Tommy Sheridan

15 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any economic analysis of the impact on the economy of (a) using different types of tendering process, (b) using different forms of consultancies, (c) using consultants based in Scotland, (d) using in-house expertise and (e) recruiting special teams of objective and…

Answer · Andy Kerr: No such analysis has been conducted. European law prohibits discrimination in favour of firms based on geographic location. <P>Audit Scotland carried out a recent study of the PFI procurement of schools by Scottish councils on behalf of the Accounts Commissio…

15 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many invitations to tender for appointment as consultants for proposed PFI/PPP schemes and housing stock transfers have been (a) openly advertised, (b) competitive but by invitation only, (c) advertised in the official journal and (d) awarded without any competition in each year sinc…

Answer · Andy Kerr: This information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.<P>It is Scottish Executive policy that services should be acquired following competition wherever possible. Contract notices are commonly placed in <I>Govern…

15 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the appointment of consultants for proposed PFI/PPP schemes and housing stock transfers in each year since 1997, (a) which consultants were appointed and what the value of the contract was in each case and (b) how many of these consultants are involved in providing other s…

Answer · Andy Kerr: Data on appointments of consultants for proposed PFI/PPP contracts is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. <P>Details relating to how many of these consultants are involved in providing other services to the Executive are no…

15 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations govern tender lists for the appointment of consultants in respect of proposed PFI/PPP schemes and housing stock transfers; whether there are any (a) statutory or (b) other requirements on (i) local authorities and (ii) other public bodies to draw down funds to finance suc…

Answer · Andy Kerr: There are no specific regulations addressing the appointment of consultants in respect of PFI/PPP projects and housing stock transfers. Directive 92/50/EEC (given effect in the UK by the Public Services Contracts Regulations 1993, SI 1993 No. 3228) establishe…

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26001 by Nicol Stephen on 24 July 2002, what consideration the Expert Panel on School Meals gave to extending eligibility for free school meals to children from low income families and to the evidence of the Child Poverty Action Group, One Plus, Nati…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The remit of the Expert Panel on School Meals was to provide costed recommendations and a fully developed implementation strategy to establish standards for the nutritional content of school meals; to improve the presentation of school meals to improve genera…

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26001 by Nicol Stephen on 24 July 2002, what its cost predictions are for extending free school meal eligibility to the approximate 80,000 children from low income families who are not currently eligible for free school meals, identified by the Child…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: On the best available data, providing free school meals to a further 80,000 pupils would cost in the region of £25 million per annum assuming full take-up, but making no allowance for the costs of extended dining areas, additional staff or the improved provis…

2 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26001 by Nicol Stephen on 24 July 2002, what its response is to the recent evidence by the Child Poverty Action Group, One Plus, National Children's Homes and other anti-poverty groups and children-based charities that approximately 80,000 children f…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Eligibility for free school meals extends to pupils whose parents are in receipt of income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance or support provided under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 or who are themselves in receipt of income support …

19 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many summary warrants in respect of council tax/community charge arrears were obtained for each local authority area and each sheriff court district in Scotland per month in 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02 and for the first three months of 2002-03; what the total value of the arrears in …

Answer · Jim Wallace: Figures showing the number of summary warrants granted by each sheriff court for Council Tax/Community Charge, during the periods requested, have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 23056).<P>Figures for the number of poindings effec…

28 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much state aid has been given to Fullerton Computer Industries in Ayrshire in each of the last five years and whether any such aid has been repaid.

Answer · Iain Gray: There are no central records of state aid payments to individual companies. However we have been able to establish that in July 1997 Fullarton Computer Industries Limited's operation in Kilwinning was offered Regional Selective Assistance amounting to £600,00…

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which PFI/PPP projects it has supported since 1999; what financial assessment was made before agreeing to support each such project, and, specifically, whether it applied a discounting rate of 6% against future cash flows when assessing such projects against the cost of traditional procu…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The following table details PFI/PPP projects awarded Level Playing Field Support, including the date from which support was or will be provided. Each project was assessed according to the guidance set out by HM Treasury and, where appropriate, a discount rate…

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is being provided to support breakfast club initiatives; what cost-benefit analysis has been made of the initiatives; who carried out any such analysis, and what the outcome was.

Answer · Margaret Curran: We launched a breakfast services grant of £250,000 in November 2001. However, before issuing funding guidelines, we are conducting a review of breakfast services to establish details on numbers of places and providers, where appropriate demand lies and best u…

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been (a) invested in and (b) set aside for the central heating installation programme; what cost-benefit analysis was made of this investment package; who conducted any such analysis, and what the outcome was.

Answer · Margaret Curran: £21 million was spent on the programme in 2001-02. The budgets for 2002-03 and 2003-04 are £30 million and £40 million respectively. The budget for the two years 2004-05 and 2005-06 will be announced later in the summer when the Executive publishes its spendi…

17 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, a sensitivity analysis of any or all PFI/PPP projects in order to examine whether different assumptions on risk allocation would lead to different value for money conclusions.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Sensitivity testing is a key element of the current methodology for assessing value for money. Detail is given in Treasury Taskforce Technical Note No.5 <I>How to Construct a Public Sector Comparator</I> a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Refere…

16 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the statistics from the Child Poverty Action Group showing that approximately 80,000 children from low income families are not eligible for free school meals, whether the current eligibility criteria for free school meals should be widened and, if so, what specific action it …

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The current entitlement to free school meals ensures that help is targeted at children from the poorest families under clearly defined and understood criteria. Any extension of eligibility would have significant cost implications.<P>We recently established an…

16 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24073 by Mr Andy Kerr on 7 May 2002, whether it will estimate or give details of the underspend or end-year flexibility related to its 2001-02 budget.

