Jeremy Purvis

17 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the public sector comparator to show whether procuring the Borders Railway through the PPP/DBFM model offers better value for money than public sector delivery.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Borders Railway will be treated and reported in a similar manner to public private partnership projects. The outline business case currently being developed will not be published at this stage, as the commercial information contained within would prejudic…

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £9.09 million investment for cycling, walking and safer streets is being spent on cycling, walking and safer streets projects.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The cycling, walking and safer streets grant is ring fenced, it is therefore anticipated that the whole grant will be spent on cycling, walking and safer streets projects.</p>

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is being invested in Sustrans in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10 for maintaining and extending the National Cycle Network.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government issued a grant offer of £5.015 million payable over the financial year 2008-09 to Sustrans earlier this year, of which £3.5 million is capital. This is in connection with work undertaken on the National Cycle Network and active travel …

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £1 million that is rolled up into the local authority block grant for school travel co-ordinators is being spent on such co-ordinators.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities …

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £196,000 of funding to Scottish Borders Council for cycling, walking and safer streets initiatives in 2008-09 is ring-fenced.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Yes, the Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets grant is ring-fenced. I refer the member to the question S3W-15558, answered on 8 September 2008, for details of the allocation of funding to each local authority. All answers to written parliamentary questions are …

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the following projects were (a) commissioned, (b) given initial project approval, (c) first publicly announced and (d) awarded contracts and which were contained in the previous administration’s Infrastructure Investment Plan: (1) NHS Forth Valley – Clackmannanshire Community Health …

Answer · John Swinney: Information on the relevant approval stages for the requested projects is provided in the following table. The Government has published the Infrastructure Investment Plan that sets out projects for development totalling £35 billion over 10 years.</p> <p >Pro…

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what capital investment projects were given initial project approval in each year from 1999-2000 to 2006-07.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on PFI and NPD infrastructure investment projects where an Outline Business Case had been approved from 1999-00 to 2006-07 is provided in the following table.</p> <p >This information has been largely taken from a database that covers projects wh…

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what capital investment projects have been given initial project approval since May 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on significant infrastructure project milestone events, including Outline Business Case approval, since May 2007 is provided in the following tables:</p> <p >Project announcements made by ministers since May 2007:</p> <table border=1 cellspacin…

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why a revenue support grant input form for Scottish Government funding support for schools PPP projects is still on its website.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Remaining authorities with such projects which have yet to reach financial close will require to use this form.</p>

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take regarding any impact on jobs following the decision by Bauer Media to centralise night-time broadcasting for its Scottish radio stations.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government has been advised by Bauer Media''s PR representatives that the impact on jobs will be minimal. A small number of freelance employees are being supported by Bauer Media in their endeavours to find new opportunities in broadcasting, eith…

12 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what communication it has had with Bauer Media regarding its decision to centralise night-time broadcasting for its Scottish radio stations and any impact that this will have on jobs at those stations.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government has not had any direct communications with Bauer Media regarding its decision to centralise night-time broadcasting for its Scottish radio stations and any impact that this will have on jobs at those stations. We will continue to monit…

11 Sep 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many single outcome agreements signed by Scottish ministers state that all primary 1 to 3 classes will have fewer than 18 pupils by 2011.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It was not necessary for local authorities to include references to class size reduction in primary 1 to primary 3 in their Single Outcome agreements. Under the terms of the concordat local government has undertaken to make year on year progress on class size…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provisional figures are available on the total number of exclusions from schools in the 2007-08 academic year.

Answer · Maureen Watt: There are no provisional figures available. Information on exclusions from school during 2007-08 are due to be published in January 2009. They will be available on the government website using the following link. <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/schoolstat…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provisional figures are available on the number of pupils excluded from schools in the 2007-08 academic year.

Answer · Maureen Watt: There are no provisional figures available. Information on exclusions from school during 2007-08 are due to be published in January 2009. They will be available on the government website using the following link. <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/schoolstat…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total numbers of exclusions from schools were in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The total number of exclusions, broken down by local authority, is published each year on the government website. The information can be obtained using the following link <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/28122247/29">http://www.scotlan…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils were excluded from schools in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Maureen Watt: An estimate of the number of different pupils excluded from school, broken down by local authority, is published each year on the government website. This is available using the following link. <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Scho…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provisional figures are available on the total number of suspensions from schools in the 2007-08 academic year.

