Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 24 October 2012
24 Oct 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Winter Resilience
Capital budgets are under huge pressure as well—it is not just revenue budgets that are under pressure. I did not mention revenue budgets specifically and, while some repairs might be done using the revenue budget, some might be done through the capital budget. It does not matter which budget the money comes from; the important issue is the fact that funding is being constrained.
If the pessimistic forecasts turn out to be correct, there will be an effect on rail services, too. I have had a look at the temporary timetable that would have been implemented if there had been severe weather last year. It involved substantial reductions in network coverage, with no trains at all north and west of Inverness or on the west highland line, no service between Aberdeen and Inverness or south of Girvan, and none to commuter destinations such as Milngavie, Wemyss Bay and Shotts. That is not entirely the responsibility of Government but, if similar restrictions are planned in the event of severe weather this year, the public need to know about them, because we cannot have a situation in which people turn up at stations expecting trains to be running when, in fact, they have been cut back significantly.
If the pessimistic forecasts turn out to be correct, there will be an effect on rail services, too. I have had a look at the temporary timetable that would have been implemented if there had been severe weather last year. It involved substantial reductions in network coverage, with no trains at all north and west of Inverness or on the west highland line, no service between Aberdeen and Inverness or south of Girvan, and none to commuter destinations such as Milngavie, Wemyss Bay and Shotts. That is not entirely the responsibility of Government but, if similar restrictions are planned in the event of severe weather this year, the public need to know about them, because we cannot have a situation in which people turn up at stations expecting trains to be running when, in fact, they have been cut back significantly.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-04518, in the name of Keith Brown, on winter resilience.14:42
The Minister for Transport and Veteran Affairs (Keith Brown)
SNP
Presiding Officer, thank you for the opportunity to update members on how Scotland is becoming more resilient, year on year, in the face of severe weather, a...
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
Will the minister give way?
Keith Brown
SNP
I give way to Alison Johnstone.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Speaking about new technologies—
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
Could we have Alison Johnstone’s microphone on please? Please put your card in, Ms Johnstone.
Alison Johnstone
Green
Speaking about new technologies, the minister may be aware that the Dutch are about to test heated cycle paths that will use heat that has been gathered duri...
Keith Brown
SNP
I made the point at the start of my speech that we want to keep Scotland moving. To the extent that they will help keep Scotland moving, I am more than willi...
Margo MacDonald (Lothian) (Ind)
Ind
I thank the minister for giving way near the end of his speech. I was waiting for what I thought would be the crescendo. What is the Government going to do a...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Minister, you must conclude, please.
Keith Brown
SNP
I think that Margo MacDonald has stolen Alex Johnstone’s thunder. We have procedures in place to deal with potholes. My responsibility is for trunk roads, an...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
As the minister said, long-range weather forecasting is notoriously unreliable because weather patterns are influenced by many factors, including variations ...
Keith Brown
SNP
It is worth looking behind some of the figures that Elaine Murray cited. Last year, many local authorities had very high levels of salt but did not use it be...
Elaine Murray
Lab
I thank the minister for that clarification of the issues in the article. However, councils are implementing cuts not because they do not take winter resilie...
Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
It is my recollection from my time as a local councillor that the funding for repairs to the road network to deal with potholes, for example, came from counc...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
You are in your final minute, Dr Murray.
Elaine Murray
Lab
Capital budgets are under huge pressure as well—it is not just revenue budgets that are under pressure. I did not mention revenue budgets specifically and, w...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
You must close now, Dr Murray.
Elaine Murray
Lab
That information needs to be put in the public domain in advance of any prolonged period of severe winter weather.I move amendment S4M-04518.1, to insert at ...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I welcome the debate and thank the minister for bringing forward—for the second time, I believe, after last year’s debate—a debate on winter resilience at th...
Mark McDonald
SNP
Does the member agree that another issue that arises is when the road is dug up—by a utility company, for example—and then not properly filled in or patched ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Mr Johnstone, you are going into your last minute.
Alex Johnstone
Con
Absolutely, I would not dispute that what the member describes is an issue.I will have to move quickly to ensure that I cover some of the other points that I...
Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD)
LD
The last days of October are fast becoming characterised not by gaining an extra hour, or by Hallowe’en, but by the annual winter resilience debate in the ch...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
We turn to the open debate. At this stage of the debate, we are tight for time and it is unlikely that I will be able to call all members to speak. Speeches ...
Chic Brodie (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, welcome the debate and acknowledge the considerable work that the Minister for Transport and Veteran Affairs, his officials, the services and the Red...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I highlight the recent Citizens Advice Scotland energy briefing, which says that the Scottish Government and local authorities might be able to help with rur...
Chic Brodie
SNP
That point is well made and noted.The resilience programme should be packaged under the two themes of communication and equipment availability. It is good ne...
Margo MacDonald
Ind
Will the member give way?
Chic Brodie
SNP
No, I must finish.We do not just have to deal with domestic issues. It is critical that airports and cross-border rail links continue to operate effectively....