Questions and answers

Question reference: S2W-11070

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 13 October 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to preserve the Ardoch Roman Fort in Perthshire for future generations.

Ardoch Roman fort and annexe are privately owned and are scheduled as monuments of national importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

The on-going management of the site is the responsibility of the owner. Historic Scotland has, however, paid grants on several occasions for works to improve the management of the site.

The most serious and visible management problem at Ardoch is the burrowing of rabbits. Negotiations are currently in progress between Historic Scotland and the owners of the monument over a management agreement aimed at reducing rabbit numbers on the northern half of the site. This would run in conjunction with a programme of archaeological management on the southern half of the site under the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department’s Rural Stewardship Scheme.

Question reference: S2W-11082

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 13 October 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many students aged 50 to 54 who have received both tuition fees and student support have returned to employment after completing their studies.

Question reference: S2W-10788

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 30 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that Scottish Executive Education Department Circular 2/2001 is implemented by local education authorities.

Circular 2/2001 (Conduct of Sex Education in Scottish Schools) was issued under Section 56 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000, which required education authorities to have regard to Scottish Executive guidance in developing and providing sex education programmes. At local level, authorities and schools have discretion over the nature of such programmes and the materials used within them.

Supplementary material to assist authorities – including guidance on effective consultation with parents and carers, and a summary of national advice on sex education – was issued with the circular. In 2003, HM Inspectorate of Education issued “Education About Responsible Relationships and Sexuality” within its How Good is our School? self-evaluation series. This resource is designed to assist schools evaluate the quality of sex education within the context of the Executive guidance and support material.

Question reference: S2O-03336

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 23 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on the environment is of small hydro-electric power schemes.

The environmental impacts of such developments would depend on the type and scale of development and its location. They include potential impacts on ecology, hydrology, water quality and visual and landscape impacts. More detail is contained in the Scottish Natural Heritage publication Guidelines on the Environmental Impacts of Windfarms and Small Scale Hydroelectric Schemes, which is available in SPICe.

Question reference: S2W-10518

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 21 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected income from non-domestic rates is for each of the next three years.

Question reference: S2W-09859

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Nicol Stephen on 17 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what roads it has prioritised for upgrading and what plans are in place to carry out such upgrading.

The current programme of major trunk road works underway or planned is set out in the following table. Progress on schemes is subject to completion of the necessary statutory procedures, and the availability of finance. In addition, there is a detailed programme of minor works and improvement schemes valued at some £15 million in 2004-05.

