John Park

2 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is supporting the development of the social care workforce.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to developing the social care workforce in line with the <i >Economic Strategy</i> and <i >Skills for Scotland: A Lifelong Skills Strategy</i>. We are working with stakeholders on a range of partnership approaches, policie…

2 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve the quality of training and education available to the childcare and adult care sectors.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) undertakes sector skills council responsibility in Scotland for promoting and developing education and training for the social services workforce. The Scottish Government expects all sector skills councils to ensure…

2 Sep 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what investment it is making in skills and training in the childcare and adult care sectors.

Answer · Adam Ingram: In 2006-07, £35 million was invested in colleges via the Scottish Funding Council to support over 25,000 enrolments in a wide range of child care and adult care related courses. The Scottish Government is also providing record levels of funding to local gover…

28 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of each meeting on Choosing Scotland’s Future: A National Conversation held since January 2008

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The National Conversation has stimulated a wide ranging debate about Scotland''s constitutional future involving academics, voluntary organisations, faith groups, local government, trade unions, business media and the public. The Scottish Government does not …

28 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers took part in the meetings on Choosing Scotland’s Future: A National Conversation held since January 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: All Scottish Government ministers have taken part in National Conversation activity since January 2008.</p>

28 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people attended each of the meetings on Choosing Scotland’s Future: A National Conversation held since January 2008 and how many (a) special advisers and (b) civil servants attended

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The National Conversation has stimulated debate about Scotland''s constitutional future across the country. The Scottish Government does not hold information about the numbers attending events organised by others such as the universities or the media.</p> <p…

28 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who was invited to the meetings on Choosing Scotland’s Future: A National Conversation held since January 2008 and how this invitation list was decided.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Participants in National Conversation events organised by the Scottish Government since January 2008 have been drawn from the voluntary sector, faith groups, business, local government, charities, the education sector and other representatives of civic Scotla…

28 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings on Choosing Scotland's Future: A National Conversation have been held since January 2008.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The publication of Choosing Scotland''s future has successfully stimulated a wide ranging debate about Scotland''s constitutional future involving academics, voluntary organisations, faith groups, local government, trade unions, business, media and the public…

18 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what ministerial visits have been undertaken by Scottish ministers in each constituency in Mid Scotland and Fife since May 2007, broken down by minister, venue and date, and whether any other ministers or MSPs were in attendance.

Answer · John Swinney: The information sought could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p>

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated for the delivery of English for speakers of other languages programmes as non-formal adult learning since May 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is not possible to say how much funding has been allocated specifically for the delivery of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) as non-formal adult learning since May 2007.</p> <p >Funding, which is routed through the Scottish Funding Council …

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the voluntary sector for national delivery of non-formal adult learning since May 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is not possible to identify how much funding has been allocated to the voluntary sector for national delivery of non-formal adult learning since May 2007.</p> <p >While some voluntary organisations may receive direct Scottish Government funding towards th…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to the voluntary sector for local delivery of non-formal adult learning since May 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is not possible to identify how much funding has been allocated to the voluntary sector for local delivery of non-formal adult learning since May 2007.</p> <p >While some voluntary organisations may receive direct Scottish Government funding towards their…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to dedicated community-based adult learning provision since May 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is not possible to identify how much funding has been allocated to dedicated community-based adult learning provision since May 2007.</p> <p >Scottish Government funding for community-based adult learning is distributed to the community learning and devel…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to non-formal adult learning that focuses on community-based adult learning delivered in generic settings, such as community centres, since May 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is not possible to identify how much funding has been allocated to non-formal adult learning that focuses on community-based adult learning delivered in generic settings.</p> <p >Scottish Government funding for Community Based Adult Learning is distribute…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to non-formal adult learning that focuses on adult literacy and numeracy since May 2007.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is not possible to identify how much funding has been allocated to non-formal adult learning that focuses on adult literacy and numeracy since May 2007.</p> <p >Scottish Government funding for Community Based Adult Learning is distributed to the Community…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will produce an adult education strategy, similar to the early intervention strategy outlined in the Curriculum for Excellence, which will consider family learning.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: <i>Skills for </i><i>Scotland</i>, our lifelong skills strategy, sets out a new agenda for skills and learning in Scotland through a system that works for people of all ages and all walks of life, so that they can access the education and training opportuniti…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the early intervention strategies outlined in the Curriculum for Excellence tie in with adult education strategies and, if so, how.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has high ambitions for Scotland which show our confidence in the potential of all of Scotland''s people, articulated across our strategic frameworks, including Curriculum for Excellence and Skills for Scotland.</p> <p >Curriculum for …

