Parliamentary questions
Michael Russell
1,207 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much New Opportunities Fund money will be distributed in Scotland in the current year and how much of this will be spent on school projects.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Since its first awards in July 1999, the New Opportunities Fund has made 201 awards totalling £16,248,000 in Scotland, of which £9.7 million has been committed under the Out of School Hours Learning programme. In addition over £32 million has been allocated f…
15 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will give to local authorities to ensure that its social inclusion objectives are being realised, with particular regard to ensuring the inclusion of children with disabilities and learning difficulties in school sports activities and after-school clubs.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive Inclusion Programme is providing £12 million over two years from April 1999 to assist local authorities to include children with special educational needs in mainstream education.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Scottish Executive provides fundin…
14 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what priority will be given to dealing with industrial museums in the forthcoming national audit of museums and when it anticipates the audit of the main industrial museums will be completed.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-11201 on 28 November 2000.
14 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what audit criteria will be applied in the forthcoming national audit of museums and, in particular, how will these be applied to industrial museums.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The procedures and criteria for the national audit are currently being developed on behalf of the Executive by the Scottish Museums Council. These procedures and criteria will be applied to industrial museums as the first priority.
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level is of (a) any current shortage and (b) any anticipated shortages in each of the next three years of teachers of (i) mathematics, (ii) physics, (iii) chemistry and (iv) modern languages.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I have today sent the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee a report on the supply of teachers. A response to your specific question can be found at paragraphs 26-30 and Annex A of the report.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Copies of the report …
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how shortages of teachers in specific subjects are identified and projected.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I have today sent the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee a report on the supply of teachers. A response to your specific question can be found at paragraphs 26-38 of the report.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Copies of the report have been pl…
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what special training initiatives it is undertaking or supporting to increase the number of teachers in subjects where a shortage has been identified.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I have today sent the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee a report on the supply of teachers. A response to your specific question can be found at paragraphs 16-18 of the report.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Copies of the report have been pl…
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the recruitment of teachers in subjects where a shortage has been identified.
Answer · Jack McConnell: I have today sent the Convenor of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee a report on the supply of teachers. A response to your specific question can be found at paragraphs 13-15 and 28-38 of the report.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Copies of the report ha…
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why it took 16 weeks to answer parliamentary questions S1W-7616 and S1W-7618.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Although data was not held centrally, and could have been answered immediately to this effect, Departmental officials explored with the Scottish Arts Council what information could be identified to assist answering the member's questions. After detailed consi…
7 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10350 by Iain Gray on 30 October 2000, what the "range of services provided" are which are in place for people with mental health problems in the South of Scotland; what support, financial and other, it has provided for such services in each of the p…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The resources available to Dumfries and Galloway Council and to Dumfries and Galloway Health Board in each of the last three years are as follows (£ millions): <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=574><TR><TD WIDTH="18%" VALIGN="TOP"> </TD><TD…
3 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the outstanding sums owed to the Scottish Qualifications Authority as at 1 October 2000 had been outstanding for (a) more than one month, (b) more than three months and (c) more than six months.
Answer · Jack McConnell: This is an operational issue for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the Chairman to reply to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
3 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was owed to the Scottish Qualifications Authority as at 1 October 2000 (a) by all local authorities and (b) by each local authority.
Answer · Jack McConnell: This is an operational issue for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the Chair to reply to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure continued support for events such as the Scots-Saxon, Scots-Bavarian and Scots-German colloquia run by the British Council regional offices in Germany which are now proposed for closure.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The decision by the British Council to close some regional offices in Germany, as part of a global strategic review, will not affect their support for events to promote links between Scotland and Germany. As before, the council's decision to become involved i…
1 Nov 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the British Council regarding the proposal to close the British Council regional offices in Germany and whether it has sought assurances from the Council with regard to the future promotion of Scottish culture and academic issues in Germany in the event…
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the British Council. They have assured us that they have no plans to reduce operational expenditure in Germany and that the closure of regional offices there, as part of a global strategic review, will not aff…
25 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial borrowing permissions are in place for the Scottish Qualifications Authority and when any such permissions were granted and under what statute.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996 and the Scottish Qualifications Authority's Management Statement and Financial Memorandum, the approval of Scottish Ministers is required "in relation to any borrowing and any related security, guarantee or indemni…
25 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what average time elapsed between the issue of invoices to local authorities by the Scottish Qualifications Authority and payment of such invoices in this financial year and in each of the last two financial years.
