Parliamentary questions
Des McNulty
1,840 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to participate in the UK Public Affairs Council’s scheme for the voluntary registration of lobbyists and with the UK Government in its plan to establish a statutory scheme.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is aware of the voluntary registration scheme launched by UKPAC on 1 March. The scheme is run independently of government. Membership is currently confined to UKPAC''s three founding bodies “ the Association of Professional Political C…
8 Mar 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review or amend guidelines for local authority publicity, in light of recently published guidelines in England.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has no plans at present to review or amend the guidelines for local authority publicity, however this matter will continue to be kept under review.</b></p>
17 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when an announcement will be made regarding who has been appointed chief executive of Healthcare Improvement Scotland and what the reasons are for the time taken to make the announcement.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Healthcare Improvement Scotland will be established on 1 April 2011. Following open competition for the role of chief executive, Dr Frances Elliot has been appointed on an interim basis until December 2011. This is a new post in a new organisation and as such…
8 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what practical support it has provided to employers to tackle skills shortages since May 2007
Answer · Angela Constance: Under ScotAction and through Skills Development Scotland the Scottish Government offers a wide range of programmes and initiatives for all ages to support employers in tackling skills shortages. These include modern apprenticeships, Targeted Pathways, Trainin…
8 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in increasing the number of small businesses taking part in the modern apprenticeship programme
Answer · Angela Constance: At the first Apprenticeship Summit in April 2009, employers told us of the additional barriers small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) can face in engaging with the modern apprenticeship (MA) programme in Scotland. Skills Development Scotland (SDS) have made…
8 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to ensure that people of all ages can access relevant and quality-assured training opportunities throughout their working lives
Answer · Angela Constance: Skills for Scotland: Accelerating the Recovery and Increasing Sustainable Economic Growth, the Scottish Government''s refreshed Skills Strategy, sets out a flexible, responsive, partnership approach to addressing Scotland''s skills needs and strengthening the…
8 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage community planning partnerships to deliver the youth strategy
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government published <i>Valuing Young People - principles and connections to support young people achieve their potential</i> in April 2009 with the support of a wide range of partner organisations including COSLA, NHS Scotland, Association of Ch…
8 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to make family group conferencing or an equivalent approach available to all children and extended families for which care in the extended family needs to be considered
Answer · Adam Ingram: It is for local authorities to determine, in consultation with families to whom they provide social work services, what type of services, including family group conferencing and other approaches, best meet their needs. The Scottish Government supports the use…
8 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how widely available support services are for families of drug addicts and those who misuse alcohol
Answer · Fergus Ewing: A range of support services for families of people who use drugs and misuse alcohol are available across Scotland. These services help individuals and families to recover from the harms caused by drugs and alcohol.</p> <p >Funding for alcohol and drug treat…
8 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure that parents can access information and support services in every community in Scotland
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government''s website provides a wide range of information and access to statistics that may be of interest to parents. We also continue to support many of the national parenting and children''s voluntary sector organisations which provide inform…
8 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14113 by John Swinney on 25 June 2008, what progress has been made in promoting more home and flexi-working in the public sector
Answer · Keith Brown: The expansion of home and flexi-working is closely aligned with a number of the strategic objectives within the National Performance Framework. We have taken it forward as part of our wider travel planning policies to reduce transport emissions by reducing th…
4 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of the guidance on adult hospice funding set out in Health Department Letter HDL(2003)18 has been completed and when it will be published.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The review of HDL(2003)18 which provides guidance on the funding of specialist palliative care provided by independent voluntary hospices in Scotland has now been completed and a draft version of the revised guidance has been circulated to NHS boards and inde…
30 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who, apart from celebrities, are in the excellence groups and when they were approached.
Answer · Michael Russell: A list of the current membership of all the excellence groups will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51354).</b></p> <p >Members were approached during May and June 2010.</p>
30 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of each of the excellence groups is made up of classroom teachers, broken down by subject, and how many teachers have accepted invitations to become members of these groups.
Answer · Michael Russell: A list of the current membership of all of the excellence groups will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 51354).</b></p> <p >The list includes the number of teachers who are confirmed as members on each group.</p>
30 Jun 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what selection processes were used to identify and invite members of the excellence groups.
