Chamber
Plenary, 16 Jun 2004
16 Jun 2004 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Transport
I cannot give reassurance on all those points, but I can guarantee that the new agency will be strong. We will seek to attract to the new agency skilled transport professionals from throughout Scotland and from other parts of the UK. It is vital to attract new skills, especially in public transport, because for decades in Scotland we have not delivered the sorts of new rail and tram projects and the scale of investment in bus services that we are now committed to delivering.
As Kenny MacAskill knows, a rail review is taking place. The review is important and we are very much a part of it. I have discussed the rail review with Alistair Darling to follow up his commitment—in his statement announcing the review to the House of Commons—that he would like further devolution of powers to Scotland and to Wales. We welcome the opportunity for and strongly support further devolution of powers, provided that appropriate resources accompany those new responsibilities. I hope that the new agency will receive additional powers on those matters. We will find out about the UK rail review in the coming weeks and months.
I emphasise that the new agency does not mark the demise of SPT. I referred to SPT in my statement because of the level of concern that had been expressed, especially when the consultation document on the agency was published. Since last autumn, I have had regular and extremely constructive discussions with SPT, including with Alistair Watson, who is SPT's chairman.
I have emphasised that we are not going for a monolithic or one-size-fits-all approach throughout Scotland. We will reflect and recognise the differences in the regional bodies in the proposed legislation. I envisage a strong regional partnership in the west of Scotland, to which the powers of SPT will be transferred and which will have at its heart the management, the staff and the functions of SPT at present. The only exception to that relates to the rail franchise powers. In my statement, I went out of my way to emphasise that I still expect SPT to have a direct role in the management and development of rail services in the west of Scotland.
I regard the statement as positive for SPT, its staff and its management. Most important of all is the fact that passengers in the west of Scotland can look forward to further development of SPT's powers and functions as a result of the statement.
As Kenny MacAskill knows, a rail review is taking place. The review is important and we are very much a part of it. I have discussed the rail review with Alistair Darling to follow up his commitment—in his statement announcing the review to the House of Commons—that he would like further devolution of powers to Scotland and to Wales. We welcome the opportunity for and strongly support further devolution of powers, provided that appropriate resources accompany those new responsibilities. I hope that the new agency will receive additional powers on those matters. We will find out about the UK rail review in the coming weeks and months.
I emphasise that the new agency does not mark the demise of SPT. I referred to SPT in my statement because of the level of concern that had been expressed, especially when the consultation document on the agency was published. Since last autumn, I have had regular and extremely constructive discussions with SPT, including with Alistair Watson, who is SPT's chairman.
I have emphasised that we are not going for a monolithic or one-size-fits-all approach throughout Scotland. We will reflect and recognise the differences in the regional bodies in the proposed legislation. I envisage a strong regional partnership in the west of Scotland, to which the powers of SPT will be transferred and which will have at its heart the management, the staff and the functions of SPT at present. The only exception to that relates to the rail franchise powers. In my statement, I went out of my way to emphasise that I still expect SPT to have a direct role in the management and development of rail services in the west of Scotland.
I regard the statement as positive for SPT, its staff and its management. Most important of all is the fact that passengers in the west of Scotland can look forward to further development of SPT's powers and functions as a result of the statement.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is a statement by Nicol Stephen on the transport white paper, "Scotland's transport future". The minister will take questions at th...
The Minister for Transport (Nicol Stephen):
LD
I am publishing today the Executive's transport white paper, "Scotland's transport future". Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament information ce...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
The minister will now take questions. I have a long list on my screen of members who wish to speak, so I appeal for brevity from everyone who is selected.
Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the minister for the courtesy copies of his statement and the white paper. Scottish National Party members agree with much of what he said but, as is...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
I cannot give reassurance on all those points, but I can guarantee that the new agency will be strong. We will seek to attract to the new agency skilled tran...
David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I thank the minister for alerting me to his statement. I have a short question. What will he do after the agency is set up? Is it not the minister's job to d...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
There will be a new agency—it will not be a new quango—and, as an agency, it will be directly accountable to ministers. We need the new agency and the skills...
Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD):
LD
I have a couple of quick questions about the statement, which I welcome. First, will the minister give an assurance that the regional partnerships will genui...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
The central purpose of the new transport agency is to speed up delivery and to make delivery more effective—all my efforts will be focused on achieving that....
Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green):
Green
I have three short questions to ask the minister. First, how will the statutory body that will replace SPT ensure integrated public transport? Secondly, how ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
No speeches, please. You have asked your questions; let us move on.
Chris Ballance:
Green
Okay. Thank you. How will the Executive's strategy deliver that without interim targets?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Three short answers, minister.
Nicol Stephen:
LD
SPT and its powers will be transferred into the new, strong west of Scotland regional transport authority, which, for the first time, will be able to deliver...
Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
I thank the minister for his statement. I, too, have three questions. First, will he set aside any funding that is in the transport budget for the constructi...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
All the proposals that are set out on page 66 of the document, in relation to major transport infrastructure projects, have been budgeted for. The M74 propos...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the minister's announcement about the toll bridges review group. Along with Trish Godman and Des McNulty, I hope that he will encourage the group t...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
Those will be key considerations for us in relation to the bridges review.
Jackie Baillie:
Lab
Yes or no?
Nicol Stephen:
LD
The short answer is yes. There are, however, issues to do with the cost of the maintenance of our bridges and, as I said in my statement, we have to consider...
Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP):
SNP
I have two questions for the minister. The first relates to the ability of the new local partnerships to requisition core funding from rate support grant. In...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
The new regional transport partnerships are clearly not joint boards and will be established by separate legislation. We are building on the current regional...
Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the minister's acknowledgement of the great achievements of SPT and hope sincerely that arrangements following the review will not disrupt its good...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
I hope that the new regional transport partnerships will be strong and appropriate in all parts of Scotland. The new partnerships will have an opportunity to...
John Scott (Ayr) (Con):
Con
How will airport development fit into the strategy? In particular, will the strategy support the continuing growth of Prestwick airport? Will the minister as...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
Air travel is one area in which certain responsibilities are reserved and certain responsibilities are devolved. Through the planning system, our investment ...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
What benefits will the new transport agency bring to bus services for Scotland's communities? Will the agency have the powers to address the deficiency in bu...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
I agree that there continue to be problems, especially in some rural communities and in relation to weekend and evening services. We hoped that the Transport...
John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP):
SSCUP
Will the minister look at the problem that I have raised before about senior citizens going from A to B—from Edinburgh to Glasgow, or vice versa, for example...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
John Swinburne describes exactly why we need to move to a national scheme. The problems that he mentioned occur—I do not approve of them and they need to sto...