Irene McGugan

10 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to Item 1 of the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce, what the details are of the initial plans for the awareness and career recruitment campaign, and whether these were approved by a Joint Ministerial Meeting within the specified timescale of nine weeks and what the reason…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The national campaign aims to raise the profile and the value of the social care field, to address immediate issues of staff recruitment and retention and to make a career in social care more attractive. A campaign steering group with representation from loca…

10 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Action Plan for Social Services Workforce, what progress has been made under each of the 12 identified items.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-27467 and S1W-27469 to S1W-27487, all of which describe the progress made against specific items in the Action Plan. Work is progressing as quickly as possibly and I am confident that there will be cont…

10 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25808 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 June 2002, why the membership of the Joint Ministerial Meetings on social work and social services does not include some advisers working in the field.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Joint Ministerial Meetings are meetings of ministers, with Scottish Executive officials in attendance. Ministers also regularly meet with advisers and organisations in the field.

10 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25808 by Cathy Jamieson on 28 June 2002, how many Joint Ministerial Meetings on social work and social services there have been and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: There has been one Joint Ministerial Meeting. At that meeting Ministers agreed the content of the Action Plan and the priorities for the new Director for Co-ordinating Social Services Policy. The next meeting will be held later this year.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it is making the changes set out in its Guidance on Involvement of Teachers in Pre-school Education on staffing requirements for pre-school provision and what the effect on the provision and delivery of the 3-5 curriculum will be as a result of these changes.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The <I>Guidance on the Involvement of Teachers in Pre-School Education</I>, which I launched in January this year, does not make any changes to staffing requirements. The guidance discusses how teachers and all staff involved in pre-school provision can contr…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it defines as a recognised childcare qualification.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Annex A of the <I>National Care Standards for Early Education and Childcare up to the Age of 16</I> recognises somebody as being qualified in childcare if they hold any one of the qualifications mentioned in the booklet <I>Working With Children- A Guide to Qu…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the recent report by HM Inspectorate of Education, Standards and Quality in Scottish Pre-school Education 1997-2001, only evaluated children's progress in development and learning in local authority and independent nurseries and not those in the private and voluntary sectors.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Douglas Osler, Chief Executive of HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE), to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The inspection evidence to inform the report on <I>Standards and Quality in Scottish Pre-school Education 1997-2001</I> was drawn fro…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what factors contributed to the differential in quality identified in the recent HM Inspectorate of Education report, Standards and Quality in Scottish Pre-school Education 1997-2001 and in Early Education and Childcare Workforce Survey Final Report which highlighted that local authority …

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Local authorities have had a long history in the provision of pre-school education through nursery schools and classes. By contrast, most private and voluntary providers have only recently begun providing funded pre-school education. The report found that ove…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what evidence or research it based its proposal to remove the requirement for the inclusion of nursery teachers in pre-school provision as addressed in its Guidance on Involvement of Teachers in Pre-school Education.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Guidance on Involvement of Teachers in Pre-school Education was drawn up with the help of a working group of practitioners in the field. The working group considered the published research database, individual case studies, research carried out in America…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether pre-school providers are currently fulfilling their aims and delivering a good service; if so, why it is removing the requirement for the inclusion of nursery teachers as addressed in its Guidance on Involvement of Teachers in Pre-school Education and, if not, in what way it is mo…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Pre-school providers are delivering a good service but, as in most services, there remains room for improvement. <I>The Guidance on the Involvement of Teachers in Pre-School Education</I> offers advice on the provision of a more flexible and user focussed ser…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what direction it plans to move pre-school education and what work is being undertaken to shape the future of pre-school education.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Executive plans to continue to work with the local authority, private and voluntary sectors to improve the quality of pre-school education. The new arrangements for integrated inspection by the Commission for the Regulation of Care and Her Majesty's Inspe…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers pre-schools centres as being primarily concerned with education or childcare.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Pre-school centres are considered to be primarily concerned with providing an integrated service of education and childcare. These two important services are considered to be interdependent and mutually supportive.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the role of pre-school staff to be.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The role of pre-school staff is to help children to get the best possible start in life by promoting their all-round development during their crucial formative years.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the proposed review of fostering will begin; who the members of the review group will be, and what the remit of the group will be.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Fostering will be considered as part of Phase II of the Adoption Policy Review. I am currently considering the precise remit of the review and the membership of the review group. I expect Phase II of the review to begin later this year and will announce the m…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which individuals set the (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 credit papers in modern studies.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I will ask the chairman to write to you with the details requested.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any records kept of contentious questions and of the advice given to modern studies markers on questions which gave them most concern and, if so, which credit questions presented the 2001 markers with the most difficulty.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I will ask the Chairman to write with the details requested.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who was in charge of the modern studies markers' meetings in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 and how many markers attended these meetings.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I will ask the Chairman to write with the details requested.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern studies markers were recruited in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 and how many of them were (i) qualified to teach the subject, (ii) teachers of modern studies with more than three years' classroom experience, (iii) retired teachers and (iv) retired teachers not qualified in modern…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I will ask the chairman to write with the details requested.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002 organised the recruitment of modern studies teachers as markers at standard grade.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Qualifications Authority recruited all required markers for modern studies standard grade, as well as for all subjects and levels, in both 2001 and 2002.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the resources available to local authorities to assist them in improving the current situation in which 39% of young people in care receive a planned throughcare programme and, of those who have left care, 40% have had a formal leaving care review, as highlig…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Children's Services Development Fund in 2000-01 and 2001-02 made up to £1 million available each year to local authorities to help develop throughcare and aftercare services. In addition, local authorities were invited to bid for money from the Changing C…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the "lack of adequate" data collection and processing systems for monitoring and evaluating the number of young people eligible for care services, as highlighted in its Central Research Unit report, Scotland's Children: Children (Scotland) Act 1995 Research Findings No.3 - A Study…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27092

