Andrew Welsh

8 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to consult the public on the use of micropower technologies as a way of reducing CO2 emissions.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive publishedits draft Energy Efficiency and Microgeneration Strategy for Scotland forpublic consultation on 12 March 2007. This sets out the Executive’s aims for encouraging agreater uptake of microgeneration. In addition the Executive rec…

8 Mar 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for micropower technologies to be covered by general permitted development orders.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-30919 on 22 January 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the value of trade with China to have been in each of the last three years.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The following table details theestimated value of Scottish exports to China for the period 2003-05. Import estimates are not availableat this level.</p><p>Table 1: Estimated Scottish Exportsto China (£ Million), 2003-05</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpa…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific steps it is taking to increase trade with China.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: In August 2006 we launched ourChina Strategy. Two key objectives within the strategy are increasing trade andexpanding connections between businesses in both countries. Over the last two yearsthe First Minister, The Finance Minister and I have visited China r…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what government support is available for the teaching of non-European languages.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Since 2001 the Scottish Executivehas provided education authorities with £22.5 million for language learning andteaching. This funding should be used to support the teaching of any languages andin offering funding for 2006-07, the Executive specifically asked…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what non-European languages are taught in schools.

Answer · Hugh Henry: According to information providedto the Executive by education authorities in May 2006, the following non-Europeanlanguages are taught in Scottish schools: Latin; Urdu; Hebrew; Cantonese; Bengali;Chinese; Punjabi; Parsi; Arabic, and Japanese.</p>

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific funding is available to local authorities for the teaching of Chinese language classes.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive has provided£346,000 over three years (2005-08) to the British Council Scotland to promote andadminister a Scotland-China School Links Initiative, where up to 120 young Scotscan learn Chinese and experience Chinese culture and way of li…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools offer Chinese language teaching.

Answer · Hugh Henry: We do not hold this informationcentrally at present. However, a list of China linked schools in Scotland has beencollated by the Executive with British Council Scotland and the Scotland China EducationNetwork, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parl…

15 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage Chinese language teaching in schools.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The first objective of the Executive’s<i>Strategy for Stronger Engagement with China</i>, launched in August 2006, aimsto raise understanding of Chinese language and culture and, specifically, to haveat least 200 pupils studying for Chinese language national …

23 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to raise the profile and availability of sign language and recruitment of signers to enable the deaf community to participate fully in the educational system.

Answer · Robert Brown: The Executive is working withdeaf organisations through its BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group to developa package of measures to ensure a sustainable increase in registered sign languageinterpreters including supporting the development and delivery of a…

23 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides for training sign language assistants to operate in classrooms in school and higher education institutions.

Answer · Robert Brown: The Executive has allocated £13.5million in 2006-07 to local authorities for general continuing professional development(CPD) and £7.2 million for specific staff training in additional support needs.It is for local authorities to use this funding to meet the …

23 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are undergoing sign language training to qualify to operate as signers in classrooms and where they receive such training.

Answer · Robert Brown: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

23 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many trained signers are available to provide sign language assistance to students in schools and higher education institutions.

Answer · Robert Brown: This information is not heldcentrally.</p>

15 Nov 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve co-ordination and assessment in providing needs packages for disabled higher education students.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive leadsthe Disabled Student Stakeholder Group. This group was set up to consider andaddress issues relating to the support available to learners in colleges anduniversities who have additional needs. Key stakeholders and delivery partners…

2 Nov 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) funding and (b) other support it or its agencies have given to sports organisations in each year since 1999, broken down by sport.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: All Executive funding for sportis routed through sportscotland and details of its grant in aid is published insportscotland’s annual reports. sportscotland operates a number of funding programmesthat can be accessed by sports organisations. In its annual repo…

25 Oct 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives and funding it makes available under the Scottish Rural Development Plan (SRDP) and other avenues to encourage new entrants into the equine industry.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Under the2000-06 SRDP, the Environment and Rural Affairs Department has supported manyexcellent examples of farm diversification into horse-related businesses. Ruraldevelopment schemes such as the Farm Business Development Scheme (FBDS) andAgriculture Busines…

