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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S3W-01446

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 13 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-726 by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007, whether continued support for the concept of an escalator model for young people with creative talents is dependent upon the outcome of its consideration of the future for the Cultural Co-ordinators in Schools programme.

Question reference: S3W-01449

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 13 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-728 by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007, when its exploration of the detailed implications of a potential merger between Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland will be completed.

Question reference: S3W-01450

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 13 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-728 by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007, when it will be in a position to detail its future plans for Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

We will be in a positionto detail our future plans for Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on theAncient and Historic Monuments of Scotland once we have completed our current explorationof the detailed implications of a potential merger of the two bodies. As alreadystated in my answer to question S3W-1449 on 13 July 2007, we expect to completethis exploration by the autumn.All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Question reference: S3W-01452

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 13 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-737 by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007, when it will be in a position to detail its future plans regarding support and funding for the Gaelic digital broadcasting channel.

Scottish ministers are giving close attention to the support and funding required for the operation of the Gaelic digital service and any further details will be announced as part of the Spending Review process. Discussions are also taking place with Ofcom, the BBC and the Gaelic Media Service about progress towards the launch of the channel and these bodies will make announcements at appropriate stages.

Question reference: S3W-01609

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-879 by Fergus Ewing on 21 June 2007, whether it would expect to be made aware of any incidents where fire crews have been hampered in their responses to a fire because of vandalised fire hydrants.

Question reference: S3W-01433

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 12 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-709 by Stewart Stevenson on 19 June 2007, what dialogue has taken place with bus operators, transport authorities and other key industry stakeholders to ensure the effective operation of the current bus regime.

As part of the implementationof Moving into the Future – an Action Plan for Buses the Scottish Executiveis looking at the best way of ensuring effective implementation of the regulatoryregime. A steering group of keyindustry stakeholders is overseeing the Plan’s implementation. Stakeholders includerepresentatives from Regional Transport Partnerships, local authority transportprofessionals, bus operators, bus users, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agencyand the Scottish Traffic Commissioner.

Question reference: S3W-01437

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 12 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it acceptable that bus operators receive public funding through schemes such as free concessionary bus travel for older people and disabled people but are under no obligation to provide bus services to the communities most likely to benefit from such schemes.

Concessionary travelfunding provides reimbursement to bus operators to ensure that they are no betterand no worse off as a result of their participation in the scheme to deliver freebus services for older and disabled people.

The provision of localbus services is a matter for bus operators and local transport authorities workingtogether to meet the needs of local communities. Beyond the commercial decisionsof individual operators, it is the responsibility of the relevant transport authorityto identify where there is a need for socially necessary bus services, considerhow those needs might be met and to subsidise these at its discretion.

The Scottish Executiveprovides funding to local authorities through Grant Aided Expenditure arrangementsto support socially necessary bus services. In 2007-08 this amounts to £29.1 millionfor all local authority areas.

Question reference: S3W-01434

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 12 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-709 by Stewart Stevenson on 19 June 2007, whether it is satisfied that the current bus regime is capable of delivering regular and reliable bus services to all communities.

We are committed toimproving the public transport experience for passengers thereby providing maximumbenefit and easing the commute. To deliver these aims we are taking forward theimplementation of Moving into the Future – an Action Plan for Buses whichwill drive up the quality of bus services by focusing on developing effective planning,reviewing government funding and ensuring the effective implementation of the currentregulatory regime in order to deliver quality bus services to our local communities.

Question reference: S3W-01436

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 12 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it acceptable that bus operators can choose to provide services on only the most profitable routes without being required also to serve communities in most social need.

The provision of localbus services is a matter for bus operators and local transport authorities workingtogether to meet the needs of local communities. Beyond the commercial decisionsof individual operators, it is the responsibility of the relevant transport authorityto identify where there is a need for socially necessary bus services, considerhow these needs might best be met and to subsidise these at its discretion.

Question reference: S3W-01605

Asked by: Patricia Ferguson, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 June 2007
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 2 July 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, further to the answer to question S3W-720 by Linda Fabiani on 21 June 2007 and in the absence of a definition of artists, the grants scheme proposal has not yet been costed and may therefore be undeliverable.