Parliamentary questions

Karen Whitefield

555 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

12 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions it secured to require First ScotRail to finance the rebranding of the rail fleet and stations as part of the renegotiated rail franchise.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The terms of the contracted ˜˜Scottish Rail Brand'''' priced option are included in the ScotRail Franchise Amendment Agreement, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45544).

12 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it anticipates the overall cost will be of rebranding the rail fleet and stations.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Brand implementation will take place during routine maintenance cycles, paid through existing maintenance budgets contained within the ScotRail franchise contract. Financial information relating to First ScotRail''s operating costs is commercially co…

12 Mar 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when Creative Scotland will be operational.

Answer · Michael Russell: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0312-01.htm">http://www.scot…

6 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of the national concessionary travel scheme is examining the possibility of allowing two carers to be eligible for free travel where a disabled person is unable to travel with only one carer.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The review of the Scotland-wide Free Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People is looking at how the scheme has been operating since its introduction in April 2006. This includes considering the eligibility criteria for companions. We anticipate the rep…

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of rebranding First ScotRail trains and stations.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The substantive work to implement the new, unified, ScotRail brand across trains and stations has taken place during routine maintenance cycles, paid through existing maintenance budgets contained within the ScotRail franchise contract. The only addi…

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Minister for Children and Early Years has met local authorities to discuss child protection since January 2008, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I have met with local authorities to discuss child protection on the following occasions: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td valign=top > 5 February 2008 </td> <td width=428 valign=top > <p align=…

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has met local authorities to discuss child protection since January 2008, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Ms Hyslop met with local authorities on the following occasions, where child protection was on the agenda: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=135 valign=top > 29 July 2008 </td> <td width=160 vali…

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings the Minister for Children and Early Years has had with HM Inspectorate of Education to discuss matters relating to child protection since January 2008.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I regularly meet with Graham Donaldson, HM Senior Chief Inspector, to discuss child protection and other issues.

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings the Minister for Children and Early Years has had with the Social Work Inspection Agency to discuss matter relating to child protection since January 2008.

Answer · Adam Ingram: I regularly meet with Alexis Jay, SWIA CEO, to discuss child protection and other issues.

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has had with HM Inspectorate of Education to discuss matters relating to child protection since January 2008.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Ms Hyslop regularly meets with Graham Donaldson, HM Senior Chief Inspector, to discuss child protection and other issues. Ms Hyslop''s next meeting with Graham Donaldson is scheduled for 25 March 2009.

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has had with the Social Work Inspection Agency to discuss matters relating to child protection since January 2008.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Ms Hyslop regularly meets with Alexis Jay, SWIA CEO, to discuss child protection and other issues. Ms Hyslop most recently met with Alexis Jay for discussions, including on child protection, on 12 February 2009. She also met Alexis Jay and SWIA Inspectors on …

5 Mar 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are living with (a) alcohol or (b) drug-dependent parents, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Current best estimates suggest that 40-60,000 children in Scotland may be affected by parental drug misuse. Of these, 10-20,000 may be living with at least one parent with a drug misuse problem. Current estimates also suggest 65,000+ children may be affected …

11 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to explore opportunities to develop an apprenticeship route into the creative media industries.

Answer · Michael Russell: It is for Sector Skills Councils to determine the skills needs of their industry and to identify relevant and appropriate training opportunities to meet the needs of employers. Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the creative media industries. …

10 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that creative media industries engage with schools and that media literacy is an integral part of the school curriculum.

Answer · Keith Brown: Ofcom defines media literacy as the ability to access, understand and create communications in a variety of contexts. Curriculum for Excellence identifies literacy skills as a key theme across the curriculum with all teachers having a role in promoting langua…

10 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in ensuring that the broadcasting industry has access to a highly skilled and flexible workforce.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is keen to ensure that the broadcasting industry has access to a highly skilled and flexible workforce. Progress towards this will be set out in our response to the Scottish Broadcasting Commission''s report, which will be published sh…

10 Feb 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will open up access to careers in creative media industries to a wider cross-section of the community.

