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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: S2W-17094

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average increase in the use of air services within the Highlands and Islands has been in the last 15 years compared with the increase in air passengers to and from Scotland and what the reasons are for any difference.

Question reference: S2W-17095

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on which EU countries use public service obligations (PSOs) to support air service networks in remote communities, how many services PSOs cover and how this position compares with the situation in the Highlands and Islands.

The EU countries which use PublicService Obligations (PSOs) under EC Regulation 2408/92 to support air service networks,including routes in and to peripheral communities, are:

France

Germany

Greece

Ireland

Italy

Portugal

Spain

Sweden

United Kingdom.

The Scottish Executive does not have definitive up-to-date information on the number of PSOs imposedon air routes in these countries. The 2002 HITRANS’ commissioned report PublicService Obligations in Europe: a comparative study compared the extent to which PSOs are applied acrossdifferent European Union/European Economic Area member states and features of theway PSOs are applied in each country.

The 16 PSOs which have been imposedon lifeline air routes in the Highlands and Islands are as follows:

three by the Scottish Executive to Campbeltown, Tiree and Barra from Glasgow;

six by Orkney Islands Councilto Westray, Papa Westray, North Ronaldsay, Eday, Stronsay and Sanday from Kirkwall;

five by Shetland Islands Councilto Foula, Papa Stour, Out Skerries, Fair Isle and Unst (not operated) fromTingwall/Sumburgh, and

two by Comhairle nan Eilean Siarbetween Stornoway-Benbecula and Benbecula-Barra.

Question reference: S2W-17067

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new air services from Scottish airports were initially subject to support from the Route Development Fund.

Question reference: S2W-17068

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many air services from Scottish airports initiated under the Route Development Fund scheme are still operating.

Question reference: S2W-17070

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive which consultant assisted it in assessing the routes and airlines for Route Development Fund assistance.

Question reference: S2W-17066

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage change in air passenger numbers using Kirkwall and Stornoway has been since the introduction of Sunday air services.

Question reference: S2W-17072

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive which permanent senior staff of the consultant assisting it with its review of the HITRANS proposals have worked with major international airlines as airline route planners, airline economics specialists or in similar capacities and for how long.

Question reference: S2W-17071

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive which consultant has been assisting it with its review of the HITRANS proposals and whether it has employed any other aviation consultants on similar reviews.

Question reference: S2W-17069

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 16 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive how many services subject to support from the Route Development Fund have been withdrawn or otherwise ceased and what these services cost the Executive.

Of the total 27 year-round routessupported since the inception of the Executive’s Route Development Fund (RDF),seven have subsequently ceased.

The RDF is structured to ensurethat investment is only provided when the airline has carried passengers to andfrom Scotland. Payments are made in arrears on the production of invoicesby the airports. This enables the risk to the public sector investment element tobe mitigated. The level of investment in the routes that no longer operate was atotal of £95,423.

Question reference: S2W-15860

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2005
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 10 June 2005

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13270 by Nicol Stephen on 24 January 2005, whether there are costs relating to the Smartcards other than those stated in that answer and, if so, what these other costs are and what the total cost is of the Smartcard scheme including all categories of costs.