Margo MacDonald

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what benchmarks it plans to use to measure the educational successes of its Broadband for Scotland campaign.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The key benchmark will be uptake. This is because the aim of the campaign was to educate businesses and households on the benefits of broadband in order to increase connections to the technology. It is estimated that business take-up has almost trebled since …

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it employs to evaluate the proportion of time children spend on the internet for educational activities.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Information was gathered on children’s use of computers and the internet which included:</p><p>Within school, 55% of S4 pupils used a computer three or more times a week, while most of the younger pupils used it once or twice a week or less.</p><p>There were …

1 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing the Calman report on specialist medical training that Scotland should have graduate entry to medical school.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is carefully considering the implications of Sir Kenneth Calman’s Report and intends to publish its response shortly.</p>

1 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instigate a training programme for GPs with special interests as part of the service redesign recommended in the report by Sir John Temple, Securing Future Practice: Shaping the New Medical Workforce for Scotland.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Postgraduate medical training in the UK is under review as part of the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) training reforms. New frameworks for progressive specialty training, including those for general practice, are being developed across the UK administratio…

20 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review property law to take account of the needs of Sharia law.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has no current plans to review property law to take account of Sharia law.</p>

4 Nov 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many visits outwith Scotland have been undertaken by MSPs in respect of their parliamentary duties since the start of Session 2.

Answer · George Reid: Since the start of Session 2 MSPs have made 160 visits outwith Scotland in respect of their parliamentary duties. Of these visits, 72 were made under the Members Support Allowance within the UK or to Brussels/Strasbourg, 46 under the auspices of External Liai…

29 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that minimum area standards for the si'e of schools are being adhered to in all cases.

Answer · Euan Robson: The School Premises (General Requirements and Standards)(Scotland) Regulations 1967 set out broad minimum standards in relation to certain aspects of school accommodation, including areas of school sites and overall minimum educational area according to the r…

25 Jun 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what arrangements are in place, or are planned, for the accommodation of parliamentary staff outwith the new Parliament building.

Answer · George Reid: Following the migration tothe new Parliament building, there will be a temporary need to accommodate theremainder of the Holyrood Project Team, the Opening Ceremony Team and somefixed-term staff at the Tun. There are no current plans to accommodate parliament…

25 Jun 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer how many parliamentary staff will be accommodated outwith the new parliamentary complex at Holyrood.

Answer · George Reid: Following migration, approximately25 staff (on fixed-term contracts, seconded from other organisations orpermanent staff filling fixed term posts) will be based at the Tun.  Thisfigure will reduce as projects are completed.  There are no current plans to acco…

16 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are being held in prison awaiting finalisation of extradition proceedings; in which prisons such people are held; how long each person has been held, and whether any such person has sought interim freedom during initial hearings or appeals and, if so, what grounds were ad…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Four such individuals are beingheld in custody in Scotland pending the determination of requests for their extradition.It is not Scottish Prison Service policy to disclose the particular prison establishmentin which such individuals are being held. </p><p>Two…

11 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed in the Holyrood Evidence Unit of its Legal and Parliamentary Services department; for how long such staff have been employed in the unit, and at what cost.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: 2.5 full-time equivalent members of staff are currently employed in the Holyrood Evidence Unit (HEU), which was established in September 2003. One other part-time member of staff worked in the HEU between September 2003 and February 2004. The total staff cost…

11 Jun 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what work has been undertaken by the Holyrood Evidence Unit of its Legal and Parliamentary Services department.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Holyrood Evidence Unit co-ordinates the submission of documents to the Inquiry and liaises with witnesses and the Inquiry team.</p>

12 May 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will act on the recommendation of Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England, that everyone should exercise for at least 30 minutes per day.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Sir Liam Donaldson’srecommendations, including that adults should take part in at least 30 minutesof physical activity on five or more days per week, replicate those containedin Let’s Make Scotland More Active, Scotland’s Physical Activity Strategy, whichis n…

17 Mar 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will initiate pilot studies and a cost-benefit analysis of exercise on prescription from NHS doctors.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive is committed to improving health andreducing inequalities in health. There are no current plans to initiate pilotstudies and a cost-benefit analysis of exercise on prescription by NHS doctors.However, there are a number of local exercis…

16 Mar 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what operational and funding arrangements are in place for the research and development of policy on, and care for, people suffering from myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The care of people with chronicfatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis is arranged and funded by NHS boards.The Executive issued the report of a short life working group set up to makerecommendations for improving services to NHS boards in February 2003, a…

10 Mar 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra physical education teachers it will recruit over the next academic year and whether it has any plans to create more places at the Scottish Centre for Physical Education, Sport and Leisure Studies.

