Hugh O'Donnell

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will discuss with Glasgow City Council the possibility of bringing Jordanhill School into the control of its education department.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government has no plans to do so.</p>

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to Jordanhill School in Glasgow with regard to its admissions policy.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government funds Jordanhill School under the terms of the Jordanhill School Grant Regulations 1988, although responsibility for setting the admissions policy rests with the board of managers of the school. The Scottish Government has not issued g…

1 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what direct funding was provided to Jordanhill School in Glasgow in each of the last five years.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The direct funding provided to Jordanhill School is set out in the following table:</p> <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=bottom > <p align=center >Grant (£000)</p> </td> <td valign=bottom > <p align…

30 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to monitor how many inquiries received by the Relocation Advisory Service result in individuals coming to Scotland.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government does not monitor individual outcomes of enquiries to the Relocation Advisory Service, instead, overall assessment of the impact of the service is carried out through external evaluation. Since it was established in October 2004 there h…

30 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether targets were set for (a) applications to and (b) outcomes of the Fresh Talent initiative when it was conceived and, if so, what these targets were.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: There were no targets set for the Fresh Talent initiative when it was conceived in 2004.</p> <p >The outputs to date include:</p> <p >884,170 visitors to <a href="http://www.scotlandistheplace.com/">www.scotlandistheplace.com</a>.</p> <p >19,524 Relocation…

29 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support adding an online component to the Young Scot card to provide children and young people with a reliable way of proving their age when they make purchases of age restricted goods and services over the internet.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government supports the work of Young Scot and the benefits that the Young Scot card offers to children and young people in Scotland. At present, the Young Scot card is a PASS accredited proof of age card and is accepted by the Scottish Clearing …

29 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support adding an online component to the Young Scot card to provide children and young people, whether at school, at home or elsewhere, with a reliable way of verifying their identity and ensuring they are engaging online only with others similarly verified.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The government supports measures to ensure the safety of young people when using the internet.</p> <p >Scottish ministers operate the website <a href="http://www.chatsafer.co.uk/">www.chatsafer.co.uk</a> which provides guidance for young people and their pa…

29 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are proposed or in place to reduce or eliminate the threat posed to children and young people from internet grooming for sexual purposes.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences Act 2005 counters threats posed to children, whether via the internet or otherwise, by providing for an offence of sexual grooming of a person under 16 by an adult aged 18 or over. The 2005 act also…

29 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) arrests and (b) prosecutions there have been in relation to internet grooming of children or young people for sexual purposes.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: No information is held centrally on how many arrests are made for any type of crime. However, recorded crime figures show that, in the years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08, the number of crimes recorded by the police for the grooming of children for the purpose…

29 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is scope within the Scottish Prison Service for young inmates to be provided with access to and relevant training in the use of new technologies, in particular the internet, while maintaining appropriate levels of security to safeguard both the inmates and the general public.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >Information technology (IT) is regarded as core skill to be offered to Scottish prisoners and all learning centres in Scottish prisons, in…

29 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the present arrangements made by online retailers to ensure that they are complying with legal obligations in relation to the sale of age-restricted goods and services to children and young people, with particular regard to items such as alcohol, tobacco, solv…

Answer · Shona Robison: All retailers have a responsibility to comply with the law. This means they must exercise due diligence by taking all reasonable steps to avoid illegal sales. Guidance is available from local authority Trading Standards Services to help UK businesses involved…

29 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to ensure that online vendors of alcohol are able to comply with any legislation it brings forward to restrict the sale of alcohol to young people.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 already makes provision in this area and restricts the sale of alcohol to children and young persons. Online vendors must comply with the act and operate in accordance with any conditions of their premises licence. Furthermor…

22 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, following the decision of the Schools Directorate to halt funding for the Equality and Diversity Education Officers Network Scotland (EDEONS), what measures are being taken to ensure the continuation of the services that EDEONS provides.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16494 on 2 October 2008. 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 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it recognises the role that the Equality and Diversity Education Officers Network Scotland plays in equality and anti-discrimination education by providing assistance and support for racial equality and diversity officers in schools.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government commends the work of the Equality and Diversity Education Officers Network Scotland and has agreed to fund the network in 2008-09, in line with their grant application. I have asked my officials to meet with the network in the near fut…

18 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15794 by Bruce Crawford on 17 September 2008, whether it will publish the information sought in that question when it has received all of the invoices relating to the summer Cabinet programme.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: Once all invoices relating to the summer Cabinet programme have been received, the cost of the programme will be made available.</p>

