- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), what representations the cabinet secretary has received from businesses in the Renfrewshire North and West constituency that are concerned about a rise in business rates.
Answer
Business in Renfrewshire will benefit from a range of Scottish Government policies including the decision to match the English poundage rate and cut the current rate by 3.7%; increasing the threshold at which the large business supplement becomes payable; expanding the small business bonus scheme threshold for 100% relief from £10,000 to £15,000 and a 12.5% cap on bill rises for pubs, hotels, cafes and restaurants.
Correspondence received by the Scottish Government is not held on a constituency level basis.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), how many businesses in the West Scotland region, excluding in the hospitality sector, will the cap on rises to business rates apply to.
Answer
Business in the West of Scotland region will benefit from a range of Scottish Government policies including the decision to match the English poundage rate and cut the current rate by 3.7%; increasing the threshold at which the large business supplement becomes payable; expanding the small business bonus scheme threshold for 100% relief from £10,000 to £15,000.
In addition, Local Councils can, under the Community Empowerment Act, create their own local reliefs to assist any business, area or sector.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution on 21 February 2017 (Official Report, c. 18), what support it can give to businesses that deliver childcare and early years services that are concerned about a rise in business rates.
Answer
Business that deliver childcare and early years services may benefit from a range of Scottish Government policies including the decision to match the English poundage rate and cut the current rate by 3.7%; increasing the threshold at which the large business supplement becomes payable; expanding the small business bonus scheme threshold for 100% relief from £10,000 to £15,000.
In addition, Local Councils can, under the Community Empowerment Act, create their own local reliefs to assist any business, area or sector.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport will announce a final decision regarding the proposed closure of the children’s ward at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Answer
As in all such cases, I will come to a decision based on what I think is in the best interests of patients when I have carefully considered all the available information and representations.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 23 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost will be of the M8/M73/M74 motorway improvements project, and how much it has spent on the project each year.
Answer
The anticipated total cost of the contract to Design, Build, Finance and Operate the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project for 30 years remains at the £500 million I announced in February 2014. Under the terms of the contract, no payments are made until the roads are open to the public.
In addition to the costs associated with the provision of these services, there are other costs for the Public Sector account in delivering this important project, including those associated with the necessary land acquisition, public utility diversions and protection, design, site supervision and preparation works.
Prior to the start of construction the Public Sector costs incurred were: £37.85m.
Since the start of construction the Public Sector spend per year is:
Financial Year
|
Spend
|
FY 2013-14
|
£17,739,543
|
FY 2014-15
|
£18,096,616
|
FY 2015-16
|
£16,373,240
|
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards the delivery of the Glasgow Terminal Stations (West of Scotland Strategic Rail Enhancements) projects.
Answer
Since 2007 the Scottish Government has invested substantially in successful rail improvements such as the Airdrie to Bathgate project, two new platforms at Glasgow Central, electrification of the Whifflet and Paisley Canal lines and the Paisley Corridor Improvements.
We are concentrating our continued investment in projects such as the electrification of Edinburgh – Glasgow (via Falkirk High) route, to Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane as well as the Shotts line. These improvements will increase capacity and improve journey time and quality on one of the busiest sections of the Scottish network.In addition, we are making substantial improvements to Glasgow Queen Street station to improve its operational capability and enhance the passenger experience.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what the public performance measure (PPM) figure has been for each route on the ScotRail franchise in each month since April 2015, and what its position is on routinely publishing this information on a monthly basis.
Answer
The Franchise Agreement specifies that ScotRail report on performance by Sector Group and not specific route [made up of Express, Suburban West, Suburban East and Rural Sector].
