Questions · Ken Macintosh

13 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what more needs to be done to support the implementation of the Administration of Medicines in Schools guidance.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The responsibility for the implementation of the Administration of Medicines in Schools guidance is a local issue for NHS boards to work with their education authority partners. There is no routine monitoring of the implementation of the guidance currently in…

13 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the implementation of the Administration of Medicines in Schools guidance.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Full assessment of the implementation of the Administration of Medicines in Schools Guidance was last carried out in 2004. Whilst the Scottish Government takes the issue of child health and welfare extremely seriously, statutory responsibility for the Adminis…

10 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether teachers are expected to produce their own materials for the Curriculum for Excellence.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17714 on 20 November 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/App…

10 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers are being asked to produce materials for Curriculum for Excellence without assistance.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17714 on 20 November 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/App…

10 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers are being asked to produce materials for the Curriculum for Excellence without recompense.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17714 on 20 November 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/App…

10 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether teachers are being asked to produce materials for the Curriculum for Excellence in addition to their normal teaching responsibilities.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17714 on 20 November 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/App…

10 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether teachers are being asked to produce materials for the Curriculum for Excellence without assistance.

Answer · Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17714 on 20 November 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/App…

10 Nov 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether teachers are being asked to produce materials for the Curriculum for Excellence without recompense.

Answer · Maureen Watt: A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century is the agreement reached between the Scottish Government, the teaching unions and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities following the McCrone report. It delineates the central role teachers play in the qual…

16 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for teachers who retired in 2008 to receive the result of their applications for a pension and lump sum under the Teachers’ Superannuation (Scotland) scheme.

Answer · John Swinney: The agency''s target, where it receives correct information from employing authorities and teachers within the prescribed notification period, is to ensure that 98% of teachers receive their lump sum within one week of their retrial date. That target has been…

16 Oct 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers who retired in 2008 have still to receive the result of their applications for a pension and lump sum under the Teachers’ Superannuation (Scotland) scheme.

Answer · John Swinney: As of 4 November, 84 of the 2,794 teachers who have retired in 2008 have still to receive their lump sum. All of these applications were either received after the prescribed notification date or contained erroneous information. All are being processed urgentl…

26 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the building standards that came into force in 2007 should replace the Housing for Varying Needs standard as the standard for new-build housing association properties.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: There are no proposals at present to replace the current Housing for Varying Needs standard for new properties built by housing associations. As part of the package of further action on housing announced on 19 August we have however agreed with Scottish Feder…

26 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed the impact on housing association rents of reducing the average level of housing grant subsidy per house.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Yes. The Housing Association Grant is now calculated on the basis that rents are assumed to rise at RPI +1% - this is the rate which associations tell us they have in their plans. There is no reason why our bringing our assumption into line with those plans s…

26 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £60 million central funding for affordable housing brought forward from 2010-11, as announced by the First Minister on 19 August 2008, will be available to support housing in East Renfrewshire.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15759 on 16 September 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./w…

25 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network will work with the Scottish Muscle Network to develop guidelines for the management of neuromuscular conditions.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is working on clinical standards for all neurological conditions including neuromuscular conditions such as Muscular Dystrophy. SIGN is responsible for developing its own work programme, and is always willing to cons…

25 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Quality Improvement Scotland will look at producing a set of standards for the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with neuromuscular conditions including muscular dystrophy.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) is working on clinical standards for all neurological conditions including neuromuscular conditions such as muscular dystrophy. NHS QIS expects the draft standards to be ready for consultation in autumn 2008, with pu…

15 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers will make a decision in the case of Thomas Smart, referred to in an article in The Herald on 1 August 2008, before his teaching course begins on 25 August 2008.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15598 on 29 August 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…

15 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when ministers will make a statement or provide further information on the case of Thomas Smart, following the comments attributed to them in an article in The Herald on 1 August 2008.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15598 on 29 August 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…

15 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is re-examining the case of Thomas Smart, referred to in an article in The Herald on 1 August 2008, with a view to supporting his probationary year through the teacher induction programme.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15598 on 29 August 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…

15 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is re-examining the case of Thomas Smart, referred to in an article in The Herald on 1 August 2008, with a view to funding his postgraduate diploma in education course.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: My officials have already met with solicitors and confirmed to Mr Smart''s family on 19 August 2008 that under current legislation there is unfortunately no scope for discretion in his case.

30 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the impact of its decision not to fund Panjabi qualifications in Scotland.

Answer · Adam Ingram: It is the responsibility of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to develop, set and assess qualifications in Scotland. SQA currently offers unit qualifications in Panjabi. Although there has been no uptake for these over the last few years, SQA will c…

30 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it made any assessment of the success of the Centres of Excellence programme in funding the provision of qualifications in the Panjabi language before deciding not to renew that funding.

Answer · Adam Ingram: A review of the national Centres of Excellence programme was undertaken by the previous Scottish Executive in 2005. The review concluded three of the centres were not in fact acting as national centres. Their funding was therefore phased out, although it is o…

30 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it has not renewed funding to enable the provision of Panjabi qualifications in Scotland.

Answer · Adam Ingram: It is the responsibility of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to develop, set and assess qualifications in Scotland. SQA currently offers unit qualifications in Panjabi. Although there has been no uptake for these over the last few years, SQA will c…

30 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding or support specifically for the Sikh community has been announced by ministers in the last year.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: In July 2007 the Scottish Government awarded Sikh Sanjog £4,500 to continue developing its youth participation project for young Sikhs. This funding allowed the organisation to involve Sikh girls in youth participation activities. In 2007-08 the Scot…