- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted Scottish Forestry before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.
Answer
As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with Scottish Forestry.
Consultation does not focus on specific route option choices, but helps inform the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges route assessment options process and consequent selection of route options by identifying environmental sensitivities and potential environmental impacts across the scheme, and informs how these impacts could be reduced through design development and mitigation.
Transport Scotland has not received any feedback from Scottish Forestry on the decision to deselect an online dualling option of the existing A96 through Inverurie.
As part of its programme of regular engagement with local communities and other stakeholders Transport Scotland will continue to consult with Scottish Forestry as the project progresses.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what the economic impact has been of the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm, and what impact it has had on employment.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not undertaken an economic impact analysis on the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm. However, the operator SSE has done so and their analysis is available at: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/22cf9a_f92d869d19c14f86b7aceb4dc304da2a.pdf
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been per megawatt of energy to operate the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The strike price for Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm is available on the Low Carbon Contracts Company website at: https://www.lowcarboncontracts.uk/cfds/beatrice-phase-1
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions (a) it has and (b) its agencies have had with the operator regarding compliance with the Fair Work Convention by supply chain companies contracted to work on the Moray East Offshore Wind Farm.
Answer
The Scottish Government supports the Convention’s vision for Scotland to be a fair work nation by 2025. The Framework underpins our Fair Work Action Plan and provides guidance for employers to promote and support fair work practices.
The Scottish Government’s best practice guidance for public bodies and suppliers on how to address fair work through a public procurement process applies to the delivery of public contracts. Private operations such as offshore wind farms are not within the scope of this guidance. However, the Scottish Government fervently promotes and encourages fair work practices, but has no power to mandate these whilst employment law continues to be reserved to UK Ministers under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998. We would welcome the Member’s support and that of his Party for devolution of employment law to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Ministers.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted Historic Environment Scotland before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.
Answer
As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with statutory bodies including Historic Environment Scotland.
Consultation does not focus on specific route option choices, but helps inform the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges route options assessment process and consequent selection of route options by identifying environmental sensitivities and potential environmental impacts across the scheme, and informs how these impacts could be reduced through design development and mitigation.
Transport Scotland has not received any feedback from Historic Environment Scotland on the decision to deselect an online dualling option of the existing A96 through Inverurie.
As part of its programme of regular engagement with local communities and other stakeholders Transport Scotland will continue to consult with Historic Environment Scotland as the project progresses.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted Scottish Natural Heritage before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.
Answer
As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with statutory bodies including Scottish Natural Heritage.
Consultation does not focus on specific route option choices, but helps inform the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges route options assessment process and consequent selection of route options by identifying environmental sensitivities and potential environmental impacts across the scheme, and informs how these impacts could be reduced through design development and mitigation.
Transport Scotland has not received any feedback from Scottish Natural Heritage on the decision to deselect an online dualling option of the existing A96 through Inverurie.
As part of its programme of regular engagement with local communities and other stakeholders Transport Scotland will continue to consult with Scottish Natural Heritage as the project progresses.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.
Answer
As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with statutory bodies including Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
Consultation does not focus on specific route option choices, but helps inform the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges route options assessment process and consequent selection of route options by identifying environmental sensitivities and potential environmental impacts across the scheme, and informs how these impacts could be reduced through design development and mitigation.
Transport Scotland has not received any feedback from SEPA on the decision to deselect an online dualling option of the existing A96 through Inverurie.
As part of its programme of regular engagement with local communities and other stakeholders Transport Scotland will continue to consult with SEPA as the project progresses.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 August 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland consulted Aberdeenshire Council before deciding against dualling the A96 on the line of the existing route at Inverurie and, if so, what response it received.
Answer
As part of the development and assessment of initial route options for the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen Scheme, Transport Scotland and its consultant, AmeyArup Joint Venture, have consulted with statutory bodies including Aberdeenshire Council.
Consultation does not focus on specific route option choices, but helps inform the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges route options assessment process and consequent selection of route options by identifying environmental sensitivities and potential environmental impacts across the scheme, and informs how these impacts could be reduced through design development and mitigation.
Transport Scotland has not received any feedback from Aberdeenshire Council on the decision to deselect an online dualling option of the existing A96 through Inverurie.
As part of its programme of regular engagement with local communities and other stakeholders Transport Scotland will continue to consult with Aberdeenshire Council as the project progresses.
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government in what circumstances Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Gold Commanders are deployed.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2019
- Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 August 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the trading update that was issued in July 2019 by the consortium member, Galliford Try, which referred to continuing negotiations on “the significant claim with the client” in relation to the AWPR, whether it will provide an update on these negotiations.
Answer
I will of course continue to keep Parliament and the REC Committee updated in terms of any new developments, as I have done throughout the process.
The cost of the project remains at £745 million. While it is not appropriate to comment in detail on the contractor’s claim due to the commercially confidential nature of the discussions regarding it, I can confirm that, to date, Aberdeen Roads Limited has yet to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate its claim.