Answer · Michael Russell: Members were identified through consultation and, on the basis of recommendations from, a variety of sources. These included individuals with a particular knowledge and understanding of their area of expertise within the Scottish context and our partners Lear…
18 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether secondary schools already identified through the HM Inspectorate of Education inspections as having weaknesses will continue to receive follow-up visits over the period of August to December 2010.
Answer · Michael Russell: Follow-through inspections will continue as planned.</p>
18 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much HM Inspectorate of Education time will be allocated to each school to assist in implementing the Curriculum for Excellence once it has been identified as needing support.
Answer · Michael Russell: Within the overall time available, the support being given to schools and education authorities will be proportionate to the need identified in discussion between the HMIE District Inspector and individual education authorities.</p>
18 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools it has identified as requiring the support of HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) staff; how these schools have been identified, and how many schools will have to be allocated an HMIE staff member to assist in the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer · Michael Russell: Detailed preparations are still underway. A plan for support will be agreed with the individual local authorities by the end of June. Within this, much work will take place with groups of schools and local authority level, in addition to work with individual …
18 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) hours, (b) days or (c) weeks it expects that HM Inspectorate of Education will need to work to deliver the successful implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to questions S3W-33713 and S3W-33716 on 2 June 2010. In addition, the successful implementation of Curriculum for Excellence is being taken forward in partnership. HMIE''s contributions are in addition to those teachers, head …
18 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) staff will be diverted from their normal duties to assist with the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence, also expressed as a percentage, and what percentage of the time of each such staff member this will involve.
Answer · Michael Russell: Detailed preparations are still underway. As a minimum, 1000 days of inspector time will be diverted through the postponement of the inspections of secondary schools and some primary schools and early years centres. This represents around 5% of the total numb…
5 May 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many approvals for new affordable houses under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme were announced by the (a) previous administration in 2007 for 2007-08 and (b) current administration in (i) 2008 for 2008-09 and (ii) 2009 for 2009-10 and how many units were completed in (A) 20…
Answer · Alex Neil: The approvals for new affordable houses under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) for the years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 are detailed in the following table:</p> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowra…
12 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out how it will take account of the findings of its teachers survey on implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33135 on 22 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Def…
12 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on and publish its response to the findings of its teachers survey on implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer · Michael Russell: The results of the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board survey of teachers are part of a wide range of evidence which the management board will take account of in framing its advice on Curriculum for Excellence implementation. I will respond following c…
12 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will proceed with the planned introduction of new qualification examinations in 2014 for pupils starting secondary school in August 2010, in light of the findings of the teachers survey on implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer · Michael Russell: The final decision on the timetable for implementing the new qualifications under Curriculum for Excellence will be taken once the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board has provided advice on this subject. </p>
12 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the responses to its teachers survey on implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence will be broken down by primary and secondary teachers so that their views can be recorded separately.
Answer · Michael Russell: The results of the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board survey of teachers will be published in time to enable the management board to consider the responses as part of a wide range of evidence on Curriculum for Excellence preparedness.</p>
12 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the rate of response has been from registered teachers to its survey on implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence and what proportion of the responses can be identified as having come from (a) primary and (b) secondary teachers.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33131 on 22 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Def…
12 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish the findings of its teachers survey on implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Answer · Michael Russell: The full findings of the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board''s survey of teachers will be considered by the management board at its meeting on 22 April and will be published shortly thereafter.</p>
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the Scottish-Islamic Foundation regarding the foundation’s (a) preparation of accounts or (b) current financial situation.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government has on-going discussions with all of the organisations it funds to deliver specific projects and initiatives. Organisations in receipt of funding are obliged to provide the Scottish Government with accounting information as part of the…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the auditors of the Scottish-Islamic Foundation regarding the foundation’s (a) preparation of accounts or (b) current financial situation.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Islamic Foundation''s auditors wrote to the Scottish Government on 16 February 2010, and a reply was issued by the Scottish Government on 18 February.</p>
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether representatives of the Scottish-Islamic Foundation met Scottish Enterprise to discuss the proposed Islamic Expo and, if so, on what dates, broken down by officials involved.
Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Enterprise is responsible for the allocation of its resources consistent with delivery of the objectives and priorities agreed with Scottish ministers and set out in its corporate plan.</p> <p >I will ask its chief executive to write to you in this …