Parliamentary questions
Neil Bibby
1,029 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many statutory quality (a) partnerships and (b) contracts have been introduced.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is aware of five statutory quality partnerships across Scotland. To date no quality contracts have been introduced.
15 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how statutory quality (a) partnerships and (b) contracts for bus services are (i) monitored and (ii) audited.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The monitoring of statutory quality partnerships (SQP) and quality contracts are completed by the local transport authority. Once an SQP scheme becomes operational, monitoring becomes an essential component. It is a requirement of SQP legislation to undertake…
15 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the town centre investment zones that have been established under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.
Answer · Derek Mackay: As pledged in our Town Centre Action Plan, we created powers for local authorities to establish a Town Centre Investment Zone using discretionary rates relief to encourage local business. The discretionary rates relief power was established by the Community E…
15 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have exercised their powers to apply discretionary rates relief under the terms of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.
Answer · Derek Mackay: This information will be collated at a local authority level as part of regular monitoring arrangements and will be available in due course. The Scottish Government understands that Perth and Kinross Council has decided to make use of this power in respect o…
14 Sep 2016 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve performance on Scotland's railways.
13 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when Network Rail’s work on modernisation of the Perth to Inverness Highland mainline and the Aberdeen to Inverness line will be completed, how much this will cost, and whether it will be completed on time and on budget.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: On 5 July 2016 I announced Network Rail had informed Transport Scotland that the delivery of certain major rail projects were at significant risk of not meeting the previously committed delivery milestones and were increasing in costs. At my instruction, Tr…
13 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the Minister for Transport and the Islands was made aware by Network Rail of delays in the electrification works on the Edinburgh-Falkirk High-Glasgow Queen Street rail line.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: On 24 May 2016 officials made me aware that Network Rail had advised that they were unlikely to deliver the electrification of the Edinburgh-Falkirk High-Glasgow Queen Street line by December 2016, as confirmed in the Office of Road and Rail's Network Rail Mo…
13 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the revised cost estimates of the electrification of the Edinburgh-Falkirk High-Glasgow Queen Street rail line.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The cost estimate for the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) is part of the independent review on major rail projects. That review is expected to conclude later this month following which a revised EGIP cost estimate will be provided to the Rural …
13 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the electrification works on the Edinburgh-Falkirk High-Glasgow Queen Street rail line will be completed.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: In my statement on the delivery of rail projects in Scotland on 5 July 2016, and reiterated in my answer to the recent Topical Question S5T-00043 on 6 September 2016 found at, http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10498&i=96642&c=192…
9 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01679 by Humza Yousaf on 22 August 2016, whether it will list the (a) occasions and (b) amounts on which Abellio ScotRail’s performance within each service schedule of the SQUIRE Regime has been at a level that resulted in a financial penalty, since…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The report is attached to SPICe - BIB number 58193 The report highlights every service schedule which resulted in a penalty for being below the benchmark. It must be underlined there is a tolerance level between the ceiling level and benchmarks before record…
9 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the SQUIRE audit of Abellio ScotRail’s performance in the first quarter of 2016-17.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The SQUIRE audits has shown the ScotRail has performed well in several areas over the first quarter of 2016-17. Where performance has fallen below floor level Transport Scotland have requested formal Remedial Action Plans from ScotRail which are intended to i…
9 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the (a) stations and (b) routes that brought Abellio ScotRail below the performance benchmark in SQUIRE Service Schedule (i) 2 (station shelters and waiting areas) (ii) 5 (station CCTV) and security), (iii) 7 (station litter and contamination), (iv) 12 (station toile…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The supporting documentation is contained within SPICE BIB number 58192 The reports provide details of every fault recorded during the first Quarter of 2016/17 for Service Schedules, the sub-component fail, the station audited and a brief description of the …
9 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the (a) vehicles and (b) routes that brought Abellio ScotRail below the performance benchmark in SQUIRE Service Schedule (i) 19 (train seats, tables, racks and other passenger facilities), (ii) 20 (train lighting), (iii) 21 (train toilets), (iv) 22 (train graffiti), …
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Supporting documentation is contained within SPICe - BIB number 58191 The reports provide details of every fault recorded during the first Quarter of 2016-17 for Service Schedules, the sub component fail, the train audited and a brief description of the act…
9 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01687 by Humza Yousaf on 23 August 2016, when it expects Abellio ScotRail and Transport Scotland to reach agreement on more detailed reporting and monitoring of the contractual obligation to maintain a minimum staffing level for every train service …
Answer · Humza Yousaf: ScotRail will be providing details of its resource plans to provide evidence that all services are scheduled to be fully staffed; where any service is not covered, a summary of their plans to reduce instances of those services operating without a second staff…
5 Sep 2016 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the cost of the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme.
