Chamber and committees

There were 66.1 million rail passenger journeys originating in Scotland, and 449 million passenger journeys (boardings) on local bus services in Scotland, in 2003-04.

The equivalent figures for earlier years appear in table 8.1 (rail) and table 2.2 (bus) of Scottish Transport Statistics no. 23, 2004 edition, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33706).

The information requested is not held centrally.

Based on the current proposals, the estimated cost of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link is £140 million. Strathclyde Passenger Transport’s consultation gives two options for the St James Spur: building the line either on a viaduct or an embankment. A comparative cost estimate has been made between the two, giving indicative costs of £11,000 and £9,500 per linear metre respectively. For robustness, the estimated total figure of £140 million assumes that the viaduct - the more expensive option - will be implemented. However, no decision has been made about the preferred spur option at this stage, reflecting on-going public consultation and consideration of a number of issues, such as severance of playing fields and the visual impact of the scheme.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-13619 on 18 January 2005. 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/wa.search.

Yes.

The Executive has regular discussions with the UK Government on a wide range of issues. The requirements for 3G coverage were set in the conditions of the licences auctioned in April 2000 and now administered by the UK-wide regulator, OFCOM. Each 3G operator must be capable of offering a service to cover 80% of the UK population by the end of 2007. Provision beyond this figure is a commercial decision for operators.

The Executive has been and continues to be in regular discussion with the UK Government regarding the proposed new gambling legislation and the implications for Scotland.

The Scottish Parliament has now agreed that the relevant provisions in the Gambling Bill which confer powers on Scottish ministers, including the power to set fees and make regulations on the conditions to be attached to gambling premises’ licensing and permits, should be considered by the UK Parliament.

The level of fuel tax is a reserved matter. The Executive has regular discussions with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including fuel duty. Scottish ministers will continue to ensure that Scotland’s interests are placed firmly on the agenda in Whitehall on tax, as on other matters, through direct contact with Treasury Ministers.

The Executive fully supports the development of the new sports centre for Grantown-on-Spey and is delighted that the project has been awarded funding of £300,000 from sportscotland’s lottery-funded Building for Sport programme.

Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to ensure adequate provision of sport and leisure facilities for their residents. As in the case of the sports centre in Grantown-on-Spey, funding may be available from sportscotland through the Building for Sport programme. Applications are assessed by sportscotland against set criteria for the programme and ministers have no role to play in considering individual applications.

With regard to access for children to sports centres, many local authorities already have strategies in place to encourage increased access. However, this is an issue which has been identified as important in achieving targets 1 and 2 of Sport 21. The strategy to deliver these targets is seeking to create or amend existing discount schemes and also consider the provision of transport subsidies to ensure that potential barriers are removed which restricts access to sports facilities and participation in sports programmes.

It is for The Highland Council to decide on the priorities for the provision of new schools in their area, within the resources available to them. These resources include the financial support we have offered the council for a schools PPP project with a capital value of around £100 million; direct capital grant in the form of a Schools Fund allocation of £4.332 million in 2005-06 rising to £4.751 million by 2007-08, and the substantial resources which the Council can generate within the level they can afford, principally through borrowing, under the prudential framework.