Answer · Maureen Watt: There are no provisional figures available. Information on exclusions from school during 2007-08 are due to be published in January 2009. They will be available on the government website using the following link. <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/schoolstat…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what provisional figures are available on the number of pupils suspended from schools in the 2007-08 academic year.

Answer · Maureen Watt: There are no provisional figures available. Information on exclusions from school during 2007-08 are due to be published in January 2009. They will be available on the government website using the following link <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/schoolstats…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total numbers of suspensions from schools were in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The total number of temporary exclusions from school, broken down by local authority, is published each year on the government website. The information is available using the following link <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/28122247/27"…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils were suspended from schools in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The number of different pupils temporarily excluded from school each year, broken down by local authority, is given in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td nowrap valign=top > <p align=left >&nb…

24 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were (a) eligible for and (b) receiving free school meals on (i) 1 October 2006, (ii) 1 May 2007, (iii) 1 October 2007 and (iv) 1 May 2008, also broken down by age.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Statistics on free school meals registration and uptake are collected in February of each year, and are published on the government website at the following link. Information is not collected by age. </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statis…

11 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in discussions with COSLA on taking forward Audit Scotland’s recommendations for a new policy and financial strategy for future school investment.

Answer · John Swinney: Preliminary discussions have taken place between Scottish Government officials and official representatives of COSLA and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland. These discussions will now help inform decisions to be made on the way ahead for th…

11 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the school building projects identified by local authorities in Infrastructure Investment Plan 2008 are anticipated to be delivered via the Scottish Futures Trust model.

Answer · John Swinney: It is for local authorities themselves to determine the most appropriate procurement route for investment in school building projects identified in the <i >Infrastructure Investment Plan 2008 </i>(Bib. number 45134). The Scottish Futures Trust will be establi…

11 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding method will be used for the 13 schools to be delivered via four separate school building projects, as stated by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 28 May 2008 (Official Report, c. 9006).

Answer · John Swinney: Three of the four schools building projects are based on the non-profit distributing model. These projects, which will deliver nine schools, are in various stages of procurement and are in Western Isles, Orkney and Moray councils. The other school project in …

11 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding method will be used for each of the seven school building projects that have been signed off since May 2007.

Answer · John Swinney: Of the seven school building projects which we have signed off since May 2007, two were procured using the non-profit distributing model (Falkirk and Aberdeen City), our preferred method of procurement if private capital at risk is deployed. The other five pr…

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans for its DG Education, as shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008, take account of the changes to eligibility criteria for student support announced on 15 February 2008.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s Efficiency Delivery Plans do not take account of the changes to eligibility criteria for student support announced on 15 February 2008 as these changes are not designed to generate savings.</p> <p >I refer the member to the answer …

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the average percentages change in salaries for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 compared with those for (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not produce estimates/forecasts on future earnings. The latest data show that for the year to April 2007, average median weekly earnings rose by 3.1%.</p>

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the organisations it consulted prior to plans for its DG Education, as shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government consulted with the Students Awards Agency for Scotland when considering the planned efficiencies for DG Education as outlined on page 77 of the Efficiency Delivery Plans publication.</p> <p >We will undertake a wider consultation on s…

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to plans for its DG Education shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008, for what levels of parental income the parental contribution towards student support will be higher as a result of assessing the parental income from one year prior compared with two years prio…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not estimated what the effect of such a change may be. The Student Awards Agency for Scotland has always assessed parental income from one year prior and has no plans to change this.</p>

9 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to plans for its DG Education shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008, whether its budget assumptions have ever included (a) raising the eligibility threshold for government contributions to student support and (b) moving to the use of parental income from two yea…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Budget plans assume that the eligibility thresholds for student support rise each year in line with the underlying rate of inflation (RPIX).</p> <p >The budget assumptions for years 2008-11 have not taken into account moving to the use of parental income fro…