Alison McInnes

4 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it will make to the delivery of regional transport strategies.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The seven Regional Transport Partnerships received revenue funding amounting to £5.3 million in 2007-08 to assist with the delivery of their strategies. All capital funding was incorporated into the local government settlement for the period 2008-11.</p>

4 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had in the revision of regional transport strategies since their original submission to the Scottish Government.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In January the Scottish Government requested that strategies be revised to become strategic, high-level documents that focused on the transport strategies necessary to support the Government’s key objectives and the single outcome agreements of the constituen…

4 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when all regional transport strategies will be given final approval.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Three of the seven strategies have been given final approval by the Scottish Ministers and approval of the remaining four is expected soon.</p>

24 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans it has to assist the (a) police, (b) ambulance, (c) fire and (d) coastguard services with fuel provision in the light of high fuel prices.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Budget setting is an operational matter for the respective services. We work with the police, fire and the ambulance service on an on-going basis to ensure that the highest standards of service delivery are maintained.</p> <p >Fuel costs are estimated to acc…

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of the national concessionary travel scheme will examine ways to increase the uptake of the young persons’ concessionary fares scheme.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No. The review will concentrate on the scheme for older and disabled people.</p>

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth’s evidence to the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee on 4 December 2007, why it has chosen to redeploy funding for the young persons’ concessionary fares scheme elsewhere (Official Report c. 319).

Answer · John Swinney: The Young Persons Concessionary Fares Scheme continues to receive sufficient funding to meet all marketing costs and reimbursement payments to participating bus, rail and ferry operators.</p>

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs of marketing the young persons’ concessionary fares scheme (a) were in 2007-08 and (b) will be in 2008-09.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The cost of marketing the young persons’ concessionary fares scheme was £0.5 million in 2007-08. Marketing costs in 2008-09 will depend on the extent to which we are satisfied with the level of uptake and awareness of the scheme during the year – this is curr…

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a ministerial statement to the Parliament on planned government investment in Scotland's national transport network from 2012 to 2122.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the question S3W-14241, answered on 2 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions can be found on the Parliament’s web site, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk…

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the findings and recommendations of the strategic transport projects review will be made publicly available.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14241 on 2 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk…

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when ministers will make a decision on the results of the strategic transport projects review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14241 on 2 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk…

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the findings and recommendations of the strategic transport projects review will be reported to ministers.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14241 on 2 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk…

19 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the projects being considered as part of its strategic transport projects review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The projects that have been considered as potential interventions will be detailed in the Appendices to the Strategic Transport Projects Review reports which will be published later this year.</p>

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it expects the Parliament will have in considering responses to the consultation on the second National Planning Framework. 

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We will lay the proposed National Planning Framework before Parliament for consideration. Reponses to the discussion draft of the National Planning Framework are being published on the Scottish Government website and will therefore be available to inform parl…

4 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to bring forward a parliamentary debate on the second National Planning Framework.

Answer · John Swinney: We intend to lay the proposed National Planning Framework before Parliament after the summer recess, following which there will be a 60 day period for parliamentary consideration.</p>

2 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to assist local authorities facing substantially increased running costs for ferry and bus services as a result of rising fuel prices.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is for individual local authorities to consider how best they can address the funding pressures generated by rising fuel prices across the full range of their services, including the increased costs of providing particular transport services.</p> <p >Unde…

2 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of rising fuel prices on local authorities.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on expenditure by local authorities on fuel is not held centrally. Under the arrangements set out in the concordat, the Scottish Government is in regular contact with COSLA on a range of issues affecting local authorities.</p>

2 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that community transport organisations continue to be able to deliver essential services to disadvantagedor isolated people who rely on such services.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: From 1 April 2008, funding for community transport services has been included in the block local government finance settlement. It is, therefore, for local authorities to decide community transport requirements in their areas and allocate funding accordingly.…

2 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is giving to community transport organisations that are losing volunteer drivers as a result of increasing fuel costs.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Responsibility for community transport passed to local authorities on 1 April 2008 as part of the local government finance settlement. It is for local authorities to decide whether they assist community transport organisations in their area and to what extent…

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will introduce to ensure that hauliers who used the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link do not have to revert to using road transport.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13693 on 9 June 2008. 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/webapp/wa…

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any operators have expressed an interest in taking on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link and, if so, which operators.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executive is actively pursuing viable options to secure continuity of a commercially operated ferry service.</p>

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to support holiday makers who will no longer be able to use the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13695 on 9 June 2008. 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/webapp/wa…

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to support hauliers who will no longer be able to use the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government recognises the potential impact on road hauliers currently using the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link. For that reason we are actively pursuing, with Forth Ports, an alternative operator for the commercially operated ferry service.</p>

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) cars and (b) lorries used the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link in each month of 2007.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13691 on 9 June 2008. 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/webapp/wa…

29 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) cars and (b) lorries used the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This is a matter for Forth Ports. The information requested is not held centrally. However, Department for Transport do publish maritime statistics which include unitised traffic and accompanied passenger vehicles. This information is on their website at: </p…

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to develop the remit and operations of Cycling Scotland.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Cycling Scotland (CS) will undertake a best value review over the summer to assess its impact to date on promoting cycling and active travel and to ascertain the level of demand for its services. The review will also include an assessment of the landscape tha…

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the success of the school travel co-ordinator scheme.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: There has been no formal assessment made of the school travel co-ordinator grant scheme. Since 2003, the Scottish Government has provided ring-fenced funding to local authorities for school travel co-ordinator posts. This funding has now been rolled up into t…

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to Cycling Scotland in each of the last three years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Cycling Scotland has been allocated funding in each of the last three years as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center >2005-06</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=center…

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to its Sustainable Transport Unit in each year of the spending review period, broken down by funding stream, and showing what proportion will be spent on (a) cycling and (b) walking, broken down by project.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As published in the budget document, the Sustainable and Active Travel budget line of £11 million per year over the course of the spending review will be administered by the Sustainable Transport Team. Currently 60% of the total budget available will be spent…

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of its transport budget is spent on cycling initiatives and projects.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In 2008-09, an estimated 1% of the Scottish Executive''s transport budget as published in the Budget Bill 2008-09, will be spent on cycling projects. However, it is difficult to measure this figure exactly as cycling infrastructure forms an integral part of m…

15 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to achieve its national target to increase the proportion of journeys to work made by public or active transport and how it is assisting local authorities to achieve this objective.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We are investing in public transport, travel information, cycling and walking infrastructure and Smart Measures:</p> <p >improving rail services and service times between our major cities including faster and additional services from Edinburgh to Glasgow;</…