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that there is parity of funding for adult education programmes across local authorities.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We are investing record levels of funding in local government. However, this government believes that decisions about funding allocations should be made locally.</p> <p >The Scottish government''s joint concordat with local authorities, along with the single…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of each local authority’s single outcome agreement, how it will ensure that funding for adult education programmes is protected.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We are investing record levels of funding in local government. However, this government believes that decisions about funding allocations should be made locally.</p> <p >The Scottish Government''s joint concordat with local authorities, along with the single…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to gather robust data on the level of non-formal adult learning across Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In 2005, 2006 and 2007 national information on participation in community based adult learning has been collected through a survey of community learning and development activity and published on the Scottish Government website. This data is considered to be r…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is undertaking wider consultation with external organisations and key stakeholders to help revise its skills strategy and, if so, by what process.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: My officials maintain an ongoing dialogue with our stakeholders and partners on all aspects of skills and this will continue to be the case. There are no plans for a specific consultation on this matter.</p>

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult external organisations and key stakeholders in revising its skills strategy before taking it back to the Chamber and, if so, which ones it will consult.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: My officials maintain an ongoing dialogue with our stakeholders on all aspects of skills and this will continue to be the case. There are no plans for a specific consultation on this matter.</p>

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of its special advisers have previously been employed by the Scottish National Party.

Answer · John Swinney: Information about the previous employment of special advisers is considered to be personal in terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 and cannot be disclosed.</p>

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what salary band each of its special advisers is in.

Answer · John Swinney: Currently, there are nine special advisers of whom one is a part-time unpaid appointment. The most recent special adviser, Stuart Nicolson, was appointed on 18 August 2008 to advise on communications issues. Duncan Hamilton, political adviser to the First Min…

8 Aug 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any special advisers have recently been appointed and, if so, what their roles will be.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to answer to question S3W-15385 on 3 September 2008. 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/webapp/…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if a qualification were developed for people who wish to develop a range of non-violent options for dealing with common scenarios involving physical contact in society and in the workplace, it would consider a pilot to promote such a qualification to schools and colleges and, if …

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Individual schools, local authorities, colleges and higher education institutions are responsible for the management and delivery of a curriculum that responds to the needs of their students and local circumstances. This includes deciding which qualifications…

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce qualifications for people who wish to develop a range of non-violent options for dealing with common scenarios involving physical contact in society and the workplace.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has no locus in qualifications development. Individual schools, local authorities, colleges and higher education institutions are responsible for the management and delivery of a curriculum that responds to the needs of their students …

26 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what qualifications exist for people who wish to develop a range of non-violent options for dealing with common scenarios involving physical contact in society and the workplace.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are a number of national occupational standards in this area and these standards have been used in a variety of vocational qualifications accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority. For example the unit “Protect Yourself from the Risk of Violen…

5 Jun 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will use seized proceeds of crime to fund sporting and cultural projects in the areas of Mid Scotland and Fife hardest-hit by crime.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have already announced over £7 million of investment in the young people of Scotland using the ill-gotten gains of organised crime. This significant programme of activity in sports, the arts and youthwork will be used to benefit young people of all ages thr…

22 May 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in developing plans for the new Forth crossing.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Development work is progressing to programme and the necessary ground investigation and environmental survey work is underway.</p>