Answer · Andy Kerr: We are preparing the Executive's draft accounts and will make an announcement on end-year flexibility before the summer recess.

16 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many school age children live in households that it defines as poor and are ineligible for free school meals.

Answer · Margaret Curran: There is no single definition of child poverty.<B> </B>Household income is one way of measuring child poverty, but we also understand child poverty in a wider sense focusing on giving all children the best start in life, and providing appropriate and integrat…

16 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition of child poverty is; how many and what percentage of children have officially met this definition in each of the last five years, and how many children of school age are currently estimated to be living in poor households, based on the same definition.

Answer · Margaret Curran: There is no single definition of child poverty. <P>Household income is one way of measuring child poverty, but we also understand child poverty in a wider sense focusing on giving all children the best start in life, and, providing appropriate and integrated …

8 May 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children currently live in low-income families.

Answer · Margaret Curran: The proportion of children living in low-income households in Scotland was 30% in 2000-01. This is our headline measure, based on 60% of median GB income (after housing costs) for the relative year. In order to have a detailed understanding of children in low…

3 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to promote throughout Scotland the practice of Trinity Academy in Leith of capping class si'es at 20 and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I understand that City of Edinburgh Council has no such policy in Trinity Academy primary school. Similarly, there is no such policy in Trinity Academy secondary school, although practical classes will be limited to a maximum of 20 by national agreements on t…

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce a bill on reforming poindings and warrant sales and whether its bill will introduce (a) a replacement or (b) an alternative for such sales.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Bill was introduced on 7 May 2002. The bill introduces a radical new approach to debt management which puts money advice and information at the forefront to enable debt problems to be tackled before court and enf…

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23315 by Cathy Jamieson on 19 March 2002, what progress has been made by the Scottish Institute of Residential Childcare in relation to improving progress towards achieving the targets set following the review Another Kind of Home and whether the per…

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The targets set in <I>Another Kind of Home</I> in 1992 proved difficult to meet and were re-established in 1999. This may be due to the fact that whilst the number of children and young people accommodated in residential schools and units has decreased, there…

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or will make, to BAA Scottish Airports to ensure the economic competitiveness of (a) Glasgow, (b) Edinburgh and (c) Aberdeen Airports.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has made no representations to BAA Scottish Airports with regard to the economic competitiveness of its airports. The continuing growth at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen Airports directly supports the economic competitiveness of Scotla…

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or will make, to (a) Her Majesty's Government, (b) the Civil Aviation Authority and (c) BAA Scottish Airports to ensure that airport tax levels at (i) Glasgow, (ii) Edinburgh and (iii) Aberdeen Airports are not set at a level which would put these airpor…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive does not plan to make any representations to the UK Government, Civil Aviation Authority or BAA Scottish Airports on airport tax/charges. BAA Scottish Airports has, and is continuing to have, considerable growth in passenger numbers. Th…

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in what way (a) it, (b) Scottish Enterprise and (c) Highlands and Islands Enterprise have contributed to the UK-wide aviation review.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has worked in partnership with the UK Government on the aviation policy review as it affects Scotland. The Executive has also ensured that Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have been involved at all stages of the …

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what stage the response to the nursery nurses' pay claim has reached.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: UNISON submitted a pay claim on behalf of nursery nurses to all local authorities in February 2002. This claim is now being considered by local authorities.

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how salary increases are determined for nursery nurses.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The pay and conditions of nursery nurses are the responsibility of their employers, whether these are local authorities or operators in the private and voluntary sectors.

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average salary is for a nursery nurse on entering the profession.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally. COSLA's advisory <I>Scheme of Salaries and Conditions of Service for Nursery Staffs</I> recommends a salary range of £10,679 to £13,664 for a nursery nurse class 1 (qualified) employed by a local authority. Thi…

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursery nurses are currently employed in each local authority area.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Information on the number of nursery nurses employed across the full range of children's services is not held centrally. Information is held on the number of qualified early education and childcare workers (which includes nursery nurses) employed in pre-schoo…

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether nursery teachers' salaries are subject to regular appraisal and, if so, through what mechanism.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: As previously outlined in the answer given to question S1O-4974 on 28 March 2002, nursery teachers are paid on the same scale as other teachers employed by local authorities. Their salaries are reviewed and negotiated by the Scottish Negotiating Committee for…

1 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average salary is for a nursery teacher on entering the profession.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Nursery teachers are paid on the same scale as other teachers employed in local authorities. The salary scale ranges from £16,644 to £26,670. The starting salary for probationer teachers from 1 August 2002 will be £16,644 rising to £17,726 from 1 January 2003.