc15/fogd-00.asp.</p> <p >It was briefly unavailable for technical reasons due to maintenance work,…
2 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the report, Final Report: Options for the Ferry Services Between Gourock and Dunoon, by the consultants, Deloitte and Touche, which provides an economic analysis of the Gourock-Dunoon ferry service, has been removed from its website.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35079 on 14 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p >http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…
1 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to minimise disruption from reduction in the available carriageway on the Cromarty Bridge during resurfacing work.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The planned works at Cromarty Bridge will be carried out with traffic light control. The queue lengths at the site will be monitored and if necessary, the lights controlled manually at peak times to minimise delays.</p> <p >During the two days of the Black …
1 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when resurfacing work on the Cromarty Bridge will commence and how long it is anticipated that it will take.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A trial refurbishment contract will start on site on 12 July 2010 for 12 weeks, which will include resurfacing the four spans at the south end of Cromarty Bridge. There are currently no works programmed for refurbishment of the remainder of the bridge.</p>
1 Jul 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Moray Council to discuss issues regarding rural affairs.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Ministers have had regular meetings with representatives of Moray Council to discuss a range of issues, including many that touch upon rural matters.</p>