Adam Ingram

14 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an analysis of the use of sheriff officers to collect outstanding council tax payments has been carried out and, if so, whether it will place a copy of the analysis in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · George Lyon: A specific analysis addressing the use of sheriff officers to collect council tax has not been carried out and there are no current plans to do so.</p>

14 Dec 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much was outstanding in total in council tax payments in East Lothian Council in each of the last three years.

Answer · George Lyon: The amount of council tax uncollected by East Lothian Council in the years 2002-03 to 2004-05 is given in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Billing Year</p></td> <td> <p align=center>A…

30 Nov 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce any new initiatives to promote Scottish history and culture within the school curriculum.

Answer · Peter Peacock: We are reviewing the curriculum. We want every young person to know and understand the world and Scotland’s place in it. Scottish history and culture is obviously an important element within this framework.</p>

22 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what remit the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has in respect of health and, in particular, in relation to sewage sludge burial.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: SEPA’s regulatory duty to control emissions to water, land and air and monitoring the quality of Scotland’s environment, ensures that licence conditions protect and improve both the environment and human health.</p> <p>As regards the use of sewage sludge on l…

22 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of electricity consumed in Scotland is generated by (a) nuclear energy, (b) renewable energy, (c) natural gas and (d) coal in the last three years.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20961 on 6 December 2005. 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/webap…

22 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much electricity has been generated by (a) nuclear energy, (b) renewable energy, (c) natural gas and (d) coal in the last three years.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20961 on 6 December 2005. 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/webap…

22 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much electricity consumed in Scotland has been generated by (a) nuclear energy, (b) renewable energy, (c) natural gas and (d) coal in the last three years.

Answer · Allan Wilson: A response to S2W-20962 and S2W-20963 is also provided here. Data on electricity supply and demand in Scotland is collected by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). The most current data available are for years 2001-03. Data on electricity consumption …

17 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the history syllabus is Scottish in content or perspective in the 5-14 curriculum and (a) standard, (b) higher and (c) advanced higher grade courses.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Structure and Balance of the Curriculum 5-14 National Guidelines set out minimum time allocations for Environmental Studies 5-14 and four other key curriculum areas but do not specify how much of this should be spent on individual subjects. However, guide…

17 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that Scottish history forms the core of the history syllabus in schools.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The curriculum is non-statutory. Responsibility for effective teaching rests with authorities and schools. <i>A Curriculum for Excellence</i> will provide a framework for young people’s learning which will enable them to develop as successful learners, confid…

17 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the compulsory elements of the secondary school curriculum.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The only statutory aspects of the curriculum are Religious Education and Religious Observance. The aims for Religious Education as set out in the 5–14 guidelines include helping pupils to develop their own beliefs, attitudes, moral values and practices throug…

17 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation arrangements have been put in place to consider drafts of revised guidance for the school curriculum; what timetable is envisaged for the consultation, and how universities will be involved in the process.

Answer · Robert Brown: We are engaging with the teaching profession and teacher education institutions on the nature and extent of change across all curricular areas. We will begin the process of engaging more deeply in a sequenced and managed way from late January 2006. There will…

17 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reviewing the school curriculum in communication and language, maths and numeracy and social subjects and when it will publish drafts of revised guidance.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Small groups began the review of communication and language, maths and numeracy and social subjects in May 2005. They have been meeting since then to consider the future shape of guidance for the three to 15 curriculum, with an eye to the implications for 15 …

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legal rights teachers have to discipline pupils, including rights to restrain pupils using reasonable force and rights to search for weapons without consent.

Answer · Peter Peacock: It has been well established in Scottish education legislation that education authorities and schools have a duty to ensure good discipline in schools, by making rules and applying sanctions if pupils or parents fail to comply with those rules, as follows:</p…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which design features are supportive to good order and discipline within schools and whether it provides guidance on such matters to education authorities engaged in new school building programmes.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive works with education authorities and schools to tackle bullying and promote positive behaviour. We have published design guidance for authorities which highlights the importance of their considering, at an early stage in any design proc…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the establishment of pupil parent support workers in schools, as advocated by Learning Behaviour: The Report of the Practitioners’ Group on School Behaviour and Discipline.

Answer · Peter Peacock: In Scotland, relationships between schools and parents are being enhanced through increased home-school link working, following recommendation 17 of <i>Better Behaviour – Better Learning (2001)</i>. The Scottish Executive has allocated £34.9 million to author…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is, and what guidance it issues, on the use of learning support units in relation to promoting good behaviour.

