Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not hold detailed information on bus service operations centrally including those between Coatbridge and Glasgow. We expect bus services to run to their registered timetables, albeit that we are well aware of the severe weather experienced during part of this period. Specific concerns about services should be referred to the Traffic Commissioner at The Stamp Office, 10 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EG.

A total of 136 officers were deployed on these roads during this period.

A unit within Strathclyde Police was established on the morning of 6 December 2010 to help co-ordinate road policing resources.  In the region of 40 road policing officers were deployed during each of the early and late shifts.

Central Scotland Police dealt with situations on both the M876 and M80 where they had officers working between both locations. In total they had 16 officers assisted by four officers from the Scottish Police College.

Lothian and Borders Police deployed 36 police officers to the M8 on the evening of 6 December 2010. These figures represent the resources from both back shift and night shift personnel provided by both road policing and beat officers, the majority of whom were deployed at the various junctions on the M8 within the force area. These junctions were staffed as part of the operation that evening to direct the majority of vehicles off the motorway by the nearest junction and then onto other routes in order to continue their journey.

A total of 44 vehicles were used in this period.

A unit within Strathclyde Police was established on the morning of 6 December 2010 to help co-ordinate road policing resources.  A total of 16 4x4 vehicles were used as part of this.

Within Central Scotland Police area the M80 was closed at a point north of Castlecarry.  In total they had eight vehicles assisted by two vehicles from the Scottish Police College.

In Lothian and Borders Police area the M8 westbound was closed from Junction 1 (Hermiston Gate) to Harthill Services.  Eighteen police vehicles were used by this force.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government does not issue such guidance on or in respect of specific days. Decisions on the opening or closure of schools are best judged and taken locally in light of locally prevailing or forecast conditions.

The armed forces have made a valuable contribution to Scotland''s winter resilience, assisting a number of Scottish communities during the recent period of severe weather. Whilst the Scottish Government assisted responder organisations by providing them with guidance on the process to be followed in making a request for military assistance, requests were not made by the Scottish Government and the assistance itself was approved by the UK Government. Therefore, the information sought is not held by the Scottish Government and is a matter for the UK Government.

The Scottish Government has not issued guidelines on matters which are best judged and decided locally. In a letter of 2 December 2010 to Directors of Education, I drew local authorities'' attention to areas of good practice regarding such decisions. A copy of the letter is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 52270).

It is for schools and/or authorities to decide on the opening or closure of schools, in consideration of the health and safety of staff and pupils, in light of locally prevailing or forecast conditions.

The passenger charter punctuality measure for the Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street route is trains arriving within 10 minutes of the timetabled arrival. For the year to March 2010 95.8% of trains arrived on time or within 10 minutes and for the nine rail periods from April 2010 to mid December 2010 94.9% arrived on time or within 10 minutes.