Fiona Hyslop

21 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support will be offered to schools applying to be Schools of Ambition but not selected to participate in the programme.

Answer · Peter Peacock: We will continue to work with those that don't make the first tranche to explore their potential for joining the programme at a later date.</p>

21 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the names of schools that have applied to be Schools of Ambition.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Yes. This was announced on 19 April 2005. The list is as follows:</p> <p>Aberdeen City – Northfield Academy and St Machar Academy</p><p>Aberdeenshire – Fraserburgh Academy</p><p>Angus – Arbroath Academy and Brechin High </p><p>Argyll and Bute – Islay High </p…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out on the effects of long service on the (a) health and well-being and (b) performance of teachers.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA), who are responsible for the administration and regulation of the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme (STSS) provide information about membership of the scheme to the Government Actuary so that he can undertake …

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that the pension provisions for existing teachers are protected.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer to the answer toquestion S2W-15389 on 13 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search">ht…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward early-retirement measures for teachers as referred to in the McCrone report and, if so, when.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Winding Down Scheme, which is a phased retirement option as proposed in the agreement, <i>A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century</i> was introduced to the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme with effect from 1 July 2002. This scheme allows teache…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is regarding Her Majesty's Government's proposals for teachers to work until they are 65.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Occupational pension policy is a reserved matter and HM Treasury directly fund most of the public service pension scheme costs. Scottish ministers are responsible for producing the detailed public service pension scheme regulations but this generally only ext…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the pensions of Scottish teachers are protected.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The STSS is currently being reviewed in common with all public service pension schemes throughout the UK as a result of the UK Government’s plans to raise the normal pension age for most public servants from 60 to 65.</p> <p>The Scottish ministers have alread…

18 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for the pensions of Scottish teachers.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) is responsible for the administration and regulatory aspects of the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme. The functions of that agency fall within my portfolio.</p>

16 Mar 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regarding asbestos disposal on sites intended for housing development.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The Executive has had no direct discussions with HSE on this issue.</p>

14 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many colleges have registered for the individual learning accounts scheme since its relaunch.

Answer · Jim Wallace: To date 41 further education colleges have been registered approved ILA Scotland learning providers.</p>

9 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that setting the maximum age eligibility for personal post-doctoral fellowships at 32 does not contravene the European Convention on Human Rights.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-15121 on 17 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

9 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the maximum age eligibility for personal post-doctoral fellowships is 32.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The purpose of the personal fellowshipscheme, run by the Royal Society of Edinburgh on behalf of the Scottish Executive, is to encourage talented researchers at the start of their career to remainin Scotland to develop outstanding research. While there is no …

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14041 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 February 2005, what the deferment figures were for Scottish-domiciled students only.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The deferment figures for Scottish-domiciled students only are given in the following table. The format of this table is consistent with the table referred to in S2W-14041.</p><p>Analysis of Deferment, of Scottish-Domiciled Students, at 31 March by Year of En…

8 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13677 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 February 2005, whether it has concerns about the reduction in numbers of Scottish school leavers entering higher education.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Around 50% of young peoplewill participate in higher education by the time they are 21. The Executive iscommitted to ensuring that all young people have the opportunity to access thebest option for them, whether this is in higher education, further education,…

8 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-5132 by Peter Peacock on 27 January 2005, what input philanthropists will have into its education policies.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Education policy is set by ministers. We work with others, local authorities, teachers organisations and many others, including philanthropic foundations who are committed to improving the quality of Scottish education, to deliver these policies. The precise …

8 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering seeking visa extensions for teaching graduates from Scottish institutions who would require such extensions in order to complete their probationer time in Scotland.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Extending visas for Non-EU students who have successfully gained a postgraduate teaching qualification (PTQ) at a Scottish Institution is not necessary as they can apply for work permits to complete their probationary year in Scotland.</p><p>Students from the…

