Parliamentary questions

Kezia Dugdale

1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has gathered to assess or demonstrate whether the overall wellbeing of children is improving along the Getting it Right for Every Child dimensions.

Answer · Angela Constance: Routine data is not yet collected nationally as the Getting it Right for Every Child approach has yet to be fully implemented by Community Planning Partnerships. Reports on the impact of the Getting it Right for Every Child approach can be found at: Changin…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Reshaping Care Change Fund monies cannot be diverted into core budgets, mainstream funding and non-preventative spend.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government guidance on the Reshaping Care Change Fund, when it issues to Partnerships later this year, will attach high priority to the development of anticipatory care and preventative measures, with a view to increasing the proportion of Change Fun…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what data the Getting it Right for Every Child programme is generating in terms of the support needs of children across the country to achieve the best start in life and how these data are being used to plan and configure policies, strategies and services.

Answer · Angela Constance: It is for Community Planning Partnerships to generate these data as they move toward implementation of Getting it Right for Every Child. As Getting it Right for Every Child is implemented Community Planning Partnership organisations will begin to build up a b…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that it would be appropriate for the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth to approve all Reshaping Care Change Fund applications against clearly defined criteria of preventative spend.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Ministerial Strategic Group for Health and Community Care, chaired by me, will oversee the implementation of the Change Fund process nationally and will look for assurance that Partnerships are using the Fund to help rebalance care, support and service pr…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to ensure that any disadvantage imposed by underdeveloped cognitive ability is avoided in line with the findings of the Growing Up in Scotland study.

Answer · Angela Constance: The aim of the Scottish Government’s early years change programme is to break the cycles of disadvantage which blight successive generations. Within this programme, there is a strong role for parents, early learning and childcare and play in breaking these cy…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are sanctions that can be imposed on local authorities that misspend Reshaping Care Change Funds.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government guidance on the Reshaping Care Change Fund requires Partnership Change Plans to be prepared, agreed and signed off by NHS boards, local authorities and representatives of the third and independent sectors. Guidance to be issued later this…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the West Lothian criminal justice system initiative that increased the number of planned pleading diets that went ahead from 44% to 85% as noted in the Audit Scotland report, An overview of Scotland's criminal justice system, and whether it plans to roll out the in…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government recognises the good work of the West Lothian criminal justice project and the impressive results that it delivered locally. While local initiatives are designed for local purposes, work is underway to build on the lessons learned from…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a centrally held definition of (a) preventative and (b) anticipatory care.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There is not a centrally held definition for preventative and anticipatory care, and both can take many forms. It is generally accepted that anticipatory care should target health improvement action and resources at specific, identified areas, providing early…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that 20% of Reshaping Care Change Fund monies are spent on supporting carers.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government guidance on the Reshaping Care Change Fund for 2012-13, to be issued later in 2011, will require partnerships to set out what constitutes support to carers locally so they can clearly demonstrate that at least 20% of their change fund is d…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Reshaping Care Change Fund monies are spent exclusively as preventative spend.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government guidance on the Reshaping Care Change Fund for 2012-13, to be issued later this year, makes clear the expectation on Partnerships to increase the proportion of funding allocated to preventative and anticipatory care and proactive care and …

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will balance the need for local decision making and the enhanced role of community planning partnerships with demands for a clearer definition of preventative spend.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: As set out in our response to the Christie Commission report, the government expects prevention to be built into the design and delivery of all public services. It will be for those responsible for design and delivery of services at local level, including com…

26 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines preventative spend.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government’s spending plans are designed to support a transition across public services away from dealing with the symptoms of disadvantage and inequality towards tackling their root causes with a focus on improving outcomes and averting future c…

24 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has given to (a) Sustrans and (b) each local authority in Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets grant in each year since 2007.

