- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 11 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the sanctions that have been applied for breaches of its franchise agreement with First ScotRail.
Answer
A breach is not a defined term in the franchise agreement. Event of Default and Termination Event are defined terms. There have been no Events of Default and no Termination Event since the commencement of the current franchise in 2004.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 11 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive how many onboard train staff, excluding drivers, are employed by First ScotRail.
Answer
It is First ScotRail''s responsibility to ensure the necessary resources are in place to meet its franchise obligations. First ScotRail advises that as at 17 February 2010, it employed 1,070 such staff.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 11 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with First ScotRail regarding reimbursing or ameliorating any losses incurred by First ScotRail in the event of industrial action in relation to the current dispute between the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and First ScotRail.
Answer
The arrangements put in place during the previous administration and signed by the SRA and by SPT remain unchanged. This has been confirmed to First ScotRail.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2010
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 11 March 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will formally seek the views of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) regarding reimbursing or ameliorating any losses incurred by First ScotRail in the event of industrial action in relation to the current dispute between it and the RMT.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31631 on 11 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has made an assessment of the economic benefits of retaining direct London to Glasgow rail services on the east coast main line.
Answer
Transport Scotland modelling suggests that the removal of services between Glasgow Central and destinations on the East Coast Main Line could generate reductions in the economic welfare of passengers equivalent to approximately £300 million. This value is measured in discounted 2002 prices over a 60-year appraisal period, as is standard in transport appraisal. These welfare disbenefits, measured primarily in terms of increases in time spent travelling, accrue across key passenger flows on the East Coast Main Line between Glasgow and London.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has made an assessment of potential benefits in addressing social exclusion by retaining direct London to Glasgow rail services on the east coast main line.
Answer
While no social impact assessments have been carried out the economic analysis shows that key passenger flows across the East Coast Main Line would be affected. This reflects the concerns of many people who have written to Scottish Ministers requesting that the East Coast service continues, with particular regard to services calling at Motherwell.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has made representations to the Department for Transport in favour of the continuation of direct London to Glasgow rail services on the east coast main line.
Answer
Scottish Ministers have made strong representations to Lord Adonis, Secretary of State for Transport, emphasising that we will not accept an overall diminution of services or compromise on journey times for cross border services.
The Scottish Government wishes to continue to see East Coast services running between Glasgow and London Kings Cross. Cross border rail links make a key contribution to Scotland''s economic prosperity.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has a role in determining whether direct London to Glasgow rail services will continue on the east coast main line.
Answer
Scottish Ministers have a legal right to provide non-binding advice to DfT in respect of cross border passenger services.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland has made an assessment of the environmental benefits of retaining direct London to Glasgow rail services on the east coast main line.
Answer
No. However, we are committed to modal shift from road/air to rail and the environmental benefits that it brings, thereby helping to achieve our 42% cut in emissions as set out in our world leading Climate Change (Scotland) Act. We therefore wish to see maximum rail travel opportunities between Scotland and English cities, including London.
- Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 December 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 13 January 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the impact on the perception of the independence of the Lanarkshire Valuation Appeal Committee of the fact that the council tax banding appeals process takes place in the assessor’s office at Cadzow Street in Hamilton.
Answer
In its recent report on Valuation Appeal Committees in Scotland, the Scottish Committee of the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council recommends, among other things, that Valuation Appeal Committees use venues which are independent of local authorities. The Scottish Government endorses this recommendation.
