Parliamentary questions
Duncan McNeil
426 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
3 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it issues to local authorities on inspecting teaching arrangements for home-schooled children.
Answer · Michael Russell: It is entirely a matter for home educators to decide how a child receives home education. Local authorities may, and often do, provide assistance to home educators with regard to teaching materials, although they are under no statutory obligation to do so. Au…
3 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it issues to local authorities on monitoring the progress or needs of home-schooled children.
Answer · Michael Russell: Section 4.2 of the Scottish Government''s <i >Home Education Guidance </i>sets out that authorities should make contact on an annual basis in order that they may be assured that a home educated child is receiving an efficient and suitable education. The guide…
3 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it issues to parents who home-school their children.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government published guidance aimed at home educators and local authorities entitled <i >Home Education Guidance</i>, in December 2007. This publication can be found at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/12/17133313/0">http://w…
3 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were registered to be home-schooled in each of the last five years.
Answer · Michael Russell: There is no requirement for home educated children to be registered. Statistics showing the number of home educated children educated outwith school are published each year with tables showing the numbers of children receiving education outwith school under v…
4 Feb 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with Sail Inverclyde regarding the Tall Ships Races’ 2011.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: EventScotland, the national events agency, has met with representatives from Sail Inverclyde on three occasions to discuss ways in which the Tall Ships Races in 2011 could be supported when the event returns to Scotland, taking place between Greenock and Lerw…
25 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the Energy Assistance Package have been successfully appealed after initially being rejected.
Answer · Alex Neil: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31015 on 2 February 2010. 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/App…
25 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the Energy Assistance Package have been appealed after initially being rejected.
Answer · Alex Neil: Callers to the Energy Assistance Package helpline do not make an application as such. Where appropriate, the local Energy Saving Scotland adviser takes them through an assessment to determine whether they should be referred to stages two, three, and four of t…
25 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications it has received to the Energy Assistance Package.
Answer · Alex Neil: Callers to the Energy Assistance Package helpline do not make an application as such. Where appropriate, the local energy adviser takes them through an assessment to determine their eligibility for stages two, three, and four of the package.</p> <p >Up to t…
25 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwifery posts are being covered by bank midwives and at what cost, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not held centrally. However, information showing bank nursing and midwifery staff by NHS board is available at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5685.html">http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5685.html</a>.</p>
25 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives are being supported by the one year job guarantee scheme for nurses and midwives and at what cost, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: To date, in financial year 2009-10, nine newly qualified midwives are being supported at a cost of £223,660. They have all been recruited by NHS Lanarkshire.</p>
25 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to support the one year job guarantee scheme for nurses and midwives.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31012 on 1 February 2010 which contains the data requested. NHS boards have been advised that funding continues to be available to support the One Year Job Guarantee scheme for nurses and midwives 2009-10. This…
14 Jan 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to ensure that newly qualified midwives find positions in the health service.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: We have in place a One Year Job Guarantee Scheme for midwives who, through no fault of their own, have difficulties finding employment. The Scheme is designed to ensure all newly qualified midwives have the opportunity to build on the clinical experience gain…
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what business organisations with links to the Qatar Government have met Scottish ministers and Scottish Development International since 2007.
Answer · Jim Mather: The First Minister and the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism have met with the Qatar Investment Authority.</p> <p >Scottish Development International officials have also met with the Qatar Investment Authority and, in addition, have met with Qatar …
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings between Scottish ministers, officials and representatives from the state of Qatar have taken place since 2007.
Answer · Michael Russell: The First Minister and the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism met with Dr Hussein, Executive Board Member of the Qatar Investment Authority, on 7 May 2008. A note of this meeting was included in a letter dated 10 September to Annabel Goldie MSP and a…
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what purpose the First Minister hosted ambassadors from the state of Qatar on 11 June 2009; who participated in the meeting; whether the issue of the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi was discussed, and what other issues were on the agenda.
