Chamber and committees

Since publication of Scotland’s Digital Future – Infrastructure Action Plan on 31 January 2012, the Scottish Government has been in dialogue with Perth and Kinross Council on its broadband plan for the region; this has included one meeting at official level on 30 March.

As we progress with implementation of the Step Change 2015 Programme, over the summer, we will continue our dialogue with the council to identify local priorities for the Perth and Kinross region. We will be holding a series of workshops and one-to-one meetings with local government to progress this work and will engage with Perth and Kinross Council as part of this process.

The timetable for the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness was announced by Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, on 26 June 2012. It identifies packages of design and development work with the objective of being ready to start construction by 2015-16.

The timetable can be viewed at:

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/files/documents/projects/A9_Dualling_Perth_to_Inverness_-_Programme_-_June_2012.pdf

In addition, Transport Scotland has programmed over £26 million of routine safety, improvement and maintenance works between 2012 and 2015.

The Memorial Park’s management agreement, which was drawn up in 1996, is being reviewed and updated with the assistance of Forestry Commission Scotland, National Trust for Scotland and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority. The area will, however, remain dedicated as a living landscape for quiet recreation and contemplation in memory of those who have fallen in conflict. The partners to the new management agreement will look at appropriate ways to promote the memorial both locally and through websites and leaflets.

We currently have no plans to increase the speed limits applying to HGVs on trunk roads, although we do now have the power to do so under the Scotland Act 2012.

Officials from Transport Scotland meet representatives of the Road Haulage Association and Freight Transport Association periodically. Speed limits for HGVs on A-roads have been one of many issues discussed.

The judgement in Italy reflects the opinion of a judge on the specific facts of this single case and should not be seen as a precedent for any other case. The judgement does not alter the scientific position that there is no credible scientific evidence to show that MMR vaccine is a cause of autism. A wide range of large epidemiological studies, performed over more than a decade in a variety of countries, have consistently found no link between MMR and autism.

The Scottish Government bases vaccination policy on the independent expert advice provided by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The view of the JCVI is that there is overwhelming scientific evidence that MMR does not cause autism.

In March a judge presiding over a case in Rimini Italy decided to award compensation to the parents of a nine year old boy on the basis that a vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) had caused autism. This decision reflects the opinion of a judge on the specific facts of this single case and should not be seen as a precedent for any other case.

The judgement of the court in Italy does not alter the scientific position and there are no plans to undertake further research nor to change MMR immunisation policy as a result of this Italian court decision.

The majority of regulation impacting on Scotland’s farmers and land managers comes from Europe and, to ensure they fully meet their obligations under the terms of the Scotland Act, Scottish Ministers must implement relevant EU rules. Since 2007 a total of 164 SSIs have been made in the broad area of agriculture replacing or revoking 107 previous SSIs.

Scottish Government is actively trying to reduce the burden of bureaucracy on Scotland's rural land managers. The SEARS (Scotland's Environmental and Rural Services) initiative has delivered a reduction of more than 8,000 visits and inspections to date. We have also appointed Brian Pack OBE to lead a review considering how to reduce the red tape associated with farming and fulfil our commitment to help farmers free up time for farming. Scottish Government is also pressing for greater simplification in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) negotiations currently underway in Europe.

In December 2011, two additional services each way were introduced on the Highland Main line between Glasgow (connections at Perth from Edinburgh) and Inverness. All these services call at Stirling.

New services were also introduced in December 2011 between Glasgow and Dundee. This increased the number of services between Glasgow and Perth calling at Stirling and also improved the frequency of calls at Gleneagles.

Changes to two services in the morning peak between Dundee and Fife to Edinburgh were introduced in December 2011. This also included a replacement service for the 0735 Cross Country Service between Dundee and Edinburgh withdrawn in May 2011 and for the 0754 Kirkcaldy to Edinburgh service withdrawn in December 2011. Further changes are being developed for delivery in the autumn 2012 concerning a South Fife commuter service.

Class 170 diesel trains used on Edinburgh via Fife to Dundee/ Perth/ Aberdeen routes are currently undergoing both internal and external refurbishment works to be completed by late 2013.

Transport Scotland regularly meets with representatives of Network Rail to discuss a range of station improvement schemes. Discussions since 1 January 2012 included progress on planned enhancements to improve access within Perth railway station.