Parliamentary questions
Bill Butler
673 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value to the economy is of fishing co-operatives.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has not estimated the value of fishing cooperatives to the economy.</p> <p >According to the <i >Cooperative Review 2008</i>, published by Cooperatives UK, the 69 fishing cooperatives across the UK generated £1 million of profit on a …
23 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24630 by Keith Brown on 22 June 2009, when it plans to write to the directors of education of all local authorities asking how they will encourage twinning arrangements between denominational and non-denominational schools.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has no plans to write to directors of education in this regard. Within the terms of the Concordat it is for local authorities to identify their own priorities and pursue their own approaches to tackling anti-sectarianism. Decisions on …
23 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24630 by Keith Brown on 22 June 2009, how it plans to encourage local authorities to support twinning arrangements between denominational and non-denominational schools.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25125 on 20 July 2009. 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/Apps2/B…
23 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24630 by Keith Brown on 22 June 2009, how it plans to encourage twinning activities between denominational and non-denominational schools in the 2009-10 academic year.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government document <i >Building Friendships and Strengthening Communities : A Guide to Twinning between denominational and non-denominational schools</i> is available to all schools and local authorities at:</p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland…
22 Jun 2009 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister when the Scottish Government will present a national anti-sectarianism strategy to the Parliament.
Answer · Alex Salmond: <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0625-01.htm">http://www.scot…
18 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24632 by Fergus Ewing on 18 June 2009, what organisation delivers the rehabilitation programme for offenders convicted under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 at HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We provided YouthLink Scotland with £22,000 to develop an anti-sectarian resource for youth workers. Using this resource a partnership of YouthLink Scotland, the Iona Community, Barnardos and Glasgow City Council then developed the anti-sectarian programme wh…
18 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24632 by Fergus Ewing on 18 June 2009 and the answer to the supplementary to question S3O-7232 by Fergus Ewing on 3 June 2009 (Official Report c. 18094), whether it has asked for a projected cost of any proposed rehabilitation programme for offenders…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: There is no specific rehabilitation programme available to courts for offenders who are convicted under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 and we are not looking to develop such a programme at this time. Offenders who are convicted of such…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23683 by Fergus Ewing on 26 May 2009, how much money (a) Nil by Mouth, (b) Sense over Sectarianism and (c) Kick-out Bigotry have received from the Race, Religion and Refugee Integration Fund.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have provided £5.5 million to support 33 projects through the Race, Religion and Refugee Integration Funding Stream. These are all clearly listed on the One Scotland website and can be found at: <a href="http://www.scotlandagainstracism.com/onescotland/366…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any correspondence between it and faith communities sent since 18 May 2009 in respect of encouraging the twinning of denominational and non-denominational schools.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has had no such correspondence since 18 May 2009.</p>
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the individuals convicted of religiously aggravated offences under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 in 2006-07 have undertaken rehabilitation programmes related to their offences.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24743 on 19 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on t…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the individuals convicted of religiously aggravated offences under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 in 2007-08 have undertaken rehabilitation programmes related to their offences.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:</p> <p >There have been no individuals convicted specifically for Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 who have served custodia…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce which NHS boards have been selected for the piloting of direct elections.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24741 on 18 June 2009. 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/Apps2…
11 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards it is considering for the piloting of direct elections.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The<i > </i>Health Boards (Membership and Elections) (Scotland) Act 2009 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2009 was laid before Parliament on Tuesday 16 June 2009. This order names NHS Fife and NHS Dumfries and Galloway as the health boards that will pilot direct el…
8 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to invite a representative from the mutual and co-operative sector to join the management committee of the Scottish Centre for Financial Education.
