Kezia Dugdale

21 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has given to families travelling to the myotonic dystrophy support group conference in Bristol.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We are not aware of any requests for support from families wishing to attend the Myotonic Dystrophy Support Conference in Bristol. The Scottish Muscle Network is currently working to improve the support that individuals with neuromuscular conditions and thei…

21 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives families to access the specialist myotonic dystrophy support group based in Nottingham.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We fully recognise the valuable role that peer support can play in enabling and supporting people living with neuromuscular diseases. We are not aware of any requests for support made to the Scottish Government from families wishing to attend the Nottingham-…

21 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what schemes it funds to help families affected by muscular dystrophy.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We want to ensure that people living with neuromuscular conditions, including their families, get access to the best possible care and support. Healthcare Improvement Scotland published the Neurological Clinical Standards in October 2009. These standards wil…

21 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will help the Scottish Muscle Network to achieve the goals set out in its Annual Report 2011-12.

Answer · Michael Matheson: All National Managed Clinical Networks (NMCNs), including the Scottish Muscle Network, are provided with performance management support through NHS National Services Scotland, National Services Division. The formal mechanism for this is a service agreement an…

21 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has given to the Scottish Muscle Network in each year since 2007.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not directly fund the Scottish Muscle Network. The Scottish Muscle Network is one of 23 national managed clinical networks (NMCN). Each NMCN is individually commissioned and performance managed by National Services Division on be…

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the Minister for Youth Employment’s recent letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding a youth guarantee across EU member states (Official Report, col. 15342).

Answer · Angela Constance: It is not normal practice to publish private letters between Ministers. However, in my letter to the Secretary of Work and Pensions, I suggested that it would be helpful to have a discussion about the UK Government’s views on the European Commission’s recomme…

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what officials the Minister for Youth Employment met on her recent visit to Brussels and what was discussed.

Answer · Angela Constance: Since 2008, the Scottish Government has adopted the practice of regularly publishing details of Ministers’ engagements on the Scottish Government website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/People/14944/Events-Engagements/MinisterialEngagements Details of mee…

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce the new conditions of the Employer Recruitment Incentive.

Answer · Angela Constance: Scottish Government officials are liaising with representatives from the Scottish local authorities economic development group, business organisations and others on the details of the employer recruitment incentive. Details will be circulated to MSPs as soon …

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will spend the additional £80 million referred to by the Minister for Youth Employment on 10 January 2012 (Official Report, c. 15340), broken down by programme.

Answer · Angela Constance: As part of our all-Government, All-Scotland response to assist young Scots towards and into employment, the £80 million we have identified will go towards: £33 million (including £3 million from Young Scot funding) for Opportunities for All; £15 million for…

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) 16 to 19 and (b) 20 to 24-year-olds have undertaken more than one learning, training or work opportunity via programmes administered by Skills Development Scotland.

Answer · Angela Constance: This information is not held centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you with the information you have requested.

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people between (a) 16 and 19 and (b) 20 and 24 undertook opportunities created by the youth employment budget in 2011-12.

Answer · Angela Constance: There was no specific “youth employment budget” in 2011-12. However, please see the following table which details the participants for programmes relating to youth employment broken down by age where possible: Programme 16-19 20-24 total Modern Apprentic…

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people have been supported by the £9 million that it gave to local authorities in 2012 to tackle youth unemployment.

Answer · Angela Constance: The £9 million additional Opportunities for All funding, given to six local authorities in 2012, will help support 3,447 young people. The delivery of this support will be complete by September 2013.

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) job and (b) employability opportunities have been created by the £9 million that it gave to local authorities in 2012 to tackle youth unemployment.

Answer · Angela Constance: This programme of activity, being delivered by six local authorities, will reach its conclusion in September 2013 and will help support 1,369 job opportunities, through wage subsidies and 2,078 employability opportunities, in the form of training.

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) job and (b) employability opportunities were created by its youth employment programmes in 2011-12, broken down by programme.

Answer · Angela Constance: Scottish Government youth employment programmes are all designed to improve the employability of young people, whether they are pre-employment programmes or in-work training programmes. The following table details the outcomes for Scottish Government program…

18 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) job and (b) employability opportunities will be created by its youth employment budget in 2012-13, broken down by programme.

Answer · Angela Constance: The number of jobs and employability opportunities that will be created by the Scottish Government’s additional funding to support youth employment in 2012-13 will be: 1,400 subsidised jobs for 16-19 year olds in social enterprises and voluntary organisation…

15 Jan 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Edinburgh trams will be included in its concessionary fare scheme.

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the number of modern apprenticeships offered by small and medium-sized enterprises and, if so, how.

Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) uses a range of mechanisms to develop a clear picture of employer and industry skills needs, including their recently launched Our Skills Force. In a bid to provide greater, more direct support to help Scotlands small and med…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission an independent evaluation of the success of its employability programmes.

Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is currently finalising details of an action plan to support the SDS evaluation strategy 2012-15. This will include a three to four year rolling plan to ensure that all future evaluation is adequately planned and resourced. S…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people who are unemployed and have been so for at least two years have attended a (a) training and (b) employability programme in each of the last three years, broken down by programme.

Answer · Angela Constance: This information is not held centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you on this matter.

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people who are unemployed have been so for at least two years.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Annual Population Survey (APS) provides the preferred measure of youth unemployment. The latest data covers October 2011 to September 2012. Of the 85,100 young people who are unemployed approximately 11% (10,000) have been unemployed for at least two yea…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to 20 to 24-year-olds seeking training courses.

Answer · Angela Constance: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) offers a range of ways for individuals of all ages to access training. Learners can contact SDS via more than one hundred locations throughout Scotland. SDS have space on their website detailing the services they deliver for …

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many training programme opportunities have been (a) available and (b) taken up by 20 to 24-year-olds in each year since 2008.

Answer · Angela Constance: This information is not held centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you with the information you have requested.

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it helps local authorities provide 3-year funding streams to third sector agencies.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government aims to provide local authorities with three year funding allocations (year one final and years two and three provisional) in order to give them certainty in longer term financial planning, which in turn should help them to provide thr…

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when Skills Development Scotland will introduce an action plan to deliver its evaluation strategy.

Answer · Angela Constance: The production of an action plan to support the delivery of Skills Development Scotland’s (SDS) Evaluation Strategy is the responsibility of SDS. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the Member.

11 Jan 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) 16 to 19 and (b) 20 to 24-year-olds have a work coach.

Answer · Angela Constance: This information is not held centrally. I will ask the Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland to write to you on this matter.

18 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning last met representatives of Queen Margaret University and what issues were discussed.

Answer · Michael Russell: I meet with representatives of all Scottish universities on a regular basis, including Queen Margaret University, to discuss a variety of issues.

18 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning has had with Queen Margaret University regarding its decision to pursue compulsory staff redundancies.

Answer · Michael Russell: I sought information on the issue from the Principal of Queen Margaret University in December 2012 as a result of an approach from the trade unions and that information was provided.

17 Dec 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its digital participation strategy will benefit people in Midlothian.

3 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the membership is of its stakeholder group discussing the future of the 2014-20 European Structural Funds and rural and fisheries programmes for Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: A wide range of stakeholders are involved in developing the approach to Structural, Rural and Fisheries Fund programmes for 2014-20. Each Fund has its own consultation arrangements; and the Funds collectively have a reference group comprising COSLA, the enter…

22 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10695 by Fergus Ewing on 14 November 2012, whether it will provide additional resources to credit unions to support their development.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recognises that there are some alternatives to the high interest credit such as those provided by credit unions, and will do all it can to promote these, where this is appropriate. Therefore, we will continue to work with representati…