Irene McGugan

19 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether introduction of a uniform salary for all probationers will impact on the current teacher recruitment campaign.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The recent Teacher Recruitment Advertising Campaign has the twin objectives of improving the public perception of teaching as a worthwhile and rewarding career, and increasing the numbers of talented people entering the teaching profession. <P>The success of …

19 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a commitment that any changes to teachers' pay scales as they apply to probationary and recently qualified staff will not disadvantage those already in Post-Graduate Certificate of Education training.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Teachers pay and conditions are agreed through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT). The Scottish Executive, COSLA and the teacher organisations are all represented on the SNCT and all parties all contribute to collaborative decisions. The p…

19 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether full and inclusive consultation will take place between all parties, including students in training, on proposed changes to teachers' pay scales as they apply to probationary and recently qualified staff.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The decision on whether or not to accept the proposed changes to pay for probationer teachers is one for the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers. This body includes the Scottish Executive, local authorities and teachers organisations, and we have been…

19 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when students will be informed of the decision of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers on a uniform salary for all probationers.

Answer · Jack McConnell: All parties to the committee will ensure that information on any decisions taken will be disseminated as appropriate as soon as a decision is taken.

19 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers will make a decision on a uniform salary for all probationers.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The next meeting of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers will be on 5 December 2001. This meeting will discuss the proposal from the Working Group on Conditions of Service on changes to pay for probationer teachers.

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to A Science Strategy for Scotland, what plans it has, in partnership with Her Majesty's Government, to seek funding from Europe and to take advantage of regional aid schemes in the same way that Greece, Spain and Ireland have.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is working with the Enterprise Networks to increase the uptake of those European funding streams which aim to encourage research and development. The Executive will be working over the next six months with the UK Office of Science and T…

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the proposal in A Science Strategy for Scotland to work with the Royal Society of Edinburgh to set up a Scottish Science Advisory Committee to advise on strategic scientific issues, how many employees of new universities are members of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Science Advisory Committee will have a broadly based membership and will not be restricted to members of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Membership of the Royal Society of Edinburgh is a matter for that body.

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18456 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 5 October 2001, what action it intends to take to encourage an increase in expenditure on research and development by businesses in Scotland.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: We recognise that raising Scotland's performance on research and development is central to achieving a smart, successful Scotland. The Enterprise Networks are taking this forward, and one of the progress measures which we plan to use to guide their priorities…

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement on page 52 of A Forward Strategy for Agriculture regarding encouragement and funding of a pilot project involving medical and nutritional experts to determine whether increased consumption of berries has a pronounced health advantage, whether, given existing info…

Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish ministers are currently considering revised proposals for a pilot project, submitted by the Scottish Berry Group in July. You and other interested members will be informed of the outcome in due course.

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement on page 52 of A Forward Strategy for Agriculture regarding encouragement and funding of a pilot project involving medical and nutritional experts to determine whether increased consumption of berries has a pronounced health advantage, how much funding it intends …

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-19163.

18 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18498 by Susan Deacon on 9 October 2001, how many Staff Side Chairs of the Area Partnership Forums of the 15 new NHS Boards are members of the Royal College of Nursing.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Of the 13 Staff Side Chairs of Area Partnership Forums who have so far been appointed to the 15 new NHS Boards, three are currently members of the Royal College of Nursing.

15 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17830 by Susan Deacon on 12 October 2001, whether sufficient resources are accessible throughout Scotland to treat sleep apnoea adequately.

Answer · Susan Deacon: It is for NHS Boards to determine how best to spend the increased resources allocated to them, to meet national priorities and address the health needs of their resident populations.

15 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17830 by Susan Deacon on 12 October 2001, how "clinical priority" is defined with reference to sleep apnoea and whether all NHS boards use the same definition.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Definitions of clinical priority are a matter for clinicians. I understand from NHS Lothian that clinical priority in relation to sleep apnoea is defined by reference to risk categories. I further understand that this approach to clinical prioritisation has b…

15 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17830 by Susan Deacon on 12 October 2001, how long patients in each NHS board area will now have to wait, on average, to receive equipment for the treatment of sleep apnoea.

Answer · Susan Deacon: It is not possible to give an average waiting time in each area. Following assessment and diagnosis in their own areas, patients considered to be suffering from sleep apnoea are referred to the Sleep Centre in Edinburgh. Decisions on the need for a CPAP machi…

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on early years services, excluding mainstream education, in each local authority area in each of the past three years.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Local authorities provide a range of early years services. Information which separates mainstream and other service provision is not held centrally.