The following table provides the relevant information. In terms of publishing - this information is published by ScotRail on a four weekly basis and is displayed at selected stations:
Period
|
Express Sector Other
|
Express Sector E&G
|
Rural Sector
|
Suburban East Sector
|
Suburban West Peak
|
Suburban West Off Peak
|
Total
|
16-01
|
93.2
|
95.5
|
90.3
|
96.6
|
90.3
|
94.8
|
94.1
|
16-02
|
91.2
|
94.8
|
92.3
|
95.0
|
91.7
|
95.7
|
94.5
|
16-03
|
90.8
|
90.5
|
90.2
|
94.8
|
90.8
|
94.7
|
93.4
|
16-04
|
87.1
|
94.1
|
85.8
|
93.0
|
91.7
|
93.0
|
92.0
|
16-05
|
88.4
|
87.5
|
88.3
|
91.8
|
91.7
|
93.9
|
92.3
|
16-06
|
90.1
|
89.6
|
88.7
|
92.0
|
89.7
|
94.4
|
92.6
|
16-07
|
85.4
|
87.4
|
88.3
|
90.7
|
84.9
|
93.5
|
90.8
|
16-08
|
78.8
|
82.0
|
79.7
|
86.0
|
67.8
|
87.8
|
83.3
|
16-09
|
75.8
|
82.8
|
80.3
|
81.8
|
73.2
|
87.9
|
83.5
|
16-10
|
81.7
|
90.0
|
77.7
|
85.2
|
80.3
|
90.3
|
86.9
|
16-11
|
82.8
|
89.1
|
79.7
|
91.8
|
80.7
|
92.5
|
89.2
|
16-12
|
88.4
|
94.0
|
88.2
|
94.6
|
84.1
|
93.3
|
91.6
|
16-13
|
89.7
|
93.5
|
91.4
|
92.5
|
88.3
|
94.1
|
92.6
|
17-01
|
92.1
|
94.9
|
89.7
|
92.8
|
90.0
|
94.4
|
93.2
|
17-02
|
88.3
|
92.9
|
85.2
|
93.8
|
90.0
|
94.1
|
92.6
|
17-03
|
86.1
|
85.8
|
85.3
|
91.5
|
86.7
|
92.1
|
90.1
|
17-04
|
84.7
|
92.3
|
84.0
|
89.6
|
89.0
|
93.2
|
91.1
|
17-05
|
84.4
|
85.7
|
79.9
|
86.6
|
84.9
|
92.2
|
88.9
|
17-06
|
84.9
|
88.9
|
86.1
|
89.5
|
87.1
|
93.3
|
90.7
|
17-07
|
87.2
|
89.4
|
87.5
|
90.8
|
83.6
|
92.4
|
90.2
|
17-08
|
78.6
|
86.2
|
80.1
|
87.4
|
77.2
|
89.8
|
86.1
|
17-09
|
73.7
|
80.4
|
82.1
|
83.2
|
73.3
|
88.4
|
83.7
|
17-10
|
83.9
|
88.9
|
88.7
|
88.9
|
83.6
|
92.3
|
89.7
|
17-11
|
86.2
|
92.3
|
91.2
|
92.3
|
83.2
|
94.2
|
91.6
|
17-12
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17-13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2017
-
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how much ScotRail has spent on alternative transport for passengers due to delays or cancellations in each month since April 2015, broken down by method of transport used.
Answer
The following table shows the amount paid by ScotRail on alternative transport for passengers due to delays or cancellations in each four-week period since April 2015. A breakdown by method of transport is not available.
|
Amount paid for alternative
means of transport
|
2015-16
Period 1-3
|
£1,956,412
|
4
|
£1,985,145
|
5
|
£1,020,096
|
6
|
-£220,084
(so reported)
|
7
|
£134,767
|
8
|
124,811
|
9
|
£1,453,099
|
10
|
£588,687
|
11
|
£147,110
|
12
|
£616,358
|
13
|
£334,403
|
Full-year:
|
£8,140,803
|
2016-17:
Period 1
|
£436,392
|
2
|
£265,513
|
3
|
£442,947
|
4
|
£609,835
|
5
|
£356,928
|
6
|
£529,678
|
7
|
£420,962
|
8
|
£490,769
|
9
|
£821,389
|
10
|
£456,910
|
Year-to-date:
|
£4,831,323
|
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2017
-
Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 20 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards the implementation of its Infrastructure Investment Plan 2015.
Answer
Progress on implementation of the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2015 is published annually, with the next report being due for publication in March 2017. The Progress Report for 2015, published in March 2016, is available from the following link: www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/03/8126.
In addition, updates on the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2015 - Project Pipeline are published in March and September of each year and is available from the following link: www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/Finance/18232/IIP.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2017
-
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 February 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what assessments it has made of the case for the proposed Glasgow Crossrail development.
Answer
The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR), which outlined Scottish Ministers’ future strategic transport priorities, considered the “Glasgow CrossRail” proposal and concluded that it would not make best use of the rail network or integrate well with the menu of schemes required to satisfy the objectives of the STPR.
The STPR did however recommend the West of Scotland Strategic Rail Enhancements (Intervention 24), a £430 million investment project which provides better opportunities to enhance connectivity in and around Glasgow.
Although the Glasgow CrossRail proposal does not feature in the Scottish Government’s current £5 billion investment programme to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity. 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.