Answer · Michael Russell: Increasing access to careers in the creative media industries is a shared responsibility for the government, the Scottish Funding Council, Sector Skills Councils and individual institutions. For example, the Scottish Government''s Determined to Succeed</i…

5 Feb 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it will provide to healthy living centres in the next year.

Answer · Shona Robison : This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0205-01.htm">http://www.scot…

16 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the recommendations of the Scots Language Audit Research Advisory Group.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: It is not within the remit of the Research Advisory Group to make recommendations in respect of the audit. The audit report and findings were published on 27 January and can be viewed on the Scottish Government''s website at: <a href="http://www.sco…

16 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Scots Language Audit Research Advisory Group has met.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Research Advisory Group met four times in an advisory capacity to facilitate the research process for the audit and to provide relevant contacts in the Scots language sector to the contracted researcher.

16 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership is of the Scots Language Audit Research Advisory Group.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Research Advisory Group comprises the following members: Janet Ruiz “ Principal Research Officer, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Analytical Services, Scottish Government Julie Carr “ Senior Research Officer, Europe, External Affair…

16 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions (a) officials and (b) Scottish ministers have met representatives of (i) Scottish Language Dictionaries, (ii) the Scots Language Centre and (iii) Itchy Coo since May 2008.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: During this period officials and Ministers from the Scottish Government, as well as officials from the Scottish Arts Council, have met representatives from these organisations on a number of occasions.

11 Dec 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future of forestry.

Answer · Michael Russell: We are fully committed to ensuring that forestry continues to provide a wide range of economic, social and environmental benefits for the people of Scotland. In conjunction with the forestry sector, Forestry Commission Scotland is working to a strategy which …

27 Nov 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are for early years education.

Answer · Adam Ingram:   This PQ was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor1127-01.ht…

21 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms (a) there are to require and (b) would be required to improve the sharing of information between professionals in relation to child protection.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The document Sharing Information About Children: a Guide to Good Practice (Scottish Executive 2004) makes it clear that All professionals and service providers have a responsibility to act to make sure that a child whose safety or welfare may be at ri…

21 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many services were evaluated as (a) satisfactory, (b) weak and (c) unsatisfactory in the HM Inspectorate of Education joint inspection of services to protect children and young people in the Aberdeen City Council area, and how this compares to the evaluation of Midlothian Council’s ch…

Answer · Adam Ingram: HMIE joint inspection of services for children evaluates against 18 quality indicators (QIs), set out in the framework How well are children and young people protected and their needs met? In the case of Aberdeen City Council, four QIs were found to b…

21 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has required Aberdeen City Council to prepare an action plan following publication of the HM Inspectorate of Education report, Joint inspection of services to protect children and young people in the Aberdeen City Council a…

Answer · Adam Ingram: After every inspection of services to protect children in a local authority area, HMIE ask the Chief Officers Group to prepare an action plan indicating how they will address the main recommendations of the report. In the case of Aberdeen, Scottish Government…

21 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has met representatives of Aberdeen City Council to discuss the HM Inspectorate of Education report, Joint inspection of services to protect children and young people in the Aberdeen City Council area, published on 13 Novem…

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Cabinet Secretary has not met with Aberdeen City Council representatives to discuss the HMIE report. On Wednesday 12 November the Minister for Children and Early Years held a conference call to consider progress since the oral feedback provided …

11 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to renew and regenerate the schools estate.

10 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering placing children other than those who have been assessed as requiring secure accommodation in secure accommodation.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There are no plans to change the current criteria against which children are assessed for placement in secure accommodation. These are as follows: (a) a children''s hearing must consider that the young person meets the criteria set out in section 70(…

10 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering the closure of one of the secure accommodation units for young people as a way to address overcapacity.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Decisions about the future of secure units are principally for those who own and run those units. The local authority and voluntary sector providers responsible for Scotland''s seven secure units are represented on the short-life working group tasked by Scott…