Answer · Keith Brown: Membership of the Scottish Centre for Financial Education management group will be considered following the wider review of Learning and Teaching Scotland. This will include consideration of the centre''s role in supporting the delivery of financial education…
8 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer to the supplementary to question S3O-7232 by Fergus Ewing on 3 June 2009 (Official Report c. 18094), what the projected cost was of the proposed rehabilitation programme for offenders convicted under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 that was consid…
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The current financial climate greatly restricts the opportunities for projects requiring any new funding support. In response to question S3O-7232 I offered to explore how the anti-sectarian resource developed by YouthLink Scotland, and being used successfull…
8 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals convicted under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 have participated in its pilot rehabilitation project at HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: We provided YouthLink Scotland with £22,000 to develop an anti-sectarian resource for youth workers. Ten inmates from Polmont Young Offenders Institution participated in the pilot which led to the development of the resource which has now been used to tackle …
8 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24090 by Keith Brown on 3 June 2009, on what date it published its guidance for twinning arrangements between schools.
Answer · Keith Brown: The guidance was published on 12 December 2006 and continues to be made available online and in hard copy. The Scottish Government remains committed to encouraging twinning activities to break down barriers between communities and encourage friendships betwe…
2 Jun 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish the findings of its householder permitted development rights consultation.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The responses are currently being analysed and the analysis report will be published later in the summer.</p>
21 May 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to review the membership of the Scottish Centre for Financial Education.
Answer · Keith Brown: The role and membership of the Scottish Centre for Financial Education will be considered following the wider review of Learning and Teaching Scotland. This will include consideration of the Centre''s role in delivering financial education in the context of C…
18 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to encourage twinning of denominational and non-denominational schools in the 2009-10 academic year.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has published guidance promoting twinning arrangements between such schools and encouraging the resultant links between pupils and communities. Examples of good practice in twinning are shared through the anti-sectarian website, <i >Do…
18 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23453 by Keith Brown on 15 May 2009, whether it will reinstate funding for anti-sectarianism projects in schools in the 2009-10 academic year.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is investing record levels of funding in local government, £23 billion for the period 2008-10, to enable education authorities to respond appropriately to their own local needs and priorities.</p> <p >Within the context of the new wor…
18 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23453 by Keith Brown on 15 May 2009, how much of the £23 billion is to be spent on anti-sectarianism projects in schools in the period 2008 to 2010, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Keith Brown: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
14 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what bodies the Scottish Futures Trust has met to discuss building shared school campuses, broken down by body and date of meeting.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Futures Trust has not held discussions specifically on shared school campuses. It is in the early stages of developing projects which focus on collaboration between public sector bodies. The content and scope of projects remains a matter for the …
14 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities the Scottish Futures Trust has met to discuss building shared school campuses.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Futures Trust has not held discussions specifically on shared school campuses. It is in the early stages of developing projects which focus on collaboration between public sector bodies. The content and scope of projects remains a matter for the …
14 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the Scottish Futures Trust has had in respect of building shared school campuses across Scotland.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Futures Trust has not held discussions specifically on shared school campuses. It is in the early stages of developing projects which focus on collaboration between public sector bodies. The content and scope of projects remains a matter for the …
12 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS boards have completed the Agenda for Change review process for health sciences, broken down by board and date of completion.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Decisions on how the review process is progressed in each board area, such as the order in which each job family is dealt with, are taken in partnership at local level. Different boards will, therefore, be dealing with the Healthcare Sciences job family at di…
12 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-19042 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 January 2009, whether it still expects NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to complete the Agenda for Change review for its Health Sciences group by the end of June 2009.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is for NHS boards as employers to take forward Agenda for Change Reviews. However, I understand that following the start of the review process in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, it has been necessary to revise the projected timelines. This has been taken fo…
8 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it provided through the Scottish Social Services Council to support student units in 2008-09.
Answer · Adam Ingram: In 2008-09 the Scottish Social Services Council distributed £2.236 million to higher educational institutions to support practice learning placements for students undertaking the social work honours degree.</p>
8 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many students were placed in student units supported by the Scottish Social Services Council in the last five years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Adam Ingram: This is a matter for higher educational institutions. This information is not held centrally.</p>
8 May 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many student units it is funding through the Scottish Social Services Council in 2009-10.
Answer · Adam Ingram: For 2009-10 a budget of £2.377 million has been allocated to the Scottish Social Services Council for distribution to higher educational institutions to support practice learning placements for students undertaking the social work honours degree.</p>