Answer · Keith Brown: Since 2007, the Scottish Government has allocated the following grants to Sustrans for developing the National Cycle Network and other active travel projects; and Local Authorities for Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets projects: Recipient (£ million) 200…

24 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been charged with offences under section 129 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 in each year since 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: In the financial years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 there were seven, three and three persons prosecuted where the main offence was under section 129 of Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. Information for 2010-11 will not be available until publication of the Crimina…

24 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been convicted of offences under section 129 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 in each year since 2007.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: In the financial years 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 there were six, two and three persons convicted where the main offence was under section 129 of Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. Information for 2010-11 will not be available until publication of the Criminal Pro…

6 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will re-examine and enhance its child poverty strategy in light of the Welfare Reform Bill.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03214 on 3 November 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentar…

6 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the Welfare Reform Bill will be on its child poverty strategy.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Welfare Reform Bill will not change the strategic aims of the Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland, which are to maximise household resources and to improve children’s wellbeing and life chances. However, as the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum…

5 Oct 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will protect and increase the number of supported workplaces across Scotland in the current economic climate.

3 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any management fee levied from EU students studying at Scottish institutions would be used to cover the costs of non-tuition services in a similar way to student services fees in the Republic of Ireland.

Answer · Michael Russell: We are exploring options for raising additional income from non-UK EU students and will provide further details in due course.

3 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it expects a management fee levied from EU students studying at Scottish institutions would raise and what the basis is for the calculation.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03157 on 25 October 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentary…

3 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a management fee levied from EU students studying at Scottish institutions would be universal or means-tested.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03157 on 25 October 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentaryb…

3 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can ensure that any management fee levied from EU students studying at Scottish institutions would be levied also from Scottish students but reimbursed by an additional maintenance grant award.

30 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it appropriate to introduce new academic subjects when the Curriculum for Excellence is not yet fully established.

Answer · Michael Russell: Curriculum for Excellence is now being delivered in all public funded schools in Scotland and is already well established. Subjects are an essential feature of the curriculum, particularly in secondary school and as learning becomes more specialised subjects …

30 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had recent discussions with (a) teaching unions and (b) universities providing courses leading to teaching qualifications regarding the introduction of new subjects to the curriculum.

Answer · Michael Russell: The government is in touch with teaching unions and universities regularly on a whole range of matters including developments in Curriculum for Excellence. Curriculum for Excellence does not prescribe subjects and any developments which may impact on teacher…

30 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider conducting a snapshot mapping exercise of the provision of Scottish content in the curriculum to inform the development of any Scottish studies programme.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Studies Working Group is already taking account of guidance on Curriculum for Excellence and anecdotal evidence which suggests that while the place of learning about Scotland has been strengthened it remains a fortunate accident for some rather t…

30 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish studies will be a (a) concept, (b) strand or (c) subject.

Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish Studies will be developed to strengthen the place of learning about Scotland across the curriculum. The Scottish Studies Working Group is considering how best to implement the manifesto commitment and will make recommendations early in the new year. …

28 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will "provide all public services with forward revenue and capital budget projections on the same multi-year planning cycle", as recommended by the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services.

Answer · John Swinney: Draft revenue and capital budgets for 2012-13 and plans for the following two years were published in Scottish Spending Review 2011 and Draft Budget 2012-13 on 21 September 2011.

28 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will enhance the role of Audit Scotland in line with the recommendations of the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services.

Answer · John Swinney: We are considering recommendation 7.18 of the Christie Commission. However, I am particularly concerned that external scrutiny should be able to provide a clearer picture of how public service organisations are working together and using resources efficiently…

28 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the view of the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services that “effective challenge and external scrutiny is frustrated by poor data” and what plans the Scottish Government has to encourage more consistent and comparable benchmarking across Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government agrees that there is considerable scope to improve the quality, transparency and comparability of performance data for key public services. At a local level, I understand that the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) a…

28 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of its plans for scrutiny reform as highlighted in its response to the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government published plans in November 2010 for scrutiny reform to drive out savings, as highlighted in our response to the Christie Commission. The plans were published in the Efficiencies from Improvement to Scrutiny document which can be found…