Parliamentary questions
Mr Bruce McFee
333 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it gives to local authorities in relation to the minimum number of competitive bids required before selecting a preferred bidder for any PPP scheme.
Answer · Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-11217 answered 2 November 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliam…
5 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether proceeding to appoint a preferred bidder in any PPP scheme on the basis of one, two or three competitive bids (a) is within the regulations governing PPP schemes, (b) is within the guidance it has issued on PPP schemes and (c) achieves best value.
Answer · Tom McCabe: Guidance on appointing a preferred bidder in a PPP scheme is contained in the Treasury Taskforce Technical Note No. 4 <i>How to appoint and work with a preferred bidder</i> (Bib. number 20724) which the Executive expects public sector bodies to follow. PPPs, …
20 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10060 by Peter Peacock on 13 September 2004, what educational standards require to be met by institutions providing educational services to local authorities.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Where education authorities arrange for educational services to be provided by institutions other than their schools, it is for them to specify and be satisfied with the educational standards offered.</p>
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care has in validating the qualifications of teaching staff.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Teachers in education authority schools are required to hold either a Teaching Qualification (Secondary Education) or a Teaching Qualification (Primary Education). The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care has no role in the validation, accreditation…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education has in validating teachers’ qualifications.
Answer · Peter Peacock: None. Universities that deliver courses of initial teacher education are responsible for the internal validation of their courses. Thereafter such courses must be accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland and approved by the Scottish ministers b…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education has in assessing teachers’ accreditation.
Answer · Peter Peacock: None. The General Teaching Council for Scotland is responsible for maintaining a register of qualified teachers and for assessing people’s entitlement to be included in the register.</p>
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education has in assessing teaching standards.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The <i>Standard for Full Registration,</i> the teaching standard that must be achieved by probationer teachers before they can be fully registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland, resulted from collaboration between the council and the Scottish…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to ensure that all teaching staff are properly accredited with relevant teaching qualifications.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Teachers in education authority schools are required to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland. The council will only register people who hold relevant teaching qualifications.</p>
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what qualifications require to be held by staff in order to teach subjects in care establishments.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Teachers in education authority schools are required to hold either a Teaching Qualification (Secondary Education) or a Teaching Qualification (Primary Education). Where education authorities arrange for children to be taught in care establishments, it is for…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what qualifications require to be held by staff in order to teach subjects in local authority schools.
Answer · Peter Peacock: All teachers in education authority schools must hold a Teaching Qualification (Secondary Education) or a Teaching Qualification (Primary Education).</p>
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific teaching qualifications are expected to be held by teaching staff in organisations providing educational services to children being “looked after” by local authorities.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Teachers in education authority schools are required to hold either a Teaching Qualification (Secondary Education) or a Teaching Qualification (Primary Education). Where education authorities arrange for organisations to provide educational services outwith e…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific teaching qualifications are expected to be held by teaching staff working for organisations providing non-statutory educational services to under-16s.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Teachers in education authority schools are required to hold either a Teaching Qualification (Secondary Education) or a Teaching Qualification (Primary Education). Where education authorities arrange for organisations to provide non‑statutory educationa…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what specific teaching qualifications are expected to be held by teaching staff working for organisations providing statutory educational services to under-16s.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Teachers in education authority schools are required to hold either a Teaching Qualification (Secondary Education) or a Teaching Qualification (Primary Education). Where education authorities arrange for organisations to provide statutory educational services…
14 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fixed penalty notices were issued for littering since July 2003, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This information is not held centrally.</p>
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the severance scheme for both current and former executives and senior managers of NHS Argyll and Clyde.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No investigation is planned. NHS Argyll and Clyde are required to operate within the arrangements set out in the General Whitley Council Handbook and I would expect any divergence from the handbook arrangements to be highlighted through the board’s external a…
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet executives of NHS Argyll and Clyde and whether it will discuss the severance scheme for executives and senior managers at that meeting.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Representatives of the Scottish Executive regularly meet with NHS Argyll and Clyde.</p><p>The General Whitley Council Handbook sets out the severance terms applicable for all NHSScotland staff and it is for NHS boards to comply with the handbook terms locally…
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review severance schemes for executives and senior managers of NHS boards.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: No such review is planned. NHSScotland employers are required to follow the arrangements set out in the General Whitley Council Handbook which apply to all staff.</p>
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what factors will be taken into account when reviewing the annual budget for the Scottish Ambulance Service.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10061 on 23 September 2004. 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/we…
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Ambulance Service budget will next be reviewed and when the results of any such review will be published.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10061 on 23 September 2004. 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/web…
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Ambulance Service budget was last reviewed.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service’s budget is kept under regular review, most recently in the course of Spending Review 2004, the outcome of which will be announced shortly. Spending during the year is monitored against the budget. The spending review considerat…
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what emphasis is placed upon teaching qualifications under the service level agreement for teachers at the Rowanlea Resource Centre in Paisley run by Kibble Education and Care.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I understand the service level agreement between Renfrewshire Council, who operate Rowanlea Resource Centre, and Kibble Education and Care requires that all teachers who work at the Centre are registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland and have…
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what teaching qualifications are required for teachers (a) seconded and (b) contracted to the Rowanlea Resource Centre in Paisley run by Kibble Education and Care.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10060 on 13 September 2004 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search">http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s…
18 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reducing the reliance on temporary and agency staff to address NHS staff shortages.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive continues to build capacity across all staff groups within NHSScotland. We remain on track to achieve our partnership agreement target of attracting 12,000 nurses and midwives into NHSScotland by 2007.</p><p>Under the banner of the <i>F…
18 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing NHS staff shortages in psychiatry.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive continues to build capacity within NHSScotland across all staff groups. This includes increasing the number of consultants, a partnership agreement commitment, by working with key partners to address recruitment and retention of consult…
18 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing NHS staff shortages in pathology.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive continues to build capacity across all staff groups within NHSScotland. This includes increasing the number of consultants, a partnership agreement commitment, by working with key partners to address recruitment and retention of consult…
18 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in addressing NHS staff shortages in radiology.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive continues to build capacity across all staff groups within NHSScotland This includes increasing the number of consultants, a partnership agreement commitment, by working with key partners to address recruitment and retention of consulta…
6 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any amendments were made to the agreement with employers in Scotland relating to the dispute with fire service personnel.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The fire service pay agreement is a matter for the local authority employers and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The agreement covers all UK fire authorities and no separate agreement has been negotiated between the FBU and the Scottish local authority employe…
6 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to end the prospect of industrial action by fire service personnel.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Industrial relations within the fire service are primarily a matter for the local authority employers and the relevant trade unions and staff associations, under the auspices of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities Fire Brigades (NJC). On 26 Augus…
6 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contingency plans are now in place to deal with any industrial action by fire service personnel and what the estimated cost of implementing such plans would be.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Contingency plans covering a range of possible scenarios, including industrial action in the fire service, are continually kept under review. However, following the agreement between the local authority employers and the Fire Brigades Union on 26 August 2004,…
6 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to, or received from, Her Majesty's Government regarding the recent negotiations with the Fire Brigades Union in relation to the pay agreement with local authorities.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Scottish ministers have made no representations to UK ministers about the negotiations and have received none.</p>