- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for further consultation on the reform of bank arrestments.
Answer
We intend to consult on proposalsfor the reform of arrestment and furthcoming as part of the reform of the lawsof personal bankruptcy and diligence, later in this parliamentary year.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will address in a revised system of water relief for domestic consumers the issue of closing the gap between the income support allowance for water and sewerage and the actual charges levied.
Answer
Income support is a reservedmatter for the UK Government.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue the Transitional Water and Waste Water Charges Scheme in any form for domestic water users beyond March 2004.
Answer
The Executive is assessingthe impact that ending the scheme will have. It is doing this in light of the harmonisationof charges that has taken place since the scheme was introduced. It remains thecase, however, that the main means of assisting vulnerable groups are improvingefficiency at Scottish Water and retaining the link between water charges and counciltax banding and discount arrangements.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 9 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the rise in the number of disconnections by energy suppliers due to debt from 40 disconnections in 2001 to 458 disconnections in the first half of 2003.
Answer
The legislation and regulationof the energy sector is a reserved matter and the question of disconnections isone for the electricity supply companies. I am, however, concerned at how thesupply companies are operating in Scotland in regard to the recent increase in disconnections.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 8 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3050 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 29 October 2003, whether the #40 charge towards the cost of another inspection of their central heating system acts as a disincentive to pensioners lodging legitimate appeals against the decision of specialist surveyors.
Answer
I asked my officials toinvestigate this matter to ensure that the system was not discouraginglegitimate appeals against the decisions made from the first heating survey. Iam pleased to say that Eaga Partnership have agreed to absorb the charge andthey will now cover the full cost of a second inspection as part of theirappeals process.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Curran on 5 December 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to consult the charity sector during the drafting of new legislation on charity law reform.
Answer
In my statement toParliament on 24 September I made a commitment that a draft bill to reformcharity regulation in Scotland would be prepared for consultation in spring nextyear. I also emphasised the Executive’s commitment to involving the full rangeof charity and voluntary sector interests during the preparation of the bill aswell as during the formal consultation once the draft is published.
A strategy for this processof engagement has now been set out, involving the establishment of a referencegroup, a series of specialist meetings with key stakeholders and experts, andwider information-sharing activities. Copies of the consultation strategy havebeen placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30103) and anelectronic version will be made available on the Executive’s website.
The bill reference group metfor the first time on 25 November, and further meetings are scheduled beforeChristmas and early in the new year. It is chaired by officials, with a remitto assist the Executive to develop effective, coherent and proportionate proposalsin the draft bill.
Additionally, a wide rangeof stakeholders will be engaged on specific issues during the process ofpreparing the draft legislation.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 October 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 21 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1912 by Malcolm Chisholm on 20 October 2003, whether it will ensure that the report from NHS Argyll and Clyde and NHS Greater Glasgow on the pattern of patient choice for consultant-led maternity units involves substantive discussion and consultation with communities and elected members.
Answer
It is up to NHS Argyll and Clyde and NHSGreater Glasgow how they take this work forward. I would expect localcommunities and elected members to be involved in this process.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 20 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-3050 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 29 October 2003, how many appeals by pensioners against the decision of a specialist surveyor have been (a) lodged and (b) upheld, since the establishment of the central heating installation programme.
Answer
I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Herresponse is as follows:
From September 2002 untilOctober 2003, 66 appeals were investigated. Thirty appeals were upheld and fourappeals are still in progress.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what toll is payable on the (a) Skye Bridge, (b) Erskine Bridge, (c) Forth Road Bridge and (d) Tay Bridge.
Answer
The following tablesindicate toll payable on each bridge.