Road	Scheme	Summary Description	Estimated Start Date	Estimated Completion Date	Notes
A1	Thistly Cross to Bowerhouse.	Construction of new 0.8km dual carriageway	Under construction	Q1-2005-06	Final planned section of dualling of A1
A68	Soutra South to Oxton.	Improve Southbound overtaking and Oxton junction	Q1-2006/07	Q1-2007-08	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A68	Pathhead to Tynehead Junction.	Provide 1.9km of improved overtaking opportunities	Q1-2006/07	Q1-2007-08	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A7	Auchenrivock.	Improvement of 2.3km single carriageway to provide overtaking opportunities	Q4-2005/06	Q4-2006-07	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A7	Glenmayne to Yair.	Improvement of 1.7km single carriageway to provide overtaking opportunities	Q3-2005/06	Q3-2006-07	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A75	Cairntop to Barlae.	2.2km Overtaking scheme	Q4-2005/06	Q3-2006-07	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A75	Newton Stewart	To provide guaranteed westbound overtaking on existing incline.	Q2-2005/06	Q4-2005-06	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A75	Barfill to Bettyknowes.	Provision of overtaking opportunities over 1.2km section.	Q1-2005/06	Q1-2006-07	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A75	Planting End to Drumflower	Provision of 1.5km overtaking opportunities.	Q2-2005/06	Q4-2005-06	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A75	Dunragit Re‑alignment.	Rail bridge replacement and provision of 3km of overtaking opportunities.	Oct 2006	Dec 2007	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A75	Hardgrove to Kinmount.	Provision of 4km of safer overtaking opportunities	Nov 2006	Nov 2007	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A76	Gateside (2)	Study to identify a 2km section of A76 North Sanquhar for overtaking section.	Study under way
A76	Glenairlie.	Provision of a 2km climbing lane.	Q4-2005/06	Q4-2006-07	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A77	Maybole Bypass	Appraisal to identify solutions to transport problems on the A77 through Maybole.	Public consultation under way		Consultant appointed
A77	Park End to Bennane WS2	Provision of overtaking opportunity.	Q4-2005/06	tba	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A77	Haggstone Climbing Lane.	Provision of northbound climbing lane.	Q3-2005/06	tba	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A77	Glen App WS2+1.	Provision of overtaking opportunity.	Q1-2006/07	tba	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A77	Drummuckloch to Innermessan.	Provision of overtaking opportunity.	Q4-2005/06	tba	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A77	Ardwell to Slockenray WS2.	Provision of overtaking opportunity.	Q1-2006/07	tba	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A77	Symington and Bog End Toll	Junction improvements	tba	tba	Public exhibition of revised proposals held
A78	3 Towns Bypass (Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenson).	5km of 2-lane dual carriageway road and 1.4km of single carriageway road with climbing lane. Roundabouts at each end to connect the bypass with existing trunk road, and two intermediate junctions with local roads.	Under construction	Dec 2004
A80	Auchenkilns Junction	Grade separated interchange on the A80.	Under construction	Sep 2005
A80	Allandale Park and Ride	Feasibility study report	In preparation	Nov 2004	Study only
A82	Route Action Plan Study.	Production of a strategy for improving operation and safety over this 154km route	Traffic surveys and consultation under way		Study report Q3 2005-06
A830	Arisaig to Loch Nan Uamh.	Upgrade of 7km of single track road on A830 strategic route	Q1-2005/06	tba	Draft Orders published
A876	Kincardine Eastern Link Road.	Construction 2km of new wide single carriageway Eastern Link road to remove traffic from Kincardine village.	5/2003	3-2005 (includes landscaping)	Road opened 5 July 2004 - 6 months ahead of schedule
A876	Kincardine Bridge.	Construction of 8.1 km access roads and new bridge upstream of existing crossing, plus refurbishment of existing bridge structure.	Q4-2005/06	Q2-2008-09	Draft orders published - public local inquiry Q3-2004-05
A9	Route Improvement Strategy.	Consider need to upgrade 35 km sections of A9 north of Perth.	Study in preparation
A9	Ballinluig Junction	Construction of a grade separated junction to improve road safety.	Q4-2005/06	Q2-2007-08	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A9	Helmsdale to Ord of Caithness - Phase 2	1.8km Road upgrading scheme to remove poor geometry and narrow widths of existing road.	Q3-2005/06	tba	Road Orders made
A9	Crubenmore Extension.	1.9km Extension of existing short length of dual carriageway.	tba	tba	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A9	Kincraig to Dalraddy	Provision of guaranteed overtaking opportunities over 4km	tba	tba	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A90	Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.	To provide a 29km bypass to Aberdeen	Oct 2007	Oct 2010	Scheme in preparation. Draft orders to be published 2005
A90	Glendoick.	4th Grade separated interchange on the A90 trunk road between Perth and Dundee to improve road safety	Q3-2005/06	Q3-2006-07	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A90	Kinfauns.	Last grade separated interchange on the A90 trunk road between Perth and Dundee	Q3-2005/06	Q3-2006-07	Consultant appointed - In preparation
A90	Balmeddie - Tipperty	Multimodal appraisal of the single carriageway section of the A90	Q1-2002/03	Q2-2004-05	Study report
A96	Threapland.	0.75km Junction improvement and re-alignment to improve visibility.	tba	tba	Early preparation
A96	Dalnies	Provision of 1.1km guaranteed overtaking opportunities (WS2+1).	tba	tba	Early preparation
A96	Coachford Climbing Lane.	2.4 km climbing lane to provide overtaking opportunities and improve safety and level of service on route.	Q3-2004/05	Q4-2005-06	Tenders received - under consideration
A96	Fochabers and Mosstodloch	Construction of 5km wide single carriageway to bypass the settlements of Fochabers and Mosstodloch. Side road connections are proposed at roundabouts for Mosstodloch/Baxters, Fochabers/Spey Bay, and the A98. A separate yclepath/footpath would be provided linking Fochabers and Mosstodloch.	Q1-2006/07	tba	Public Local Inquiry held Sep 2003
A985	Route Action Plan.	Consider need for improvements to 19km route.	Study under way		Study report Q3 2005-06
M74	M74 Completion	Provision of strategic link between existing M74 and M8 to remove congestion on national network through Glasgow. Involves construction of 8.0km of 3 lane carriageway with hard shoulder and 4 key junctions.	Early 2006	Late 2008	Scheme in partnership with Glasgow City, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Councils. Public Local Inquiry concluded March 2004 - report awaited.
M74/ A725	Raith Interchange	Junction improvement			Early preparation
M77	Malletsheugh to Fenwick.	Construction of 15.2km dual carriageway extension of motorway between Glasgow and Kilmarnock to improve road safety and remove congestion.	Under construction	Mar 2005
M8	Baillieston to Newhouse and associated improvements	Upgrade to motorway standard of overloaded section of the A8 and associated junctions	Q3-2007/08	Q1-2010-11	Early consultations held
M80	Stepps-Haggs (Phase 1) M73-Low Wood.	4km On-line upgrade	Q4-2006/07	Q2-2008-09	Orders published. Public Inquiry to be considered
M80	Stepps-Haggs (Phase 2) Auchenkilns to Haggs.	8km On-line upgrade from D2AP to D2M	Q2-2008/09	Q2-2010-11	To follow Phase 1
M80	Stepps-Haggs (Phase 3) Moodiesburn Bypass.	6km Off line new construction D2M	Q4-2006/07	Q2-2008-09	To follow Phase 1

Notes:

Tba - To be announced.

WS2+1 - Wide single carriageway comprising one lane in each direction with a third, middle overtaking lane.

Question reference: S2W-10049

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage pharmacies to provide unexpired returned medicines for reuse in countries in Africa.

Question reference: S2W-09999

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 8 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that all investigations conducted by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council are carried out without any conflict of interest for those conducting such investigations.

Yes, the Scottish Executive is satisfied that investigations are conducted by the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) in a way which avoids any conflict of interest. The SFEFC has an internal complaints procedure for investigating complaints. If the complainant remains dissatisfied after the SFEFC’s procedure has been exhausted, they may take the complaint to the independent Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Question reference: S2W-09998

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 8 September 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the Scottish Further Education Funding Council acts with due propriety in carrying out investigations into the conduct of further education institutions.

Question reference: S2W-09867

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 30 August 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of Scottish Renewables Forum funding comes (a) from it directly and (b) indirectly via Scottish Enterprise agencies and other such routes.

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