Parliamentary questions
Michael Matheson
1,154 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Premier League regarding the forthcoming European meeting on football between the sports ministers of England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy and, if so, what issues were discussed.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: No.</p>
23 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the delivery of its central heating replacement programme in order to ensure that those who qualify under the programme do not have to wait for periods of up to five months without heating before a new system is installed.
Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:</p> <p>From the time of application until the installation of the central heating system, the average waiting time is five months. However, many ap…
18 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it continues to support the work of Scotland Against Drugs.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive supports the activities that have been undertaken by Scotland Against Drugs. The transfer of functions to the Health Scotland and particularly the Scottish Centre for Health Working Lives will allow this work not only to continue but to develop …
18 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why no agreement has been reached with Scotland Against Drugs on the financial support it requires in 2006-07 and when it expects an agreement to be reached.
Answer · Hugh Henry: We have reached agreement on the broad funding allocation for 2006-07 which will transfer to Health Scotland in order for the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives to continue and develop the work of Scotland Against Drugs. The final budget will be agreed…
18 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue providing financial support to Scotland Against Drugs in 2006-07.
Answer · Hugh Henry: We will continue to provide funding to support the functions and activities of Scotland Against Drugs (SAD) in 2006-07. However, these functions, and associated funding will transfer to Health Scotland from 1 April 2006. The employability programme, which is …
17 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many PE teachers are eligible for retirement in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007 and (d) 2008, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The normal retirement age of teachers is 60. Teachers employed by local authorities must retire at 65, so there is potential to retire at anytime between 60 and 65 with unreduced benefits. Teachers can apply to retire at any time between 55 to 59 with an actu…
17 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many PE teachers have been employed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The available information on how many PE teachers have been employed, broken down by local authority is shown in the 2003 and 2004 Teacher Censuses. This can be accessed using the following hyperlinks:</p> <p><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletin…
9 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to promote Gaelic in the European Union (EU) with a view to enabling it to achieve a status similar to that of Catalan, Galician and Basque following the agreement between Spain and the EU.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-20525 on 17 November 2005. 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/weba…
9 Nov 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has held any discussions with the UK Government, during its Presidency of the European Union, to enable Gaelic to be used in correspondence with certain EU institutions and, if so, when such discussions took place and what the outcome was.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive is committed to the promotion of Gaelic and securing its status in a wide range of contexts in Scotland. The decision to allow Gaelic to be recognised and used in correspondence with EU institutions is a matter for the UK government and…
14 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much lottery support was awarded to football-specific projects in each year from 2002-03 to 2004-05, giving details of each project and the amount awarded in each case.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: This information is not heldcentrally. I have, however, asked the Chair of <b>sport</b>scotland to write tothe member with the information that they have available.</p>
14 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much lottery support was awarded to football-specific projects in each year from 1997-98 to 2001-02, giving details of each project and the amount awarded in each case.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: This information is not heldcentrally. I have, however, asked the Chair of <b>sport</b>scotland to write tothe member with the information that they have available.</p>
7 Sep 2005 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that existing community sports facilities are maintained to an adequate standard.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive is committedto working with its partners in ensuring that we have the sporting infrastructurein place to make Scotland a truly sporting nation. However, it is for the ownersor operators of the sports facilities to ensure they are mainta…
6 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much is outstanding to be paid to each police force for providing security at football matches.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.</p> <p>Such arrangements are agreed between the football clubs and the relevant police authorities.</p>
30 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish Rugby has paid towards the cost of policing international rugby matches in each of the last three years.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.</p> <p>Such arrangements are agreed between the Scottish Rugby Union and the relevant police authority.</p>
30 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Scottish Football Association has paid towards the cost of policing international football games in each of the last three years.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.</p> <p>Such arrangements are agreed between the Scottish Football Association and the relevant police authorities.</p>
30 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by sportscotland in achieving its targets set out in Sport 21 that by 2020 (a) 80% of primary school children will be physically active, (b) 85% of those aged 13 to 17 years will take part in sport, in addition to the school curriculum, more than once a week, (…
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The targets referred to are set to be achieved by 2007. Information from <b>sport</b>scotland on progress towards meeting the targets is set out in the following table below. Further information can on Sport 21 can be found on <b>sport</b>scotland’s website:<…