31 Aug 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what Scotland's deficit is, both as a percentage of GDP and in cash terms, according to the latest GERS figures.
26 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it defines pre-meditated fraud on Scotland’s railways.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Pre-meditated fraud in Scotland’s railways is defined by the Regulation of Railways Act 1889 (Section 5.3(a)), and Railway byelaws. I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02167 on 20 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions a…
26 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many train stations (a) are unstaffed and (b) do not have a ticket machine.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The total number of ScotRail stations is 354 of which 214 are unstaffed. 149 of the 214 unstaffed stations do not have a ticket vending machine. In total 185 of 354 ScotRail operated stations do not yet have ticket vending Machines. There are also ticket ven…
26 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether someone boarding a train with the intention of buying a ticket onboard can be fined for pre-meditated fraud.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Under the National Rail Conditions of carriage customers who board at a station without ticket buying facilities will access the full range of fares inclusive of discounted tickets. Boarding a train where ticket buying options are in place and operational, cu…
26 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many passengers have been fined for pre-meditated fraud on the railways in each month since fines were introduced.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The current franchise agreement does not allow the franchisee to introduce penalty fares on either the ScotRail or Caledonian Sleeper franchises. I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02167 on 20 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentar…
26 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether someone boarding a train at (a) an unstaffed station or (b) a station without a ticket machine can be fined for pre-meditated fraud.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: This is not pre-meditated fraud and would not be treated as such by ScotRail. Where there are no ticket issuing facilities at the station, tickets will be available for sale during or at the end of the journey. This is in accordance with the National Rail Con…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the implementation of the national walking strategy.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The National Walking Strategy Action Plan was launched on 3 March 2016, along with a website (www.stepchangescot.scot) and supporting infographic. This action plan is a high level plan that has been developed to assist in the delivery of National Walking Stra…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with its plans to extend cycling training (bikeability) schemes.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Cycling Scotland manages the national Bikeability Scotland cycle training programme on behalf of the Scottish Government, funded through Transport Scotland and the Directorate for Learning. The following table contains the latest data available and outlines p…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the integration between active and public transport.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Interconnectivity of rail passenger services with other transport modes, including active travel, is key to encouraging people to travel by train. ScotRail are progressing with their ambitious programme to deliver an additional 3,500 cycle spaces across the n…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the electrification of the rail service between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Falkirk will be completed on time and on budget.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: On 5 July 2016 I announced that Network Rail had informed Transport Scotland that the Edinburgh Glasgow via Falkirk High line will not be ready for the introduction of electric services until July 2017, seven months later than scheduled but still in advance o…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland and, if so, when this will be carried out.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Cycling Action Plan for Scotland is currently being reviewed by Transport Scotland following receipt of Cycling Scotland's progress report on the 2013 Cycling Action Plan. An updated plan will be published by the end of 2016.
19 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) market share and (b) profitability of operators providing local bus services.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government uses information collated by industry sources on market share and profitability to inform policy development in the Scottish bus sector.
19 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the market for bus services is fair to small operators.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government maintains on-going contact with smaller operators and has just recently completed a series of meetings with both local authorities and smaller operators to discuss the operation of the bus sector. The Scotland Act 2016 now enables the …
19 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government in what circumstances local bus services could be transferred to community control under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 provides new rights for community bodies to participate in the design and delivery of public services and to request the transfer of public sector land and buildings. It does not provide a mechanism to transfer lo…
19 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many bus companies are currently operating and, of these, how many it considers to be SMEs.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: In 2015-16 Transport Scotland received Bus Service Operators Grant claims relating to 165 individual commercial transport operator licences, 142 of which relate to bus companies which are considered to be SMEs.