28 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any input into the Department of Trade and Industry’s Local Better Regulation Office project.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is inregular contact with the Department of Trade and Industry on a wide range ofissues, including the setting up of the Local Better Regulation Office.</p>

28 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what input its departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies had to the Hampton review and its report, Reducing administrative burdens: effective inspection and enforcement.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Hampton Reviewconsidered the scope for reducing the administrative burden of regulation onbusinesses by promoting more efficient approaches to regulatory inspection andenforcement, without compromising regulatory standards or outcomes. Executive officials…

28 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has with regard to the decision-making process on reserved matters that have an impact on devolved issues and are dealt with by UK-wide public bodies.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23093 answered on 27 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…

28 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it has to ensure that Scottish interests are represented in the decision-making processes of London-based non-departmental public bodies.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23093 answered on 27 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility for which can be at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…

28 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Office of Fair Trading and the Local Authorities Coordinating Office on Regulatory Services to ensure that unique aspects of Scots Law are taken into account in the decision-making processes of these bodies.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23093 on 27 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility forwhich can be at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…

23 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that the statement made by the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development in the debate on Village and Community Halls on 1 February 2006 that it is “Scottish ministers’ policy that all customers should contribute to the costs of the water and waste wate…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive’s general policyis that all customers, including charitable organisations and otherorganisations which serve a public function, should contribute to the cost of the water services that they use. Certain organisations, including some charitableor…

23 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its water charges exemption schemes, indicating when each exemption (a) came into effect and (b) expires and to which categories of people each exemption applies.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Water and SewerageCharges Exemption Scheme was established by the Water and Sewerage Charges (Exemption)(Scotland) Regulations 2002. The scheme first took effect on 1 April 2002 andexpires on 31 March 2010. It is the only exemption scheme for water servic…

23 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a timeline for its consultation on the introduction of general non-household metering and banded drainage charges in 2010 and what organisations it intends to consult.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive plans toconsult later this year on the detail of its proposals for revising the basison which non-household customers pay for their water services. It&nbsp;intends toconsult groups and organisations which represent those likely to be affected by…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek changes during the 2008 Common Agricultural Policy review to provide the same benefits in respect of grazing lands for horses in Scotland as currently exist in other parts of the European Union.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We will consider options forchange against of our aspirations to help create a more prosperous and sustainablefarming industry in Scotland.</p>

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that any changes introduced as a result of the 2008 Common Agricultural Policy review by the European Commission will benefit (a) Scottish agriculture and (b) the Scottish equine industry.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish agriculture remainsa vital component of our rural economy and we have repeatedly made it clear thatfurther changes in the Common Agricultural Policy must take account of the legitimateneeds of farming communities; we have not given specific considera…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the system of calculation for the Single Farm Payment in Scotland from an historical to an area basis.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In Scotland we electedto base the Single Farm Payment on the historic system consistent with the presumptionin the 2003 CAP reform package that member states should consider the simple historicbasis as their first option. We will review the position at the ap…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether land currently grazed solely by horses is considered to be agricultural land eligible for the Single Farm Payment where such land has historically received payment under a Common Agricultural Policy support scheme.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Land grazed by horses may beconsidered eligible for the purposes of claiming the Single Farm Payment providingthe person claiming:</p><p>Meets the definition of a farmer;</p><p>Has Single Farm Payment entitlements;</p><p>Has the land at his disposalfor the mi…

11 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prescribed hearing aids, also broken down by (a) age and (b) NHS board.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This information iscurrently not held centrally. However, as part of the Audiology ModernisationProject, the Executive has asked the Information Statistics Division of NHS NationalServices Scotland to establish a national data collection programme which willp…

11 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are deaf or hard of hearing.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information requested isnot held centrally by the Scottish Executive. The Royal National Institute forthe Deaf (Scotland) estimates on its website that there are 758,000deaf or hard of hearing people living in Scotland.</p><p><ahref="http://www.rnid.org.u…