The Scottish Government recognises that Lockerbie provides a key rail hub, with links both north and south, and therefore aims to protect and enhance the number of stopping services at Lockerbie Station. Lockerbie station is served predominantly by First TransPennine Express services, with additional Virgin Trains services.

(a) First TransPennine Express (TPE): Following meetings between Transport Scotland officials and First Group in 2015, our proposals for greater connectivity for Lockerbie [and Motherwell] have been addressed, and the new franchise will deliver additional early morning/late evening services between Lockerbie and Edinburgh/Glasgow to facilitate commuting and recreational opportunities from 2017. Additionally, TPE has responded to our concerns by, for instance, calling at Carstairs so as to allow Lockerbie commuters to connect with ScotRail’s Edinburgh-bound services.

(b) Virgin West Coast: The Scottish Government’s response to the recent Inter City West Coast refranchising consultation, made clear that there ought to be a focus by Train Operating Companies on working with others to deliver improvements at stations, including Lockerbie, with measures to increase connectivity and attractiveness particularly welcome.

(c) ScotRail: Lockerbie station is managed by ScotRail but their services do not call at the station.

Our inspection regime is designed to ensure that the trunk road network is safe for use and fit for purpose and to provide the data required to support asset maintenance planning. The regime is set out in the Road Asset Management Plan for Scottish Trunk Roads which can be accessed at: http://www.transport.gov.scot/road/maintenance/road-asset-management-plan

We commission annual machine-based road condition surveys to ensure that we achieve best value from our structural maintenance programme. Deflectograph surveys provide an indication of road structural strength to estimate remaining useful life; Scanner surveys provide an assessment of current surface condition and SCRIM surveys provide a measure of wet skidding resistance.

Also, in accordance with their contractual requirements, our trunk road operating companies are required to carry out safety inspections, safety patrols, night time survey patrols, detailed inspections and condition surveys. Our operating company contracts can be accessed at: http://www.transport.gov.scot/road/maintenance/operating-companies .

The number of temporary traffic signals on the trunk road network changes daily according to demands. On a typical day such as the 21st September 2019 there were 76 sets of temporary traffic signals three of which were in Dumfries and Galloway.

Transport Scotland were first aware of slope stability issues in Enterkinfoot in mid-September 2014.

Since 2007 a total of £39,023,818 has been invested in the A76. This figure includes £5,553,485 investment for the Glen Airlie improvement scheme.

Transport Scotland is part of the Scottish Government and discussions/meetings with Ministers occur regularly in thenormal course of business. This specific issue was most recently discussed in early September.

The temporary lights on the A76 at Enterkinfoot have ceased to operate as required on five occasions. These were identified through the Operating Company’s daily inspections and were quickly made serviceable again.

The National Out-of-Hours Review Report, Pulling together, was published in November 2015. As part of the implementation of the Review, we are currently considering bids from Health and Social Care Partnerships that explore all aspects of the Review’s recommendations including palliative care.

Sir Lewis Ritchie will be undertaking a further national engagement programme, building on the initial engagement programme to all board areas in Scotland, carried out as part of the original Primary Care Out of Hours Review process where he will discuss these bids in more detail.

The National Out-of-Hours Review Report, Pulling together, was published in November 2015. As part of the implementation of the Review, we are currently considering bids from Health and Social Care Partnerships that explore all aspects of the Review’s recommendations.

We expect NHS boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) to use the recommendations in the Review to inform local planning. However, since the integration of health and social care in April 2016, it is the responsibility of HSCPs to coordinate health and care services, commissioning NHS boards and councils to deliver services in line with a local strategic plan to meet the needs of its population. Over time, this will lead to a change in how services are provided with a greater emphasis on preventative services and allowing people to receive care and support in their home or local community rather than being admitted to hospital.

Additionally, our Strategic Framework for Action on Palliative and End of Life Care (SFA), which was published in December 2015, sets out our vision that by 2021 everyone who needs palliative and end of life care will have access to it. The SFA was informed by the recommendations in the Review and sets out a series of commitments to realise that ambition including supporting Healthcare Improvement Scotland in providing HSCPs with expertise on testing and implementing improvements in the identification and care co-ordination of those who can benefit from palliative and end of life care.

This work has been carried out by existing members of staff as part of their normal duties. No-one is dedicated exclusively to this work and no additional staff have been employed or redeployed to take forward the work at this stage. In line with usual practice, the number of hours staff have spent on individual tasks has not been recorded.