Parliamentary questions

Hugh Henry

645 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

9 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times ministers have met the Scottish Qualifications Authority since June 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-3106 on 28 August 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its promised additional 300 teaching posts it intends to create in voluntary and private sector nurseries.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The deployment of the additionalteachers is a matter for local authorities within the broad parameters we have set.

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its promised additional 300 teaching posts will be in pre-school education.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The deployment of the additional teachers is a matter for local authorities within the broad parameterswe have set of employment in the early years or P1 to P3.

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional teachers will be employed by each local authority as a result of its promised additional 300 teaching posts.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Executivehas provided funding for 300 additional teaching posts. The exact number employedby each local authority will be determined at local level and be influenced by suchfactors as the placement of individual teachers on the teachers’ salary s…

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when any additional teaching posts in Renfrewshire, arising from its promised additional 300 posts for Scotland, will be filled.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is a matter for the localauthority concerned but we will be monitoring the employment of teachers throughthe National Priorities Action Fund.

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional teaching posts will be created by Renfrewshire Council as a result of its promised additional 300 posts for Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Funding has been provided for300 additional teachers. However, the exact number employed by each local authoritywill depend on the placement on the teacher salary scale of the individuals involved.

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its promised additional 300 teachers will be in post.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Funding has been providedto authorities to employ 300 additional teachers. Authorities will need to formulateplans for their deployment and the timing of their employment will be a matter foreach authority although we are aware that teachers have been offered…

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total number of teachers will be when its promised additional 300 posts are filled.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The teacher censusconducted in September every year will provide information on the total number ofteachers employed at that time. The current estimate is that with the promised additional300 posts teacher numbers may reach over 54,000 full-time equivalent at…

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the target of 53,000 teachers will be met.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We have confirmed that the additionalfunding of £50.3 million for authorities to reach the target of 53,000 teacherswill remain in place. Provided the previous administration’s plans prove adequatethe target of 53,000 teachers should be met this autumn.

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will influence the number of teachers employed by local authorities.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We have ambitious plans for increasingteacher numbers in pre-school and class sizes in P1 to P3 which will affect theoverall numbers of teachers employed by local authorities. We are currently consideringways to ensure that our overall objectives can be met.<…

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what control it has over expenditure by local authorities of money allocated through the core local government finance settlement.

Answer · John Swinney: It is the responsibilityof each local authority to allocate its total resources including money allocatedthrough the core local government finance settlement. Other than the specific grantscontained within the settlement, which represent less than 10 per cent…

6 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will influence education spending through grant aided expenditure.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This government wantsa new deal for local government and we are looking to put it in place as part of the on-going spending review. The goal is a strategic agreement on a range of measuresthat will enable local authorities to deliver a council tax freeze whil…

9 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to address any price disincentive for students undertaking part-time education.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Learner support for studentsundertaking part-time study in higher education is currently under review. Thereview process will include an appraisal of options for providing improvedsupport for part-time students. We will publish our findings and announcefuture…

9 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to provide additional financial support to part-time students and, if so, how much.

9 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed abolition of the graduate endowment will widen the disparity between financial support for full-time and part-time students.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The abolition of thegraduate endowment fee will have no effect on the disparity between thefinancial support available to full-time and part-time students.The Scottish Executive iscurrently undertaking a number of projects which will review both full-t…

22 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the resources are in place to deliver class sizes of 20 for mathematics and English in S1 and S2 by September 2007.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-118 on 5 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sear…

13 Jun 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it will give to revitalise Paisley town centre.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish governmenthas already committed to remove or reduce the burden of business rates for smallbusinesses, which will help businesses in Paisley town centre. We will announcefurther policy measures in due course which will help build a more successful…

22 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its annual report on drug misuse in Scotland.

Answer · Iain Gray: Our first Annual Report is being published today. This document reports on progress with the implementation of the Scottish Executive's Drugs Strategy and Action Plan. The report sets out progress across all strands of our Drugs Strategy, from April 2000, and…

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers the services provided by hospices to be essential and, if so, whether it will give guidelines to health boards that they should provide a minimum of 50% of hospices' funding.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what age restrictions apply to the buying of pellets for use in air powered weapons and what action it will take to eliminate any inconsistencies in the law on the age of persons to whom (a) air powered guns and (b) air pellets can be sold.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Firearms Act 1968 (as amended) specifies that a young person under the age of 17 cannot purchase a low-powered air weapon and/or ammunition for it.Firearms policy and legislation are reserved matters. However, the Scottish Executive is represented on t…

24 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any finance from European structural funds is being used in order to help the Scottish economy to remain resilient in light of the current international situation.

Answer · Angus MacKay: European structural funds programmes are designed to increase the economic sustainability and social strength of member states. The funds raise employability, support business development and help our communities. Funding can only can be offered where actions…

15 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of senior managers in each NHS Trust took the opportunity to be vaccinated against flu and whether it will publish the results of this exercise.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The information requested is not held centrally. As was the case last year, NHS systems across Scotland are encouraging their front-line staff to take advantage of flu vaccination arrangements in time for winter.

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether witnesses and jurors are entitled to any reimbursement of loss of earnings, childcare costs and travelling expenses due to cancelled court cases and, if so, what the total of each was in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01.

Answer · Jim Wallace: All Crown witnesses and jurors are entitled to claim necessary and reasonable expenses incurred when attending court. It is normal practice for the Crown to give adequate notice to witnesses, and for the court, to give adequate notice to jurors when court cas…

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many court cases were cancelled in (a) 1999-2000 and (b) 2000-01 and what the total cost of such cancellations was in each year.

Answer · Iain Gray: The following tables set out <OL TYPE="I"><LI>The number of criminal trials in the Sheriff Court which were called but which did not proceed to have evidence led on the date of calling. It separately identifies those which did not proceed because a plea wa…

8 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether mutualisation has been or will be considered as an option for the water industry.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In his evidence to the Transport and Environment Committee on 28 February this year, the then Minister for the Environment, Sam Galbraith, said "Mutualisation has undoubtedly proved a successful model in many areas of service delivery, but I do not think…

8 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights on night flights to and from Heathrow will have on the number of flights to and from Scottish airports.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There will be no immediate change to present arrangements.

2 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost of sportscotland's administrative functions was in each year since 1999.

Answer · Allan Wilson: sportscotland's administrative costs in 1999-2000 were £393,038 and in 2000-01 were £323,628.

2 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much sportscotland invested in promoting sporting opportunities for persons with disabilities in each year since 1999.

Answer · Allan Wilson: For the last two years, sportscotland have awarded £30,000 development grant to Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) - a similar award will be made next year. In addition, sportscotland have a Youth Sport Co-ordinator for sport for people with a disa…

2 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding sportscotland has received in each year since 1999 and what the source of the funding was.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The figures are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=548><TR><TD WIDTH="52%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD WIDTH="17%" VALIGN="TOP">1999-2000 (£ million)</TD><TD WIDTH="16%" VALIGN="TOP">2000-01 (£ milli…

1 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17973 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 26 September 2001, when the Manufacturing Steering Group next plans to meet and what contribution the group still has to make.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Manufacturing Steering Group was successful in identifying a number of initiatives to support manufacturing as set out in Created in Scotland. The Manufacturing Image Group has also taken forward key initiatives.Other in…