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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: S5W-03000

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for establishing a South of Scotland Enterprise Zone.

The Scottish Government's core purpose is to deliver sustainable economic growth with opportunities for all to flourish.

Enterprise Areas (enterprise zones is the term used in England and Wales) are specifically targeted on sites and sectors where there are clear opportunities ready to be developed, and where companies can be anchored in areas and supply chains developed that support growth and jobs in the wider area.

The mid-term evaluation of Scotland’s Enterprise Areas, published by HIE on 21 March 2016, demonstrated that Enterprise Area incentives complement wider support delivered as a part of our work to foster inclusive growth throughout the Scottish economy. We are currently reflecting on the future direction of the Enterprise Area policy in Scotland and how it relates to the broader economic development support landscape. The merits and evidence for establishing additional Enterprise Areas will considered on an individual case basis.

Question reference: S5W-02787

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it works with the relevant local authorities to ensure the viability of the (a) A701, (b) A7 and (c) A76.

The Scottish Government through Transport Scotland and its Operating Companies, Amey and Scotland Transerv, formally meet with representatives from Dumfries and Galloway Council, Scottish Borders Council and East Ayrshire Council on a regular basis. The purpose of these meetings is to share knowledge, problems and discuss forward programmes of work to ensure effective co-ordination and minimise potential disruption to road users and local businesses. Notwithstanding this, any urgent issues can be raised by either party between these meetings for discussion and immediate action. The Minister for Transport and the Islands also engages with local authorities and campaign groups. For example, he met with the A7 Action Group on 15 June 2016 when the group presented their A7 Action Plan and he met local politicians and stakeholders at the Dumfries and Galloway Transport Summit held in Dumfries on 22 August 2016 where he and the Deputy First Minister took part in a discussion about the role of transport and associated infrastructure to support the economy and communities in Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S5W-02839

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made regarding the potential economic impact that road works on the A76 are having on communities in Upper Nithsdale.

Question reference: S5W-02808

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what investment it has made in the (a) A75, (b) A7 and (c) A701 in each year since 2007.

The following table contains the total expenditure each year for each trunk road. This figure includes maintenance and major infrastructure project costs (including land, site supervision, utilities, site investigation and construction costs). Higher annual spend levels represent increased investment associated with the delivery of targeted major infrastructure improvements.

trunk road investment since 2007-08 (£ millions)

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
A75 (158 km)*	14.881	6.458	8.363	10.868	5.354	11.955	36.863	14.001	7.306
A7 (75 km)*	3.978	5.519	4.61	2.364	2.322	2.578	3.05	2.777	2.458
A701 (30 km)*	0.679	0.923	0.727	1.121	0.854	1.103	1.259	1.597	2.411

*approx. distances

Question reference: S5W-02841

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when the A76 between Sanquhar and Thornhill was last open as a two-lane highway without the use of temporary traffic lights.

This section of the A76 was last open without temporary traffic lights in mid-September 2014 following landslides. The traffic lights at Auchensell Pool and Enterkinfoot are necessary to maintain the integrity of the road embankments, whilst construction solutions are developed. The remedial works at Auchensell Pool are expected to be delivered before the end of 2016. The solution at Enterkinfoot is more complex and will take longer as ground investigation and geotechnical design has to be completed. Every effort is being made to accelerate this process and we will continue to ensure those affected by the traffic lights are kept aware of progress. This includes through the South West Unit Landslide Action Plan page on Transport Scotland’s website: (http://www.transport.gov.scot/road/maintenance/south-west-unit-landslide-action-plan)

Question reference: S5O-00231

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to angling clubs and the rural economy following recent changes to the regulation of wild salmon fishing.

Question reference: S5W-02812

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gave to smaller rural communities when setting the assessment criteria for the Scottish Stations Fund.

The assessment criteria for the £30 million Scottish Stations Fund, which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations, covers both rural and urban communities.

All proposals for stations should firstly be directed to the relevant Regional Transport Partnership (RTP) to assess how it fits with their local and regional transport strategies. If appropriate, the RTP will undertake an appraisal to determine the most suitable transport options for the area. The scope and level of detail required in the appraisal is determined by the nature and scale of the transport problems and the impacts of the potential transport options in a particular area.

Transport Scotland officials are always available to offer advice and guidance on the proportionate application of Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance, if requested.

Funding has already been approved through the Stations Fund for improvements at both urban and rural stations benefiting passengers using ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper services.

Question reference: S5W-02782

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost per mile is of the work to dual the A9.

We will only know the true cost per mile of the A9 once we have taken it to the market, however our current estimates are in the region of £19million per mile, rising to £37million per mile once risk, optimism bias and inflation are included. This produces a £3billion overall estimate (80 miles x £37million). However, this can only be an approximate estimate at this stage in the process.

Question reference: S5W-02813

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the creation of a new rail service using existing lines between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Carlisle that would allow a local service to call at a re-opened Beattock Station.

The Scottish Government has considered opportunities to provide services between Carlisle and Glasgow/Edinburgh but found that a ScotRail service could not be supported due to the cost of providing this service, the capacity constraints on the route for additional train services and the anticipated level of patronage. However, the Scottish Government is committed to improving connectivity to promote sustainable economic growth and is willing to review the proposal should circumstances change.

Question reference: S5W-02833

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has given to (a) Dumfries and Galloway Council and (b) Dumfries and Galloway NHS board to ensure that adequate transport infrastructure is in place to support the new Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Through the £212 million investment in the replacement Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, NHS Dumfries and Galloway will discharge the conditions associated with the planning consent for the new hospital, including required improvements to a major trunk road roundabout and road realignments to allowances to the hospital.

Further planning conditions have stipulated that improvements are made to some other existing parts of the road network to accommodate traffic impacts of the new hospital and agreement has been reached that a commuted sum of £220k from the health board for these works would be vested in Dumfries and Galloway Council to allow these works to be completed.