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The Scottish Government is committed to rail electrification recognising the key benefits it brings in terms of improved journey times and connectivity, environmental benefits and reduced industry costs. As part of this commitment we will include all remaining non-electrified routes, including the Dumfries - Kilmarnock line, in future electrification strategies, however delivery will be subject to consideration against other rail priorities and sufficient resources being available.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

WRITTEN ANSWER

21 September 2016

Index Heading: Transport Scotland

Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government how much financial assistance it has provided in each year since 2007 to support cycling.

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Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has allocated the following budget to active travel annually since 2007:

Although a new station at Thornhill does not feature in our current £5 billion investment programme in Scotland’s railways to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.

Funding for new railway stations can be considered from the Scottish Government's £30 million Scottish Stations Fund which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations. Projects will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.

SEPA's Flood Maps do not show flood risk to individual properties, instead they identify areas which, as a whole, are at risk of flooding and its impacts. Insurance companies have their own flood maps on which to base their decisions, and SEPA’s Flood Maps should have no influence on insurance premiums. SEPA's terms and conditions have to be accepted before anyone can access the Flood Maps online which make it perfectly clear that the Maps must not be used for commercial purposes, or to set insurance premiums. SEPA is working with the Association of British Insurers, to help to increase understanding across the industry of the purpose of the flood maps (i.e. for community level decision making) and stress that they are not suitable for property level assessments.

SEPA has also taken action to inform insurance companies that work across the UK of the differences that exist between England and Scotland in the data available to insurers. Unlike the Environment Agency in England, SEPA does not provide specific flood risk datasets to the insurance industry.

When evidence is submitted to SEPA showing misuse of the flood maps, SEPA is proactive in dealing with the issue. In the first instance a letter of concern would be issued to the organisation responsible for the misuse, to reinforce SEPA's terms and conditions and to stipulate that the particular use of the maps brought to SEPA's attention is accountable to legal challenge. If an organisation continues to misuse the maps, and there is sufficient evidence to prove this, SEPA will take legal action against the organisation.

Although a new station at Eastriggs does not feature in our current £5 billion investment programme in Scotland’s railways to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.

Funding for new railway stations can be considered from the Scottish Government's £30 million Scottish Stations Fund which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations. Projects will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.

Although a new station at Beattock does not feature in our current £5 billion investment programme in Scotland’s railways to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.

Funding for new railway stations can be considered from the Scottish Government's £30 million Scottish Stations Fund which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations. Projects will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.

Since 2007 the Scottish Government has worked with ScotRail to deliver a number of improvements at these stations. Improvements include:-

The Scottish Government records units by bedspace rather than number of bedrooms.

The following table shows the average cost per unit to deliver new homes for social rent by registered social landlords since 2007-08, together with the average number of bedspaces per unit:

* Programme management information only – not published as yet and as such, could be subject to change.

Funding for Council House Building was introduced in April 2009, the aim of which was to incentivise local authorities to build new homes. Cost information on the new homes delivered was not held on our recording system.

From 2012-13, we have recorded total project costs based on information provided by councils. The following table therefore shows the average cost to deliver a new home for social rent by councils since 2012-13, together with the average number of bedspaces per unit:

The figures within this table are from programme management information only and are not published

Scottish Government officials have met with the Scottish General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association (Scotland) and with Police Scotland on several occasions to discuss the sharing of information between general practitioners and the police for the purposes of firearms and shotgun licensing. Discussions are continuing in order to ensure the appropriate and timely sharing of information and the safety of individuals and the public.