Answer · Peter Peacock: TheExecutive does not employ teachers directly. However we recognise the vitalimportance of physical activity in schools and are committed to providing localauthorities with extra resource to allow them to improve provision in this area.</p>

25 Feb 2004 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it plans to extend the present contract of employment of the Parliament's Clerk and Chief Executive until after Lord Fraser's inquiry into the Holyrood project has been completed.

Answer · George Reid: The SPCB is contractuallybound to review the current contract it has with the Clerk/Chief Executive andwill do so shortly.</p>

3 Nov 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what percentage of the oak, stored in Rosyth, which was sourced and purchased for use in the debating chamber of the new Parliament building, is fit for its original use.

Answer · George Reid: The Convener of the HolyroodProgress Group has confirmed that the fit-out package contractor is workingwith 36% of the Scottish oak that had been bought by the Parliament at a costof £29,000 for use in the debating chamber and other public areas of the newbui…

22 Sep 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the advice given to Lord Fraser by the Lord Advocate regarding the legal position of witnesses giving evidence to the inquiry into the Holyrood Project.

Answer · Colin Boyd: I have written to Lord Frasergiving an undertaking that nothing which a witness says in the course of Lord Fraser’sinvestigation would be used against the witness in any subsequent criminal proceedings.This level of immunity follows the precedents in other in…

21 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any local authority areas in which there are shortages of home economics teachers.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The table shows the local authorities that advised, as part of a Scottish Executive's twice yearly survey, they had vacancies at February 2003 in the subject of home economics: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 BORDERCOLOR="#000000" CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=484><TR><TD …

21 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been accepted on teacher-training courses with home economics as the main subject in each year since 1997.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1600 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search…

21 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have qualified as home economics teachers in each year since 1997.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Information on the number of entrants and graduates in home economics in each year since 1997 is shown in the table:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=534><TR><TD WIDTH="14%" VALIGN="TOP">&nbsp;</TD><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>1996-97</TD><TD…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the establishment of the expert group on prostitution.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have invited Sandra Hood OBE, retired Assistant Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, to chair the expert group on prostitution. An announcement of the full membership and remit of the group will be made in due course.

19 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what processes are used to select senior judges, sheriff principals and sheriff substitutes; who makes the final decision on recommending such appointments; who makes the final appointments, and whether it has any plans to alter the present selection and appointment system.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Since May 2002 it has been for the independent Judicial Appointments Board to make recommendations to the First Minister for the appointment of judges, sheriffs principal and sheriffs. Under section 95 of the Scotland 1998, it is then for the First Minister t…

17 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the draft Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill will widen the criteria applied to children who require extra support, including children (a) for whom English is an additional language, (b) who are refugees and asylum seekers, (c) with social, emotional and b…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The draft Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill was published on 17 January 2003. A commitment has been given to introduce the draft bill to Parliament during the 2003-04 session. The draft bill moves away from the traditional concept of…

17 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will allocate to its special educational needs budget to support school and pre-school children (a) for whom English is an additional language, (b) who are refugees and asylum seekers, (c) with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, (d) from gypsy or traveller fa…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The educational needs of these children and young people are, and will continue to be, supported through the provision of funds which are distributed to local authorities through grant aided expenditure. It is for individual local authorities to determine how…

17 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many school and pre-school children there are (a) for whom English is an additional language, (b) who are refugees and asylum seekers, (c) with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, (d) from gypsy or traveller families and (e) who are gifted or more able, as referred to in I…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The information requested on those for whom English is an additional language or who are gifted or more able is not collected centrally. For categories (b) and (c) above, the information is not collected at all on pre-school children and is unavailable on sch…

4 Jun 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides guidance to education authorities on educating children with language and learning difficulties in Picture Exchange Communication System or British Sign Language.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive funds the Communication Aids for Language and Learning (CALL) Centre and the Scottish Sensory Centre to act as national sources of information, advice and training for parents, teachers and other professionals working with children with…

24 Feb 2003 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Executive will institute a review of any difficulties in recruiting suitably qualified employees in both public and private sectors resulting from Edinburgh's property values and economic performance.

Answer · Jack McConnell: The record lows in unemployment in Scotland are presenting challenges not seen since the last time we had near full employment over 40 years ago. We are in regular dialogue with others in both public and private sectors to ensure our actions help meet those c…

15 Jan 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether City of Edinburgh Council has requested any meetings with it following the cities review.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The leader of City of Edinburgh Council is scheduled to meet with the First Minister on 30 January 2003. The cities review is one of a number of issues due to be discussed at that meeting.