Parliamentary questions
Alison McInnes
1,004 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will maintain core and project funding for Cycling Scotland beyond 2008-09.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Following agreement with Cycling Scotland, funding beyond 2008-09 will be on a project basis with a core element used for running costs.</p>
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will maintain capital funding for Sustrans beyond 2008-09.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I do expect that Sustrans shall receive some capital funding beyond 2008-09. As I have previously stated in the answer to question S3W-11802 on 30 April 2008, further years'' allocations will be based on the outcomes of this year''s projects.</p> <p >All ans…
15 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations and bodies funded in whole or in part by it have received one year funding allocations for 2008-09 only.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government provides financial support to many organisations and bodies and funding arrangements are discussed and agreed with each of them. This includes support for a number of third sector organisations, where some funding is competitive in nat…
14 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to support Aberdeen Prison Visiting Committee’s efforts to establish a new community prison in Aberdeen.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >Options for the development of a new prison to serve north east Scotland are under consideration. The Scottish Government has announced th…
14 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what public consultation it will hold on the choice of site for the new prison to replace HM Prison Peterhead.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >HM Prison Grampian, which will replace HM Prison Aberdeen and HM Prison Peterhead, will be located in the Peterhead area. Planning permiss…
14 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what site has been selected for the new prison to replace HM Prison Peterhead.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >Full details of the proposed prison development programme and sources of funding are available in the Scottish Government''s Infrastructur…
14 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when work on a new prison to replace HM Prison Peterhead will be commissioned.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >Full details of the proposed prison development programme and sources of funding are available in the Scottish Government''s Infrastructur…
14 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it held on the proposal to disband the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland with (a) the committee itself and (b) other disability groups.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A wide-ranging consultation seeking views from organisations representing disability and mobility interests about incorporating the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) into the Public Transport Users'' Committee for Scotland (PTUC) was carried o…
14 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a disability impact assessment was carried out on the proposal to disband the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland and whether any such assessment is publicly available.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The decision to move to full incorporation of MACS and the PTUC was taken following a wide-ranging consultation carried out between December 2005 and March 2006. The requirement to undertake an equality impact assessment in relation to disability came into ef…
7 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the reintroduction of an immunisation programme for tuberculosis.
Answer · Shona Robison: Although the school-based immunisation programme for tuberculosis (TB) was discontinued in 2005 a targeted risk-based vaccination programme for TB does still operate in Scotland. This change was introduced on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination a…
7 May 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure the take-up of the vaccination against tuberculosis by those considered to be at high risk.
Answer · Shona Robison: The targeted vaccination programme operating offering vaccination to those at the highest risk of tuberculosis (TB) was instituted on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation in response to the changing nature of the epidemiology of T…
17 Apr 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it chose to extend the First Scotrail franchise three years before the end of the term.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This was the best time to extend the franchise, allowing government to secure maximum benefits to the public and rail passengers throughout Scotland.</p>
15 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual distribution of income from business rates has been in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is set out in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap valign=top > <p > </p> </td> <td nowrap valign=bottom > <p align=center >2005-06</p> <p alig…
15 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much revenue has been collected through business rates in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is set out in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap valign=top > <p > </p> </td> <td nowrap valign=top > <p align=center >2005-06</p> <p align=c…
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what grant allocations will be made to Sustrans for the period 2008 to 2011.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Grant allocations for year one of the spending review have been agreed with stakeholder organisations and in 2008-09 Sustrans Scotland will receive £5,015,000. The further two years'' allocation will be based on the outcomes of this years projects.</p>
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage people to cycle (a) to work, (b) to school and (c) for all other journeys.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is supporting a range of initiatives to encourage people to cycle to work, school and for other journeys. In the past two years, £32 million per year has been available for active travel projects including extending the National Cycle …
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what national targets are in place for cycling (a) to work, (b) to school and (c) in respect of all journeys.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In 1996, the UK''s National Cycling Strategy target was to quadruple the average number of cycle journeys made by bicycle per person per year from eight journeys to 32 journeys by 2012. The latest figures from the Scottish National Travel Survey show that thi…
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities subsidise the cost to young drivers of the Pass Plus training scheme.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not collect this information.</p>
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it is supplying to Cycling Scotland over the spending review period.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Grant allocations for year one only of the spending review have been agreed with stakeholder organisations and in 2008-09 Cycling Scotland will receive £1,540,000. The further two years'' allocation will be based on the outcomes of this years'' projects.</p>
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it is supplying over the spending review period for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents road safety activities in Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The level of grant is dependent on an annual work programme submitted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and agreed with the Government. On this basis, the grant offered for 2008-09 is £110,491.</p>
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is encouraging more 20 mph zones in residential areas.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Between 2003 and 2008 the Scottish Government made available to local authorities resources totalling £49.9 million for the introduction of 20mph schemes around schools, many of which are in residential areas, and related safety projects.</p> <p >The Scottis…
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many home zones there are.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has received one Home Zones Designation Order from The Inverclyde Council.</p>
14 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many 20 mph speed limit zones are in place outside Scottish schools.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Information provided by local authorities indicates that, as at 30 June 2007, 20mph speed limits were in place outside 2,132 schools in Scotland, which represents around 80% of schools.</p> <p >A current exercise is seeking to establish the position as at 31…
20 Mar 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commit to funding a new railway station at Kintore as a first step to improving commuter rail services in the north east.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Our high level output specification (HLOS) sets out the Scottish ministers'' aspiration to improve the Aberdeen to Inverness Line between 2009 and 2014. In the context of that development, we will look carefully at the business case for a new station at Kinto…
13 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Cabinet has discussed the issue of drink-driving and when such discussions took place.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information relating to the proceedings of the Scottish Cabinet is considered exempt from disclosure under sections 29 (a) and (b) and 30(a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.</p>
13 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations it has met in relation to attempts to secure a reduction in the blood alcohol level permitted when driving.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I met representatives of the British Medical Association (Scotland) (BMA) at Holyrood on 4 December 2007 as part of the BMA campaign to reduce the drink driving limit.</p> <p >In December 2007, I exchanged correspondence with representatives of the BMA, the…
13 Mar 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government on reducing the blood alcohol level permitted when driving.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: On 19 July 2007, I had meetings with Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State at the Home Office. and the Home Secretary to discuss a number of issues including drink driving.</p> <p >On 12 March 2008, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly M…
29 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce primary legislation to allow Scottish ministers the opportunity to extend the provision and type of energy performance certificates, as recommended in A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:</p> <p >A consultation paper is currently being drafted on proposals for reducing the carbon emissions associated with existing …
29 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the 2010 revised building standards.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:</p> <p >It is intended that the next revisions proposed for building regulations will be indicated to industry later this year.<…
29 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to set up a working group to look at reducing carbon emissions in existing domestic buildings, as recommended in A Low Carbon Building Standards Strategy for Scotland.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I have asked Dr. Paul Stollard, Chief Executive of the Scottish Building Standards Agency, to answer. His response is as follows:</p> <p >A review of the energy standards in Scottish building regulations has recently commenced. A Building Standards Advisory …