Answer · Michael Russell: At the request of the Qatari Government, the First Minister met with their Excellencies Dr Khalid Bin Mohammed al-Attiyah, the Qatari Minister for International Co-operation and Khalid al-Hamoudi al-Mansouri, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the UK on …
3 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that a visit by Scottish ministers to Qatar to discuss investment and trade is still appropriate and, if so, when it plans to proceed with the visit.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government remains focussed on ensuring Scotland makes a strong recovery from the current recession with sustainable economic growth as our long-term goal. This is our prime consideration in deciding where and when ministers should travel. While …
24 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to tackle drug driving.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Legislation relating to drug driving is a reserved matter for the UK Government. The police take the offence of drug driving very seriously and enforce the law as part of their day-to-day operations which they reinforce with high profile national campaigns th…
24 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what grounds prisoners have had applications for release on compassionate grounds rejected since 2000 and for what crime each failed applicant had been serving a custodial sentence.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The following table provides the information requested.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center >Prisoner</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=center >Date Rejected</p> </td> …
17 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have been released on compassionate grounds since 2000.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Twenty-four prisoners have been released on compassionate grounds since 2000.</p>
17 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executivewhat guidance is given to Justice ministers in relation to the release of prisoners on compassionate grounds.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Compassionate release is governed by section 3 of the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993, which gives the Scottish ministers power to release on licence a person serving a sentence of imprisonment if satisfied that there are compassionate …
17 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate and First Minister were consulted prior to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice visiting convicted murderer Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi in HMP Greenock on 5 August 2009 and what was the nature of any advice or opinion
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I explained in the answer to question S3W-24638 on 9 June 2009 the process that I intended to follow in considering the application for transfer of Mr Al Megrahi under the prisoner transfer agreement. It was not necessary for me to consult the Lord Advocate …
17 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what purpose the Cabinet Secretary for Justice met convicted murderer Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi in HMP Greenock on 5 August 2009 and whether he intends to visit any other convicted murderers in custody with appeals pending.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I met Mr Al Megrahi at his request on 5 August as part of my consideration of the application made by the Libyan Government for transfer under the prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and Libyan Governments. This follows the commitment given by Jack Str…
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise are still pursuing the objective of bringing alternative business to the TSC contact centre in Greenock.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26379 on 2 September 2009. 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/App…
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the extent was of Scottish Enterprise’s involvement with the TSC contact centre in Greenock at the time that the company announced its redundancies.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26379 on 2 September 2009. 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/App…
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the extent was of Scottish Development International’s involvement with the TSC contact centre in Greenock at the time that the company announced its redundancies.
Answer · Jim Mather: At the time of TSC''s announcement, Scottish Development International (SDI) and Scottish Enterprise (SE) were continuing to engage with the company in Greenock in order to minimise the impact of any potential job losses. Skills Development Scotland were aler…
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional financial support was made available to the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) to allow it to effectively assist the large number of employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: PACE support to assist employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock is delivered by services accommodated via mainstream resources and therefore no additional financial support is required. PACE activity has been supported by an additional…
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock were offered access to high-quality training.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: All employees being made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock were provided with information on training available to them, in particular the opportunity of early access to Training for Work programmes.</p>
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the employees made redundant by the TSC contact centre in Greenock were offered and took up one-to-one counselling and advice on career development.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: All of the 140 employees being made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock were offered one to one counselling and advice on career development. One hundred and twenty-five employees accessed this support.</p>
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock entered further education and training as a result of intervention by Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE).
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is too early to be able to assess figures for those entering Training for Work programmes and for those entering further education.</p> <p >To date eight employees have undergone Skills Training Analysis, five of whom started work before the required trai…
10 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the employees made redundant from the TSC contact centre in Greenock have found alternative employment as a result of intervention by Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE).
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This information is not currently tracked by Skills Development Scotland which delivers PACE support on behalf of the Scottish Government. However, HM Revenue and Customs can track this information after 12 months and the issue of tracking and evaluation will…