Answer · Jack McConnell: This is an operational issue for the Scottish Qualifications Authority. I have asked the Chair to reply to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.
25 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Scottish Qualifications Authority first indicated that it was expecting to accumulate a deficit during the current financial year, each of the two previous financial years, and what reasons were given for anticipating such deficits.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is obliged to inform the Executive if it is likely that its expenditure on any individual accounts will exceed agreed estimates by more than £50,000. The SQA notified us in September of a likely deficit in this fina…
25 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated deficit of the Scottish Qualifications Authority is for the end of this financial year.
Answer · Jack McConnell: As a result of the additional work undertaken to resolve the problems with Diet 2000, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has incurred additional costs. The full financial implications are currently being quantified and will be discussed with SQA in d…
25 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with the Scottish Qualifications Authority regarding its finances over the last two financial years and in this financial year.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The regular Liaison Group meetings involving Scottish Executive and Scottish Qualifications Authority officials discuss various matters, including their financial implications where appropriate. In addition, meetings were held in July 1999, to discuss the fun…
25 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what payments have been made to the Scottish Qualifications Authority in this financial year and in each of the last two financial years, specifying the amount and date of each payment, and how these compared with the amounts and payment dates projected at the start of each financial year.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Scottish Qualifications Authority receives grant-in-aid and grant for three areas of work: 5-14 Programme; Accreditation Unit running costs; and development work for the new national qualifications introduced in academic year 1999-2000. A detailed profile…
25 Oct 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it has no plans to publish league tables of primary school test results.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The Executive has no plans to do so.
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people in the South of Scotland experiencing mental health problems which require hospitalisation have drug related problems.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The first table below shows episodes of inpatient care, based on admissions to non-psychiatric hospitals, of those up to the age of 19, with a mental and behaviour disorder, where there is also a mention of drug misuse.<P>The second table shows episodes of in…
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specialist provision exists in the South of Scotland for the hospitalisation of young people experiencing mental health problems.
Answer · Susan Deacon: At present, specialist provision exists at Ladyfield East Adolescent In-Patient Psychiatric Unit in Dumfries. Services for patients from Ayrshire and Arran are commissioned from Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust at Gartnavel Royal Hospital. Those for pat…
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people in the South of Scotland experiencing mental health problems which require hospitalisation have to share adult wards.
Answer · Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.
10 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support mechanisms are in place for the families of young people experiencing mental health problems in the South of Scotland.
Answer · Iain Gray: Health boards, NHS Trusts, local authorities, local health councils and the voluntary and private sectors provide a range of services for people with mental health problems in the south of Scotland.
6 Oct 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure that the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is able to regain the use of parts of its building which are presently being used for storage by other institutions.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: We have made it clear that we could not provide funds to extend the Scottish National Portrait Gallery into the east end of the Findlay Building before the National Galleries of Scotland have completed their two current priority projects, development of the R…
20 Sep 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take regarding the possible closure of the Miners' Library in Wanlockhead.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Funding of the Miners' Library in the Lead Mining Museum is the responsibility of the Wanlockhead Museums Trust. However, we announced in the National Cultural Strategy a national audit of museum collections to inform the development of criteria for a restruc…
8 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what resources, broken down by health board area, it is applying to the training of nurses, how those resources have changed in the last three years, and how many places are available in total and in each health board area.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The majority of pre-registration training of nurses and midwives in Scotland is provided by higher education institutions under contract to the Scottish Executive. The Scottish Executive Health Department also funds bursaries for students on these courses.<P …
8 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that qualified students who secure a place on a course leading to a qualification in nursing do not have to wait for a longer period for Scottish courses than for courses provided in England.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The number of initial nurse training places in Scotland is determined according to the forecast requirements of the NHS and other health sector employers. Information is not held centrally gauging the level of demand from potential students.
8 Sep 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many places in nursing training are available in Lanarkshire, and how long qualified students have to wait to secure a place.
Answer · Susan Deacon: In the current year, there are 310 places on initial nursing and midwifery training courses at Bell College. 230 of these will be based in Lanarkshire.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">There is no such measure for waiting times.