30 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18145 by Patricia Ferguson on 24 August 2005, why the funding for Building for Scotland – Community Facility Strand in 2004-05 was £4,422,790 less than that spent on Sports Facilities – School and Community Strand, Sports Facilities – Local Facilitie…
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: This information is not held centrally. I have, however, asked the Chair of <b>sport</b>scotland to write to the member with the information that they have available.</p>
30 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what projects have been undertaken and invested in by sportscotland in the (a) Sports Facilities – School and Community Strand, (b) Sports Facilities – Local Facilities Strand, (c) Sports Facilities – Swimming Pool Upgrade Strand and (d) Building for Sport – Community Facility Strand in e…
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: This information is not held centrally. I have, however, asked the Chair of <b>sport</b>scotland to write to the member with the information that they have available.</p>
24 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial assistance the Scottish Institute of Sport received from the sportscotland Lottery Sports Fund in 2001-02 and 2002-03.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: In 2001-02 and 2002-03 the Scottish Institute of Sport claimed £2,456,811 and £3,384,000 respectively from the <b>sport</b>scotland Lottery Sports Fund.</p>
24 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £1,080,300, referred to in its press release dated 15 August 2005 entitled "Investment for Melbourne 2006", is new money and how much has come from existing budgets and under which headings.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The £1,080,300 is a new allocation from existing budgets specifically for athlete support ahead of Melbourne 2006. It is a combination of £775,300 from the Lottery Sports Fund and £305,000 from <b>sport</b>scotland’s Exchequer funding from the Executive.</p> …
24 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial assistance has been given to (a) badminton, (b) bowls, (c) boxing, (d) squash, (e) triathlon, (f) table tennis and (g) weightlifting in each of the last five years.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The information requested is published in <b>sport</b>scotland’s annual reports and Lottery Fund annual reports, copies of which have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 11114, 16964, 24679, 29689 and 34386 for the annual r…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional places for physical education teachers have been secured with teacher training institutions to implement the recommendations in Report of the Review Group on Physical Education.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The University of Strathclyde has increased the target intake for the postgraduate diploma in education in physical education from 15 in 2003 to 35 for session 2005-06. In addition, both Paisley and Edinburgh universities will offer a postgraduate teacher tra…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many regional seminars have been held to raise awareness of Report of the Review Group on Physical Education; when they were held, and in what venues.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Four regional seminars were held in March 2005 to raise awareness of the Report of the Review Group on Physical Education. The seminars were held in the Moat House Hotel, Glasgow; the Carlton Hotel, Edinburgh; the Hilton Treetops Hotel, Aberdeen, and the Hilt…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned in respect of physical activity in schools.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Since the publication of the National Physical Activity Strategy in 2003, the Executive and its Agencies have commissioned a wide range of research and evaluation studies into physical activity in schools. These include the Physical Activity in Scottish Schoo…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will monitor the provision of two hours of quality physical education by 2008, as outlined in its Report of the Review Group on Physical Education, published in June 2004, and what progress is being made towards this target.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Baseline statistical data for all stages has been gathered from all education authority schools in Scotland on the current level of timetabled PE. The information is being analysed and is expected to be available in October 2005.</p> <p>The baseline data will…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many physical education teachers have been employed in schools in each of the last three years.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Table 3.9 of the Statistical Bulletin <i>Teachers in Scotland, 2004</i> contains information on the number of teachers by main subject taught for 2003 and 2004. The table can be accessed by the following link <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2…
9 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what direct or indirect financial assistance it has given to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in each of the last five years and what the purpose of the assistance was.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) does not receive direct funding from the Scottish Executive. Financial assistance is made available through the Scottish Arts Council (SAC).</p><p>I have asked the Scottish Arts Council to provide the detailed info…
5 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is offering school children who wish to pursue a career as a writer.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The National Curriculum Guidelines 5-14 seek to ensure that the curriculum secures breadth, balance, continuity and progression for all pupils. Responsibility for setting policy and legislation for education in Scotland rests with the Scottish Executive Educa…
2 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11869 by Ms Patricia Ferguson on 12 November 2004, what progress has been made in relation to a possible contribution from the UK Delegation to UNESCO of up to £50,000 to UNESCO’s new Creative Cities Fund.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The UK Delegation to UNESCO contributed£50,000 to the UNESCO Fund of the Global Alliance to assist with thedevelopment of the Creative Cities network in December 2004.</p>
2 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote Scottish architecture and how these plans are being implemented.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Executive continues to promote Scottish architecture through its policy on architecture. A progress report which details both the achievements of policy to date and our future plans was published in February 2005, a copy of which is available in the Scott…