- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 14 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will state how many accidents involving serious injury or fatalities have occurred between Fenwick and Malletsheugh on the A77 for each of the last three years.
Answer
An analysis of the available accident statistics for the 3 full years 1996-1998 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh on the A77 trunk road shows the following number of fatal and serious accidents:-
| | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
Fatal | 5 | 0 | 2 |
Serious | 6 | 5 | 9 |
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Henry McLeish on 14 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of the number of companies in Scotland which have taken on young people in Scotland for each of the past two years under the Skillseekers programme; and what percentage of trading businesses in Scotland this figure represents.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, which are responsible for delivery of the Skillseekers programme, have been asked to provide details of the number of employers involved in the programme. This information will take some time to collate. I shall write to the hon Member as soon as possible.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 12 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make a statement on its role in the New Deal for Communities.
Answer
In Scotland a different but no less innovative approach to community regeneration has been adopted to that being pursued in England. Our approach reflects particular Scottish needs and circumstances. It is guided by the principle, which has been established in Scotland for a number of years, that regeneration is best achieved through broadly based partnerships in which the local community plays a full role.
Resources dedicated to regenerating communities in Scotland over this and the next two years include:- £137 million for 47 Social Inclusion Partnerships to tackle disadvantage and exclusion in deprived communities and amongst excluded groups.
£10 million for the Working for Communities programme, providing additional support for new ways of giving local people more influence over the delivery of local services;£3 million for the Listening to Communities programme, sharing best practice on involving the community in regeneration and providing training to support community participation.£26 million for New Community Schools, which is a radical initiative in Scotland to modernise schools, raise attainment and promote social inclusion, the focus of which is on the pupil and his or her family - addressing needs in the round.This investment should be seen in the context of our wider commitment that tackling social exclusion will be a priority of all Ministers in the Scottish Executive.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 12 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to undertake a study into the impact on road traffic on the A77 and B764 roads of the proposed extraction of timber from Whitelee Forest near Fenwick in Ayrshire.
Answer
We have no plans to undertake such a study. However, the Forestry Commission is looking at possible alternative routes for lorries taking timber from Whitelee Forest, starting next year. The Commission is carefully considering all aspects, including the impact of timber traffic on existing roads and its effect on any communities alongside the roads, and it is also discussing the options with the local authority.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 12 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to request the Raptor Working Group to consider proposing measures to protect racing pigeons.
Answer
The Interaction between birds of prey and pigeons is already one of the issues which the Raptor Working Group is considering.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Frank McAveety on 9 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider responding to the withdrawal of entitlement to benefits during the summer from low paid workers in schools and colleges by making arrangements for holiday payments to affected workers within its areas of responsibility.
Answer
As independent corporate bodies it is for individual local authorities and further education colleges to determine the pay and conditions of employment of their employees and the Scottish Executive has no locus to intervene. Their eligibility for benefit is a reserved matter and is the responsibility of the Department of Social Security which, I understand, is aware of the situation.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 8 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to give a commitment that when it provides a holding reply to a written question within 14 days of it being lodged, the reason for this will be provided together with a timescale for reply.
Answer
No, but on each occasion every effort will be made to provide the requested information as soon as possible.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 8 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to facilitate greater use of public transport by people who suffer from visual impairment.
Answer
We are working with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and transport operators to devise a scheme which will provide blind people with free concessionary travel on bus and rail services throughout Scotland. I am hopeful that such a scheme can be introduced on 1 December this year. The Scottish Executive also encourages local authorities to take into account, in developing future plans for roads and transport infrastructure, the guidelines issued to councils in January this year titled 'Guidance on the use of Tactile Paving Surfaces'.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 May 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jack McConnell on 7 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for providing its publications in an accessible format for people with sight impairments and other disabilities.
Answer
The Scottish Office has produced key documents in a number of formats including Braille, large print, audio and sign language video formats. It is expected that this practice will continue under the Scottish Executive. We will also be taking into account the commitments required to meet the needs of disabled people contained in the Disability Discrimination Act.
- Asked by: Alex Neil, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 7 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish details of the status of its evaluation of the proposed new Glasgow South orbital road.
Answer
As the proposed Glasgow Southern Orbital road (GSO) needs a safe and reliable link with the existing A77 trunk road, or with any upgraded M77/A77 which might replace it, implementation of the GSO proposals is linked to decisions on the A77. A proposed upgrading to motorway of the A77 is one of the major road improvement schemes included in the Strategic Roads Review. As I indicated on 24 June, we expect to report to Parliament on the Review after the summer recess.