18 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to restore agri-environment payments to compensate farmers for not cultivating archaeological sites in arable areas.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Under the 2007-13 Scotland Rural Development Programme, payments to land managers to protect archaeological sites are made under the Conservation and Upgrading of the Rural Heritage set of measures. The Scottish Government is aware that some stakeholders are …

18 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, along with UK Government departments, to the European Union in favour of the EU’s definition of “environment” being extended to include historical, archaeological and other landscape features.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: We have made no representations to the European Union on this issue so far. I understand that this question has been raised in the context of the Scottish Government''s consultation on the Future implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy in Scotland. T…

18 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect archaeological sites on farming land.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 places a statutory requirement on Scottish ministers to compile and maintain a schedule of monuments of national importance. Once designated in this way, these monuments are protected under the provision…

16 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what practical steps it will take to ensure that the process of re-tendering for social care providers does not result in poorer quality service for users.

Answer · Shona Robison: The tendering and commissioning of social care services is the responsibility of each local authority.</p> <p >The Scottish Government''s Procurement Directorate issued on 22 August 2008 updated guidance for local authorities about social care procurement. A…

16 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to ensure that codes of practice published by the Scottish Social Services Council are upheld during any re-tendering of services.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The tendering and commissioning of social care services is the responsibility of each local authority.</p> <p >Employers and workers are responsible for ensuring they meet and abide by the standards set out in the codes of practice for social service workers…

16 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it recognises the role that the codes of practice published by the Scottish Social Services Council play in the values of social services’ work and what priority it puts on the codes in its guidance to local authorities and the single outcome agreements.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The codes of practice for social service workers and employers, published by the Scottish Social Services Council, are a key part of the system of regulation introduced by the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 to raise standards of practice and delivery …

2 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will continue prioritising the policy of ending child poverty by 2020, including seeking from Her Majesty’s Government an increase in child benefit and increasing the provision of high quality and affordable childcare.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government remains committed to doing what it can within the available powers to end child poverty by 2020. The Scottish Government recognises that any effective approach to child poverty must also address income inequality in Scotland, which is …

2 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review best practice around emotional and social support for parents, including strengthening the role of ParentLine Scotland.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Earlier this year the Scottish Government published a joint statement with COSLA on early years and early intervention. One of the four strands of the proposed early years framework is the central importance of parenting and family capacity in delivering impr…

2 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider, in partnership with COSLA, providing services for parents of children aged nine to 18 as a follow-on to the early years framework.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to providing support to parents and families and it has a range of policies and programmes that provide support either directly or indirectly.</p> <p >The Scottish Government provides funding to a range of voluntary sect…

2 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to design services to meet the needs of the most vulnerable families.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government''s National Performance Framework has the improvement of the life chances of children, young people and families at risk as one of its national outcomes. Within the context of the concordat and the National Performance Framework, the r…

2 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will strengthen support for parents and carers in each community, including through universal health visitor provision.

Answer · Shona Robison: In line with the requirements set out in <i >Health for All Children</i>, health visitors determine the nature and frequency of contacts with children and families beyond the core programme on the basis of each individual family''s needs. Additional support, …

27 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total costs were of meetings of the Cabinet held in (a) Dumfries, (b) Inverness, (c) Pitlochry and (d) Skye in August 2008, also broken down by (i) staff time, (ii) staff travel, (iii) staff accommodation, (iv) ministerial accommodation, (v) venue hire and set up and (vi) publici…

Answer · Bruce Crawford: As some invoices have yet to be received by the Scottish Government, final figures relating to the cost of the summer Cabinet programme cannot be provided as yet.</p>

5 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has given to local authorities in relation to consultation with service users and their advocates in advance of any change of provision, or care providers, for people with special needs.

Answer · Shona Robison: Guidance issued to local authorities on Single Shared Assessment and Care Management, emphasises that effective care management and review should take account of the views of individual service users and their carers. Ultimate decisions about the commissionin…

11 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that it delivers on its responsibilities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and has already taken action to ensure that all children in Scotland have the same rights: giving asylum seeker children equal access to higher education and announcing plans…

11 Jul 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce children’s rights impact assessments.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to promoting and supporting the rights of children in Scotland. We are currently looking into the possibility of using a children’s rights impact assessment tool to help inform the development of policy and legislation.</p…