- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 31 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what factors it will consider when reviewing the future of tolls on the Forth and Tay road bridges.
Answer
The Executive made a commitment in our transport white paper,
Scotland’s Transport Future, to carry out a two-phase review of the tolled bridges in Scotland, including the Forth and Tay road bridges. Phase one of the review is nowcomplete and the resulting report is available on the Executive’s website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/enterprise/tobr-00.asp.The phase one report includes the terms of reference for phase two. Phase two willspecifically consider the impact of future tolls on both the Tay and Forth roadbridges looking specifically at congestion, pollution and the environment. A major issue will be how to reduce the significant number of single occupancyvehicles using both bridges.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 31 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage a commuter ferry service from Kirkcaldy to Leith.
Answer
Forth Estuary Transport Authority, City of Edinburgh Council, Fife Council and Forth Ports Authority are considering the findings of a report on the options for a cross-Forth passenger service. No formal approach has been made to the Executive and it is too early to comment on whether it might be able to give any financial support to such a scheme.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will request the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to provide technical advice on appropriate flood prevention measures to people in the Mid Scotland and Fife region who are affected by flooding.
Answer
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) already provides technicaladvice to local authorities in connection with flood prevention. It also providespractical advice to the public on flood risk and what to do before, during and after a flood via the 24 hour Floodline 0845 988 1188. SEPA will also provide information in response to public queries on flood risk areas and properties, and has published a booklet giving details of flood alleviation products. This information is also available via the SEPA website
www.sepa.org.uk.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what practical help it intends to provide to help people in Stirlingshire who have been affected by recent flooding events.
Answer
The Executive recognises the misery and distress flooding can bring and has, therefore, ensured that local authorities have the powers and resources necessary to reduce flood risk and to address flood prevention. It is also local authorities that lead on practical recovery measures, co-ordinating the work of local agencies, local responders being best placed to address and decide upon local priorities.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits it expects the roadworks provisions in the Transport (Scotland) Bill to bring; how these benefits will be measured, and how it will demonstrate the effectiveness of these provisions.
Answer
The road works provisions of the Transport (Scotland) Bill are intended to improve the planning, co-ordination and execution of utility company road works in Scotland. The Scottish Road Works Commissioner will monitor the effectiveness of the new arrangements and the Executive will continue to liaise closely with the Roads Authorities and Utilities Committee Scotland (RAUC(S)) on all related matters.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of the costs for utilities of the roadworks provisions in the Transport (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
There should be no additional cost to utility companies if they work within the legislative framework.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the impact of the roadworks provisions in the Transport (Scotland) Bill on urban regeneration.
Answer
The provisions within the Transport (Scotland) Bill are intended to improve the quality and co-ordination of utilities road works. There will be no direct impact on urban regeneration.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the Transport (Scotland) Bill will be on utilities' infrastructure investment programmes, including water and gas mains replacement and renewal and upgrading of electricity cables.
Answer
Provisions in the Transport (Scotland) Bill should benefit utility companies’ investment programmes by improving the planning and co-ordination of road works.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 28 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made in respect of any impact on fuel poverty of costs incurred by utility companies under the Transport (Scotland) Bill being passed on to the consumer.
Answer
There should be no additional costs incurred by utility companies operating within the provisions of the Transport (Scotland) Bill and therefore there should be no impact on fuel poverty.
- Asked by: Bruce Crawford, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 January 2005
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 27 January 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people it estimates have been diagnosed with asthma in each year since 1999.
Answer
The table below gives estimates of the number of patients newly diagnosed with asthma by GPs in the five years from 1999 to 2003, the last year for which figures are available. These are derived from information collected under NHS National Services Information and Statistics Division’s Continuous Morbidity Recording system and are based on the activity of sample GP practices.
| Year | Estimated Number of Patients |
| 1999 | 36,500 |
| 2000 | 34,600 |
| 2001 | 29,000 |
| 2002 | 29,700 |
| 2003 | 26,600 |