Answer · Peter Peacock: In 2001 the Discipline Task Group report <i>Better Behaviour – Better Learning</i> recommended that secondary schools and designated primary schools should establish flexible support provision allowing children to receive support and learning outwith the norm…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is, and what guidance it issues, on home-school agreements and parenting contracts in relation to pupil behaviour.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive expects parents and schools to work in partnership to develop caring school communities with shared values and expectations, as described in recommendations 15 and 18 of <i>Better Behaviour – Better Learning</i> (2001). The Executive ha…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides in respect of ways in which schools and local authorities might deploy funding for behavioural support and exclusions.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive’s 2001 report, <i>Better Behaviour-Better Learning</i>, sets out 36 recommendations for schools and authorities. These recommendations form the basis of the Scottish Executive’s funding to education authorities of £10 million per year f…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (a) there are and (b) have placements in special schools.

Answer · Robert Brown: There were in September 2004, (a) 4,131 pupils with a Record of Needs and/or an Individualised Educational Programme in primary, secondary and special schools who had social, emotional and behavioural difficulties identified as their main difficulty in learni…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides in respect of the needs of pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties and on the criteria for referring such pupils to placement in special schools outwith mainstream education.

Answer · Robert Brown: The Executive has issued <i>Supporting Children’s Learning</i>, the Code of Practice on the application of the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004, and separate guidance on the application of Section 15 (the presumption of mainstream education) of the St…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all teachers have access to systematic professional development to assist schools with their behaviour-improvement plans and strategies.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Since the introduction of the agreement, <i>A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century</i>, the Executive has distributed funding to local authorities to fund the provision of relevant professional development opportunities for teachers and to further develop…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent initial teacher training courses provide training on how to promote positive behaviour in the classroom and how to develop pupils’ social, emotional and behavioural skills and what priority is given in terms of time allocated for such training compared with that for other …

Answer · Peter Peacock: All Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses provide training to student teachers on how to promote positive behaviour in the classroom.</p> <p>For example, the four-year BEd course at Dundee University includes a core module on managing pupil behaviour involv…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the introduction of a national behaviour charter, including a statement on the legal responsibilities and rights of schools to discipline pupils.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The 2001 report of the Discipline Task Group, <i>Better Behaviour - Better Learning, </i>provides a strong policy framework for school discipline, which ensures that education authorities and schools agree a local policy framework within which pupils, parents…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has of the efficacy of work being done in schools in respect of violence reduction and anti-bullying.

Answer · Peter Peacock: <i>A Climate for Learning</i> was published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in March 2005. This report provides the findings of inspectors on implementation of <i>Better Behaviour – Better Learning</i> in education authorities and schools and the q…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to enable local education authorities to assist head teachers to address issues in respect of pupil behaviour and attendance.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Scottish education authorities work with their schools to ensure their development plans reflect appropriate objectives for behaviour and attendance. Education authorities have local quality assurance and quality improvement officers to assist head teachers t…

11 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives and programmes are aimed at improving school discipline and pupil behaviour; how they are funded, and what the results have been of any evaluation of such initiatives and programmes.

Answer · Peter Peacock: In 2005-06 through the National Priorities Action Fund, the Scottish Executive is making available £11 million for Alternatives to Exclusion; £10 million for implementation of Better Behaviour – Better Learning; £25 million for Inclusion; £15,000 per authorit…

10 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it accepts the recommendations of the SCRE Centre evaluation of the Study Support Programme and out of school hours learning in schools.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive was happy to accept the findings of the SCRE Evaluation of study support and out of school hours learning in Scotland. This showed that almost all secondary schools and over three-quarters of primary schools currently provide a range of…

10 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to fund the Study Support Programme and out of school hours learning in schools beyond 2006.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive invested £12 million for out of school hours learning this year.</p> <p>Funding for study support and out of school hours learning is currently made available to authorities through the National Priorities Action Fund (NPAF) and will co…

9 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the relative costs are of production and disposal of treated sewage in the form of (a) sludge and (b) dried pellets.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Processing and disposal of sewage sludge is an operational matter for those producing it. Relative costs between different options for treatment and disposal of sewage sludge are matters for them to consider.</p>

9 Nov 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations are in place to ensure that industrial waste producers are required to recycle the waste that they produce.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 place an obligation on producers and users of packaging to recover and recycle packaging waste commensurate with what they produce or use. The End-of-Life Vehicles (Producer Responsibi…