8 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13677 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 February 2005, what the improvements were in data collection for graduates from further education colleges.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Theimprovement in data collection mentioned in the answer to question S2W-13677, answeredon 1 February 2005, refers to the outcomes for continuing students who studyat further education colleges. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on …

8 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13677 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 February 2005, whether it has concerns about the reduction in numbers of Scottish-domiciled graduates.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive is committed toensuring that those entering higher education achieve their potential and graduatefrom their chosen course. The number of people who enter higher education will fluctuatefrom year-to-year and whilst there has been a reduction in t…

7 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many partnerships between local businesses and schools have been set up in each year since 2002-03, giving also the average per school cluster.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Partnerships between schoolsand businesses - in both the public and private sectors - come in a variety offorms; what is important is that both parties are clear on what they can bringto the relationship, and that they remain committed to it.</p><p>Through De…

7 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have either received training in Enterprise in Education or received business placements in each year since 2002-03.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Since 2002-03, over 11,000 teachershave participated in training delivered under the Schools Enterprise Programme orvia our Excellence in Education through Business Links initiative. Under Determinedto Succeed (DtS), we are continuing to develop our learning …

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what change was made in the accounting treatment of student loans in 2001.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Student loans were accounted for on a cash basis until 2000-01. From 2001-02 they were accounted for entirely on a resource accounting basis. To facilitate the change, both cash and resource accounts were published in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.</p><p>In the year …

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many deferral applications the Student Loans Company Ltd has received in each year of its operation, giving the percentage which this represents of all graduates who should have been in repayment status.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is given in table 8 on page 56 of the Student Loans Company Ltd’s annual report for 2002-03 published by the Student Loans Companyin November 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 31394…

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the findings of its research into student poverty and graduate debt.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive intend to publish the findings from the Scottish Student Income and Expenditure Survey in summer 2005.</p>

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has paid in subsidies for student loans sold in 1998 and 1999.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Debt sale subsidy payments by the Scottish Executive to 2003-04 in respect of student loans total £62,527,000. However, the cost of these payments is offset in the Executive’s balance sheet against the debt sale subsidy provision, created when the loans were …

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs to it were of monies loaned by the Student Loans Company Ltd in each year since student loans were introduced.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Student loans were introducedin 1990-91 and are treated as outwith Total Managed Expenditure, which meansthat the cash costs are met from the Treasury. These loans were accounted foron a cash accounting basis until 2000-01, and therefore there were no loancos…

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the graduate endowment is predicted to have on the repayment of student loans.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The amount of student loan that a graduate repays each month and the period of time over which repayments are made are linked to the level of the borrower’s income and the amount borrowed. Under the support arrangements introduced in 2001-02, many students wh…

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many student loan borrowers have been declared bankrupt in each year since student loans were introduced.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The number of Scottish student loan borrowers who have been declared bankrupt to 2003 is given in the answer to question S2W-6052 answered on 2 March 2004.All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search fac…

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5272 by Mr Jim Wallace on 27 January 2004, whether the model of student repayments has now been completed and, if so, whether it will provide an illustration of the effects on annual income flows.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Future repayments depend on a wide range or factors, and are therefore difficult to forecast. In the past year work has been carried out to improve the student loans repayment model. There has been extensive testing, though, as with all models, it will be sub…

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the interest rates set for student loans were in each year since the system was introduced.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The rate of interest applied to student loans is equal to the annual change in the retail price index. This is applied to maintain the value of the amount borrowed in real terms.</p><p>1990 - 9.8%.</p><p>1991 - 5.8%</p><p>1992 - 3.9%</p><p>1993 - 1.2%</p><p>1…

2 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many student loan debts have been written off and what the total cash value was of the deleted debt in each year since the system was introduced.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Student Loans Company estimates that the total number of student loan debts, held by Scottish account holders, that have been written off since the student loans scheme began is approximately £1.5 million relating to approximately 770 loans. It is not pos…