Skye Bridge
| Vehicle Description | Toll Category | Toll (each way) | Book of Discount Tickets |
| Motorcycle | High Season Low Season Discount Rate | £2.90 £2.40 £0.67 | £13.40 for 20 Tickets |
| Car/Motorhomes (& transit vans <> | High Season Low Season Discount Rate | £5.70 £4.70 £1.34 | £26.80 for 20 Tickets |
| LGV (< 7.5="" tons=""> | High and Low Season Discount Rate | £10.80 £7.84 | £78.40 for 10 Tickets |
| HGV 1 (2 or 3 axles) | High and Low Season Discount Season | £14.00 £10.13 | £101.30 for 10 Tickets |
| HGV 2 (4 or more axles) | High and Low Season Discount Rate | £27.90 £20.26 | £202.60 for 10 Tickets |
| Local Bus Service | High and Low Season Discount Rate | £16.40 £12.26 | £122.60 for 10 Tickets |
| Midi Coach (seats up to 22 passengers) | High Season Low Season Discount Rate | £23.70 £15.80 N/A | |
| Coach (seats more than 22 passengers) | High Season Low Season Discount Rate | £41.20 £27.90 N/A | |
| Car and Caravan (or trailer > 2.5m) | High Season Low Season Discount Rate | £11.40 £9.40 £2.68 | Purchase Car Tickets |
Notes:
High Season: 1 May to 30September.
Low Season: 1 October to 30April.
Discount vouchers are validfor 1 year from date of purchase.
Erskine Bridge
| Vehicle Description | Toll (each way) | Book of Discount Tickets |
| Motorcycles | Nil | N/A |
| All Other Vehicles | £0.60 | £27.00 for 50 Tickets |
Tay Bridge
| Vehicle Description | Toll (one way) | Book of Discount Tickets |
| Car | £0.80 | N/A |
| Bus | £1.40 | N/A |
| LGVs/HGVs | £2.00 | N/A |
Forth Road Bridge
| Vehicle Description | Toll (one way) | Book of Discount Tickets |
| Car | £0.80 | £36.00 for 50 Tickets |
| Bus | £1.40 | N/A |
| LGVs/HGVs | £2.00 | £65.00 for 50 tickets |
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 19 November 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on maintenance of the (a) Skye Bridge, (b) Erskine Bridge, (c) Forth Road Bridge and (d) Tay Bridge in each year since construction.
Answer
Skye Bridge is maintained and operated by Skye Bridge Limited underthe terms of the PFI agreement. Maintenance costs are set out in the company’s annualaccounts, which are available from Companies House.
For Erskine Bridge,maintenance costs in each year are noted in the following table.
| Year | Maintenance Costs (£) |
| 1971-72 | 52,458 |
| 1972-73 | 88,274 |
| 1973-74 | 100,037 |
| 1974-75 | 121,185 |
| 1975-76 | 456,192 |
| 1976-77 | 681,976 |
| 1977-78 | 934,462 |
| 1978-79 | 817,467 |
| 1979-80 | 814,800 |
| 1980-81 | 772,151 |
| 1981-82 | 1,564,378 |
| 1982-83 | 2,051,090 |
| 1983-84 | 966,915 |
| 1984-85 | 267,609 |
| 1985-86 | 264,615 |
| 1986-87 | 278,810 |
| 1987-88 | 289,941 |
| 1988-89 | 269,878 |
| 1989-90 | 40,409 |
| 1990-91 | 110,446 |
| 1991-92 | 67,157 |
| 1992-93 | 188,812 |
| 1993-94 | 134,310 |
| 1994-95 | 5,370,000 |
| 1995-96 | 947,031 |
| 1996-97 | 427,990 |
| 1997-98 | 241,525 |
| 1998-99 | 264,330 |
| 1999-2000 | 610,840 |
| 2000-01 | 684,086 |
| 2001-02 | 794,005 |
| 2002-03 | *1,675,201 |
Notes:
*Provisional figure.
For Forth Road Bridge and Tay Road Bridge,these are matters for Forth Estuary Transport Authority and Tay Road BridgeJoint Board respectively, which own and operate those bridges.