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to produce more specific aims, objectives and timescales for throughcare and aftercare services in order to provide greater standardisation in provision across all local authorities.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27092.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps will be taken to address the "significant variation in throughcare and aftercare arrangements across Scotland" as highlighted in its Central Research Unit report, Scotland's Children: Children (Scotland) Act 1995 Research Findings No.3 - A Study of Throughcare and Aftercare Ser…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: As a result of the findings of that report the expert Throughcare and Aftercare Working Group is focussing on how to improve current services across Scotland. They will report to me in August with their recommendations.

26 Jun 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will ensure that Scots, English and Gaelic appear on all signage in the new Parliament buildings with equal prominence.

Answer · David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body discussed signage at its meeting on 1 July, and decided that signage in the public areas in the new parliamentary buildings will be in English, Gaelic and Braille, and will also include symbols where appropriate.

20 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the School Sport Alliance project will not take place and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Answer · Elaine Murray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-25783. In addition, following the report of the Physical Activity Task Force on 6 June, the Review of Physical Education chaired by the Deputy Minister for Education and Young people will consider all asp…

19 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed ministerial review of physical education will specifically include school sport.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: While the remit of the Physical Education Review Group has not yet been finalised, as sport is an element of physical education in schools, I would expect it to be included in the issues to be considered.

18 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether personal information collected on pupils in the Scottish Exchange of Educational Data will be automatically deleted; if so, when it will be deleted and, if no such action is planned, how individual data subjects may effect such deletion.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Within the Scottish Exchange of Educational Data (ScotXed) project, schools and local authorities are the principal collectors of information relating to individual pupils. Much of this information is held on management information systems within schools and …

18 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by what means pupils, or their parents, will be (a) able to scrutinise all information collected about them in the Scottish Exchange of Educational Data and (b) notified of any disclosure of such information by their school to any other party.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: All Scottish Exchange of Educational Data (ScotXed) partners are responsible for ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act when dealing with information relating to individuals. Schools and local authorities are the principal collectors of information …

18 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how pupils, or their parents, may prohibit (a) the collection of personal information for any purpose other than internal school administration and (b) the subsequent disclosure of such information to any other party.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: All partners within the Scottish Exchange of Educational Data (ScotXed) project are clear about the need ensure full compliance with the Data Protection Act when dealing with information relating to individuals, including the disclosure to third parties.<P>Un…

18 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all agencies that may be authorised to access the personalised information about individual pupils that has been collected in the Scottish Exchange of Educational Data.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The ScotXed (Scottish Exchange of Educational Data) project is a partnership of the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) with local authorities, schools, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), HM Inspectorate of Education and Learning and Teac…