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average daily amount spent on purchasing food for school lunches is per pupil and what the average cost to pupils is for a school meal, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Information contained in the annual Local Financial Returns to the Scottish Executive of expenditure by education authorities provides some information about total expenditure on, and income from, school meals. However, the information collected does not incl…

9 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, what plans it has to legislate to introduce a duty on education authorities to prepare and implement an accessibility strategy for disabled pupils in line with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 and, if it has no plans to legislate, how will it ensure that disabled pup…

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive published, on 9 October 2001, a consultation paper on the draft Education (Disability Strategies & Pupils' Records) Bill. This Bill will bring forward, in Scotland, a similar duty to that in sections 14 and 15 of the Special Educational…

8 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made or plans to make to sportscotland and the Scottish Sports Association to ensure that all sports have equal rules regarding nationality in order to represent Scotland.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The eligibility issue cannot be dealt with by either <B>sport</B>scotland or the Scottish Sports Association as the jurisdiction in all cases is with separate international federations whose members are individual national governing bodies of sport. However, …

8 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made or plans to make to sportscotland and the Scottish Sports Association regarding the reports that Scottish athletes may be denied the opportunity to represent Scotland in the 2002 Commonwealth Games because they no longer live or train in Scotland despite t…

Answer · Allan Wilson: None. The selection of the Scottish team is a matter for the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland. In choosing team members, they satisfy themselves that each athlete meets the set eligibility criteria.

1 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16679 by Allan Wilson on 24 August 2001, what level of qualification and expertise is required of those setting and monitoring the requirements of the Coaching Certificate.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Those involved in setting and monitoring the requirements of the Coaching Certificate must be working towards the Boxing Advanced Certificate or equivalent. In addition they must have worked with junior or senior boxers and have good management, written and o…

1 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16679 by Allan Wilson on 24 August 2001, when the criteria outlined in the Coaching Certificate were (a) laid down and (b) last reviewed and whether the criteria remain appropriate.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The criteria outlined in the Coaching Certificate were laid down on 12 February 2000 when Amateur Boxing Scotland Ltd (ABS Ltd) replaced the former Scottish Amateur Boxing Association and the Scottish Amateur Boxing Federation. The criteria are kept under rev…

1 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16678 by Allan Wilson on 24 August 2001, what level of qualification and expertise is required by the Official in Charge of Show, attending doctors, referees and head coaches in order for them to carry the responsibility for the safety of those takin…

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Official in Charge of Show must be a referee or judge and referees must hold an Amateur Boxing Scotland Ltd (ABS Ltd) referees certificate. When referees reach the age of 60 they must sit a further medical examination. Attending doctors must be a member o…

1 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional safety measures have been introduced through the British Boxing Board of Control following the Paul Ingles fight and how information on these measures will be disseminated.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The British Boxing Board of Control has jurisdiction over professional boxing in Great Britain. As for amateur boxing, medical standards are set by the Amateur International Boxing Association and these standards are adopted by the European body and subsequen…

1 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16676 by Allan Wilson on 24 August 2001, what monitoring takes place to ensure that all boxing authorities comply fully with the Amateur International Boxing Association's medical standards, as outlined in the Medical Handbook of Amateur Boxing.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Every show held must send the result sheets (SME4 and SME4a) to the registrar who collates the information received and checks that medical advice is adhered to.

27 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the revised teaching materials for Technological Studies will be distributed to schools.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Learning and Teaching Scotland distributed the Standard Grade Technological Studies support materials to all Scottish secondary schools on Monday 20 August. A copy of these materials is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 16397).

26 Sep 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the impact of the Child Strategy Statement.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The Child Strategy Statement urges all parts of the Scottish Executive to take children's interests into account when developing and implementing policy, noting the importance of ensuring that overlapping areas of policy affecting children are properly co-ord…

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16467 by Malcolm Chisholm on 1 August 2001, what criteria, including criteria relating to the health risks to children from oral contraception and from being excluded from this initiative, an NHS Trust will apply in deciding whether to issue a direct…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive's general guidance on the making of Patient Group Directions does not set criteria for Directions on particular subjects. An NHS board would be expected to take into consideration all relevant factors, including the range of views expressed in a…

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by what legislative action, and to what extent, road tolling has been devolved.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The tolling of new roads in Scotland is allowed by Part II of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. The right to levy tolls on the Forth, Erskine and Tay bridges is established by separate Acts specific to each bridge. Part III of the Transport (Scotland) …

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail all studies conducted and findings reached by the Food Standards Agency (Scotland) to date in pursuit of its agreed targets and objectives.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Scientific studies conducted by the Food Standards Agency (Scotland) are detailed in the Food Standards Agency's Food Research Programmes Annual Report. The first of these was published in October 2000 but did not contain specific Scottish research. The secon…

25 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it and the Scottish Athletics Federation will be represented at the forthcoming meeting between the UK Minister for Sport and UK Athletics to discuss issues arising from the performance of the UK athletics squad at the recent World Athletics Championships in Edmonton.

Answer · Allan Wilson: No. The Scottish Athletics Federation view UK Athletics as the appropriate body to deal with this meeting from their sports point of view and have confidence in the abilities of their UK colleagues to address the issues raised.